The Witch and Her Four Dangerous Alphas

Chapter 195: Chapter 195: The Smug Smile Of His

Serena’s POV~

The moment Aeron’s lips touched my hand, everything inside me stopped.

It wasn’t just a polite kiss. It was slow and intentional. The kind that made the air around us grow heavier. His touch was warm against my skin, but it burned too...like fire pretending to be gentle.

I froze, barely remembering how to breathe. My heart was beating so fast I thought everyone could hear it.

He didn’t look away. Not even for a second.

His eyes were fixed on mine...calm, deep, and so intense that I felt like he was trying to pull me into them. For a moment, I forgot where I was. The sounds, the lights, the crowd...they all faded until it was just him. Aeron Duskdraven.

When he finally spoke, his voice was low, smooth, and far too steady for the chaos inside me.

"The princess is looking beautiful tonight."

The words hit me harder than they should have. Simple, polite... yet there was something in the way he said it. Something that made my stomach twist and my chest tighten.

I tried to reply, tried to smile or say thank you, but nothing came out. My lips parted, but no sound followed.

I couldn’t look at him anymore.

I turned my gaze down, hoping he wouldn’t notice how my hands were trembling slightly. My skin still felt hot where his lips had touched. It was ridiculous, but it didn’t feel like one. Not from him.

He knew.

They all knew.

That thought hit me suddenly, like a punch to the chest. They must have recognized me. There was no other reason they’d all be here tonight, together, out of nowhere.

I forced myself to look up again, just a little, and caught Kael’s face from behind Aeron’s shoulder.

He was smiling.

That same damn mischievous smile that always made me want to throw something at him.

Of course. Of course it was him.

He must’ve told them everything. How else could I explain it? How else could all four of them appear at the royal dinner so suddenly...like they’d planned it, like they wanted to corner me here in front of everyone?

Why was I even invited to this dinner? I was nothing. A two-day princess that most of them didn’t even care about. I should’ve been kept far away from all this.

But no. They were here. And they had found me.

When Aeron finally let go of my hand, I barely had time to breathe before the next one stepped forward.

Luca.

softer than usual, but his eyes... they

took my hand carefully, his touch lingering just a second too long before he kissed

wasn’t cruel either. It was

mine, I froze all over again. There was so much emotion there...anger, sadness, and something darker too.

couldn’t handle it. His gaze was too raw, too full.

Then came Lucian.

looked at me, his expression unreadable. Calm, but not cold. His eyes were sharp,

was soft...barely there, but it still

was a faint smile on his face. A secret

swallowed hard, my throat suddenly

of them. One

almost hurt. I felt dizzy. It was like

Kael

grin was wide and playful, his

his voice smooth

didn’t even get to glare at him before he caught my hand and bowed

formal, more like a challenge. His

up, his

what he was

that stupid smile right

were still warm. And

They were all here.

Luca, Lucian,

that happened. After all the pain, the silence, the distance—here they were, standing in front of me, looking at me like they’d never stopped thinking

know what

I wanted

needed to get

to fix my dress, pretending to look calm, but all I wanted was to

I could move, I heard a

"Serena."

was Valen; finally, he

calm and polite as always, but his eyes told a

arm as if to pull me

here," he said, his polite smile not reaching his eyes. "What

nodded. Lucian stayed quiet. Luca’s smirk returned, lazy and careless,

didn’t even seem to care that a prince was standing

I could almost hear his patience

back a

funny...watching the calm and composed Prince Vaelen getting ignored so completely. He was trying so hard to be civil, but they treated him like he didn’t

it was kind