Daughter of oblivion: Claimed by four alpha(s)

Chapter 252 - 251: Biggest lie

Mr Argentis reached for his glass of wine on the table in front of him. He took a slow sip, his gaze resting on Alaric.

He cleared his throat as he spoke. "Ahem... Alaric, right?" he asked, a small smile playing on his lips that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Alaric’s gaze drifted to him, unhurried, mirroring the same fake smile the man gave him. "Of course."

Armand leaned back slightly into his chair, his eyes moving between Alaric and Mr Argentis, quiet interest settling in.

Mrs Argentis, on the other hand, let her gaze linger on Alaric a moment longer than necessary. "Could you tell me what you do, Alaric?" she asked, her tone light, but her eyes sharp, and hard to miss.

Alaric brushed a strand of hair out of his face before looking at her, his expression calm, almost indifferent. "You’ll have to be more specific, woman."

Laila’s eyes snapped to him immediately, her breath catching before she could stop it. She swallowed as tension raised between them.

Under the table, her hand moved to his leg without hesitation, fingers pressing lightly into his thigh.

Theo’s father and mother definitely knew what Alaric and Armand were... And if she didn’t do something now... This was not going to end well.

Laila forced a small laugh, the sound came out a little too quick. "Oh, come on," she said lightly, glancing between them. "We’re really doing interviews now?"

Alaric’s gaze drifted to hers for a brief moment before looking away again. He knew exactly what she was trying to do... balance things before an angry werewolf and a ruthless vampire decided to stop pretending and tear the room apart over a hatred neither of them cared to hide.

He had no intention of causing trouble. Not here. Especially not tonight.

This was supposed to be a good day for everyone. And causing a scene would expose far more than necessary.

Levi, Leo, and Felicia felt the tension sitting thick in the air, but none of them could quite place it.

Felicia leaned slightly toward Armand, lowering her voice.

"What’s going on?"

Armand looked at her, his expression softening almost instantly. He reached up, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face before tucking it gently behind her ear.

"Nothing you need to worry about," he said smoothly.

Felicia nodded, though not fully convinced, her attention drifting back to the table.

Mrs Argentis’ gaze never left Alaric. If anything, it sharpened further. "We only care to know him... nothing more."

Before anyone at the table could push any further... The grand doors opened. The sound cut cleanly through the room. Enough to pull every gaze toward it without effort.

Conversations stalled. And all heads turned.

The moment the Phantom Four stepped in... The room shifted instantly as noise erupted.

Whispers, gasps, excitement crashing through the ballroom as eyes locked onto the most elite, and undeniably the most striking men in the entire school.

Theodore stepped forward first. His white tailored suit was flawless, sharp against his frame, layered with a longer coat that draped effortlessly behind him.

Soft fox fur lined the collar, brushing lightly against his neck, making the stark white of his hair stand out even more.

It was tied loosely into a messy bun, revealing a sharp undercut beneath, while a few careless strands fell along the sides of his face.

Gold chains hung subtly from his tailored trousers, catching the light with each step. And his green eyes were bright and hard to ignore.

Right behind him was Eryx. His suit was a striking blend of deep red and black, perfectly tailored to his form, the contrast was bold without being excessive. His red hair was swept entirely back, not a single strand out of place, exposing the sharp lines of his face.

His shoes alone spoke of wealth. Well polished and shiny.

Azreal followed. A black suit layered with a rich blue shirt and matching coat that fell smoothly over his shoulders, the color mirroring his hair perfectly. His blue hair was styled to look wet, as though he had just stepped out of rain, yet not a single drop touched him.

He looked effortlessly gorgeous.

Silver chains lined his trousers. His blue eyes were calm.

Rhydric was the last to step in. Everything about him was black. A fully black suit, stripped of color, yet far from simple.

The coat draped over him was detailed in almost torn designs. The fabric looked worn in places, but intentionally so, giving it a dangerous edge.

The front of his shirt was left open, exposing his hard toned chest unapologetically, where his tattoo spread across his skin.

Chains rested against his neck, a cross below it.

His black hair was swept back on one side, while the other fell across his face carelessly, making his grey eyes stand out even more.

"They’re really here..." someone said.

"But they didn’t even take the exams..." another added.

"I thought they left after Athena disappeared... So why are they back now?"

"C’mon girl, who cares?"

Confusion and disbelief tangled together across the ballroom. For many, it didn’t make sense. The Phantom Four hadn’t been seen since Athena vanished, and most people had already convinced themselves they wouldn’t return at all.

And yet, here they were. Standing at the entrance like nothing in the world had changed.

For some of the girls, it didn’t even feel real. More like a story someone had told them a thousand times until it turned into something mythical. And now the myth was walking straight into the room.

Laila, however, looked like she forgot she was even supposed to be sitting. The moment her eyes landed on them, her entire expression lit up.

"They did come," she said under her breath, like she couldn’t quite believe it.

Then she stood up so fast her chair almost shifted back, gathering her gown in one hand before she started walking without hesitation. She met them halfway. Right in the middle of the hall, where the noise still hadn’t fully settled.

"Oh my god," she blurted, stopping in front of them with a grin already forming. "You actually came."

She didn’t even give them time to respond before her eyes locked onto Eryx.

There was a beat of silence.

Then... Her expression dropped. "Oh no."

Eryx blinked once. "What."

Laila stepped closer, squinting at him like she was inspecting a crime scene. "You," she said slowly, pointing at him, "look worse."

Eryx frowned. "That’s your greeting after all this time?"

"Yes," she nodded immediately. "Because last time I saw you, you at least looked tolerable."

Theodore let out a small laugh as he shook his head at her tactics. The moon goddess has still decided not to give her brain.

Eryx placed a hand over his chest in fake offense. "I survived an entire disappearance mystery and this is the welcome I get?"

"You didn’t disappear mysteriously," Laila said flatly. "You just vanished like a problem that refused to explain itself."

Laila’s eyes caught Azrael who was looking around the hall in search of something.

She knew he was probably searching for Athena in the hall. She felt her heart drop to her stomach. This was going to be bad when they realized Athena isn’t here and she isn’t coming.

The man already looked like he was trying to maintain his composure from cracking.

Laila wiped her sweaty hand on her gown before she turned to him with a bright smile. "Hello pretty boy..."

That caught his attention instantly. Azrael’s gaze shifted to her. Without hesitation, Laila stepped forward and hugged him.

His expression softened, and he slowly wrapped his arms around her in return. "...You haven’t changed," Azrael murmured with a small smile.

Laila pulled back just enough to look up at him, still holding onto his sleeves like she was checking he was real.

"Excuse you," she said seriously. "I’ve changed a lot. I now pay taxes emotionally and I suffer in silence like a responsible adult."

Azrael blinked.

Eryx immediately coughed behind them. "That is the biggest lie I’ve heard today."