Daughter of oblivion: Claimed by four alpha(s)

Chapter 238 - 237: She’s mine

Athena woke up on the bed. The first thing she noticed was her surroundings. The black marbles around her.

Her heart skipped as memory rushed back in. The tea. Pa.

She tried to move, that was when she realized her hands were tied in front of her.

Her breath hitched. Her mind went completely blank. Urghhh that asshole. Panic crept up her spine nonetheless.

Just then, the door opened.

Pa walked in with a smile, calm and unbothered, as if nothing was wrong. "Look who’s awake," he said lightly. "My princess."

Athena’s chest rose and fell hard. "Untie me," she snapped, testing the restraints again. "You fucking monster."

Pa tilted his head, amused. "Hope you slept well," he said instead.

Her teeth clenched. "You fucking tricked me." she snarled as her voice shook with fury now.

"Hold up," Pa said calmly. "I didn’t trick you. This is all part of the process, Belith."

"Don’t call me that," Athena hissed. "Why did you fucking tie me up?"

He sighed, like a parent dealing with a stubborn child. "Because I know how stubborn you are. After all..." his eyes softened in a way that made her skin crawl, "...I’m your father."

The words hit her like a slap. All the color drained from Athena’s face. "Don’t you dare," she said slowly, dangerously. "Don’t you dare call yourself my father. My dad is dead, understand?"

Pa laughed, light and dismissive. "Yes," he said easily. "Your caretaker died. Not your real father."

Athena’s heart slammed against her ribs.

"What?"

Pa’s smile didn’t falter. If anything, it softened, like he’d been waiting years to say those words. "Your human father raised you. Protected you. Loved you," he said calmly. "But he isn’t the one who made you what you are. My blood runs in your veins, belith."

Athena shook her head violently, the restraints biting into her wrists. "You’re lying. You’re sick. Let me go right now."

He walked closer, unhurried, the marble floor echoing beneath his steps. "I’m not lying," he said gently. "And I’m not your enemy either. Everything you’ve felt your whole life, the rage, the grief that never quite leaves, the way you survive things that should’ve broken you..."

"Stop," she whispered, panic rising. "Stop talking like you know me."

"I know you better than anyone," Pa replied softly. "Because you came from me."

Her chest tightened painfully. "If that were true," she spat, "I would’ve felt it. I would’ve known."

"You did," he said without hesitation. "You just didn’t have the words for it. Humans taught you to call it trauma. Weakness. Anger issues." His blue eyes darkened. "But it was power trying to wake up."

Athena laughed, sharp and broken. "You tied me up and dragged me into some creepy house and now you’re telling me I’m not human? You really expect me to believe this?"

"I expect you to feel it," Pa corrected. "And you already do."

She went still. Because annoyingly, terrifyingly, there was something humming beneath her skin.

A low, restless pull that hadn’t been there before.

Athena swallowed hard. "If you’re my... whatever you think you are," she said slowly, voice shaking, "then untie me."

He sighed, almost regretful. "Not yet."

Her eyes burned. "Why?"

"Because if I do," he said quietly, "you’ll run. And you’re not ready for what waits outside this place."

Athena’s jaw clenched. "You don’t get to decide what I’m ready for."

Pa met her glare, unoffended, almost proud. "That fire," he said softly. "That defiance. Gods, you really are mine."

She glared at him, fear and fury tangled together. "If you think calling yourself my father gives you control over me," she said, voice low and deadly, "you’re wrong."

His smile widened. "Good," Pa said. "I didn’t expect my girl to be submissive that easily."

Athena’s hands clenched against the restraints. "What do you want?" she snapped, fury burning through the fear.

Pa’s eyes never left her face as he stepped closer to the bed, his presence heavy and overwhelming.

Then he smiled again. "I already have what I want," he said simply.

Athena’s brows drew together, confusion cutting through her anger. "Me?" she demanded. "Why would you want me?"

"Because you’re my daughter," he said. "My heir."

The word hit harder than the restraints.

"Heir?" Athena echoed, a hollow laugh slipping out despite herself. "You drag me here, tie me up, call yourself my father, and now I’m supposed to believe I’m some kind of heir?"

"Yes," Pa replied calmly. "Whether you believe it or not doesn’t change what you are."

She shook her head, eyes burning. "I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t ask for you."

"I know," he said softly. "None of us ask to be born into what we are meant to become."

Athena swallowed, her voice dropping. "And what exactly am I meant to become?"

Pa’s gaze darkened with something like pride. "Someone powerful enough," he said, "to never be at anyone’s mercy again."

