CHAPTER 207: CHAPTER 207: SHAMELESS KAEL

Serena’s POV~

For a moment, my brain completely froze.

Kael’s arms were still wrapped around me from behind, his chin resting lazily on my shoulder, and that playful grin of his practically glowed in the dark.

Then reality hit.

My cheeks burned, and I elbowed him hard in the ribs.

"Shut your mouth before I shut it for you," I snapped, glaring over my shoulder.

Kael only chuckled softly, clearly unbothered. "Oh? And how exactly will you do that, princess?" he said, leaning closer until his breath brushed against my ear.

My whole body stiffened. I could almost hear the smirk in his voice.

"Kael!" I hissed, stepping forward to push him away, but my face was already hot. The worst part? Luca was right there, watching us with those sharp grey eyes that missed nothing.

Of course he heard. Of course he had to hear.

My embarrassment spiked so high I almost wanted the ground to swallow me.

"You... you shameless wolf!" I lifted my leg, fully intending to kick him and wipe that smug look off his face.

But before my foot could even land, Kael moved. In a swift motion, he caught my ankle easily, his hand closing around it with effortless strength.

"Easy, princess," he said with a low chuckle, his tone teasing but his eyes holding a glint of warmth that made my heart stutter. "Careful, or you might actually hurt someone."

"Let me go!" I growled, struggling, but he only grinned wider... until a blur of motion suddenly appeared beside us.

Luca.

He didn’t even hesitate. One second Kael was laughing, and the next, he was flat on his back, thanks to a perfectly aimed kick that sent him sliding a few steps away.

"Stop teasing her," Luca said coldly, his voice calm but carrying a quiet edge that made even Kael fall silent for once.

He turned to me immediately, his expression softening. "Are you hurt?"

I shook my head quickly, still a little shocked. Luca extended his hand toward me. For a moment, I just stared at it... the broad palm, the faint scars, the quiet steadiness that had always been so him.

Then, without thinking, I took it.

The moment our hands touched, something inside me eased. He pulled me gently to my feet, his fingers still wrapped around mine, warm and steady.

Kael sat up nearby, rubbing his chest with a dramatic sigh. "Tch. Overprotective as always," he muttered, though a faint smile still curved his lips.

Luca ignored him completely. His focus stayed on me, his grey eyes scanning my face as if making sure I was truly fine. When he finally met my gaze, the corners of his mouth softened just slightly.

"Next time," he said quietly, "don’t sneak into places alone."

His words carried no anger... just concern, calm and deep enough to make my heart twist a little.

I looked away quickly, trying to hide my face. "I didn’t come here to be rescued," I muttered.

Luca’s hand lingered a moment longer before he let go. "Maybe not," he said softly. "But I’ll always be there anyway."

And just like that, my heart skipped a beat again... louder this time.

Kael, still sitting nearby, let out a low whistle. "Well," he said with a smirk, "looks like our little midnight visitor has already chosen whose room she’s sneaking into next time."

"Kael," Luca said sharply, warning clear in his voice.

Kael held up his hands in surrender, laughter dancing in his eyes. "Fine, fine. I’ll behave... for now."

The air was finally starting to calm between the three of us when I suddenly felt it... another presence.

My back straightened instantly.

Someone else was here.

I turned my head slowly... and froze on the spot.

Standing a few steps away, leaning casually against the doorway, was Lucian.

And he was...

Oh, Moon above...

He wasn’t even wearing a shirt.

Just loose, dark pants that hung low on his hips, leaving his upper body completely bare. The faint moonlight from the window traced along the sharp lines of his chest, the curve of muscle beneath his skin, and the quiet strength in every movement.

For a second, my mind went completely blank.

My eyes... betraying me as always... moved before I could stop them, tracing the smooth stretch of his neck, the faint scar across his shoulder, the calm rise and fall of his chest as he breathed.

And then, as if the universe wanted to make this even worse, our eyes met.

Lucian’s calm, dark gaze locked with mine... steady, unreadable, but somehow far too deep.

My breath caught.

The memory of that kiss flashed through my mind... warm, unexpected, and far too vivid. My entire face went up in flames. I jerked my gaze away so fast my neck almost hurt.

