Grey Blood - Chapter 20: Chapter 20
You are reading Grey Blood, Chapter 20: Chapter 20. Read more chapters of Grey Blood.
The next morning, Angelina woke up feeling... lighter.
When she stepped into the dining hall, her brothers were already gathered.
Leo was balancing a spoon on his nose, Caleb was laughing, Jace looked half-asleep, and Damien was scolding Leo like a frustrated mother.
Elias and Alec were discussing something quietly, and Nikolai... well, he was ignoring everyone, as usual.
The moment Angelina walked in, every head turned toward her.
"There she is!" Leo grinned. "Morning, Little Star."
"Bunny, come sit," Caleb said, pulling out a chair for her.
She hesitated before walking over, feeling all their eyes on her.
"You sleep well?" Damien asked, watching her carefully.
She nodded. "Yes."
Alec studied her, his expression unreadable. "Good."
Elias, who had his usual cold exterior in place, subtly placed a bowl of fruit in front of her. "Eat."
Angelina bit back a small smile as she picked up her fork.
"So," Alec started after a few minutes, looking at Angelina, "your enrollment is finalized."
She tensed.
Elias, noticing, spoke in a calm tone. "You don't have to worry about anything. Your schedule is manageable, and we've arranged transportation."
Leo grinned. "We'll be your personal bodyguards, Bunny."
Caleb nodded. "Yep. You'll never have to be alone."
Angelina chewed her lip. "I... I still don't know how to feel about this."
Jace, now slightly more awake, glanced at her. "Nervous?"
She hesitated before nodding.
Alec leaned forward, his voice firm but reassuring. "You're not going into that school as an outsider, Angelina. You have a family now. People who will always have your back."
Leo smirked. "Basically, no one's gonna mess with you."
Damien added,with a knowing look "And if they do, they'll regret it."
Later that day, Angelina found herself sitting in Alec's office.
He was going over some paperwork, but when he noticed her fidgeting, he put his pen down.
"What is it?"
She hesitated before speaking. "I just... I wanted to say thank you."
Alec raised an eyebrow. "For what?"
"For everything," she said quietly. "For taking me in. For giving me a home."
Alec studied her for a long moment before exhaling. "Angelina, you were never supposed to be anywhere but here."
Her throat tightened.
"You're not a guest," Alec continued, his voice softer now. "You're my daughter. And nothing will ever change that."
Elias had been looking forward to spending time with Angelina today. It had been a long time since he had taken a break from work, and when he found out that his little sister was going shopping, he had planned to go with her.
But then the damned urgent meeting happened.
He sat at the dining table, his jaw tight as he glared at his phone. Jace, Leo, and Caleb were getting ready to take Angelina out, but Elias wasn't happy about it.
Alec, sitting across from him, raised an eyebrow. "Elias."
"I don't like this," Elias muttered. "She's going out for the first time, and I won't be there."
"You have a meeting," Alec reminded him.
Elias hated that Alec was right.
Across the room, Angelina stood nervously as her brothers grabbed their wallets and keys. She hesitated before walking toward Elias.
"I-It's okay," she said softly. "You don't have to come..."
Elias's eye twitched.
Who had made her feel like she couldn't ask for things?
He sighed heavily before standing up. Walking over, he placed a gentle hand on top of her head, his voice low but firm.
"I wanted to come," he admitted.
Angelina blinked up at him.
Elias turned to Nikolai, who was lounging on the couch, scrolling through his phone. "Make sure the best guards follow them."
Leo's mouth fell open. "Guards? Are you serious?"
Jace chuckled. "Damn, Elias. You're acting like we're taking her into a war zone."
Elias shot them both a glare before looking back at Angelina. His usual cold expression softened as he said, "Fine no guards but Stay by your brothers' side. No wandering off."
Angelina, confused but not wanting to argue, nodded. "Okay."
He exhaled before reluctantly stepping back. "Fine. Go."
The moment she and the boys left, Elias collapsed onto the couch with an annoyed groan.
"I hate this."
Nikolai smirked from his spot. "Didn't know you were so soft, big brother."
