Daughter of oblivion: Claimed by four alpha(s)

Chapter 246 - 245: Your silly threat

Later in the evening...

Laila made her way downstairs like she practically owned the place and casually dropped herself onto the chair beside Felicia, who was quietly knitting a sweater, her fingers moving skillfully with the needles.

Felicia didn’t look up immediately. "You’re still here," she said after a moment, voice neutral.

Laila leaned back in the chair, crossing her legs. "Disappointed?"

Felicia finally glanced at her, offering a small smile. "No. Just surprised. Alaric didn’t look too happy."

Laila chuckled softly, rolling her eyes. "He never does when it comes to me."

Felicia kept knitting. "You enjoy provoking him."

"It’s fun," Laila admitted. Then her tone shifted slightly. "He’s different when he’s angry. More honest. And I like his angry face."

Felicia paused mid-stitch. "Why do you like him? I mean... What exactly do you like about him?"

Laila stared ahead for a moment, unusually quiet.

"When I first saw him... it was love at first sight," she said softly.

Felicia’s eyes widened slightly. "Really?"

"He looked so calm," Laila continued, a faint smile forming. "Very good looking too. I won’t lie... I was attracted to his face first. And maybe his body." She gave a small embarrassed shrug. "But that’s not what stayed."

Felicia listened carefully.

"Then he talked to me. He told me things about himself to the point I found him amusing. He wasn’t trying to impress me. He wasn’t trying to be mysterious. He was just... him."

Her voice softened even more.

"And when he looks at you? It’s intense. Like he’s thinking about a thousand things but won’t say them out loud. I wanted to know what was going on in his head."

Felicia smiled gently. "So you fell for him."

Laila swallowed. "Yeah," she admitted quietly. "I did long ago."

Felicia watched her carefully. "Then why are you pushing him so hard?"

Laila let out a small laugh and shook her head. "I’m not pushing him. He’s the one playing hard to get," Laila said, leaning back in her chair.

Felicia raised a brow.

"Every time I get close, he pulls away. Every time I’m honest, he pretends he doesn’t feel anything."

Felicia smiled slightly. "Maybe he’s just scared."

"Exactly," Laila replied. "And when someone’s scared, they either run... or they fight it." She glanced toward the stairs.

"And Alaric?" Felicia asked softly.

"He’s fighting it," Laila said, almost frustrated. "He thinks if he keeps saying he hates me, it’ll become true."

Felicia tilted her head. "And what if it doesn’t?"

Laila’s lips curved faintly. "Then he’s going to realize he never hated me at all."

Just then, Leo and Levi burst into the sitting room like they couldn’t miss a moment of girl talk.

"Hey ladies!" Leo called loudly as he flopped onto the couch beside them, grinning like he’d heard something juicy.

Levi followed, stretching out and making himself comfortable. "Continue with whatever you were saying. I’m very interested," he added with a goofy smirk.

Felicia blinked, momentarily startled, then the girls both burst out laughing.

Laila raised an eyebrow at them, amused. "You two are really something else."

Leo pretended to clutch his heart dramatically. "We just want quality tea. Is that so much to ask?"

Levi leaned back with a grin. "Yeah, we need to know what soft boy drama we’re missing over here."

Felicia giggled, picking up her knitting again. "We were just... discussing feelings."

Leo made a show of gasping. "Feelings? At this hour? What is this, romance hour?"

Laila chuckled, shaking her head. "You two are hopeless."

Levi winked. "Hopeless and highly emotionally invested."

"By the way," Leo said, glancing around dramatically, "where is Romeo and his emotional support brother?"

Levi snorted. "Yeah, where’s Alaric?"

"In the kitchen," Felicia replied casually, still knitting. "Cooking."

Laila’s head snapped toward her. "Cooking?"

Felicia nodded. "Yes. Cooking."

Laila slowly raised her brows, an amused smile spreading across her face. "You mean... my Alaric can cook?"

Leo immediately pointed at her. "Ohhh, she said my."

Felicia laughed, shaking her head. "He’s actually really good. He just pretends he’s not."

Levi leaned forward with interest. "Yeah, he makes this pasta thing that’ll make you rethink your life choices."

Laila leaned back in her chair, clearly entertained. "Interesting," she murmured. "Broody, intense, fights his feelings... and he cooks?"

She smiled to herself. "I really did choose well."

Leo clutched his chest dramatically. "This is getting serious. She’s evaluating husband material now."

Felicia burst out laughing.

