CHAPTER 194: CHAPTER 194: MEETING THEM

Serena’s POV

The moment I saw them, my whole body went still.

Four pairs of eyes. Four different kinds of intensity.

I didn’t need to look up to know they were staring at me. I could feel it. Like heat against my skin. Like something heavy pressing down on my chest, making it hard to breathe.

I tried to act calm, tried to walk toward my seat as if nothing was wrong, but my hands were cold and my steps felt slow, too careful. Every sound around me...the music, the laughter, the soft chatter seemed to fade until all I could hear was the sound of my own heartbeat.

I didn’t dare meet their eyes. I didn’t have to.

I could already picture each one of them. Aeron’s sharp, unreadable stare. Luca’s smirk always carried a hint of danger. Lucian’s dark, steady gaze made it impossible to look away once you did. And Kael’s wild, restless eyes, like he could tear the whole room apart if he wanted to.

Just the memory of them was enough to make my throat tighten.

I stopped near the table, pretending to look at the decorations, pretending not to notice the way the room had gone quieter.

Slowly, I reached for the chair, but my hand trembled slightly. I hid it quickly, placing it on my lap once I sat down.

Lira leaned closer and whispered, "Princess, are you alright?"

I nodded, though my voice didn’t come out. I didn’t trust it either.

I could feel their eyes still on me. All four of them. My pulse quickened. My cheeks felt warm, even though the room wasn’t hot. I lowered my gaze, focusing on the edge of my plate. The silver reflected the light from the chandelier above, bright enough to sting my eyes.

I told myself to breathe. To focus. To not look up.

But curiosity was a cruel thing.

Against my better judgment, I lifted my eyes...just a little. Just enough to see them.

The eldest, Aeron, sat straight and calm, his face unreadable. But his eyes... they were fixed on me, deep and steady.

The second, Luca, leaned back slightly, one corner of his mouth curved into that half-smile that made my stomach twist.

Lucian’s gaze was quiet but piercing, like he was trying to read every thought inside my head.

And Kael... Kael’s eyes were wild, untamed, and burning with something I couldn’t name.

I looked away quickly, heart pounding.

My fingers curled around the fabric of my dress. I could feel their stares following me, and no matter how much I told myself to ignore it, my chest refused to calm down.

Lira whispered something again, but I barely heard her.

All I could think of was how close they were now. After all this time. After everything that had happened.

I swallowed hard, forcing my face to stay neutral, pretending their presence didn’t shake me to the core.

But deep down, I knew it was useless.

Because even without looking at them, I could still feel it...four intense gazes locked on me.

I sat quietly, trying to act normal. My hands stayed folded on my lap, my posture straight, my face calm. On the outside, I probably looked fine, just another princess attending a royal dinner.

But inside... I was still a mess.

Their eyes were still on me. Every time I tried to look around the room, I somehow ended up catching a glimpse of one of them. And every time I did, my heart skipped a beat, and I had to quickly look away again.

I didn’t even taste the drink in front of me. I was too focused on pretending I didn’t notice them.

When the king and queen finally entered, everyone stood up. I followed quietly, bowing slightly. The noise and movement helped me calm down a little. At least for a moment.

Then I saw him.

Vaelen.

He walked in right behind the king and queen... tall, calm, and graceful as always. His expression was polite but soft, and when his eyes found me, a faint smile appeared on his face.

Something in my chest loosened.

For the first time that evening, I felt like I could breathe again.

He came straight toward me after greeting the others, his steps sure and easy. A few eyes followed him, but he didn’t seem to care.

When he reached me, he stopped and smiled warmly. "Serena," he said, his voice low and calm, "how are you doing?"

Just hearing his tone made my heart steady. I smiled back, a small, genuine one this time. "I’m fine," I said softly. "Just... a little tired, that’s all."

He nodded, his gaze gentle. "You look lovely tonight."

My cheeks warmed slightly. "Thank you," I said, trying not to sound awkward.

It was quiet for a second ... calm, comfortable. Like we could actually talk. But, of course, peace never lasted long around here.

Before I could say another word, a loud, cheerful voice cut through the moment.