Elias threw a glare at him.that shut him up
As soon as they arrived at the luxury mall, Angelina's eyes widened.
The sheer size of it was overwhelming. The stores looked expensive, the people around them dressed in high-end brands, and the bright lights made everything feel surreal.
Leo nudged her. "You like it?"
Angelina hesitated before nodding. "It's... a lot."
Jace stretched. "Alright, let's get started. First stop—clothes."
They dragged her into store after store, piling her arms with outfits. Every time she protested, they shut her down.
Leo: "Nope. You're getting this."
Caleb: "Try it on, Bunny."
Jace: "You need this one."
Angelina eventually gave up, letting them pick everything.
And they did not hold back.
After an hour, they had dozens of bags.
"Did we go overboard?" Caleb mused, looking at the haul.
"Nah," Jace said. "This is necessary."
Angelina, still overwhelmed, bit her lip. "This is too much..."
Leo booped her nose. "No such thing, Little Star."
As they were heading out, Angelina's eyes lit up when she saw the arcade.
Leo noticed instantly. "You wanna go in?"
She hesitated. "I... I shouldn't. We should get back."
Caleb shook his head. "We're not leaving until you have fun."
Jace smirked. "Come on, angel. You want to play."
Angelina bit her lip.
It was true.
For the first time in her life, she wanted to do something just for fun.
"...Okay."
The boys grinned.
And just like that, they were fully immersed in arcade chaos.
Angelina tried every game.
Leo and Caleb fought over racing games.
Jace got way too into the basketball hoops.
Angelina demolished them at air hockey, shocking them all.
"Where the hell did you learn that?!" Jace demanded.
Angelina giggled. "Just lucky, I guess."
Time flew by.
By the time they checked the time—
They were late.
And worse?
Angelina had left her phone at home.
And the boys had left theirs in the car.
Elias was pacing.
Nikolai stood nearby, arms crossed, scowling.
"They should have been back an hour ago," Elias muttered.
"They're not answering their phones," Nikolai added.
Elias clenched his jaw. "I knew I shouldn't have let them go alone."
Just as his patience ran out, the front door finally opened.
Angelina and the boys stepped in, laughing—until they saw the storm waiting for them.
Elias and Nikolai turned to them, their expressions thunderous.
"Where the hell were you?" Elias demanded.
The laughter died instantly.
Angelina stiffened, anxiety creeping in.
"We—" Leo started, but Elias cut him off.
"You didn't answer your phones," Nikolai snapped.
Angelina's breathing turned shallow.She hated being scolded.
The boys could handle it, but she—
She felt like a burden.
"I—It was my fault," she blurted.
Elias turned to her, frowning. "What?"
"I wanted to play at the arcade," she said quickly, her voice shaking. "That's why we were late. It was my fault. I—I didn't mean to waste your time. I won't do it again. I promise."
The room went silent.
Elias's anger vanished in an instant.
Leo, Caleb, and Jace froze, looking at her in disbelief.
Angelina lowered her head, guilt eating at her.
But before she could spiral further—
Elias sighed heavily.
"Angelina." His voice was softer now.
She hesitated, looking up at him.
His usual stern eyes were filled with regret.
"We weren't mad at you," he said. "We were worried."
Nikolai sighed, rubbing his temples. "You didn't have your phone. We thought something happened."
Leo stepped beside her. "Bunny, you don't ever have to apologize for having fun."
Caleb nodded. "Seriously. We wanted you to have a good time."
Jace smirked slightly. "And we'll definitely do it again."
Angelina blinked. "But... you were angry."
Elias exhaled. "Yeah. Because we care."
He reached out, kissing her forehead lightly.
"Next time," he muttered, "just let us know if you're running late."
Angelina swallowed the lump in her throat.
someone was worried about her not because they were looking for an excuse to punish her—
But because they cared.
She nodded slowly.
"...Okay."
Elias studied her for a moment before giving a small, approving nod.
"Good."
Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, his usual cold exterior back in place.
Nikolai followed after him, grumbling under his breath.
The tension in the room eased.
Leo poked her cheek. "See? Not so bad, huh?"
