Grey Blood - Chapter 16: Chapter 16

Angelina wasn't sure when it had happened, but at some point during the movie, she had started to relax.
For the first time, she wasn't just existing in someone's home.
She was part of something.
Leo would absentmindedly lean against her, too comfortable to keep his usual composed demeanor.
Caleb kept whispering unnecessary commentary about the movie, making her stifle small laughs.
Jace, sprawled across the floor, kept tossing popcorn at Damien just to get a reaction.
And Nikolai, while still distant, wasn't avoiding her anymore.
It felt... warm.
Safe.
And maybe—just maybe—she was finally starting to believe that this was real.
Just as the movie was ending, Angelina's phone buzzed again.
Alec: Did you eat lunch?
A second later, another message followed.
Elias: Don't lie.
Angelina's lips twitched.
She glanced at the time. Lunch? She hadn't even realized how much time had passed.
Leo, noticing the look on her face, smirked. "Lemme guess. Dad and Elias?"
She nodded.
Caleb laughed. "They have a tracking device on you or something?"
Jace snorted. "Nah. They're just obsessed."
Angelina hesitated before texting back.
Angelina: Not yet. Watching a movie.
Alec's response was instant.
Alec: Then go eat. Now.
Elias followed a second later.
Elias: Immediately.
Caleb glanced over her shoulder and whistled. "They don't play around, huh?"
Leo nudged her gently. "Come on, Little Star. Let's go before they send a SWAT team."
Angelina smiled softly.
As they got up to head to the dining room, her phone buzzed again.
But this time, it wasn't Alec or Elias.
Instead, she saw a new group chat had been created.
Damien: Since everyone keeps texting her separately, this will be easier.
The chat name was simple- Grey Family
Angelina's breath caught in her throat.
She clicked on it.
Every single one of her brothers was already in it.
And before she could even process it, messages started popping up.
Caleb: Finally. I was tired of being left out of the spying.
Leo: Welcome to the madness, Little Star.
Jace: Bunny, you can mute the chat when they get annoying. I won't be offended.
Nikolai: You're all annoying.
Alec: Eat first. Talk later.
Elias: Listen to Dad.
Angelina stared at the screen.
A group chat.
A family group chat.
For the first time in her life, she was included in something like this.
Her hands trembled slightly as she slowly typed her first message.
Angelina: Okay.
It was small.
Simple.
But when she hit send, she felt something inside her settle.
The dining room was just as loud as breakfast had been.
Jace and Damien were arguing about who ate the last piece of cake yesterday.
Leo and Caleb were ganging up on Damien about his mother-hen tendencies.
And Nikolai, for once, wasn't eating alone.
Angelina sat quietly, watching it all.
She wasn't used to this kind of chaos.
But it wasn't bad.
It was comfortable.
Somewhere in the middle of lunch, Leo casually reached over and placed an extra piece of bread on her plate.
A small, natural gesture.
Like it was normal for someone to look after her.
Angelina stared at it for a moment before looking up at him.
Leo just smiled. "Eat up, Little Star."
Her throat tightened slightly, but she nodded.
For the first time in a long time, she felt like she wasn't just surviving.
She was living.