Grey Blood - Chapter 12: Chapter 12

After breakfast, Angelina sat at the edge of the long dining table, her fingers lightly curled around the warm teacup. The room was still buzzing with conversation, but she felt like an observer, watching the way her brothers interacted.
Jace was still teasing Elias, throwing crumpled napkins at him, which Elias ignored with practiced patience. Damien had stood to clean up the table, and leo and Caleb were in the middle of an intense debate about the best action movie of all time.
Angelina had never been around this kind of warmth.
It wasn't forced, wasn't demanding—it just existed, easy and natural.
She wanted to be part of it, but... she didn't know how.
She didn't know how to belong.
Leo, sitting beside her, nudged her plate.
"You should eat more, Little Star." His tone was light, but there was an undercurrent of concern.
Angelina glanced at the half-eaten pancake. She had eaten more than she was used to, and her stomach already felt tight.
"I... I'm full," she murmured.
Leo studied her for a second, then didn't push.
Instead, he leaned back in his chair and smirked. "You're lucky Damien didn't hear that. He'd be fussing over you like an old lady."
Damien—who had absolutely heard that—gave Leo a deadpan look as he wiped down the counter.
"I take care of my family," he said simply. "Someone has to."
Angelina felt a warmth settle in her chest at his words.
Family.
He had said it so casually.
As if she had always been a part of them.
"Okay, okay." Jace clapped his hands together, turning to Angelina with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Important question, Bunny."
Angelina blinked. "...What?"
Jace grinned. "Which one of us is your favorite so far?"
The room went still.
Angelina felt seven pairs of eyes land on her.
She shrank into herself, cheeks heating.
Jace smirked, clearly enjoying this.
"Well?" he pressed. "Is it me? I mean, I'm clearly the best choice."
Elias scoffed. "God, you're unbearable."
Leo leaned forward. "It's obviously me. I mean, I haven't been mean to her, so that's points in my favor, right?"
Caleb nudged her lightly. "Be honest, Angel. Who's it gonna be?"
Angelina panicked.
She didn't have a favorite.
She didn't even know how to pick.
She glanced at Damien, silently pleading for help.
Damien sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Guys, don't put her on the spot. She's only been here for a day."
Jace crossed his arms. "I think that's enough time to form an opinion."
Angelina wasn't sure what to say.
She liked them all in different ways.
Leo was gentle. Caleb was protective. Jace made her laugh. Damien made her feel safe. Elias was reliable.
Nikolai... was complicated.
But she still wanted to understand him.
"I... I don't know," she said quietly.
Jace pouted. "Lame answer."
Caleb rolled his eyes. "Give her a break, Jace."
Nikolai, who had been mostly silent, suddenly spoke.
"Don't get comfortable."
The room froze.
Angelina looked up, startled.
Nikolai was staring at her, arms crossed, expression unreadable.
"You don't belong here," he said, his voice cool. "Don't start thinking you do."
The words hit like a punch to the stomach.
Jace scowled. "Dude, what the hell?"
Caleb glared. "Seriously?"
Even Elias sighed, rubbing his temples as if he had expected this.
Angelina swallowed hard, staring at her lap.
It shouldn't have hurt.
But it did.
Leo leaned forward, his voice sharp. "Nikolai—"
"I'm just being honest," Nikolai cut him off. He stood abruptly, pushing his chair back. "She shouldn't get used to things that aren't real."
Then he walked away.
Silence stretched over the room.
Angelina's chest ached.
Leo sighed. "Don't listen to him, Little Star."
Caleb huffed. "He's an ass. You don't have to prove anything to him."
Angelina just nodded, even though her throat felt tight.
Jace tried to lighten the mood. "Ignore him, Bunny. He probably just woke up on the wrong side of the bed."
Leo frowned. "He's always like that."
Damien placed a hand on Angelina's shoulder, his touch warm and grounding. "No one else thinks that way, okay?"
Angelina took a shaky breath.
Maybe.
Maybe she didn't belong yet.
But...
She wanted to.
The morning started with Alec and Elias preparing to leave for work.
Angelina had barely stepped out of her room when Alec was already fussing over her like a worried parent.
"Did you sleep well, sweetheart?" he asked, cupping her face gently as if she were made of glass.
Angelina blinked up at him, not used to this kind of attention. "Um... yes?"
Alec studied her closely, his eyes scanning her face for any sign of discomfort. "Are you sure? You didn't have any bad dreams? No one bothered you?"
Before she could answer, he turned to glare at her brothers, who were lounging around the living room.
"If I find out any of you gave her a hard time—"
Leo sighed. "Dad, we didn't do anything."
Caleb grinned. "Yet."
Alec narrowed his eyes at him before turning back to Angelina. His hand smoothed over her hair, tucking a strand behind her ear. "If you need anything, anything at all, just call me, okay? I don't care if I'm in a meeting—I'll come right back."
Angelina swallowed. No one had ever said something like that to her before. "O-Okay."
He exhaled, giving her a warm smile. "Good girl." Then, as if that wasn't enough, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of her head before straightening.
Angelina felt her face burn.
Jace snickered. "Damn, Dad. You're laying it on thick."
Alec shot him a look before finally stepping back. "I'll be back soon, sweetheart."
As soon as he turned toward the door, Elias stepped forward.
Unlike Alec's gentle pampering, Elias's tone was strict, almost cold.
"Angelina, come with me to the office floor before I leave."
Angelina flinched at the sudden shift, hesitating.
Elias barely spared her a glance. "Now."
The others watched in confusion, but no one questioned him.
Angelina nervously followed him upstairs to what looked like a private office.
The moment the door shut behind them, Elias turned around and pulled her into a tight hug.
Angelina froze.
"I missed you so much, Angel," he murmured, voice completely different from the strict one he had just used.
She didn't know what to do.
Slowly, hesitantly, she raised her arms and hugged him back.
Elias sighed in relief, as if he had been waiting for this moment for years.
When he finally pulled back, his hands stayed on her shoulders, his eyes full of emotions she didn't understand.
"I have to act like that in front of the others," he said softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Because they're absolute devil's spawn who won't behave unless I get strict with them."
Angelina let out a small, surprised giggle.
Elias's gaze softened. "But you... you get a different version of me."
Her breath hitched.
"You're my little sister," he said, squeezing her shoulders. "And I will always, always take care of you."
Something inside her cracked.
He spoke with such certainty, such conviction—as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
She didn't know what to say.
So she just nodded.
Elias smiled, ruffling her hair before stepping back.
"I have to go now," he said. "But I'll be back soon."
He hesitated, then—just for a moment—pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head.
Angelina's heart ached.
And then he was gone.