CHAPTER 60: CHAPTER 60: JEALOUS ERYX

Oliver reached them in a few long strides, his expression warm as his eyes found hers.

For a moment, the world around her seemed to fade, the laughter, the chatter, everything.

Athena’s smile stretched wide as she met him halfway.

Oliver’s arms opened without hesitation, and he pulled her in, wrapping her tightly against his chest. He lowered his face into her hair, breathing her in like he’d missed her for years instead of hours.

Athena’s arms slid around him, her lips curving into a soft smile as she hugged him back.

But no one, absolutely no one, looked as thrilled as Felicia.

She clasped her hands together dramatically, practically glowing.

"My ship is real!" she whispered excitedly, earning a groan from Levi and a laugh from Leo.

Alaric just stood there, his jaw set, eyes lingering on the two of them longer than he should’ve.

He didn’t say a word, but Armand could tell exactly what he was thinking.

Athena pulled away slightly, her eyes searching his face with a mix of surprise and warmth.

"What are you doing here?" she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Oliver’s lips curved into a teasing smirk.

"Do I need a reason to want to see my adorable doll?"

Her eyes widened, her cheeks instantly flushing.

"N-no, that’s not what I meant..."

He chuckled, low and smooth, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

"I know," he murmured, his tone gentler now. "Since I’ll be traveling soon, I wanted to steal a little time alone with you. And it’s the weekend too."

Her lips parted, her blush deepening as she nodded shyly.

"Okay," she whispered, eyes lowering.

He smiled, clearly pleased with her reaction. "How’s school?"

She tilted her head slightly, glancing up at him before murmuring, "Fine."

Behind them, Leo rolled his eyes. "Fine," he mimicked under his breath.

Levi elbowed him, laughing. "Mind your business, man."

Felicia, on the other hand, stood grinning like a proud matchmaker but stayed quiet, she didn’t want to interrupt.

Oliver finally tore his gaze from Athena and looked toward the others. His eyes landed on Felicia first.

"You’re Felicia, right?"

She blinked, startled for a second before smiling. "Yes."

He nodded lightly. "Athena’s said a lot about you."

Athena turned her head sharply, her face warming again. "Oliver..."

Felicia giggled. "Oh, has she now? Don’t worry, she only says the nicest things."

"Nice to finally meet you, Felicia," he said, extending his hand politely.

Felicia shook it, her grin still bright. "Likewise."

Then he turned to the others, shaking hands one by one, Leo, Levi, Armand, polite greetings and short exchanges.

Finally, he reached Alaric.

For a brief moment, their eyes met, steady, unreadable.

The handshake was firm, maybe a little too firm.

No one seemed to notice the faint flicker in Alaric’s jaw.

No one except Armand.

Athena, oblivious to the silent current between them, turned back to Oliver with a soft smile.

Her voice was gentle when she said, "You should’ve told me you were coming."

"And miss the look on your face?" he teased again, leaning closer, his voice dropping. "Never."

Her heart skipped a beat, and this time, she didn’t even try to hide her smile.

Oliver turned back to the group, his arm still loosely around Athena’s waist.

"You all busy?" he asked with an easy smile. "How about dinner? My treat. There’s this restaurant not far from here, good food, quiet place."

Before anyone could answer, Felicia clasped her hands together, eyes lighting up.

"Oh, we would love that!" she said before glancing at the others. "Right, guys?"

Leo shrugged, smirking. "Free food? I’m in."

Levi chuckled and nodded. "Same here. Can’t say no to good food."

Armand gave a small nod, hands in his pocket. "Sure. Why not?"

He was definitely going to enjoy teasing his brother a little.

Alaric hesitated for a moment, his gaze flicking briefly to Athena before he said calmly, "Yeah... sounds fine."

"Perfect," Oliver said, pleased.

Felicia practically bounced in place, clapping once. "This is going to be fun!"

