Daughter of oblivion: Claimed by four alpha(s)-Chapter 111 - 110: Athena Ashbourne.

"Fine," Athena sighed, "just... stop staring so hard. You’re making me nervous."

"I’ll try," he said.

She nodded.

Five seconds later, she felt his eyes on her again.

"Theo."

"...I’m trying."

Theodore watched her take another hesitant bite, then wiped his hand on a towel and asked casually,

"So... are we skipping class today?"

Athena didn’t even look up. "You can go. I don’t feel like it."

He raised a brow, slow and deliberate. "You’re scared to come across Eryx?"

Her fork paused mid-air. She didn’t answer.

A beat passed before she murmured, barely audible, "How many people know about it?"

Theodore’s shoulders stiffened. "It doesn’t matter how many people know."

"It matters to me." Her voice cracked. "How many, Theo?"

He didn’t want to say it. Didn’t want to throw her back into the pit she’d only just climbed out of. But the mood had already shifted into something heavy.

So he exhaled slowly and listed, "Rhydric. Azrael. Me." then he pause. "...Leo and Levi."

Athena shut her eyes like the words physically hurt.

Leo and Levi knew? Fuck...she was so screwed. What would they think of her now? She has a boyfriend, and still made out with another.

What kind of person does this make her?

She betrayed him... she fucking...betrayed myself.

Guilt slammed into her chest so fast she almost dropped her fork. Her fingers curled into the hem of his shirt, that she was wearing. Fisting the fabric like she needed something to hold on to before she drowned.

Theodore noticed instantly.

He walked toward her quietly, leaning against the table beside her. "Hey," he said softly, "don’t do that. Don’t think yourself into a breakdown."

She didn’t look at him.

"It wasn’t your fault," he added, voice firmer now. "You were drugged. Your body wasn’t yours last night... none of that was you."

"I...still..."

Her throat tightened, shame burning hot.

Theodore tapped her forehead lightly with two fingers. "Stop."

She blinked.

He deadpanned, "You’re making that face again."

"What face?"

"That ’I’m thinking too much and ruining my own day.’ face."

Her mouth fell open in disbelief, and despite herself a tiny huff escaped her mouth. Okay where the hell was that coming from?

Theodore’s lips curved in a slow, satisfied grin, like he’d just won a silent competition only he knew he was part of. "There it is."

"I hate you," she muttered under her breath.

He straightened, smug as hell. "Good. I’m doing my job well."

For a moment the guilt loosened.

Athena frowned at him, still flustered.

"What do you mean by ’I’m thinking too much and ruining my own day’ face?"

Theodore’s lips twitched like he’d been waiting for her to ask.

"It’s a real thing," he said, smiling. "You always make that face every time you come to school. Even on the first day of class." 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

She blinked. "I...what? No, I don’t."

"Oh, you do." He leaned back against the counter, crossing his arms like he was about to deliver Exhibit A.

"Remember that day you sat in my seat? My seat," he emphasized, pointing at his chest. "The same seat I don’t let anyone sit on."

Athena’s cheeks warmed. "It was a free seat...there was no other one."

"It was not free," he cut in. "It contained me, myself and I."

She snorted.

"And somehow," Theo continued dramatically, "you just walked there, dropped your bag, sat down like you owned the place... and made that exact same face."

"What face?" she whispered.

"That ’I have problems but I refuse to talk about them, so I’m going to sit here quietly and suffer’ face." He mimicked a blank, stoic expression with the slightest frown.

Athena burst into a small laugh.

"Oh, wait, I’m not done," he added, raising a finger.

Her laugh died. "There’s more?"

"Absolutely." He nodded like this was important academic research. "You sat down and stared straight at me when I walked in. You know what I saw in your eyes that day?"

"What?" she asked, slightly nervous.

Theo lifted his brows. "This bold, silent look that said: ’ Are you going to sit fucker, or get the fuck out of my face."

Athena choked on air. "I did not."

"You did," he insisted. "That’s the day I realized you were either extremely brave... or extremely tired of life."

She wheezed out a laugh.

"And honestly?" he said with complete seriousness, "I respected both."

Athena covered her face, laughing harder.

"But the best part," he went on merciless now "is that you kept pretending you didn’t see me staring at you. Like..." He straightened his posture, imitating her stiffly. "’If I don’t move, maybe the ice wolf won’t notice me.’"

She doubled over, her laugh cracking.

"And then," he added, leaning close as if revealing a secret, "your ears turned red for about hundred times."

Athena lost it, a loud gasp-laugh bursting out as she clutched her stomach.

Theo grinned in triumph. "There it is. Proper laugh. I knew you had it in you."

By the time he was done, tears were rolling down her cheeks from laughter.

Athena wiped the tears from laughing off her cheeks, still catching her breath.

"I have never seen this part of you," she said, staring at him like he was a new species. "I mean... you’re always cold. And a little distant."

Theodore’s lips curved into an unbothered, knowing grin. "That’s why I told you, you don’t know me." He tilted his head slightly, eyes softening in that quiet, dangerous Theo way. "I’m only soft and... jovial with my own people. The ones I consider mine. With them, things feel less awkward. Less suffocating."

Her heart thudded at that mine, but she didn’t comment.

Theo clapped his hands lightly as if breaking a spell. "Alright," he said, straightening, "enough emotional talk. We’re going to end up trauma-bonding at 9 a.m. and I haven’t even eaten yet."

Athena let out a small laugh.

"So," he continued, pointing a spatula at her like it was a wand, "where do you want to go? I can take you anywhere. Just name it."

She smiled softly, playing with the hem of his oversized shirt. "Do we have to go anywhere?"

Theo squinted at her dramatically. "So... your big plan is not having a plan?"

She shrugged.

He gasped in mock horror.

"Athena Ashbourne, are you asking me to spend the day doing absolutely nothing productive?"

She lifted a brow. "Maybe."

He placed a hand on his chest, pretending to be moved.

"Wow. Truly, I’m proud of you...I really didn’t feel like going anywhere either."

She laughed again, shaking her head.

"You’re insufferable."

He smirked, leaning closer.

"And you’re cute."

Her cheeks warmed, but she didn’t deny it.