Angelina smiled faintly.
Maybe not.
When she stepped into the dining hall, her brothers were already gathered.
Leo was balancing a spoon on his nose, Caleb was laughing, Jace looked half-asleep, and Damien was scolding Leo like a frustrated mother.
Elias and Alec were discussing something quietly, and Nikolai... well, he was ignoring everyone, as usual.
The moment Angelina walked in, every head turned toward her.
"There she is!" Leo grinned. "Morning, Little Star."
"Bunny, come sit," Caleb said, pulling out a chair for her.
She hesitated before walking over, feeling all their eyes on her.
"You sleep well?" Damien asked, watching her carefully.
She nodded. "Yes."
Alec studied her, his expression unreadable. "Good."
Elias, who had his usual cold exterior in place, subtly placed a bowl of fruit in front of her. "Eat."
Angelina bit back a small smile as she picked up her fork.
"So," Alec started after a few minutes, looking at Angelina, "your enrollment is finalized."
She tensed.
Elias, noticing, spoke in a calm tone. "You don't have to worry about anything. Your schedule is manageable, and we've arranged transportation."
Leo grinned. "We'll be your personal bodyguards, Bunny."
Caleb nodded. "Yep. You'll never have to be alone."
Angelina chewed her lip. "I... I still don't know how to feel about this."
Jace, now slightly more awake, glanced at her. "Nervous?"
She hesitated before nodding.
Alec leaned forward, his voice firm but reassuring. "You're not going into that school as an outsider, Angelina. You have a family now. People who will always have your back."
Leo smirked. "Basically, no one's gonna mess with you."
Damien added,with a knowing look "And if they do, they'll regret it."
Later that day, Angelina found herself sitting in Alec's office.
He was going over some paperwork, but when he noticed her fidgeting, he put his pen down.
"What is it?"
She hesitated before speaking. "I just... I wanted to say thank you."
Alec raised an eyebrow. "For what?"
"For everything," she said quietly. "For taking me in. For giving me a home."
Alec studied her for a long moment before exhaling. "Angelina, you were never supposed to be anywhere but here."
Her throat tightened.
"You're not a guest," Alec continued, his voice softer now. "You're my daughter. And nothing will ever change that."
Elias had been looking forward to spending time with Angelina today. It had been a long time since he had taken a break from work, and when he found out that his little sister was going shopping, he had planned to go with her.
But then the damned urgent meeting happened.
He sat at the dining table, his jaw tight as he glared at his phone. Jace, Leo, and Caleb were getting ready to take Angelina out, but Elias wasn't happy about it.
Alec, sitting across from him, raised an eyebrow. "Elias."
"I don't like this," Elias muttered. "She's going out for the first time, and I won't be there."
"You have a meeting," Alec reminded him.
Elias hated that Alec was right.
Across the room, Angelina stood nervously as her brothers grabbed their wallets and keys. She hesitated before walking toward Elias.
"I-It's okay," she said softly. "You don't have to come..."
Elias's eye twitched.
Who had made her feel like she couldn't ask for things?
He sighed heavily before standing up. Walking over, he placed a gentle hand on top of her head, his voice low but firm.
"I wanted to come," he admitted.
Angelina blinked up at him.
Elias turned to Nikolai, who was lounging on the couch, scrolling through his phone. "Make sure the best guards follow them."
Leo's mouth fell open. "Guards? Are you serious?"
Jace chuckled. "Damn, Elias. You're acting like we're taking her into a war zone."
Elias shot them both a glare before looking back at Angelina. His usual cold expression softened as he said, "Fine no guards but Stay by your brothers' side. No wandering off."
Angelina, confused but not wanting to argue, nodded. "Okay."
He exhaled before reluctantly stepping back. "Fine. Go."
The moment she and the boys left, Elias collapsed onto the couch with an annoyed groan.
"I hate this."
Nikolai smirked from his spot. "Didn't know you were so soft, big brother."
Elias threw a glare at him.that shut him up
As soon as they arrived at the luxury mall, Angelina's eyes widened.
