Daughter of oblivion: Claimed by four alpha(s)-Chapter 121 - 119: His patience was gone

Rhydric shot him a glare.

Theo held up both hands. "I’m just saying...you’re acting like you were chosen as a sacrificial goat."

Rhydric looked away again, shoulders tight, throat working.

Rhydric drew in a tight breath, rubbing his face with both hands before speaking again. "Theo... think about it," he muttered, voice low and strained. "Why would the Apex Alpha want a twenty-one-year-old guy to be his right-hand man? He can get someone stronger. Older. More experienced. Someone better."

Theodore’s smile faded.His brows pulled together.

"...You’re right," Theo said slowly. "That doesn’t make sense. At all."

Rhydric swallowed, eyes fixed on the floor.

"And another thing," Theodore continued, voice dropping. "Why would the Apex Alpha show up in your bedroom... when he could just summon you?"

Rhydric let out a humorless breath, almost a laugh but not quite.

"He did summon me."

Theo blinked.

Rhydric continued, rubbing the back of his neck. "He summoned me three times. Back-to-back. I ignored him."

Silence materialised around them.

Then Theodore’s head snapped so fast Rhydric almost heard a crack.

"...You did WHAT?" Theodore choked. "You ignored the Apex Alpha summons?"

Rhydric shrugged helplessly. "Yeah. I know. I was reckless."

"The hell,reckless?" Theo sputtered. "That’s not reckless, Rhydric, that’s SUICIDAL."

Rhydric ran a hand through his hair again, frustration twisting across his face.

"But that asshole was getting on my nerves," he muttered. "And I wasn’t in the mood to deal with him. He’s such a damn pain in the neck."

Theodore stared at him for a full three seconds.

Then made a sound. A sound that was somewhere between a dying goat, a broken engine, and pure disbelief.

Rhydric finally laughed under his breath...just a soft, rough chuckle, but the tension in his shoulders eased for the first time since he left the classroom.

Theo pointed at him dramatically. "That right there! That exact attitude, that ego is why you’re going to get us killed one day."

Rhydric exhaled, shaking his head as the faintest smile tugged at his lips. "Yeah," he muttered. "I know...but I can’t help it."

But underneath the laugh... the weight still suffocated him.

Theodore folded his arms, watching Rhydric carefully now, all traces of humor gone.

"...Alright," Theo said. "So what did you tell him? When he asked you to be his right-hand man?"

Rhydric exhaled slowly, gaze drifting toward the horizon as the wind brushed through his black hair.

"I told him I needed to think about it," he said quietly.

Theodore blinked once... then twice. "That’s it?" he asked. "That’s all you said?"

Rhydric shrugged, jaw tightening. "What else was I supposed to say?"

Theo stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Okay, but... are you sure that’s why he truly wants you?" he asked. "I mean...Rhydric, that guy can be cunning. Very cunning. The Apex Alpha don’t just take interest in people for no reason."

"...Yeah," he muttered. "I know. And the last thing I want is to be anybody’s pawn."

Theodore nodded slowly. "Exactly. That’s what I’m worried about."

Rhydric scoffed under his breath and ran a frustrated hand through his hair again. "Forget about it," he said, shaking his head. "We’ll deal with it when the time comes."

Theodore watched him for a long moment. "You say that," he murmured, "but your face is telling me you’re thinking too much."

Rhydric gave the smallest, tired smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes."We will figure it out."

===================

ON THE SAME DAY...

Athena and Felicia stepped into the cafeteria, and as expected, all eyes turned to them. Levi and Leo waved cheerfully from across the room. Athena’s gaze scanned further and landed on the Phantom Fours sitting at their usual table like gods among mortals...well not all are mortals. Her eyes lingered on Rhydric, and for a brief second, their eyes met. But he quickly looked away, refocusing on the book in his hand as if nothing had happened.

Athena followed Felicia toward the female food queue. She fell in line behind her, letting herself become the last person in the cue, trying to focus on the mundane task of dishing up her food.

Suddenly, she felt someone close behind her. Turning slightly, she found a guy grinning at her.

"The guys’ queue is full," he said with a playful smirk. Athena didn’t respond, keeping her face forward, trying to ignore him.

But the guy didn’t back off. He stepped closer, until her back pressed against his chest. Athena shifted uncomfortably, but he remained, invading her space. Then she felt a hand creep up under her short school skirt. Her stomach twisted, but she stayed composed, pretending not to notice as soft giggles rippled from the surrounding boys.

His hand moved bolder, and Athena spun around sharply, glaring at him.

"Hey, watch it!" she warned, voice low but firm.

The guy merely raised a hand in mock surrender, smirk still plastered on his lips.

"Why? Eryx spanked you the other day, and you liked it... so why shouldn’t I touch you too, huh...I thought you like guys touching you?" he taunted.

Athena’s face burned hot with embarrassment. She wanted to recoil, to say something sharp, but he wasn’t done. His eyes trailed down from her face to her chest and back up again.

"Nice... boobs you’ve got there," he said casually. The cafeteria erupted in laughter. Several guys doubled over, clutching their stomachs.

Felicia’s face twisted in anger. "Mind your language!" she snapped, voice cutting through the chaos. Athena remained silent, the type of silence that could make someone drop dead, without her raising a finger.

Alaric’s eyes blazed with anger as he began to stand, ready to put the guy in his place. But Levi’s hand shot out to stop him, a teasing smile on his face.

"Don’t... just watch," Levi said.

Grumbling, Alaric sank back into his seat, reluctantly obeying.

The guy, was enjoying every bit of the entertainment he was giving everybody. He moved closer ready to spill another bullshit. Athena’s patience snapped. She shoved him back hard, and her palm connected with his cheek in a brutal slap. The cafeteria gasped in shock.

He snarled, ready to retaliate.

"How dare..." he started, but before he could finish, another sharp slap landed across his face. Athena’s eyes blazed, and the boys around finally fell silent, stunned by her fearless reaction.

Just as Athena raised her hand for another slap, the guy grabbed her wrist with a tight grip, yanking her flush against him. His breath was close to her ear as he sneered, "What a little whore you are."

The cafeteria fell into a stunned silence, and the Phantom Fours reacted instantly.

Rhydric’s eyes turned lethal, the kind of glare that could have made anyone drop to the floor. His patience was gone; the air around him seemed to freeze.

Azrael’s expression darkened, calm and collected on the surface, but his hands flexed at his sides, barely holding back the storm inside.

Theodore mirrored the same deadly composure, though the tension in his shoulders gave him away.

Eryx, on instinct, stood up, muscles tensing, ready to take matters into his own hands. But Theodore’s hand on his shoulder froze him in place. "Sit down. I think she can handle herself," Theodore said calmly.

With a reluctant grunt, Eryx sat back, watching.