Athena snapped. She had clearly heard enough of his nonsense. "I don’t care," she shouted, her voice breaking as anger and grief crashed together. "I don’t care what you say or who you think you are. I have one dad, and he’s gone. He’s dead. And you don’t get to replace him."

Her chest heaved as she glared at him. "Get out. Get the fuck out."

Pa only laughed, low and amused, like her words were nothing more than a child’s tantrum. "Calm down, Belith," he said smoothly. "Your anger and impatience will only make things worse."

"I said get out!" she screamed, pulling hard.

He shook his head, still smiling. "I love you nonetheless."

Athena’s eyes burned with unshed tears, her voice raw. "You don’t know anything about me."

Pa met her gaze, unbothered. "Oh," he said softly, "I know more than you’re ready to accept. My love "

"You’re my daughter. Mine" Pa said calmly, his voice steady, inevitable. "And you’re meant to rule with me."

Athena let out a sharp, bitter laugh. "Rule?" she snapped. "Rule what, this stupid black castle?"

She yanked at the restraints again, rage spilling over. "This creepy place, these stupid walls, this nightmare you dragged me into? That’s your grand plan for me?"

For the first time, the air in the room shifted.

Pa’s smile disappeared. The warmth she’d felt earlier vanished, replaced by a quiet, dangerous intensity. "This is not a castle."

Athena’s breathing hitched, but she refused to look away.

"It’s a throne room waiting to be claimed," Pa continued. "And you," his eyes locked onto hers, unblinking, "are wasting your breath calling it stupid because you don’t yet understand what’s beneath it."

"I don’t want any of it," Athena shot back. "I didn’t ask to rule. I didn’t ask to be your daughter. I just want my life back."

Pa pointed a finger at her, his presence pressing in on her. "Your life," he said quietly, "was never just yours to begin with."

Athena’s jaw clenched, tears dancing through her lid, fury roaring in her chest. "Then you picked the wrong girl," she said through gritted teeth. "Because I will never sit beside you."

For a long moment, Pa only studied her, then a slow, unsettling smile returned. "We’ll see," he said softly.

With that, he turned and left, shutting the door behind him.

How dare she? Who did she think she was rejecting him so easily? If she thought she could run away from him, then she would have to rethink everything. A stupid girl, clinging to foolish pride.

"Seems you’re having a hard time with her, my king?" The voice came from the shadows.

Pa stopped and turned his head toward it, his expression dark. Alpha killian stepped forward, hands clasped behind his back, a knowing smile playing on his lips.

"She’s stubborn," he said sharply.

"I wonder where she got that from," Alpha Killian replied with a smirk.

Pa-Asmodeus-shot him a glare sharp enough to cut stone.

Alpha Killian only chuckled.

Asmodeus’ eyes burned with a mixture of frustration and something darker, possessiveness, perhaps. "She’s defying me," he growled under his breath, pacing a few steps. "No one—no one— had ever disrespected me."

Alpha Killian leaned casually against the wall, unfazed by Asmodeus’ fury. "Patience, my king. She’s testing you, yes, but that stubbornness, that fire... it’s part of her. You’ll see soon enough. She’ll come around."

Asmodeus stopped, jaw tightening, his gaze drifting toward the door he came out from. "Come around?" he muttered. "Do you think a girl like her can simply bend to my will?"

Killian’s smirk widened. "Exactly why she intrigues you. That defiance... it’s what makes her yours when the time comes."

Asmodeus’ hand clenched into a fist, the muscles in his jaw taut. "If she thinks running, screaming, or shouting will save her... she’s about to learn exactly who she’s dealing with."

The room was silent for a long moment, save for the low rumble of Asmodeus’ restrained fury.

Killian’s chuckle broke it again, soft but sharp, like a blade. "Oh, she’ll learn. And when she does... it’ll be spectacular."

Asmodeus’ dark gaze lingered on the closed door, and a slow, dangerous smile tugged at his lips. "Yes," he murmured. "It will be spectacular."

Alpha Killian’s smile widened. "I can already imagine my son’s face," he said amusedly. "Azreal will be on the verge of murdering someone."

Asmodeus laughed, the sound dark and satisfied. "That’s exactly what I want," he said. "More chaos. More death. More power, for me and my daughter."

Alpha Killian studied him for a moment, then asked, "And Rhydric? What are you going to do about him?"

Asmodeus’ lips curved into a slow, dangerous smirk. "That boy has far too much nerve," he said calmly. "The kind that always leads to trouble."

He turned slightly, his gaze sharpening. "Don’t worry. I’ll get to him. All of them," he added, voice lowering. "Especially now that their mate is here... with me."

The air around them seemed to thicken, heavy with what was coming next.