Chapter 40

Serena's POV

The living room was almost done. My mother had swept the house effortlessly, and I gathered the remaining trash. Wiping sweat from my brow, I grabbed the trash bag and headed outside to empty it. The afternoon sun hit my face as I stretched, enjoying a brief moment of relief.

The low hum of a car engine caught my attention. A sleek black car pulled up to the curb, and I immediately recognized it. Caiden. He stepped out with that familiar self-assured smile, his eyes lighting up when they landed on me.

I quickly walked over to meet him on the lawn, my heart racing for reasons I didn’t want to dwell on.

“I wasn’t expecting to see you,” I said, my voice barely steady as I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand.

He held my gaze, his eyes softening. “It’s normal. I heard you were moving in today, so I thought I’d surprise my mate.” His emphasis on the last word made my stomach twist in nervous knots.

I opened my mouth but no words came. Just as my eyes wandered to the side, I froze. Aeson. He was standing a few yards away at the driveway, watching us with an intensity that made my skin prickle. I immediately dropped my gaze. When I looked back up, Hades was standing near Aurora, holding a bouquet. Was that for her? My eyes flicked between them before I squinted against the sun.

“Hades,” I murmured without realizing it. At the sound of his name, his gaze snapped to mine as if he had heard me. It was sharp and piercing, making me look away just as quickly.

Caiden had wandered off, but before I could process his absence, he returned. His hands were behind his back, a mischievous grin playing on his lips.

“I got these for you.” He revealed the flowers—bright, bold sunflowers that seemed to radiate the sunshine itself.

“You like it?” His eyes searched mine, full of quiet hope.

“Uh…” I began, but before I could finish, I heard footsteps. We both turned as Aeson approached. His expression was stormy, the kind that easily sold out that he wasn't here for mincing.

“What is he doing here?” Aeson demanded, his voice cold and clipped, his gaze bored into my eyes.

Caiden, unfazed, gave him a small wave. “Hello? Isn’t it obvious? I came to see her.”

They locked eyes, a silent conversation passing between them. The air between them seemed unpalatable. My breath hitched. Oh goodness.

Caiden broke eye contact first, turning back to me. “I hope this house is okay, Serena? I actually have a better one at my packhouse.” His tone was casual, but the implication wasn’t lost on me.

“No. It’s fine,” I said quickly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Hades approaching. His gait was purposeful, but his focus was solely on me.

“Hi, Serena.” His voice was low and deliberate.

“Hi, Alpha Hades.” I tried to keep my tone neutral, but my nerves betrayed me.

He hesitated, glancing briefly at Caiden

before speaking again. “No, you can just—” He stopped mid-sentence. Caiden took the opportunity to step forward and offer the flowers to me once more.

“Take them,” Caiden said, his voice insistent but not unkind.

Before I could respond, Aurora appeared. She stood at a distance, her arms crossed, lips curled in a mocking smile.

“What’s going on here, Caiden and Hades?” Her voice was sharp, laced with disbelief and irritation. “Last night, you were both with her. And now you’re here with flowers?”

Her words echoed in the tense air, and I felt a hot flush creep up my neck.

I turned to Hades, my mind spinning. Were the flowers really for me? His expression was unreadable, his eyes dark pools of something I couldn’t name.

Aurora clicked her tongue loudly, drawing my attention immediately. She shook her head, her eyes flicking between the three of us with a mix of amusement and contempt.

“This is interesting, but totally unappealing,” she said with a mocking grin. “Two hot guys roaming over a girl like her is below expectations.” Her gaze shifted to me, lingering in a way that made my stomach twist. Her eyes were full of judgment, a sneer curling at the corner of her lips. “Even though you guys just want to eat her pussy and go.”

I felt my fists clench at my sides. My nails dug into my palms, the sting sharp enough to focus my mind. I tried to even my breath, but her words had hit harder than I wanted to admit.

She rolled her eyes and turned away with an exaggerated flourish. The air around me felt thick with tension, and I found myself taking an involuntary step back. But then, as if she was playing a game I didn’t know the rules to, she stopped and turned toward Aeson.

“Aren’t you going to see me off, Aeson?” she said, her voice dripping with a teasing sort of sweetness. “You were running after me earlier to talk, right?”

Aeson hesitated, his posture stiffening slightly. His gaze flicked to me, then back to Aurora, and I saw something shift behind his eyes. He didn’t answer immediately.

Aurora, undeterred, waved her hand dismissively. “Forget it, then. Maybe speak some sense to your dipstick friends.” With that, she tossed her head back dramatically, her long hair swinging behind her. She reached into her bag, slipped on her fancy sunglasses, and turned to leave.

I watched her, unable to look away as she got into her sleek, yellow sports car—an Audi R8, a car that practically screamed wealth and status. She looked effortlessly classy, with every move radiating confidence and an air of superiority that made my skin crawl. But I couldn’t stand her. I just couldn’t.

“Honestly,” Caiden muttered, breaking the silence as he turned to Aeson, “I won’t tolerate your shitty chosen mate again.” His voice was low but thick with irritation. “If I used to lay my hands on girls, she would’ve felt my wrath.”

Aeson raised an eyebrow, taunting him, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “You’re bluffing. You wouldn’t have dared to lay a finger on her, even if you were. You’d have her father to contend with.”

Caiden’s jaw tightened, his face hardening. His eyes darkened with something raw, almost dangerous. “I’m not afraid of her father,” he said, his voice even, but there was an undeniable edge beneath it.

Aeson smirked, slipping a hand into his pocket. “Coming from one who’s taken many favors from her father,” he replied, his expression almost smug.

Caiden shrugged nonchalantly, his confidence never wavering. “We only did business,” he said dismissively.

It felt like the air was about to snap. They were both standing rigid, their bodies tense with barely-contained aggression. I could practically feel the electricity crackling between them, and I knew things would get bad if they didn’t back down. They were dangerously close to coming to blows. I don't want that.

I took a deep breath, stepping forward instinctively.

“Um, please, I want to go in,” I said, my voice trembling slightly. I felt a flicker of heat on my face as I turned my gaze to Hades, who hadn’t spoken a word since Aurora had left. His expression was unreadable, but there was something about the stillness in him that made me uneasy. He didn’t seem like the type to just let things slide, especially with this level of tension between the others.

Before anyone could respond, my mother stepped outside, looking at all of us. “Serena, you…” she trailed off as she took in the scene. Her gaze swept over Caiden, Aeson, and Hades. I could see her hesitate for a moment, trying to read the situation, but I could already tell the look on her face.

Goodness, I hoped she didn’t make things worse now.

I held my breath, the weight of the moment pressing on me. The temperature around us seemed to rise as everyone’s eyes locked onto one another before settling on my mother. And I had no idea how this was going to play out.