Chapter 2

Hades’s POV

As I stepped off the plane, more than a dozen of my bodyguards and assistants were already waiting in a tight formation. Their presence drew attention, causing people around the airport to glance our way. Some looked out of curiosity, others in awe, but it was all the same to me.

I adjusted my sunglasses, feeling the sun’s warmth on my face. Wearing a black jacket, I walked elegantly toward the line of luxury cars waiting for me. At the front, the sleekest car stood ready—my favorite. Its black paint gleamed under the sunlight, the chrome accents catching the light perfectly.

As I approached, the doors opened automatically, welcoming me into its lavish interior. I slid into the back seat, the soft leather immediately conforming to my shape. I leaned back, taking in the familiar smell of rich leather mixed with a hint of sandalwood. The car was spacious, giving me room to stretch out and relax.

The dashboard was packed with all the latest technology, everything from navigation to a discreetly hidden bar, stocked with the finest drinks. I glanced at the pile of elegantly wrapped gifts stacked beside me, noting how they spilled over onto the floor, filling the car.

The engine purred to life as I settled in, its soft growl barely noticeable over the hum of the airport around us. My procession of bodyguards followed in their cars behind me. As we pulled away from the airport, I adjusted my sunglasses, my thoughts already on the next steps I was about to take.

Beta Damian sat close to me, and as soon as the cars started moving, he pulled out a brown manila envelope and handed it to my side immediately.

“Alpha Hades, I finished setting up the documents needed for your contract marriage,” he said.

I turned to him, asking, “Are you sure everything was prepared according to the way I asked you to?”

He nodded. “Yes, Alpha Hades. Everything is ready. I didn’t forget the red roses and gifts you mentioned for your Luna, too.”

“Good,” I replied, nodding in satisfaction.

It’s been three years since I set my eyes on Anita, the beautiful girl I rescued at the boundary between the Dark Moon Pack and mine. She looked lost, but she was very beautiful.

Although, I can’t recall what she looks like now, she had a beauty that was impossible to ignore then. I was captivated just by mere looking at her face after rescuing her from the thugs that night.

Damian broke my thoughts, his voice tinged with concern. “Alpha Hades, I don’t know how this may sound, but do you think the soon-to-be Luna would accept this marriage offer without any hesitation or objections? Because from the look of things, you’ve been away for the past three years abroad, and now that you’re returning, she might be a bit upset about having to wait for you all this time.”

I turned to him with a confident smile. “Of course, Damian. You think too much. She has my ring and money, a lot of money for that matter. So she will accept this. I’m a hundred percent sure she will.”

Anita would surely accept. She had looked lost and helpless from the start, and with my understanding of women’s psychology, they tend to follow their mood, which usually plays a big role in their future actions.

Although I didn’t quite understand why she hurriedly accepted my marriage proposal then. Given that women often have strong opinions and Anita seemed like she would be the same. Her sudden approval of my request struck a chord of uncertainty in me.

Anyway, I needed her for my family’s inheritance. That was the main reason I came back here in the first place, and thanks to the Moon Goddess for bringing a soul to me without making me stress much.

Finally, the former Alpha of the Silver wood Pack, Lucas, my dad, would hand over the keys of the Russell’s Groups to me. Since he was retiring from everything in the pack due to his age, he handed over the Alpha title to me, being his only son, but gave me an ultimatum to get a wife before he’d hand his company over.

For the past three years, even after proposing marriage to Anita, I had been reluctant about this issue, pleading with him because none of the ladies around made sense to me. They were just random tools for mere pleasure, nothing more. I got and used them at my fingertips but didn’t trust any of them.

After what Sheila did to me? Nah. I couldn’t trust them again. But when I saw Anita, she was a bit more innocent, unlike those sluts I had been with. I prayed she was.

We were on our way to the pack house. I am excited because I will be meeting with my mate again.

She had been practically shocked when I told her she was my mate. Could it be that she had no wolf? Maybe not. I doubted it. Well, I will keep pushing. As long as she agreed to marry me, that was all I hoped for at this point.

“Are you happy with this decision?” my wolf, Haddy, asked.

“Of course, Haddy. This is my first time meeting with my second-chance mate after three years of being away and five years of breaking up with Sheila. I hope and look forward to the best out of it, dear,” I said, assuring him.

We got to some distance that I knew was very close to the pack house. My lips curled up in excitement, smiles spreading from ear to ear. I couldn’t wait to meet with her again.

Maybe I needed to call her to check if she was awake and alert for me. I picked up my phone and dialed her digits, then transferred it to my ear. It rang for some time, but no one answered.

I looked at my phone and dialed again. It rang, but she didn’t pick up. I tried again; the same thing happened.

Ahh! My forehead creased visibly as my face scrunched up with uneasy feelings creeping in.

What could be happening to her?

I picked up my phone again and called her. It rang three times, and finally, she picked up.

“Hello,” she said.

ANITA’S POV

My phone buzzed on the table, pulling me away from my thoughts. The number was unfamiliar, and for a moment, I debated letting it go to voicemail. But something compelled me to pick it up.

“Hello?” I answered cautiously.

“Yeah. Is this Anita?” A deep voice came through the line, slightly distorted but strangely familiar.

I hummed in acknowledgment, “Hmm, yeah. Who are you?”

“It’s me, Hades. How are you doing?” The voice replied, sounding almost relieved.

I paused, searching my memory for a connection to the name. Hades? It didn’t ring any bells. His tone was familiar, but I couldn’t place it. My brows furrowed in confusion as I tried to make sense of the situation. “I’m sorry, mister. Do you know me from somewhere?”

There was a tense silence on the other end, and I could almost feel his frustration through the phone. Who was this guy? Why did he sound like he knew me so well?

“Yes. Aren’t you Anita?” He pressed, sounding uneasy now.

“Yeah, it is,” I answered, more confused than ever. “But I can’t remember your name. It sounds strange; that’s why I’m asking if you know me from somewhere.”

There was another pause, and then his voice came back, this time sharper and more demanding. “How can you say you do not know Hades, your mate? The one who gave a ring to you in the hospital bed a few years back. Do not try to play games with me, Anita!”

Mate?

Hospital?

My mind was spinning, trying to grasp the meaning behind his words.

Was this some kind of sick joke?

“I don’t understand your point, young man,” I replied, keeping my voice steady. “I said I do not know you. Why are you trying to force me to do so? Or are you a scammer looking for money? I am sorry, but you have met the wrong person. I have no money on me.”

I could hear his breath hitch on the other end, and I wondered if he was about to explode. There was an edge to his silence, a tension that made me uneasy.

Before he could respond, Zach’s voice called out from the other room. “Annie, c’mon, let’s go shower.”

I glanced toward the doorway where he stood, a playful grin on his face. “I’ll be with you shortly, dear,” I replied softly, smiling at him.

Turning back to my phone, I heard a faint mutter from the other side, something that sounded like disbelief. But before I could make sense of it, the line went dead.

HADES’S POV

I listened in shock as Anita responded to the man calling her. The tenderness in her voice was unmistakable, a side of her I had never witnessed before. Anger and disbelief surged through me. She had another man.

Unable to contain my emotions, I abruptly hung up the phone, my hand trembling with rage. My heart pounded in my chest as I stared at the device, the call disconnected, and her laughter still echoing in my mind.

With a frustrated growl, I threw the phone onto the car seat beside me, my mind racing. How could she? After everything, how could she be with someone else.