Chapter 266

Chapter 266
Serena's POV

That evening, after dinner, I gathered enough courage to go to his room. My heart hammered so hard I was sure he could hear it from the hallway.

I knocked softly before entering, and immediately froze.

Hades stood in front of his mirror, half-dressed, tugging a black shirt over his head. The fabric stretched over his torso in the most distracting way imaginable. My hand shot up to cover my eyes with a gasp.

“Oh my goddess!” I squeaked, though I was definitely peeking through my fingers.

He turned around, amused. “If you want to see me properly naked, Serena, you can just ask instead of playing peek-a-boo.”

Heat rushed to my face. “I wasn’t looking!”

“Sure,” he said with a smirk, buttoning the last button slowly — the kind of slow that should be illegal.

I dropped my hands, crossing my arms. “You’re impossible.”

He chuckled, then grabbed his comb from the dresser. I took a deep breath and stepped forward.

“Hades,” I said softly.

He turned, brows lifting slightly.

“I wanted to apologize. For yesterday. I didn’t mean to make you feel… bad. I’m sorry.”

His expression softened for a heartbeat before he nodded and walked past me toward the window. “I should apologize too. For walking away. I was angry — not at you, just… frustrated.”

I turned to face him. “You were right to be.”

He shook his head, sighing. “No, I reacted badly. Maybe I was insensitive too. It’s your body, your choice. I’ll respect whatever you decide, Serena. Even if… you don’t want the baby.”

My heart twisted painfully. Even in his uncertainty, he still put me first.

I took a step closer. “Hades…”

He looked at me.

“Let’s get married.”

He blinked. “Huh?”

I extended my hand toward him, a small grin tugging my lips. “Propose to me. Go on.”

His mouth fell open. “W-what? Now?”

“Yes, now.” I grinned wider. “Come on, Alpha, I dare you.”

For a man I’d once caught practicing proposal speeches in the mirror, he suddenly looked like a deer caught in headlights. He stuttered, rubbed his neck, and glanced around the room.

“Okay, um…” He trailed off, turning in circles.

“What are you doing?” I asked, laughing.

“Looking for the ring!”

My eyebrows shot up. “You have one?”

“Yes! Or… I had one. I prepared for this moment, you know.”

I burst out laughing as he frantically searched the bedside drawers, then crouched to peek under the bed. “You’re ridiculous,” I said between giggles.

“Serena, I swear it was right here!”

The door suddenly creaked open, and Quinta peeked in. “Oh, heavens, are you two rearranging furniture already?”

We both turned to her — me red-faced, Hades still on his knees.

“I’m looking for a ring!” he said quickly.

She sighed, amused. “You kept it behind the flower vase on your shelf, Hades.”

His face lit up. “Ah! Thank you!”

He snatched the ring box and held it triumphantly in the air like a man who’d just found lost treasure. Quinta shook her head, muttering something about “young wolves and lost brains.”

Turning to me, she grinned. “You see? He forgets things. Can you help him with that after you become his wife?”

I laughed. “Sure. I’ll try my best.”

Hades finally straightened, brushing imaginary dust from his pants, and turned to me. His eyes softened, that deep ocean-blue I could drown in.

He took a breath, stepping closer. “Serena Carlton,” he began, his voice low but steady. “You came into my life when I didn’t even know I was missing something. You’ve challenged me, grounded me, and healed parts of me I thought were gone forever. With you, I found peace — and chaos — and I wouldn’t trade either.”

I bit my lip, my heart swelling.

He went down on one knee, holding the small ring box open. The silver band glimmered softly under the warm light.

“Serena Carlton,” he continued, smiling up at me, “will you do me the honor of being my wife, my Luna, and my equal? To stand beside me — not behind me — before my pack, the councils, and the entire world. To be my anchor when the tides get rough. To keep me breathing beside you, every damn day, for the rest of our lives?”

I felt tears prick my eyes. “Yes,” I whispered, my voice shaking. Then louder, smiling through the blur, “Yes, Alpha Hades.”

He slid the ring onto my finger, his hands trembling just slightly. Then he stood, cupped my face, and kissed me, slow, sweet, and deep enough to steal my breath.

Quinta sniffled loudly. “Aww… I’m feeling bad now. Why didn’t I just get married fifty years ago?”

Hades laughed, pulling back just enough to glance at her. “Come on, Quinta. Come here.”

She shuffled closer, still wiping at her eyes. He threw an arm around her shoulders and said teasingly, “Aside from not having a man to call yours, you have me. I’m like your grandson, right? And our unborn child — he or she — will be your great-grandchild.”

I laughed softly. “He’s right.”

Quinta’s lips trembled as she smiled, eyes glassy. Hades leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

He hugged us both — her small frame between us — and then turned, his arm wrapping protectively around my waist as he kissed me again, tender and full of promise.

In that moment, laughter and love filled the room like sunlight through an open window. For once, there was no fear, no hesitation, just us, standing in the glow of something that felt like forever.