Daughter of oblivion: Claimed by four alpha(s)-Chapter 219 - 217: You love all of them?

Athena stepped into the bathroom doorway and whispered, "Azrael?"

He turned at the sound of her voice, and froze.

She stood there with tears pooling in her eyes, lashes clumped together, her lips trembling like she was barely holding herself upright. The sight of her looking miserable hit him harder than anything he’d felt all night.

Azrael moved instantly. He didn’t care that he was naked. In two long strides, he crossed the distance and gripped her arms, firmly.

"Why are you crying?" he asked, his voice tight.

She shook her head, tears spilling freely from her eyes before she could stop it. "I... you left," she whispered brokenly. "Theo said you left..."

Something in his chest cracked.

His grip loosened at once, his hands sliding down her arms like he was afraid he’d hurt her. He turned slightly away with a clenched jaw. "I didn’t want you to see me like that," he admitted. "I was angry. I didn’t trust myself."

Her chest tightened. "I only went to hear him out," she said quickly. "Nothing more. I swear."

That was all it took.

Azrael turned back and pulled her into his arms, holding her like she was the only thing keeping him grounded. "You don’t get it, do you?" he murmured into her hair. "The thought of losing you... it tears me apart."

She clutched him tighter, fingers digging into his back. "I’m sorry," she whispered, her voice shaking.

He closed his eyes, pressing his forehead to hers, breathing her in like he needed to remind himself she was here. Still his. Still choosing him.

Athena wrapped her arms around him as she bursted into tears. He froze, but didn’t release her. He just kept on patting her back light.

"Shh baby, it’s okay." he mummered into her eyes.

Athena calmed down bare and he pulled her away, just to look into her eyes.

"Athena," Azrael murmured, sensing her pain before she even said anything. "Talk to me."

She swallowed hard."You make me happy," she said softly, almost afraid of the words. "You really do. When I’m with you... I’m safe. I laugh. I feel chosen."

His chest eased at that, and a smile appeared on his lips.

"But," she whispered, her voice cracking, "I’m not... happy. Not completely. Not with everything that’s happening."

Azrael stiffened. He pulled back even more, so he could see her face. Her eyes were red as fresh tears clinging to her lashes like they might fall any second.

"What does that mean?" he asked quietly.

She looked down, her fingers twisting into his sides like she needed something to hold onto. "It feels like I’m being pulled in different directions," she said. "And no matter where I stand, I’m hurting someone."

His jaw tightened as he looked away.

Silence stretched between them, and he felt like someone took a knife and stabbed his chest again and again.

Then, very carefully, he asked, "You like him, don’t you?"

Her breath hitched as she didn’t know how to say the words. The bathroom was quiet except for the steady drip of water and the sound of her breathing going uneven.

Finally, she whispered, "I’m so sorry."

Azrael released her like her touch suddenly burned. He turned away, a broken sound tearing out of his chest as both hands went to his hair and grabbed it. His shoulders rose and fell, sharp breaths punching out of him like he was trying not to shatter.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck..." he groaned, voice rough, cracking. "Fuck, Athena."

Athena stayed where she was, fingers twisting into the hem of her skirt. Her chest felt tight, like every breath was scraping on the way in.

He laughed softly then, but there was no humor in it. Just pure pain and agony.

"You love him," he asked again to be sure he wasn’t hearing things.

She swallowed. Her voice came out barely above a whisper. "Yes."

Azrael straightened slowly, turning to face her again. His eyes were red and glossy, his jaw clenched so tight it looked like it hurt.

"And you didn’t think that mattered?" he asked quietly.

"It does," she said immediately. "That’s why I didn’t tell you. Because it matters and I don’t want to hurt you."

He shook his head once. "You should’ve told me."

"I was scared," she admitted, tears slipping free. "Scared of losing you. Scared that the moment I said his name out loud, everything we have would break."

He snapped his chest rose and fell heavily. "It still might."

She flinched but didn’t look away. "I never stopped loving you," she said. "Not for a second. You make me feel safe. You make me feel seen. You make me happy, Azrael. I swear you do."

"Then why isn’t that enough?" he asked, voice cracking.

She shook her head helplessly. "I don’t know. I hate that it isn’t."

Azrael dragged a hand down his face. "It’s not just Eryx, is it?"

Her breath hitched. "Azrael..."

"I see the way you look at them... all of them," he continued, and every word landed like a blade. "Theo. Rhydric. You don’t look at them like they’re nothing."

Athena looked down embarrassed. She wishes the floor could just open and end her miserable life.

He laughed again, this time bitter. "So I’m not crazy."

She stepped forward. "I never said I..."

"You don’t have to," he cut in softly. "Your eyes already did."

He turned away again, shoulders tense. "Do you have any idea what it feels like to realize you’re standing in the middle of something you can’t win?"

Athena’s voice broke. "I never wanted this. I didn’t ask for my heart to be this... complicated."

"Neither did I," he snapped, then immediately softened, exhausted. "But here we are."

He finally looked at her again. "Tell me something," he said. "When you were crying just now... was it because of him?"

She hesitated. That hesitation shattered him.

"...Yes," she whispered. "But it was also because of you."

Azrael closed his eyes. A tear slipped down his cheek unchecked. "God, fuck it." he breathed. "This is killing me."