Daughter of oblivion: Claimed by four alpha(s)-Chapter 127 - 125: You don’t have to kiss me.
Chapter 127: Chapter 125: You don’t have to kiss me.
And everyone held their breath...waiting for her answer.
Athena’s heart thundered painfully in her chest. She didn’t want to be alone. Not tonight. If she wanted to sleep alone, she wouldn’t have walked across dark streets just to come here. She wouldn’t have to faced Eryx’s jealousy or Theodore’s icy stare.
And she definitely wouldn’t risk going back to that empty house... not with that voice still echoing in her skull.
Her eyes lifted to Theo’s cool and calm face. Just his presence tonight was enough to keep her sane.
So she inhaled, steadied her trembling fingers, and murmured, "I... I know the way to Theodore’s room."
Theo’s lips pulled into a quiet, victorious smile, small, but impossible to miss. Then he stood straight.
Eryx’s face dropped instantly.
He looked away as if the sight of her choosing someone else physically wounded him.
Guilt twisted sharply in Athena’s stomach. God, what had she done? She hadn’t meant to crush him like that.
But she couldn’t choose him tonight. Not after everything that happened between them before. Not when her body reacted too strongly to him. Not when she didn’t trust herself to lie beside him without... something happening.
So she tried to soften the blow. "Eryx..." she said quietly, "I’m not feeling sleepy yet... so you still have a lot of time to spend with me."
She only meant it to cheer him up, just a gentle reassurance. But he heard something entirely different.
Before she could blink, Eryx scooped her into his arms effortlessly, possessively and strode straight toward the door.
"Eryx!" she gasped, her hands gripping his shoulders.
Azrael shot up immediately. "Where the hell do you think you’re taking her?"
Eryx didn’t even acknowledge him. He ignored him, like his nothing but a background noise.
Theodore moved and sat, expression unreadable but eyes sharp, following every step Eryx took.
Rhydric watched with a quiet exhale, almost amused by the chaos but saying nothing.
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Eryx carried her outside, his hold tight...his jaw clenched so firmly a pulse ticked in his temple.
Athena clutched his shirt and whispered, breathless, "Where... where are you taking me?"
He answered without even looking at her, voice calm... "Away from my brothers’ burning gaze."
A surprised laugh escaped her. She couldn’t help it...he sounded so dramatic, so unintentionally cute, so Eryx.
He heard it. His eyes snapped down to her.
"Why are you laughing?"
Her smile grew wider as she shook her head softly. "It’s nothing. You’re just... cute when you’re jealous."
He stared at her, stunned...like she’d hit him straight in the chest. A slow smile tugged at his lips... but then it vanished again, wiped clean the moment he remembered he was still mad. Mad that she said she knew the way to Theodore’s room. Mad that she chose to sleep near someone else.
He exhaled sharply and lowered them onto a small bench outside. But he didn’t put her down normally. He sat down still holding her, lowering her directly onto his lap as if she belonged there.
His arm stayed wrapped around her waist...tight, protective, and possessive. His other hand rested on her bare thigh.
Her breath hitched instantly.
His fingers were warm, and his touch was firm. The way his thumb brushed her skin slowly, almost made her forget how to breathe.
Eryx leaned back slightly, jaw tight, eyes fixed on her.
"You shouldn’t say things like that to me," he murmured, voice low and unsteady.
"I don’t handle them well."
Her heart raced.
"You come to another guy’s house," he continued softly, "in tiny shorts... wearing a top that shows every curve I’m trying so damn hard not to look at... and then you tell me I’m cute when I’m jealous."
His eyes lifted to hers, dark and raw. "What exactly do you expect me to do with that, Athena?"
Athena swallowed, her pulse thundering so loud she was sure he could hear it. "Eryx..." she whispered again, cheeks burning red.
He raised a brow.
"Hmm?"
She fiddled with the hem of his sleeve, voice small, almost shy. "I didn’t... choose Theo. Not like that. I just like his coldness. And it’s not like I wanted to... sleep with him or something."
That got his attention.
He tilted his head, smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Really?"
Athena huffed, puffing her cheeks slightly, adorably frustrated. "Yes, really! And I didn’t know you would get... this."
She gestured vaguely at him.
"What?" he asked, amused.
"This jealous...This dramatic...This...this whatever-you-are-right-now."
Eryx chuckled under his breath, the sound warm and smug. "Whatever-I-am-right-now," he repeated, leaning in slightly, "is a man who almost lost his mind watching you walk into Theodore’s house wearing that."
Her blush deepened, her fingers curling into his shirt."I didn’t wear it to seduce anybody...I already wore it before I decided to come to theo."
"You could’ve changed into something else." he murmured, his hand squeezing her thigh gently.
"Not tiny shorts that make me want to fight every living thing around you... including the air."
Athena let out a small, flustered laugh.
"You’re being ridiculous."
"Yeah?" He leaned closer, his lips brushing her temple. "Then why aren’t you getting off my lap?"
She froze. Her breath caught.
Her entire body warmed up instantly."
"...because I don’t want to," she whispered.
Eryx’s eyes darkened instantly.
The he cupped her cheek gently, his voice dropping impossibly lower. "You have no idea what you do to me, Athena."
Her heart jumped violently in her chest.
"No," he said softly, thumb brushing over her cheekbone. "I want you to hear this. I can’t stand watching you with them. I can’t stand them looking at you like you’re theirs. I can’t stand the idea of you sleeping in someone else’s room."
Athena swallowed hard, unable to look away.
"And when you smile at me," he continued, his forehead brushing hers, "I feel like I could actually go insane."
Her breathing faltered. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to melt, freeze, or run away screaming.
Maybe all three would do then...
Eryx brush his nose on hers. "Don’t run away from me...I can’t take it Athena." His hot breath fanning her lips.
Athena mind weren’t even on his words anymore...they were on his lips.
Her eyes flickered from his eyes...to his mouth...then back to his eyes.
Her heart tripped over itself.
She didn’t know who leaned in first. Maybe it was him. Her, maybe it was both of them, pulled by something neither of them could name.
His grip on her waist tightened. Her fingers curled at the back of his neck.
Just as they were about to kiss, Athena froze.
Reality hit her like a slap. Oliver. Her life. Everything.
She moved her lips away from him. Leaving space between them.
Eryx noticed the change instantly.NHis muscles locked under her, his jaw clenching as he forced himself still. "Athena..." he breathed, barely a whisper, "don’t pull away."
Her breath shook. "I...I’m not," she said softly.
She shook her head in frustration. "I can’t," she whispered. The words trembled, fragile and raw.
"I want to. God, I really want to. But I can’t."
Eryx swallowed hard, his eyes stormy but trying...really trying not to slam lips on hers.
He pressed his forehead to hers again, letting his anger, desire, and frustration melt into something softer.
"You’re killing me," he murmured.
" I’m sorry." she breathed.
He exhaled slowly, forcing his hands to relax where they held her."It’s okay," he whispered. "You don’t have to kiss me."
Athena let out a shaky breath and rested her head on his shoulder, her fingers fisting into his shirt like a lifeline.
Eryx closed his eyes, pressing a slow, lingering kiss to the side of her head instead.
Chapter 127 - 125: You don’t have to kiss me.
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