Chapter 253

Chapter 253
Serena’s POV

I stared down at my hands for a moment, unsure of what to say. I nodded once, meeting Hades’s gaze across the table. He was watching me, calm but unreadable.

“Well,” Father said after a pause, trying to lighten the mood, “that aside. Hades, what’s your plan for our daughter?” He wriggled his brows in amusement.

“Father,” I said with mock sternness before Hades could answer, “we’ll take things slowly.”

“Hmm,” Father said approvingly. “That’s lovely.”

Just then, Hades’s phone buzzed sharply against the table. He glanced at the screen, and in an instant, his expression shifted. Something unreadable clouded his eyes.

“Excuse me,” he said, rising. “I need to leave now. Something urgent came up.”

“Oh, I understand, Alpha Hades,” Father replied easily, though his eyes hinted at curiosity.

I, however, was not convinced. As Hades made for the door, I followed him.

Once outside, I caught his arm gently. “Is there something wrong?” I asked. “You seem… disturbed.”

He paused halfway down the porch, then turned to me with a small sigh. “Um, no,” he said, but his tone was uncertain. Then, as if deciding something, he came back up the steps until he was standing right before me. His gaze softened. “I want us to be honest with each other, Serena.”

The wind brushed through the trees, and I smiled faintly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “Okay,” I said quietly. “Then here’s me being honest. I love you, Hades—just like you love me. You can’t imagine how much.” I grinned up at him. “I’m sure you wanted to hear that.”

He didn’t reply immediately. Instead, he leaned in and kissed me, slow, sure, and tender. My breath caught as his lips lingered, his hand resting at the back of my neck, grounding me. For a moment, the world stilled; even the cicadas went quiet.

When he finally drew back, his forehead rested against mine, but his eyes carried a shadow I couldn’t name.

“So,” I whispered, searching his face, “is there anything you’re keeping from me?”

He hesitated, then nodded once, his thumb brushing against my chin. “Yes,” he said softly. “But I’ll tell you at the right time. Okay?”

Something inside me twisted, part fear, part trust. I studied him, the man who’d fought for me, stood between me and danger, kissed me like I was both salvation and sin, and finally nodded.

“Okay,” I murmured.

He smiled faintly, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Good girl.”

Then he stepped off the porch, the morning breeze tugging at his shirt as he walked toward his car. I watched him go, the echo of his footsteps fading into the distance.

Inside, my parents’ voices murmured softly, laughter faint against the hum of crickets. But all I could think about was that look he gave me, half love, half burden.

There was something he wasn’t saying. Something waiting just beyond the quiet.

Later that night, I couldn’t sleep. I kept tossing and turning, my fingers absently clutching the pillow as though it could whisper what was on my mind. The image of Hades’s face before he left, that tightness around his jaw, that faint tension in his eyes, all wouldn’t leave me.

He’d said he wasn't disturbed. But I knew that look. The kind that said he was holding something back.

The question looped through my head like an echo: What could it be?

Just as I sat up to breathe and convince myself to stop overthinking, my phone vibrated against the nightstand. My heart skipped.

Hades.

The corners of my lips tugged into a small smile as I opened the message.

{How are you doing, my moonlight?}

I stared at the text, warmth spreading through me. Before I could even type a reply, my phone began to ring. His name lit up the screen, and I answered quicker than I ever had in my life.

“Hello, Alpha,” I greeted softly, my voice almost a whisper.

“Hello, my Luna,” he said.

That voice – low, deep, and coated with that quiet dominance that only Hades possessed, rolled through me like a wave. My cheeks flushed instantly. I could almost feel his breath against my neck even though he was miles away.

“How was your day?” he asked.

I smiled faintly, drawing my knees up. “Well… Sundays are always boring. And today felt ruined from the start since we had to change our plans.”

There was a low sigh on the other end. “I’m sorry, Serena,” he said, his tone warm and sincere. “I wanted today to be our first real date, something memorable. But…”

“It’s fine,” I cut in gently. “Duties called, right?”

A small pause, then a thoughtful hum. “Hmm. Still, I should’ve made time.”

“I know,” I teased lightly, “but it’s okay. I understand.”

There was a rustle, like he was shifting his weight. “Then let’s make up for it,” he said. “This weekend. Just us. No interruptions, no duties. Just me and you, my Luna.”

That made me smile so wide my cheeks hurt. “Deal,” I said, my heart drumming.

“Good,” he replied softly. “Then it’s a promise.”

We talked for another half an hour, about random things, about how he missed seeing me smile, and how he couldn’t wait to make me laugh again tomorrow when we see each other in the company. It was overwhelming.

When the call finally ended, I lay in bed grinning like an idiot, replaying his words over and over until sleep finally claimed me.

By Thursday evening, Everly was sprawled across my bed, munching on chips as she kicked her legs lazily in the air. Our usual pre-weekend sleepover tradition was in full swing, and the room was buzzing with girlish excitement.

“So,” Everly said, grinning mischievously, “tell me everything. How’s my favorite soon-to-be Luna doing with her mighty Alpha?”

I laughed, tossing a pillow at her. “You already know, Everly.”

“Oh no, no. I want details,” she insisted, sitting upright, her dark curls bouncing. “I still can’t believe you actually chose Hades. Out of the three, he was the one I least expected you to pick!”

“Why?” I raised a brow, amused.

She shrugged dramatically. “Because he’s intimidating. Brooding. And a literal god in an Alpha’s body. Meanwhile, the other two—Aeson and Caiden—were practically writing poetry in your honor!”

I couldn’t help laughing. “They weren’t that bad.”

“They were simping, Serena,” she said firmly, pointing her chip at me like it was evidence. “But still—you rejected them, and they accepted it. I was half-expecting claws and chaos.”

“Honestly,” I said, smiling softly, “so was I. But I guess deep down, they knew I wasn’t theirs.”

Everly sighed dramatically, hugging a pillow. “Still, you and Hades? The way he looks at you? It’s like he’s afraid you’ll vanish. I noticed that when he dropped you off earlier.”

I blushed instantly, rolling my eyes. “You exaggerate.”

“Do I?” she teased, narrowing her eyes. “You love him, don’t you?”

The room went quiet for a heartbeat. I swallowed, smiling shyly. “Yeah,” I whispered. “I do. He’s… different, Everly. He’s patient, protective, funny when he wants to be. And when he looks at me, it’s like I finally know what home feels like all over again.”

Everly’s grin softened into something tender. “Then I’m happy for you,” she said. “You deserve that kind of love.”

I reached out and squeezed her hand. “Thanks, Everly.”

She winked. “Now tell me, did he kiss you again? Or did you guys have another spicy sex…”

“Everly!" I threw the pillow at her so hard that she squealed, and we both burst out laughing.