Athena shook her head, laughing softly as she glanced at them. "You guys are unbelievable."

"Hey, it’s not every day we get invited by Mr. Handsome in a Suit," Leo teased, earning a smack on the arm from Levi and a grin from Felicia.

Even Armand cracked a quiet smile, watching their playful banter.

Oliver just chuckled, his hand brushing against Athena’s back. "Guess I’ll take that as a compliment."

They all began moving toward the parking lot together, their voices light and overlapping, jokes, laughter, footsteps.

For a moment, everything felt simple. Easy.

Athena couldn’t stop smiling; her cheeks already ached from it.

But non of them noticed, the murderous gaze throwing dagger at them from above.

Especially at Oliver.

~~~

Eryx was still in his school uniform, shirt tucked, tie loose, shoes scuffing the floor. After he left the den with that weird mood hanging on him, he didn’t go home. He walked to an empty classroom to clear his head, to get away from noise and words and the way his own mind was turning sharp. He needed to clear his head before doing anything stupid.

He pushed the door open. Light spilled across the desks. He dropped into a seat by the window and let his eyes wander without meaning to, until he saw her.

Athena, her friends, and the twins. At first she looked like a small, bright shape in the afternoon light. She laughed, and the sound was tiny but clean. A man in a suit stepped out of the car, and she smiled at him. He smiled back. Then he walked closer.

Eryx felt his body tighten before his brain told him to. The man reached for her; she stepped forward; he wrapped his arms around her. A hug. Not a casual touch, a full, close hold that folded her small frame into his. She didn’t pull away. She leaned in. She let him keep her there.

Something hot and ugly hit Eryx then, like a brand. He watched it as if from under water. His chest locked. Blood thudded at his temples. The world narrowed until all he could see was her face pressed against the man’s suit, the honest, soft smile she gave him. It was the kind of smile that should have made him feel warm, instead it stabbed, it made his blood boil hot.

Jealousy crawled up his spine and set his skin on fire. His hands curled into fists without permission. He fought the urge to stand, to throw the window open, to walk out and tear the man away from her. Where did that possessive blood come from? He didn’t care where it came from. It was there, and it was loud and worse, he might even do it.

He watched the man talk to her, watched her blush that perfect, real blush, watched the way she looked at him like he was home. The man moved on, shook hands with Felicia and the others, the group laughing, easy and warm. Athena’s smile stayed bright, like a small child with her favorite cookie. The sight made something in Eryx vicious and restless.

He wanted to smash the glass of the car, destroy everything as he watched them walked closer to ot. He wanted to break something.

Better: he wanted to set it on fire and watch that cheerful little scene burn to useless black. The thought startled him because he knew how deep and fast it came, not just anger, but a raw, animal flare that wanted to destroy what he couldn’t have.

"She’s not supposed to be with any man, no it’s not right." A voice rang in his head.

His fingers ran through his hair, trembling. The flush in his face spread red and hot; his heart pounded so loud he could feel it in his jaw. The wolf inside him curled at the edge of his skin, coiling like a spring. His eyes went a fraction redder, hotter, a flare he blinked away, forcing himself steady.

"Get a hold of yourself," he told himself, low and useless. The rational voice argued she had a life, she had someone, it was none of his business. The other voice, the one with teeth and claws, snarled back that nothing should be allowed to be this soft and this easy for someone else. She was meant to be his.

He swallowed hard to clear the iron taste in his mouth. He breathed in, long and slow, trying to bleed the heat out of his limbs. Still, every move she made stayed branded in his head: the tilt of her shoulder, the way her hair caught the sun, the way she laughed with that bright, careless sound.

When they all moved toward the car, fingers linked and voices low, Eryx stood abruptly. The wooden floor creaked under his boots. He left the light spilling over the desks and stepped into the dim hallway, keeping his face calm like a mask. But under that calm, the pressure was still there,red, hot, a promise that would not be quieted easily.