Samuel's POV (Wrath)

I don't care...

I wasn't at fault...

I was just humoring her. But it seemed like everyone has decided to pin their blame on me for Athena leaving us.

I was just telling her what she would hate to hear. Not that I ever intended on telling her that she wasn't a part of our household but somehow it ended up being interpreted like that.

"Sam," Rett addressed me, clearing his throat. "Your humor wasn't well taken by Athena."

"And you said that in front of Ares, her brother!" Kare followed Rett's blame wagon.

I still didn't get it. Why was all the blame coming on me? Was it because my statement was the last straw in all this?

"Really, Rett..." With my patience gone, I began. "It was you who decided to throw the party. Liam was okay with not telling her. Ezra..." I moved towards him, pocking my finger into his chest. "You thought she would get envied by the fact that her room was used for a brawl."

Though it felt good to make everyone understand how we all were at fault, my anger still didn't seem to calm. I continued, walking in circles around my brothers.

"And you, Zane. You were the one who helped convince Rett and Liam to not tell Athena..."

When Jake scoffed, I turned towards him. He might be boastful of himself, not being a part of Athena leaving us but I knew. I knew how all of us played our parts.

"Get off your high horse, Jake. You were the one who insinuated that she was with a guy who turned out to be her brother."

Still, my chest and my body didn't feel fine even when I made everyone realize their mistake.

"I might have said something which angered her more... to the point of leaving us, but you all are also equally responsible."

"Hey, Samuel" Kare cleared his throat, raising his hand.

"Yes, except for you Kare... You were the only one who was against the idea of making Athena jealous or angry from the beginning."

As the truth settled in with everyone, all my brothers took a seat, rerunning the incident in their heads. I could feel their turbulent thoughts.

Somehow, we were all connected. We all could read each other's thoughts in times of distress and this was one of those situations.

Athena leaving the house was less than ideal for any of us. After all, she put us on the map - the goddess who chose to stay with the sins when none other wanted to.

Of course, when we worked our charm on the mortals it was a different situation. Then, we had them at our mercy. Otherwise, no god or demi-god treated us with respect. We were merely the Fallens.

We were the less desired, the boys who made people do bad things.

Truth was, nobody would ever willingly take the onus of the fact that we never really made anyone do bad things. We just encourage them to use their impending feelings, their desires that already existed in them.

Nobody in the world could sin unless they had an urge inside. Nobody wanted to face that truth. Nobody accepted it either. Only Athena did.

Rett stood up from his chair, scanning everyone in the room. "We did her wrong."

We all nodded in agreement.

Fallen or not, Athena was and would always be a goddess. Our goddess. That woman knew how to make us dance at her fingertips. And the one who got away.

"We need to bring her back," Liam said.

"How do we do that?" I asked. "All we know is that she is with Ares for now. And the professor's quarters are an ever-shifting place. I can't track her."

When Jake stood up, the glimmer in his eyes revealed he knew something. "Well you might not be able to trace her but there is someone who can..."

"Who?"

Jake pulled out his phone, dialing someone and walked out of the room. When he walked back in, a smile on his face conveys he successfully convinced the person who could track Athena.

"Well, out with the suspense already," Kare said, annoyed.

"It's Wane," Jake addressed us all.

"The Spitfire?" Upon Kare's question, Jake nodded. The group fell silent again.

Only once we encountered Wane. The time when she attacked Athena.

Although after Rex's intervention and coming to know about Wane's fire-days, we all became friends with her but we didn't contact her after that. Even after inviting her to our party, she didn't even come. Maybe she was with someone.

"Yes, her...Wane," Jake said. "Only the Spitfire can track even when they are fallen."

Before any of us could speak, a loud knock on the door pulled our attention. The thumping of boots on the wooden stairs conveyed who arrived.

Wane entered the room we stood in, smiling. She appeared normal and happy. It seemed like she was on one of her normal days.

"Which one of you is lost?" Wane asked, her eyes travelling over every one of us before landing back on Jake. "Where is she?"

Wane was thoroughly accurate in guessing Athena was missing from the group.

Liam moved ahead, his head hanging low. "Athena is gone with Ares... Ares is her..."

"Brother, I know," she cut him off. "Please tell me you didn't pick up a fight with him."

Liam nodded sideways, narrating the whole incident.

By the end of it, Wane walked around the room, the redness of judgment swimming in her eyes. When Rett tried justifying how it was all supposed to be fun and games and that we never meant for Athena to take offence on anything, Wane didn't seem convinced.

Yet, she let her annoyance aside and placed her hands over Rett's. Closing her eyes, she smiled subtly, holding onto one of Athena's hair-pins. She even worked on some silent chants, her closed eyelids fluttering for long.

After a couple of strong head shakes which made Rett's eyebrows bridge, Wane opened her eyes and smiled.

"You know professor's locations are ever travelling ones," she asked.