The sheer size of it was overwhelming. The stores looked expensive, the people around them dressed in high-end brands, and the bright lights made everything feel surreal.
Leo nudged her. "You like it?"
Angelina hesitated before nodding. "It's... a lot."
Jace stretched. "Alright, let's get started. First stop—clothes."
They dragged her into store after store, piling her arms with outfits. Every time she protested, they shut her down.
Leo: "Nope. You're getting this."
Caleb: "Try it on, Bunny."
Jace: "You need this one."
Angelina eventually gave up, letting them pick everything.
And they did not hold back.
After an hour, they had dozens of bags.
"Did we go overboard?" Caleb mused, looking at the haul.
"Nah," Jace said. "This is necessary."
Angelina, still overwhelmed, bit her lip. "This is too much..."
Leo booped her nose. "No such thing, Little Star."
As they were heading out, Angelina's eyes lit up when she saw the arcade.
Leo noticed instantly. "You wanna go in?"
She hesitated. "I... I shouldn't. We should get back."
Caleb shook his head. "We're not leaving until you have fun."
Jace smirked. "Come on, angel. You want to play."
Angelina bit her lip.
It was true.
For the first time in her life, she wanted to do something just for fun.
"...Okay."
The boys grinned.
And just like that, they were fully immersed in arcade chaos.
Angelina tried every game.
Leo and Caleb fought over racing games.
Jace got way too into the basketball hoops.
Angelina demolished them at air hockey, shocking them all.
"Where the hell did you learn that?!" Jace demanded.
Angelina giggled. "Just lucky, I guess."
Time flew by.
By the time they checked the time—
They were late.
And worse?
Angelina had left her phone at home.
And the boys had left theirs in the car.
Elias was pacing.
Nikolai stood nearby, arms crossed, scowling.
"They should have been back an hour ago," Elias muttered.
"They're not answering their phones," Nikolai added.
Elias clenched his jaw. "I knew I shouldn't have let them go alone."
Just as his patience ran out, the front door finally opened.
Angelina and the boys stepped in, laughing—until they saw the storm waiting for them.
Elias and Nikolai turned to them, their expressions thunderous.
"Where the hell were you?" Elias demanded.
The laughter died instantly.
Angelina stiffened, anxiety creeping in.
"We—" Leo started, but Elias cut him off.
"You didn't answer your phones," Nikolai snapped.
Angelina's breathing turned shallow.She hated being scolded.
The boys could handle it, but she—
She felt like a burden.
"I—It was my fault," she blurted.
Elias turned to her, frowning. "What?"
"I wanted to play at the arcade," she said quickly, her voice shaking. "That's why we were late. It was my fault. I—I didn't mean to waste your time. I won't do it again. I promise."
The room went silent.
Elias's anger vanished in an instant.
Leo, Caleb, and Jace froze, looking at her in disbelief.
Angelina lowered her head, guilt eating at her.
But before she could spiral further—
Elias sighed heavily.
"Angelina." His voice was softer now.
She hesitated, looking up at him.
His usual stern eyes were filled with regret.
"We weren't mad at you," he said. "We were worried."
Nikolai sighed, rubbing his temples. "You didn't have your phone. We thought something happened."
Leo stepped beside her. "Bunny, you don't ever have to apologize for having fun."
Caleb nodded. "Seriously. We wanted you to have a good time."
Jace smirked slightly. "And we'll definitely do it again."
Angelina blinked. "But... you were angry."
Elias exhaled. "Yeah. Because we care."
He reached out, kissing her forehead lightly.
"Next time," he muttered, "just let us know if you're running late."
Angelina swallowed the lump in her throat.
someone was worried about her not because they were looking for an excuse to punish her—
But because they cared.
She nodded slowly.
"...Okay."
Elias studied her for a moment before giving a small, approving nod.
"Good."
Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, his usual cold exterior back in place.
Nikolai followed after him, grumbling under his breath.
The tension in the room eased.
Leo poked her cheek. "See? Not so bad, huh?"
Angelina smiled faintly.
Maybe not.
End of Grey Blood Chapter 20. Continue reading Chapter 21 or return to Grey Blood book page.