"Oh, Prince Vaelen! There you are!"

I didn’t even have to look to know who it was.

Arlena.

I almost groaned out loud.

She appeared from behind a group of maids, smiling like she owned the room. Her gown sparkled in the candlelight, her every step full of exaggerated grace. And the moment she reached us, she practically plastered herself to Vaelen’s side.

"Prince Vaelen," she said sweetly, clutching his arm like they were the closest of lovers. "I was looking for you everywhere. Why didn’t you come sit with me?"

I rolled my eyes before I could stop myself.

Seriously? Could she not stay away for even one night?

Vaelen’s smile faded almost instantly. His expression turned stiff. I could see the slight twitch in his jaw that always showed when he was annoyed.

"Lady Arlena," he said flatly, "I was only greeting Princess Serena."

"Oh, of course!" she said quickly, pretending to be all cheerful again. "I just thought you might be lonely without company."

I almost laughed. Lonely? The man barely tolerated her existence.

I glanced at Vaelen, half-amused, half-pitiful. He looked like he was silently begging the heavens for patience. Poor him.

Arlena, completely oblivious, kept talking, twirling a lock of her hair as she leaned closer to him. "You must be tired, Prince Vaelen. You’ve been so busy lately. Why don’t you come sit with me? I saved you a seat."

Vaelen’s tone didn’t change. Calm, even, cold. "That won’t be necessary."

Her smile faltered for a split second before she forced it back. "Oh, don’t be shy. I’m sure Princess Serena won’t mind, right?"

I smiled sweetly. "Not at all. You can go wherever you want."

She blinked, as if she expected me to sound jealous. But my tone was so casual, it only made her frown a little.

Vaelen, on the other hand, didn’t even move. "I prefer to stay here," he said simply.

That shut her up for a moment.

She tried again, asking a few meaningless questions, giggling over nothing, and even trying to adjust a strand of his hair, but Vaelen didn’t respond. His answers were short and polite, his attention clearly not on her.

After a few minutes of awkward one-sided conversation, Arlena’s smile started to strain. She looked like she was running out of ideas.

And the whole time, I sat there quietly beside Vaelen, sipping my drink, pretending to admire the hall decorations.

It must’ve been torture for her to be completely ignored by the very man she was trying so hard to impress.

I almost felt sorry for her. Almost.

When Vaelen finally turned back to me to ask something about my day, Arlena’s expression darkened just a little.

I hid my smirk behind my glass.

I couldn’t help it... the sight of Arlena’s strained smile was pure entertainment. She was trying so hard to stay graceful, but the cracks were showing. Her eyes darted between me and Vaelen, her fingers fidgeting with her dress as she forced out another fake laugh that died halfway through.

I sipped my drink slowly, hiding my smirk behind the glass. For the first time tonight, I actually felt... amused. Watching her fail this miserably was strangely satisfying.

Vaelen, as usual, looked completely done. He gave her the kind of polite, empty expression that said, "Please stop talking," without saying a word. I almost wanted to applaud him for that level of patience.

Arlena finally gave up pretending and stepped aside to "greet the queen," though we both knew she just needed to escape before she embarrassed herself further.

I was still quietly laughing to myself when it happened.

A deep, calm voice spoke right behind me.

"Princess."

My body froze.

That voice... I knew it too well.

Slowly, I turned, and there he was.

Aeron Duskdraven.

Up close, he was even more intimidating than I remembered. Tall, broad-shouldered, and dressed in formal black that somehow made his presence heavier. His grey eyes were fixed on me.

"I am Aeron Duskdraven," he said quietly, "Alpha of the Silver Dawn pack."

My breath hitched. I managed to nod, my lips parting slightly to return the greeting, but before I could speak, he reached forward.

His hand caught mine in his.

And then he did something I didn’t expect.

He lifted my hand to his lips and pressed a soft, deliberate kiss against my knuckles. His eyes never left mine the whole time.

My heart stopped.

For a second, I forgot how to breathe. The air around us felt too still, too quiet.

His touch sent a strange shiver up my arm... warmth spreading, pulse quickening, skin burning where his lips had brushed.