Hades' Cursed Luna novel Chapter 38

Hades~

The rest of the Lunar Gala continued without a hitch. She didn’t return moments before her name was announced.

"I introduce my new queen, Ellen Valmont of the Silverpine pack."

Applause rang out through the entire hall as Ellen walked up the dais to me. I wrapped my hand around her waist and felt her stiffen.

This would be quite fun—what I had in store for her. Kael had advised that I could be kinder and gentler with her, asking mundane things about how she was doing and whatnot. It wasn’t my style, and that one moment I attempted it when I saw her visibly upset yesterday... it, at least in my opinion, backfired. I even patted her head. Nerve-racking, sweet gestures were not my forté. It was mortifying, to say the least.

But when I put my own twist on it, I could just seduce her. The reason she had been so averse to me was that I had taken her away from her beloved. Wouldn’t it be a delightful twist to make her fall for me? Women like her loved a prince charming, didn’t they?

Ellen was a bit of an enigma too, a puzzle that I didn’t mind solving—a woman I wouldn’t mind unraveling. I smirked, my grip on her waist tightening slightly. She glanced at me, ocean eyes blazing with an emotion I found amusing. Oh, she was intriguing; I hadn’t lied to her about that part.

The hall was still buzzing with both excitement and wariness from the announcement, the room full of Lycans who were either curious or wary of our union. A necessary alliance, they called it. But to me, it was much more—a game, a test of wills, and I intended to win. And a countdown to a war prophesied.

As we stood there, side by side, Kael’s words before the gala echoed in my mind. Be kind, be patient, he had said. Give her a reason to trust you.

Trust? I almost laughed. Why would I need trust when I could have control? Seduction was so much more effective, more thrilling. Trust would come later—if at all. I leaned down, my lips brushing against her ear.

"Smile for them," I murmured softly. "You wouldn’t want to disappoint your new subjects, would you?"

She shot me a sideways glare when I pinched her waist but forced a smile. Oh, how I enjoyed provoking her. It had only just begun, and I had so much more planned.

Soon, she would see. Soon, Ellen Valmont would be mine in every way possible, along with the powers I needed.

A subtle scent hit my nose on our way out of the event. The princess looked uncomfortable. She moved as far away from me as she could, and being in the limo helped.

I glanced over at where she sat. She was trying to make herself smaller, like she wanted to disappear. Her body language told me she wanted to be alone, the way her shoulders were hunched, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her fingers were trembling slightly, though she tried to keep them still. She avoided my gaze, staring out the window as if the world outside could offer her some kind of escape.

I let out a low chuckle, breaking the tense silence between us. "You’re not much for conversation, are you?"

Ellen didn’t respond at first, her eyes still locked on the passing city lights. Her silence wasn’t just defiance—it was exhaustion. She was drained, emotionally and physically. That much was clear. I wondered what happened in the bathroom stall.

"I don’t believe a single word you said," she finally spoke.

"What?"

Her jaw tightened as she glared at me. "You already have. You’ve taken everything from me—my home, my freedom, my future. So no, I don’t think you’d hesitate to mess with my mind too." _{ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom}