Chapter 28
Serena’s POV
The air in the elevator was suffocating, though it wasn’t the lack of space–it was him. Hades. His presence was overwhelming, his aura too intense. I stayed rooted in the farthest corner of the elevator, pressing my back against the cool stee! wall as if that could somehow shield me from his piercing gaze. But he wasn’t even looking at me.
Not directly, at least.
Still, I could feel his attention, sharp as a blade, cutting through the space between us. My body betrayed me in the worst way–goosebumps prickled my skin, and my pulse thudded erratically in my ears. My hair seemed to stand on end, like prey sensing a predator nearby. I told myself to calm down, to act natural, but how could I when the Alpha himself was just a few feet away, silent and brooding?
I dared a glance over my shoulder, my heart racing as I turned my head slightly. He wasn’t looking. He leaned casually against the wall, his hands tucked into his pockets, his expression unreadable. Yet his very stillness made my skin crawl with awareness. It was unnerving. He didn’t need to do anything to command attention–he simply existed, and that was
enough to make the air feel heavier.
Relax, Serena. He doesn’t care about you. I mentally scolded myself, but my body refused to listen.
Then, without warning, the elevator jolted. A sharp lurch threw me off balance, and I stumbled backward with a gasp. My arms flailed instinctively as I tried to steady myself, but it was too late–I collided into something solid.
Someone.
His hands caught me, firm and steady, and I was suddenly enveloped by his scent. It was intoxicating–earthy, with a faint hint of something sharper, like cedarwood and smoke. My heart pounded as I realized I was pressed against his chest, his arms bracing me as if he’d been expecting this all along.
“Careful,” he muttered, his voice low and rough.
I tilted my head up, and my gaze locked with his ice–plue eyes. The world seemed to fall away in that instant. His stare wasn’t just intense–it was magnetic, pulling me into a depth I didn’t understand. My breath hitched, and for a moment, I couldn’t move, couldn’t think.
His eyes narrowed slightly, and his lips curved into the faintest hint of a smirk. “Are you always…” He trailed off, searching for the right word before settling on one. “… this clumsy?”
Heat flooded my cheeks, and I stumbled over my words. “1–I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. The elevator-“.
“You don’t need to explain,” he interrupted, his tone clipped but not unkind. He helped me steady myself, his hands firm but surprisingly gentle.
Once I was upright, he released me and took a step back. He adjusted his coat with a quick flick, as if to brush off the moment entirely, but I caught the tension in his movements.
I swallowed hard, my cheeks still burning. “Thank you,” I mumbled, not daring to meet his gaze again.
The elevator resumed its smooth ascent, the tension between us now so thick I could barely breathe. When we reached the 14th floor, I felt a wave of relief. Finally, I thought, ready to escape this unbearable silence.
1/2
Chapter 28
I stepped forward, but before I could reach the doors, his hand shot out and pressed the button, holding the levator in place.
I froze, my heart leaping into my throat. “I’m getting off here,” I said hesitantly, my voice barely above a whisper
His eyes flicked to mine, unreadable as always. “Stay,” he said, the single word carrying a weight I couldn’t Ignote
My stomach flipped, and I stood rooted to the spot, unsure of what to do. His hand lingered on the panel for a moment before he slowly let it fall, his gaze never leaving mine.
“What… why?” I managed to ask, though my voice cracked slightly.
He didn’t answer immediately, his expression unreadable as he stared at me. The air between us seemed to hum with something I couldn’t name, something that made my skin tingle and my pulse race.
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