Hades' Cursed Luna novel Chapter 86

Eve~

The room was darker than usual, lit only by the pale glow of the moon filtering through the floor-to-ceiling windows. I’d been lying in bed for hours, staring at the ceiling and rehearsing the conversation I needed to have with Hades.

I heard him before I saw him—the low click of the door, the deliberate sound of his shoes on the polished floors. My body tensed instinctively. His gait was uneven, and there was an air of barely restrained energy radiating off him, like a storm barely contained.

When he stepped into the dim light, I saw it—the slight sway in his stance, the looseness in his movements. His dark hair was mussed, the crisp lines of his usual composure frayed at the edges. But it was his eyes that caught me. They glowed faintly, too bright, too feral.

He was tipsy. And agitated. If the sneer that took over his features when our eyes met was anything to go by. Not off to a good start it would seem.

"You’re awake," he drawled, his voice smoother than it had any right to be, laced with something sharper than usual.

"I wanted to talk," I said carefully, sitting up and pulling the blanket tighter around me.

"Of course, you did," he muttered, a cruel smile curving his lips as he crossed the room. He didn’t bother looking at me, his focus entirely on the tie that he was loosening. I wanted to get up and help him but I thought better of it. I could worsen his sour mood. "What urgent matter could possibly be keeping you awake tonight, Red?"

I ignored the jab, forcing my voice to stay calm. "I’ve been thinking about my role here. About how helpless I’ve been—"

At that, he laughed, sharp and humorless. The sound cut through me like a blade, and I flinched before I could stop myself.

"This again? Helpless," He turned to face me, his eyes glittering with something dangerous. "That’s rich, coming from the woman who’s been coddled and protected her entire life. You’re royalty, Ellen. Helpless is all you have ever been." His tone was laced with bitterness that caught me off guard.

The words stung, but I bit down on my hurt and frustration. "That’s why I want to train. I need to learn how to defend myself. Kael—"

"Kael?" His expression darkened, the sharp edge of a sneer twisting his face. "Of course. Always Kael, isn’t it? The noble Beta, ready to swoop in and save the fragile werewolf princess."

My jaw tightened. "That’s not what this is about. I want to take responsibility for myself. For once." I was not backing down.

He laughed again, this time low and mocking. "Responsibility? Don’t kid yourself, Ellen. You’re playing pretend, grasping at some childish fantasy of independence. You think having a gun or learning how to throw a punch will make you anything other than what you are?" The hate that dripped from his voice was startling. It reminded me of Felicia, of Kavriel.

His words felt like a slap, but I stood my ground. "And what am I, Hades?"

He stared at me, his glowing eyes narrowing as something vicious curled at the edges of his mouth. For a heartbeat, I thought he wouldn’t answer. Then, with deliberate cruelty, he said:

"A weakness," _{frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓}