Chapter 42

Serena's POV

As I entered the house, I heard my mother’s excited voice from the living room. Curious, I stepped closer, only to find her sitting on the couch, holding the bouquet Hades had given her. She was blushing, her fingers lightly brushing the petals as if they were the most precious things she had ever seen.

My father sat across from her, watching her with mild amusement.

"Can you believe how handsome they were?" my mother gushed, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “And these flowers! Hades was so polite when he gave them to me. Serena is lucky to work with men like that.”

I froze, my fingers gripping the doorframe. This was going to be embarrassing, wasn’t it?

“They’re hot,” my mother added shamelessly. “I wish Serena was entangled with one of them.”

“Mother!” I blurted, stepping into the room with wide eyes. My face burned with embarrassment. “How can you say that?”

She waved her hand dismissively, not even fazed by my outburst. “Oh, stop acting like they don’t make you feel anything. You can’t tell me those amazing faces and god-like voices don’t make your heart race.”

“They’re just my bosses,” I protested, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Really?” My mother raised an eyebrow, her tone playful. “You don’t want anything more with any of them?”

“Mother…” I warned, feeling my face heat up even more.

“Maybe she has something more with one of them,” my father chimed in with a mischievous grin.

“Oh, my world,” I groaned, covering my face with my hands. This was the last thing I wanted to discuss with them.

“And maybe,” he continued, his grin widening, “she has something with all three of them.”

“Father!” I dropped my hands, staring at him in disbelief. “I can’t believe you’re saying that.”

They both burst into laughter, clearly enjoying my discomfort. I shook my head and turned on my heel, heading toward my room before they could tease me any further.

After settling in, I tried to distract myself with some work, but the evening passed in a blur. By dinner, I was still trying to shake off the teasing comments. Afterward, as I was getting ready for bed, my phone buzzed. Everly’s name lit up the screen.

“Hey, girl!” she greeted cheerfully. “I need all the details. How did the day go?”

I sighed, sinking onto my bed. “It’s been overwhelming, to say the least.”

“Come on, spill,” Everly urged. “Did anyone unexpectedly pop up?”

“Caiden and Hades. They showed up,” I admitted. “They were polite… mostly. There was a bit of tension, though.”

Everly snorted. “Polite? I bet Caiden was a cocky flirt as usual.”

I chuckled despite myself. “He was actually apologetic at one point. But still… Caiden is Caiden.”

“And Hades?” she pressed.

“Calm and collected, different from the tough guy I know.”

Everly’s tone turned teasing. “You didn’t mention Aeson. What about him?”

I paused, memories of our earlier proximity In his office flooding my mind. His scent, his intense gaze, the way he stood so close I could feel the warmth radiating from him. My pulse quickened at the thought.

“Serena?” Everly’s voice cut through my thoughts.

I shook my head. “It’s nothing. It’s just... my wolf constantly wants to get close to them. It’s like she’s driving me to the edge.”

Everly’s laughter was rich with amusement. “Hm. Don’t you want to get close to those delicious men too?”

“Everly!” I gasped, mortified.

“Come on,” she teased. “Maybe get a peek at what’s under those clothes. You know, their huge—”

“Everly!” I interrupted, feeling my face heat up all over again.

“It would be so nice to—”

I didn’t let her finish. “Everly, you’re impossible!”

But even as I scolded her, my heart raced at the thoughts she had planted in my mind.

I ended the call with Everly before she could tease me further. My head was spinning from everything that had happened today, and I just wanted to sleep and wake up feeling better in the morning.

By dawn, the sun seeped through the curtains, its warmth dancing across my face. I blinked slowly, still half-lost in sleep, until I became aware of something unusual. There was a sensation at different parts of my body—gentle, soft touches that shouldn’t have been there.

My breath hitched as something traced along the curve of my face, down to my shoulder. My eyes snapped open, colliding with dark, intense eyes. Aeson.

“You…” My words caught in my throat.