"We know," I confirmed.

Just to ensure Fallens or even college-going Gods did not play pranks on the Professors, their residential locations were protected by heavy chants and spells, making it waver with every passing hour.

The accuracy of Wane's prediction only held good only for an hour after which the location would move again.

Wane grabbed a paper from the table, drawing the place she saw. I was the first to grab it before anyone else could. After all, I did the crime. The crime of telling her she wasn't a part of our group. I was now willing to do my time.

Zane and Ezra let out a few grunts but Rett's patted my brother's back, letting them know he stood by me. It's Kare and Liam who stop me on my way out.

"Get her back, Kare said. "She might be a plaything for you but she is someone very special to me."

"Yes, Sam," Leo chimed in. "If you don't want her to be back as your friend then let me go. I will convince her to come back. She won't ever say no to me."

Amongst all of us brothers, both Kare and Liam were the softest, most humble and kind ones. But right now, they were the ones predicting doom. It made me think twice and question my confidence.

What if Athena wasn't ready to come back?

What would happen then?

As I walked outside our home, my clouded judgment made fear settle in.

Though I had only spent a night with Athena, I was aware of her spending more time with Ezra and Kare. I could sense it. And somehow, it angered me.

We were ready to have her equally but Athena decided to give more time to Ezra and Kare. They said jealousy wasn't a good color on anyone, I never understood its significate till today. Knowing Athena preferred Kare or Ezra over me made me feel angry.

Was I not good enough for her? Or did she prefer possessive and gentler men over angry ones?

These were the thoughts that controlled me when I was talking to her at the party. Athena didn't know then but somewhere I wanted to hurt her happiness. I didn't like the fact that she wasn't ready to have me as one of her favorites.

Was I jealous? Yes.

Did I wrong her? Yes, of course.

Now that I learnt she wasn't one of those Fallens to take shit from us but someone who deserved all the respect in the world, I swore to myself - I'd serve her for all eternity. I was willing to bow down to her, accepting my mistake if she would take me. If she forgave me.

My nerves burnt with anticipation as I reached the area Wane marked on the paper.

It was darkness everywhere like the location was camouflaging itself in my presence. I could still visualize two blurry images of people, seemingly getting comfortable in each other's company.

As I walk closer, Rex's face comes to light. Followed it was Athena's.

He was kissing her.

Although Ezra wasn't around with me, I felt his presence in my chest, heat and lava coursing through my veins. Nobody could touch Athena. Nobody should touch her.

"GET AWAY FROM HER, YOU DOOM." Anger and jealousy got the best of me when I shouted at them through the darkness.

Both of them scrambled away. Rex turned to face me, walking closer. His amber-colored eyes scanned me like a predator.

When I ignored him and turned to face Athena, all I felt was anger and confusion. Anger at my appearance. Anger at being pulled away from Rex. Confusion as to how I was able to locate her.

This wasn't how I wanted to be reintroduced.

I dragged my arms up. Surrendering, I began. "I come in peace. I came to apologize for my statements... about what I said."

"Well you gave us quite the scare," Rex said.

Anger boiled up again in my chest. All I wanted was to talk to Athena. Instead, it was Rex who continued yapping.

"If you don't mind, I want to talk to her, Rex," I said, taking a step toward Athena.

Before Rex could walk away, Athena held his hand, pulling him back to her.

"He is a friend of mine. If you have any decency, you would leave, Sam."

What was happening!

I came here to apologize. Although it wasn't a great start, I thought I could convince her. So I tried again.

"Athena, you need to hear me out... about today..." I began. She raised her hand, cutting me off.

God, oh god. This woman still didn't know her hold on me. It only took her annoyed look, a sharp gaze to silence me.

"Samuel you need to leave," Athena said. "I don't want to talk to you or any other of your brothers."

"You don't want to see or speak to Liam or Kare" I knew I wasn't worthy. I knew I wasn't as desirable as Liam and Kare. So I tried manipulating her feelings for those who cared for her. Whom she cared for. The goddess did favor the weak.

Athena pondered over what I said, nodding sideways.

"No, Sam. Because all of you decided to do something without telling me." She walked towards me, her hooded gaze searing me. "I'm not opposed to parting. Neither do I have a problem in not being invited." Taking my hands in hers, she looked up. Sadness and anger married in her eyes. What have I done! "But dare I am hidden from information and then, you decide to come with a lame apology."

"Go, Athena," Rex cheered. "Tell him off."

Athena smiled over her shoulder at him before turning to me and pulling up her mask of anger. "Go tell your brothers, if you want an apology then make it a good one."

Without another word, she moved back, coiling her arms around Rex, placing a peck on his lips and vanishing.

Before I could follow behind, she left. Before I could tell her the entire truth about me being jealous, wanting to hurt her for she didn't care for me, she left.

And I was left wondering, how did I manage to screw up again.

  //// /// 

Babies...

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