Grey Blood - Chapter 7: Chapter 7

The tension in the air was thick enough to suffocate.
Angelina sat stiffly in the chair, her fingers curling into her sleeves as she kept her gaze down. Her breathing had finally steadied after her panic attack, but inside, she still felt like she was drowning.
She could feel his eyes on her—her father, Alex Grey.
His hand rested protectively on her shoulder, his grip firm but gentle, as if anchoring her in place. As if afraid that if he let go, she would disappear again.
And then—
The door swung open.
Angelina flinched at the loud sound.
Heavy footsteps. More than one person.
Her breath caught in her throat as they entered.
Her brothers.
One by one, they stepped inside, each of them stopping short the moment their eyes landed on her.
Six men.
Tall, strong, intimidating.
And yet—
They were looking at her like she had just knocked the breath out of them.
The room was silent.
Angelina swallowed hard, her fingers curling tighter into her sleeves. Her chest felt tight—not from an attack this time, but from something else.
Something deeper.
Something terrifying.
Alex cleared his throat, breaking the silence. His voice was quieter than before, but it held weight.
"Meet your sister."
The moment the words left his lips, everything changed.
The stillness shattered.
One of the men—the tallest and most rigid—moved first.
" Hello Angel, I am Elias The oldest"
His broad frame was stiff, his dark brows drawn together as his sharp eyes locked onto her.
Angelina couldn't read his expression. It was a storm—rage, disbelief, something raw that she couldn't quite place.
He took one step closer. Then another.
Angelina instinctively shrank back in her seat.
Elias froze.
His lips parted slightly, as if her reaction had physically wounded him.
A beat of silence. Then—
"Don't... do that." His voice was deep, rough, strained.
Angelina hesitated. "Do what?"
"Flinch away from me." His jaw clenched. "I'd never hurt you."
His words caught her off guard.
The tension in his shoulders was visible. His hands, strong and steady, had curled into tight fists at his sides.
But then, his gaze softened—just slightly.
Sixteen years.
That's how long he had been the eldest sibling. How long he had carried the responsibility of leading his brothers, of standing by his father's side, of being the strongest one in the room.
And yet, right now, standing before the sister he thought he'd lost forever, Elias looked like he was barely keeping himself together.
"I was supposed to protect you," he said suddenly, voice thick with something dangerous. "And I failed."
Angelina's breath hitched.
She had never had someone talk about her like that.
She had never had anyone care like that.
Before she could respond, another voice cut through the room.
" Hello Cupcake , I am Damien second oldest "
He stepped forward, his movements softer than Elias's, but his presence just as heavy.
Dark brown hair, warm eyes, the kind of expression that reminded Angelina of someone who carried too much worry for others.
His lips pressed into a tight line, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard.
Then—
He dropped to one knee.
Angelina's eyes widened.
His gaze was level with hers now, his hands resting on his thighs as he studied her.
"It's you," he whispered.
There was something so broken in those two words.
His jaw trembled slightly before he clenched it, his eyes flickering to their father. "She looks just like Mom," he said, his voice rough.
Alex exhaled sharply. "I know."
Damien turned back to her.
His expression was unreadable, but there was something in his eyes—something painful.
His hands twitched, as if he wanted to reach out but didn't know if he was allowed.
"Can I—?" His voice was hoarse. "Can I hug you?"
Angelina froze.
No one had ever asked her that before.
No one had ever cared if she was comfortable.
She didn't realize she was trembling until Damien noticed it too.
He quickly backed off, his face flashing with guilt. "I'm sorry—I shouldn't have—"
"No."
The word escaped before she could stop it.
Damien's eyes snapped back to hers.
Angelina swallowed. Her throat felt tight, her heart pounding so hard it hurt.
But somehow—somehow—she found herself nodding.
A breath of relief left him.
And then—
He hugged her.
It was careful, gentle.
Warm.
Not crushing. Not suffocating.
It didn't feel like a trap.
For the first time in her life, a hug didn't feel wrong.
It felt... safe.
Her chest ached.
She didn't know why.
She didn't understand why.
Damien held her carefully, like she was something fragile, something precious, something that mattered.
And Angelina—
For the first time in her life—
Let herself be held.
Jace Grey – The Goofy One
The moment Damien pulled back, another voice broke the tension.
"Well, that was emotional as hell."
Angelina turned her head just in time to see the third eldest step forward.
"heyya Sunshine, I am Jace"
He had a boyish smirk, tousled hair, and an energy that instantly felt lighter than the others.
But his eyes—
His eyes told a different story.
Because despite his teasing words, despite the smirk on his lips—
His eyes were red.
Like he was fighting everything inside him not to break down.
"Well, damn," Jace muttered, running a hand through his messy hair. "We really do have a long-lost sister, huh?"
Angelina hesitated.
He must have noticed because his smirk softened into something real.
"Don't worry," Jace added, his voice quieter now. "You don't have to say anything yet. I just wanna say... welcome home, kid."
Home.
Angelina's chest twisted painfully.
She had never had one of those before.
Not really.
But now—
She wasn't sure what to think.
And this was only three of her brothers.
There were still three more.
And something told her—
That the next one wouldn't be quite so welcoming.