“Shh…” he hushed me, his voice low and soothing. His hand remained at my shoulder, fingers brushing the edge of my sleeve.

Before I could react, I felt another presence beside me. Turning slightly, I saw Caiden, his gaze steady as his fingers intertwined with mine, lifting my hand to his lips in a slow, deliberate gesture. The tender warmth of his touch sent a ripple of something I couldn’t quite name through me.

“Caiden…what is this?”

From the edge of the bed, Hades leaned forward, his usual smirk softened but no less mischievous. His eyes locked onto mine, unreadable yet magnetic.

“What are you all doing here?” My voice was barely above a whisper.

“You wanted us,” Caiden said quietly. “So we came.”

“No, I—” I started to protest, but Aeson interrupted, his eyes narrowing slightly as if he could see through my words.

“Don’t deny it,” he said softly, his tone a mixture of reassurance and desire. “You’ve felt it too, haven’t you?”

My breath grew shallow. I wasn’t sure what to say, but the intensity of their presence made it hard to focus. The air between us felt thick with unspoken truths, and no matter how much I tried to push it away, I couldn’t ignore the rapid beating of my heart.

“Serena, you’re not alone in this,” Hades added. His eyes softened in a way I hadn’t seen before. “Let us be here for you.”

The tension in the room felt electric. My mind was spinning in too many directions at once, but deep down, I knew they weren’t wrong. There was something about their closeness—something overwhelming, yes, but also grounding.

Still, I was unsure where this would lead. Or maybe I do.

“Please, Serena,” Caiden said, his voice sincere. “Don’t hold back.”

I swallowed hard, torn between the pull of the moment and the chaos in my head. Whatever this was… it wasn’t something I could easily deny.

I barely noticed my fingers trembling.

“Serena,” Aeson murmured again, the sound of my name breaking whatever fragile wall I had left.

I tried to ignore the way my body responded—heart pounding, every nerve on high alert. My breathing hitched as Aeson’s hand lingered on my shoulder, the warmth of his touch impossible to ignore. His gaze held mine, dark and unreadable, yet somehow gentle.

“You’ve felt this too,” he said softly, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down my spine. “We all have.”

I didn’t know what to say. My mind told me to push back, to regain control of the situation, but my body… my body had its ideas.

Caiden was still holding my hand, his thumb gently tracing circles over my skin. “You’ve been punishing us for too long, Serena,” he said quietly, his eyes soft but intent. “Why not let us in?”

I swallowed hard, my pulse racing. “It’s not that simple.”

Caiden’s gaze darkened, his lips pulling into a slow, sinful smile. “Don’t deny it, sweetheart. I can smell your need.”

I sucked in a sharp breath, heat flushing my entire body.

“What?” I gasped, eyes wide. My gaze darted to Hades, whose hand had found its way up my thigh. His fingers brushed against sensitive skin, sending electric jolts through me. My toes curled involuntarily, betraying me in a way I couldn’t control.

“You want us. Don’t hide it,” Hades said, his voice husky and low. Our eyes locked, and I felt like I was sinking into him—into all of them.

Aeson leaned closer, a low groan rumbling from his chest as his hand slipped beneath my silk nightwear. His fingers found my hardened peaks, teasing and kneading until a soft, unwilling moan escaped my lips.

“Serena…” he whispered, the sound of my name making my head spin.

Every touch heightened the sensation, a storm building inside me that threatened to break. And then Hades’s fingers trailed higher, finding the very core of me. I gasped again, barely able to breathe. My body responded with a fierce ache I didn’t know I could feel.

They were closing in now—Caiden, Aeson, and Hades—surrounding me with their heat, their touch, their intensity. Just when they were about to bury me under their hard bodies…

I shot awake, gasping for breath. My room was dark; the only sound was the pounding of my heartbeat. Sweat clung to my skin, and I felt a dampness pooling between my thighs. My eyes darted downward, and I swallowed hard.

Oh, my God. I was fucking wet.

I pressed my hands to my flushed cheeks, mortified. What kind of dream had I just had?