Laila stood up smoothly. "Well... I think it’s only fair that I see this domestic side for myself."

Leo and Levi exchanged a look.

"Oh no," Levi muttered.

"Someone better warn the kitchen," Leo added.

And just like that, Laila made her way toward it... curiosity and mischief written all over her face.

The kitchen smelled warmy of garlic, butter, something simmering softly on the stove.

Armand stood by the counter stirring a pot while Alaric was focused on chopping vegetables.

Laila appeared at the doorway. She didn’t say anything at first. Then she walked in like she belonged there.

"Hi, Armand," she greeted sweetly, flashing him a cute smile as she hopped up and sat on the counter, crossing her legs casually.

Armand glanced at her, surprised but polite. "Hey."

Alaric didn’t even look up even when she knows he saw her.

Laila tilted her head slightly, watching him. "So this is where the magic happens."

She got no response.

She leaned forward slightly. "Wow. You’re really serious about those vegetables. What did they do to you?"

The sound of the knife hitting the cutting board echoed sharply. Chop. Chop. Chop.

He continued chopping like the carrots had personally betrayed him.

Armand coughed to hide a laugh as he turned slightly to glance at her.

Laila slid off the counter and stepped closer, resting her hands behind her back as she leaned toward Alaric. "Are you going to ignore me all night, huh?"

He didn’t even spare her a glance, just continued chopping with far more force than necessary.

She circled slightly so she was more in his line of sight. "That’s not very polite, you know."

Alaric moved the chopped vegetables into a bowl without even sparing her a glance.

"Won’t you really look at me baby?" she muttered lightly, batting her lashes at him.

He finally spoke, but his eyes never lifted. "Don’t you have somewhere else to be?"

Laila smiled. Such a big baby he is. "Oh, I do," she said softly. "Right here."

He exhaled sharply through his nose and grabbed another vegetable, attacking it like it had insulted his ancestors.

Armand cleared his throat. "I’m... going to check something on my phone." he muttered as he made his way out of the kitchen.

Laila smiled to herself. Perfect.

She leaned even closer now, her voice dropping just enough for her breath to brush against his neck. "Does it bother you that I’m here?"

Alaric’s jaw tightened.

She reached over him "accidentally," her arm sliding across his chest as she grabbed a piece of cucumber. "Oops."

That did it. Alaric stopped chopping.

He inhaled deeply through his nose. Then exhaled. "Are you done?" he muttered.

Laila blinked innocently. "Done with what?"

"With whatever this is," he said, finally turning to look at her.

Their faces were much closer than before. Laila smiled softly as she leaned closer so he could feel her breath on his lips. "I’m just standing here."

He stared at her eyes then drop to her lips.

Alaric caught himself, turned back to the board and resumed chopping. faster that earlier.

"You’re going to cut yourself," she teased gently.

"I won’t."

She leaned in again, her fingers brushing his wrist lightly as if inspecting his grip. "Careful..."

The knife slipped slightly. He caught it immediately, but the frustration snapped through him.

He dropped the knife on the board with a sharp clack and groaned low under his breath. "Laila."

She tilted her head, clearly pleased. "Yes?"

He dragged a hand down his face. "Stop distracting me."

"So I am distracting you?" Laila whispered, tilting her head, a sly smile playing on her lips.

He stared at her for a long moment, chest rising and falling a little too fast, then looked away, jaw tight.

"You should... start talking to me," she said softly. "Don’t you think so? After all... I’m going to be your date for tomorrow night."

"I don’t want you as my date, Laila," Alaric said finally. "I have another girl."

Laila’s face twisted into a wicked, amused smile, eyes glinting dangerously. "Blame yourself," she said, leaning just slightly closer to whisper into his ear, "if the girl ends up dead."

He froze, the words hitting him in a way that made his chest tighten. His eyes flicked to hers in disbelief. "You really think your silly threats will scare me?" he asked with a raised brow.

"I’m not threatening you," she replied coolly, letting the tiniest smirk play on her lips. "I’m... warning you. Consider it a friendly heads-up."

Alaric’s fingers clenched on the counter, and for a brief second, the air between them crackled with something dangerous.

Laila tilted her head, studying him like a puzzle she already knew the answer to. "But, don’t worry," she murmured, voice soft but teasing, "I’ll make it fun for both of us." she said as she turned around and walked out the kitchen without sparing him a second glance.

Alaric watched her leave and he couldn’t help but scoff. Did this small girl just threaten him?