CHAPTER 95: CHAPTER 94: ARE THEY REALLY GOING TO KILL EACH OTHER?

Felicia suddenly snapped her fingers. "Oh! Athena...okay, listen. There’s a party tomorrow night."

Athena blinked. "What party?"

Felicia groaned dramatically. "How do you not know anything happening in this school? Seriously, you’re like... allergic to information."

"Felicia," Athena warned.

"Fine, fine." Felicia sat up, crossing her legs like she was about to deliver breaking news. "It’s just a normal party. A big one, yeah, but nothing dramatic or traditional or anything. Just... the annual Gravecrest party everyone looks forward to."

Athena raised a brow. "Annual?"

"Yeah! The Phantom Four planned it months ago." Felicia wiggled her brows. "Which means everyone and their ancestors are preparing for it."

Athena rubbed her forehead. "Felicia, why are you telling me this?"

"Because you’re going," Felicia said instantly.

Athena’s whole body jerked. "No, I’m not."

Felicia scoffed. "Please. You need air. You need distraction. You need to stop your stupid attraction to five stupid boys."

Athena groaned into her hands. "Felicia..."

"Nope. I’m not debating you." Felicia stood from the chair and hopped on the desk, pointing at Athena’s chest. "You’re stressed, confused, and emotionally roasted. A party is the perfect way to reset your brain cells."

"It’ll make everything worse."

Felicia tilted her head, lips quirking. "Or better."

Athena glared. "You’re not helping."

Felicia slid into the chair beside her again, voice dropping into something softer. "Look... it’s just a party. Music, drinks, loud idiots dancing off-beat. You know."

Athena sighed.

Felicia nudged her. "And you don’t have to kiss anyone. You don’t have to talk to anyone. You don’t have to look at Eryx or the other if you don’t want to."

Athena scoffed under her breath. "He’ll probably look at me."

Felicia paused. Then grinned wickedly.

"Oh he definitely will."

Athena shot her a dry look.

Felicia raised both hands. "But that’s exactly why you need to go. Face the chaos instead of letting it live rent-free in your head."

Athena leaned back, exhaling. "I still don’t know..."

Felicia nudged her again, softer this time. "Just think about it, okay? One night. One party. One chance to escape your own brain."

Athena didn’t answer.

But the thought slid under her skin anyway

and refused to leave

.

.

.

The Phantom Den was quiet the way a storm is quiet, heavy and dangerous.

Rhydric lounged on the left couch, glasses low on his nose, flipping a page with the kind of focus that made it clear nothing on earth bothered him.

Theo flicked a deck of cards between his fingers, sending one up and catching it without looking, boredom painted across his perfect face.

Azrael sat like a carved god, his back straight, legs crossed, a sleek crystal glass in his hand with a dark wine in it, catching the lights softly. His expression was unreadable and cold

None of them spoke, until the door clicked open.

Eryx stepped in with his hands shoved casually in his pockets, looking like he’d just stepped out of trouble and was considering stepping back in.

His red hair fell over his forehead, his gaze lazy and mischievous.

"Did you girls miss me?" Eryx drawled.

Rhydric looked at him ones, then back at the book in his hand. Typical Rhydric’s way of acknowledgment.

Theo flicked a card at him. "Dumbass."

ButAzrael...

Azrael’s head lifted. Slowly.

His blue eyes cold, unreadable...locked onto Eryx with lethal precision.

Eryx paused mid-step. Yeah. He felt that.

Azrael rose from his seat with a smoothness that made the air drop ten degrees, then drop the crystal glass cup in his hand. He didn’t say a word as he reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, tapped the screen.

And held it up.

The video played

Eryx and Athena. Her thrown over his shoulder. The way her skirt ride up.

His hand covering her skin and the butt slap.

"Explain this," Azrael said. His voice calm.

The kind of calm that kills.

Theo stopped shuffling. Rhydric’s eyes lifted and the air thickened, pressure gathering like a storm front.

Eryx stared at the phone blinking once.

Then he raised an eyebrow like Azrael had just asked him to explain quantum physics.

"What do you mean by that?" Eryx scoffed, leaning on the nearest table like it was all a joke. "Looks pretty self-explanatory to me."

Azrael lowered the phone, eyes narrowing a fraction barely noticeable.

Rhydric closed his book, marking the page with one long finger.

"So," Rhydric murmured, "you decided to start school-wide scandals now?"

Eryx smirked. "Please. If I wanted a scandal, I’d try harder."

Azrael stared at him harder. "Eryx," he said, voice colder than winter steel, "you put your hands on her."

Eryx shrugged. "I put my hands wherever I want." Then he added with a slow, infuriating smirk, "Especially when every idiot in the hallway was staring at what’s mine."

Theo choked on nothing.

Rhydric blinked once, rare surprise.

So Athena is his now?

Azrael’s jaw clenched just slightly, tension cutting sharp lines into his face.

"You’re getting bold," Azrael said quietly.

Eryx leaned his shoulder against the wall, hands still in his pockets, that lazy half-smirk on his lips. "You’re being dramatic. It was nothing."

