Daughter of oblivion: Claimed by four alpha(s)-Chapter 161 - 159: Smiling face

She stiffened in shock. Did Eryx... just hug her?

He was always arrogant. Even when she begged him for a hug, he’d only pat her head like she was a child. And now he was hugging her willingly? And drunk out of his mind?

"What the hell are you doing?" she snapped. "Don’t dump your weight on me, asshole."

He lifted his head, red eyes locking onto hers.

"Why?" he asked quietly. "You don’t want me to hug you? You don’t want me too?"

The moment those words left his mouth, her chest tightened. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

"Why wouldn’t I want to hug you?" she said softly. "You’re my best big brother. And I love you."

Eryx tightened his arms around her, his lips trembling into a pout. "Thank you... for loving me."

Seraphina’s eyes flickered between her son and daughter, her worry deepening. She had never seen Eryx like this. He wasn’t emotional, certainly not to the point of drowning himself in alcohol.

"Eryx," she said gently, stepping closer. "Why did you drink so much? Come on, let’s go to your room."

He lifted his head and laughed, a hollow, broken sound.

"My room?" he scoffed. "I thought Dad... the great Alpha Draven, already gave it to his other son." He sneered. "I mean, I wouldn’t be surprised. He’s always liked taking what belongs to me."

His voice trembled despite his attempt to sound casual. Tears blurred his vision.

Laila and Seraphina exchanged uneasy glances. Why was he bringing up the past now?

Roland’s face twisted with rage. He stood abruptly, the chair scraping loudly as he marched toward Eryx, and without warning, slapped him hard across the face.

"Roland!" Seraphina screamed.

Laila immediately stepped in front of Eryx, shielding him. "Dad!"

Eryx’s red hair, so similar to Laila’s and Seraphina’s, fell messily over his cheek as he slowly turned his head back. His eyes burned with fury.

Then he laughed. "Ohhh, I’m scared," he mocked. "I forgot Roland doesn’t know how to control his anger." He tilted his head. "IED, right?"

The room went deathly still.

Roland’s expression darkened dangerously.

Laila froze, her heart poundingas she turned to stare at Eryx in disbelief. Henry, who had been eating as though none of this concerned him, finally stopped chewing.

Seraphina rushed forward, panic flooding her features. "Roland, please," she begged. "He’s drunk. He doesn’t know what he’s saying."

"Oh, I know exactly what I’m saying, Mom," Eryx snapped. "He has IED. So what?" He laughed bitterly. "What are you going to do? Kill me? Hang me? Like I’d be surprised."

Roland didn’t hesitate. He shoved Laila aside violently. She hit the floor hard, pain exploding through her body.

Eryx snapped. He lunged forward, standing toe-to-toe with his father, fury radiating off him.

"Don’t you dare touch her," he growled. "She isn’t Mom, who refused to leave you. That girl is my baby sister." His voice shook with rage. "You will not lay your hands on her."

Seraphina glanced down at her trembling hands, tears spilling freely frkm her eyes.

Roland’s face twisted with explosives rage. Without thinking twice, he slapped Eryx across the face again.

Henry smirked, satisfaction flashing across his features as he continued chewing, as though he were watching a show.

Eryx slowly turned his head back, meeting his father’s gaze head-on. "Are you done?"

Alpha Roland said nothing. He simply stared at his son, his expression calculating. The Alpha was already forming thousands of punishment.

Without another word, Eryx brushed past him, his shoulders bumped into his father’s, and then he walked straight towards the stairs.

Seraphina broke. She dropped to her knees instantly, tears spilling down her face as she clasped her hands together in desperation.

"Please...please don’t hurt him," she cried, her voice shaking. "He’s drunk, Roland. He doesn’t know what he’s saying. I’ll make sure he apologizes, I swear. Please... please don’t hurt my son. I’m begging you." Her hands trembled as they folded tighter.

Laila, who had finally pushed herself up from the floor, stood frozen for a moment, tears blurred her vision, but she said nothing. She turned abruptly and went upstairs after Eryx.

Henry didn’t even spare them a glance. He simply kept eating.

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

Laila stood in front of Eryx’s bedroom door, knocking again and again. But the arrogant brother of his didn’t open the door.

"Eryx," she called. "Open up. It’s me." she said for the hundredth time.

She tried again, knocking harder this time. "I swear, if you don’t open this door..."

She got no reply.

Her shoulders sagged. "Wow," she muttered. "Really? You won’t even open the door for your little pest now?"

Still she got nothing.

She sighed deeply. "Okay then... I’ll be leaving."

She turned to walk away.

Then the door opened.

"Come in."

Her face instantly lit up. She turned back, grinning, and walked inside without hesitation. The moment she crossed the threshold, she threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly, like she was afraid to let go.

She was taking full advantage. She was going to hug him as much as she wants today.

She could already imagine him rolling his eyes.

He shut the door behind her and, surprisingly, let her hug him until she was satisfied.

When she finally pulled back, her expression shifted, serious now. She looked up at him. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Eryx walked away from her, heading toward the bed. He sat down heavily and stared at the floor.

"You wouldn’t understand."

Laila’s brows shot up. She planted her hands on her hips like he had just insulted her entire bloodline, including himself.

"What do you mean I wouldn’t understand?" she snapped. "Excuse you, I’m a big girl. Literally nineteen."

He rolled his eyes dramatically. "So? You still can’t solve the problem I have."

She walked over and sat beside him, placing a pillow on her lap. Her ponytail swayed as she moved.

"...Is this problem about a girl?"

Eryx blinked, stunned. "What?" He stared at her. "Is it that obvious?" 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Laila deadpanned. "Yeah. It is."

He groaned loudly, throwing his head back in frustration.

She giggled softly, like a child who had just won an argument.

Silence settled between them for a moment.

Then she asked again, quieter this time. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He scoffed, his vision slowly reddening. "Only if you want to see your brother cry like a complete fool."

She laughed and shook her head. "Honestly? I wouldn’t mind. I’m tired of seeing that smiling face of yours."