I needed to say something to cover up how flustered I suddenly felt.

"W–Why are you all awake?" I blurted out.

The moment the words left my mouth, I wanted to smack myself. Really, Selene? Out of all possible things to say...

Before I could come up with a better excuse, Kael’s voice cut through the silence like a gleeful arrow.

"We’re awake," he said, flashing that infuriating grin again, "because we were catching a thief."

My mouth dropped open. "Wh–what?"

Luca and Lucian’s voices rang at the same time with a warning.

"Kael."

But Kael only grinned wider, clearly enjoying himself. "What?" he said innocently, raising his hands. "I’m just telling the truth. She did sneak into our house in the middle of the night, didn’t she?"

He gave me a dramatic wink that made me want to throw something at him.

Luca let out a quiet sigh and ran a hand through his hair, muttering something under his breath that sounded very much like idiot brother.

Lucian, however, didn’t move. His expression remained calm, but there was the faintest flicker of amusement in his eyes... as if watching all of this quietly entertained him.

I crossed my arms tightly over my chest, glaring at Kael even as my face stayed stubbornly red. "I wasn’t stealing anything!" I snapped. "I was just..."

But before I could finish, Lucian’s voice finally cut through the noise... quiet and low, but strong enough to still everyone in the room.

"Then what were you doing, Selene?"

The way he said my name... sent a strange shiver through me.

Three pairs of eyes were now fixed on me, waiting for an answer.

And I suddenly realized I hadn’t thought this far ahead.

For a few seconds, no one said anything. The silence stretched, heavy and awkward. My heart was pounding so hard I could almost hear it in my ears.

Lucian’s question still lingered in the air... what was I doing here?... and I didn’t really have an answer that I could say out loud.

My mind scrambled for something... anything... to break the tension. And before I could stop myself, the words slipped out.

"Where’s Aeron?" I asked quickly. "I... I want to see him."

The moment I said it, Kael clutched his chest dramatically and groaned. "Ouch. And here I thought you came sneaking in just for me," he said, pretending to look heartbroken.

I rolled my eyes so hard it almost hurt, but my face was still burning. "Don’t flatter yourself," I muttered under my breath.

Luca gave Kael a sharp look, clearly telling him to behave, while Lucian stayed quiet, his expression unreadable. Still... there was something in his eyes—something faintly tight, faintly shadowed—that looked a lot like jealousy.

For a moment, nobody spoke. The air between us felt strange again... too heavy, too full of things that didn’t need to be said.

Finally, Luca broke the silence with a low sigh. "Aeron went out," he said, his tone calm but his eyes shifting slightly. "He had an errand to take care of. He’ll be back soon."

"Oh." I nodded, my fingers fiddling nervously with the edge of my sleeve. "Then I’ll wait for him. I... actually have to talk to all of you about something."

That made them all freeze.

I didn’t miss it... the subtle shift in their expressions, the quick tension in their shoulders, the way the room suddenly felt smaller.

None of them said a word, but I could tell what they were thinking. They didn’t want to talk about the past. About that time.

I could almost feel the wall they built up again, the one that always came between us whenever the old memories tried to surface.

For a moment, nobody moved. Then Luca smiled faintly... too quickly, too casually. "All right," he said. "Then let’s sit down while you wait for Aeron."

He gestured toward a small living room nearby, and I followed him quietly.

The room was softly lit, filled with warm shadows and the faint smell of burning wood. I sank down onto one of the long couches, trying to calm the restless beating in my chest.

Kael, of course, immediately dropped himself right beside me with his usual grin, leaning back comfortably as if he owned the place.

Lucian followed, his movements calm and smooth as always, and took the other side of the couch.

They both looked completely relaxed... as if I wasn’t even there... but the truth was... they were too close.

So close that I could feel the warmth of their bodies on both sides of me. Our thighs brushed lightly, and my breath hitched despite my best efforts to act normal.

Luca stood across from us, watching with a blank expression that didn’t fool anyone.

For a few long seconds, none of us spoke.

I folded my hands in my lap, trying not to notice how my heart was beating faster again.

Maybe waiting for Aeron wouldn’t be as easy as I thought.