Azrael’s jaw tightened. Nothing about him moved except his eyes cold, arctic, fixed on Eryx like he was calculating the fastest way to break his neck. "Nothing?" His voice calm as ever. "You threw her over your shoulder and slapped her butt and say nothing?"

Eryx shrugged. "I do that before with other girls and you said nothing. Why are you suddenly acting like her personal watchdog?"

Azrael stepped forward, trying his best to hide his jealousy but failed miserably. "I’m asking you to explain."

"And I’m telling you there’s nothing to explain." Eryx’s smirk sharpened. "Unless you want to admit why you’re bothered."

Azrael narrowed his eyes.

Theodore sighed under his breath. "Here we go."

Azrael ignored him. "Stay away from her."

Eryx finally pushed off the wall, and the air in the Phantom Den changed instantly heat rolling off him, meeting the cold pressure that always came from Azrael. Fire wolf versus water wolf. Natural opposites. Natural rivals and neither one stepping back.

"Why?" Eryx asked quietly. "Because you want her?" He tilted his head. "Or because you’re too scared to say it?"

Theo muttered, "Can you guys stop it?"

Actually he got no reply.

Azrael didn’t blink. "You think this is a joke?"

"It is," Eryx said. "You glaring at me like some rejected lover? It’s hilarious."

The words hit Azrael hard, he clenched his hand so hard beside him. "Touch her again like that, and you’ll stop laughing."

Eryx smirked wider. "Guess you’ll have to stop me, then."

The tension between them was thick enough to snap.

Theo finally stood up and slapped a card on the table. "Alright, before you two flood or burn the den, can we not destroy our headquarters today?"

Rhydric dust off an invisible dirt on his white school jacket "You’re both idiots."

Azrael’s glare never left Eryx. Eryx’s smile never faltered. I’m conclusions... Rhydric was right.

Rhydric let out a loud, exhausted exhale.as he rubbed his forehead.

"For f*ck’s sake," he muttered. "Most it be you two over Athena?"

He stood, grabbed his things, and walked toward the exit. "Burn the place down or drown it, I don’t care. Just don’t drag me into your stupidity."

The door shut behind him, leaving only the growing storm between Azrael and Eryx.

Theodore looked from one to the other, eyebrows raised so high they nearly touched his hairline.

"You’re seriously doing this?" he asked. "Fighting over a girl? I thought your friendship graduated from that level years ago."

Azrael didn’t look away from Eryx. "It did until he decided to meddle in what’s mine."

Eryx stepped forward, slowly...heat licking off him in waves. His playful expression was gone, replaced with something sharper and far more dangerous.

"Don’t you dare call her yours," he said, voice low and burning. "She’s mine. Mine. Mine."

Theo blinked. "Okay, cool, we’re definitely regressing."

But neither wolf heard him, Azrael’s eyes had turned glacial, Eryx’s were blazing, and the space between them felt like a battlefield waiting for the first strike.

They were seconds from shifting...Into real wolves. Fucking assholes.

Theodore moved before either of them could lunge. He shoved himself right between their chests, palms out, eyes wide but steady.

"Alright, enough," he snapped. "Save the testosterone contest for some other time."

Neither of them backed down.

Azrael’s jaw flexed and Eryx’s shoulders tightened not willing to back off.

Theo growled under his breath. "Are you two seriously going to let a girl, one girl wreck us? The four of us built this place. We ruled this school long before Athena even stepped through the gate."

Eryx hissed, "This isn’t about her wrecking us..."

"Oh, shut up," Theo cut him off. "You’re both acting like idiots. Fire ready to explode, water ready to drown everything. Over what? A girl you both barely know."

Azrael’s eyes darkened, but his voice stayed controlled. "I know enough."

"And he knows too much," Eryx shot back.

Theo dragged a hand down his face. "Of course. Perfect. Wonderful. Not a brain cell between you when she’s involved." He shoved Eryx back a step, then Azrael. "We’re the Phantom Four. We don’t fall apart over feelings we can’t even name yet."

For a moment, no one spoke.

Theo smirked faintly, but his voice stayed firm. "Get a grip. If you two burn each other alive, I’m not explaining it to that stormy guy."

He added when they still didn’t move. "There’s a party tomorrow night. We’re going. All of us."

Neither of them responded.

Theo continued anyway. "Maybe if you drink, dance, and touch some fresh air, you’ll get that girl out of your heads before you burn this entire den to the ground."

He patted them harder, as if knocking sense into them. "So rest, cool off literally, Azrael and stop acting like lovesick disasters."

With that, he turned toward the door. He made three steps, then he paused, glanced back... and saw the two idiots still glaring at each other like they were seconds away from shifting and biting.

Are they really going to kill each other? Why are they overreacting over nothing? Does Athena know the kind of problem she has caused?

He marched straight back, grabbed Eryx by the arm, and started dragging him toward the exit.

"Move, dead brain."

Eryx yanked his arm free with a sharp jerk. "Don’t drag me. I can walk."

"Good," Theo shot back. "Then walk faster before you set something on fire."

Eryx scoffed, shot Azrael one last burning look, and left the den.

Theo flipped him off behind his back. "Asshole," he muttered.

Then he left too, letting Azrael stand alone in the quiet room.