Grey Blood - Chapter 8: Chapter 8

The room felt impossibly small.
Angelina's fingers curled into the fabric of her sleeves, her knuckles whitening. Her body was still tense from the overwhelming weight of her father's presence, the suffocating mix of emotions from Elias and Damien, and the unexpected warmth of Jace.
And yet—
The moment they stepped forward, the air shifted.
Her breath hitched.
Because while the first three brothers had shown care, regret, and warmth, the next one—the fourth eldest—had nothing but cold, sharp indifference in his expression.
Nikolai Grey
The only brother who hadn't moved.
He leaned against the farthest wall, arms crossed over his broad chest, his sharp blue-gray eyes staring at her like she was an intruder.
Unlike Elias, who radiated responsibility, or Damien, who overflowed with protectiveness, or Jace, who masked his pain with lightheartedness—
Nikolai just looked... irritated.
Like her presence was an inconvenience.
Angelina didn't know why, but that realization sent a strange pang through her chest.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he pushed himself off the wall. His movements were slow, deliberate—as if he was debating whether this moment was even worth his time.
Then, with a sigh that sounded almost bored, he ran a hand through his messy dark hair and said the first words he had spoken since entering the room.
"So, this is it?"
Angelina stiffened.
His voice was cool, unimpressed.
His eyes flickered over her—analyzing.
"She's... smaller than I thought she'd be."
A sharp exhale from Alex. A disapproving glare from Elias.
But Nikolai didn't seem to care.
"She's—"
"Enough."
Alex's voice was dangerous.
But Nikolai didn't flinch.
Instead, he let out a quiet chuckle—one that had no humor behind it.
"Oh, come on." He tilted his head slightly, his sharp jaw tightening. "Am I the only one who sees how insane this is?"
The air grew heavier.
"Sixteen years," Nikolai continued, his gaze flickering between them all. "Sixteen years of searching. Of suffering. And now, just like that, she's back?"
His eyes locked onto Angelina's.
The way he was looking at her—like she was some stranger who had just been dropped into their world—made her stomach twist uncomfortably.
Because wasn't that the truth?
She was a stranger.
To them.
To this place.
To whatever this family was.
But before she could even open her mouth to say something—anything—another voice cut through the room.
A quiet voice.
One that carried more weight than all of them combined.
Leo Grey
"That's not fair."
The fifth brother—Leo—had finally spoken.
Angelina turned her head towards him, her breath catching slightly at the sight of him.
Unlike Nikolai, who stood cold and distant, or Elias, who radiated authority, or Damien, who carried warmth, or Jace, who masked everything behind a smirk—
Leo was different.
His presence was soft.
Gentle.
His light brown hair fell slightly over his forehead, his blue eyes filled with something that made Angelina's throat tighten.
Sadness.
Not just for himself.
For her.
"She didn't ask for this," Leo said, his voice quieter now. He turned to Nikolai, his gaze unwavering. "She didn't ask to be taken. She didn't ask to be kept away from us."
Nikolai's jaw clenched.
Leo wasn't done.
"She didn't ask to grow up in a place where no one protected her." His voice wavered slightly, his fingers curling into fists at his sides. "And she sure as hell didn't ask for us to look at her like she doesn't belong."
Silence.
A thick, suffocating silence.
Angelina didn't know what to say.
She didn't know how to say anything.
Because how was she supposed to respond to that?
How was she supposed to look at these boys—her brothers—and pretend like this wasn't completely overwhelming?
Like she hadn't spent her entire life thinking she had no one?
She blinked, suddenly feeling like she couldn't breathe again.
But before the weight of it could fully settle on her chest—
A sudden laugh broke the silence.
Caleb Grey
"Well, damn."
Angelina turned her head towards the last boy—the youngest of the six.
Caleb.
Unlike the others, who had either reacted with tension, sadness, or disbelief—
Caleb looked... excited.
There was a brightness in his brown eyes, a boyish charm in the way his lips curled into a grin.
He bounced slightly on the balls of his feet, hands shoved into the pockets of his hoodie, his expression unreadable—but not unkind.
"This is wild," he muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. Then, before anyone could stop him—
He walked straight to Angelina.
Her breath caught.
He stopped just inches away from her.
And then—
He crouched slightly, his eyes shining with something dangerous.
Something that made Angelina freeze.
Genuine curiosity.
"You're really real," he whispered.
Angelina swallowed hard.
Caleb tilted his head, as if studying her, his grin widening.
And then—
"I like you already."
Her breath hitched.
No one had ever said that to her before.
Not once.
Not ever.
Caleb leaned back slightly, his grin still in place.
"Can I hug you?" he asked.
Angelina blinked.
Twice.
Something inside her cracked—just slightly.
And before she even realized it—
She nodded.
Caleb's grin turned into something softer.
And then—
Just like Damien had—
He hugged her.
Warm.
Safe.
Different.
Her chest ached.
She didn't know why.