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Addilyn stops when the hallway fills with noise, voices bouncing off of once another, and the men walk in, Eli at the helm.

There’s a panicky energy to them, like they’re a wild pack on the hunt for something they must find.

When their gazes land on me, the energy shifts, even though they still rush towards me.

Addilyn bows her head, nearly touching it to the table, when Eli walks over and takes my face in his hands, his eyes running over me frantically. I stare back at him in shock. I knew the guys wouldn’t like me leaving my bed. I didn’t know they’d panic and go crazy.

“Faye,” Cayson says, hoovering around me with the others. “Are you okay?”

“Me?” I blink, still trying to process their reaction. “I’m fine.

“Never do that again,” Eli says, his gaze intense for a long moment before he releases my chin and straightens. “We all expected you to be in my room.”

“I’m s-sorry,” I say, glancing at Addilyn, who still has her head bowed. “I just…”

“What is it?” Eli asks, his voice softening. He takes a step back, furrowing his brow. “You can always be honest with me, Faye.”

“Well, I’m feeling stir-crazy,” I say, laughing awkwardly, my feet shifting under the table. “Your healers did a really good job. I’m feeling much better. Definitely well enough to be moving around and seeing my friends. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life in bed.”

“Noted,” Eli says slowly, his eyes traveling over me. “I certainly don’t want you to feel like a prisoner in your own home. If you’re feeling better, then you have free reign of the house. But don’t push yourself too hard; you could reinjure yourself.”

“Thank you,” I tell him softly, then glance at the other men, who all seem more relaxed now that they know where I am and that I’m safe.

“I know we’ve been a bit stifling,” Cayson says, and I think about how he insisted on carrying me to the bathroom, rather than letting me walk myself.

“A bit?” I ask with a small smile.

“Perhaps,” Maverick agrees, and I think of how he fed me berries one-by-one so I would have to lift a finger.

“And perhaps more than a bit?” I suggest, blushing.

Ezra leans down and gives me a kiss. “Forgive us for being a little overprotective. While our plight has been nothing compared to yours, I think we’re all a bit scarred by what happened to you. We’ve made it our goal to never let you get hurt again.”

I smile. “Fair enough.”

There’s a moment of silence where my men seem to notice Addilyn for the first time. I look over at her with her head bowed and feel a wave of sympathy. I hate how it feels to be around ultimas… even though Eli’s presence no longer makes me feel that way.

“You may raise your head,” Eli says, directing his voice to Addilyn, who’s blushing fiercely when she looks up. Her hands are trembling, and I reach out, taking one of hers across the table. “We’re delighted to have you as our guest.”

Then Eli turns and kisses my forehead before taking a seat to my left. The rest of the guys follow suit, pulling out chairs and sitting down around the table. More plates and silverware are brought out by the staff, and then they’re digging in. Their warm, comforting energy is all around me.

“Maybe now that you’re feeling better,” Maverick says, a devilish grin on his face as he looks at me, “we can have you stuck in bed in a different way.”

“Gods,” Addilyn coughs, and I stifle an embarrassed laugh as she takes a drink and tries to hide her own embarrassment.

The moment she recovers, Cayson speaks up. “You can be bed- ridden, ” he laughs, “if you know what I mean.”

“ Tucked in,” Xander says, and we all look at him curiously. “Because I want to tuck?—”

“T-that’s enough,” I sputter, unable to control my smile as I look down at my food. “You are mortifying our guest.”

“More like making me deadly jealous,” Addilyn says, rolling her eyes. “I’m going to have to bring my men to strut around next time.”

I smile at her as the men argue about who’s innuendo was the best in between bites of food.

“Maybe next time bring your mates for dinner. I think it would be fun,” I murmur, locking eyes with Addilyn while her face glows with amusement at my situation.

“Bed head ,” Ezra says, which makes Cayson burst out laughing.

“It’s—” Eli starts, before whipping his head to the door, his eyes sharp.

A servant appears at the door. “There is–”

“Ultima Lance to see me,” Eli says coldly, but gives a nod of acceptance.

His servant disappears, and the rest of us stop and go still, watching as Lance appears in the doorway. For some reason, the instinct to bow my head to him is gone, and I glance between the two ultimas, wondering what will happen.

“Eli,” Lance says, his voice grave, stealing any lingering happiness from the room. “We must talk.”

Eli just stares at him, and it feels like the temperature in the room drops a few degrees. It makes me wonder about their relationship. Do ultimas not like each other? Or is this something strictly between them?

Then Lance clears his throat, looking up to the ceiling quickly before speaking again. “My apologies,” he says, “for interrupting your meal. We would like to request your presence for a conversation about the next steps. For resolving this situation.”

Ah, so Lance wasn’t showing Eli the proper respect? The idea astonishes me. Is Eli somehow more powerful than the council? Or are they the same, but Eli is making certain that Lance knows that? I honestly don’t know.

There’s another long moment in which Eli just stares at him, then, slowly, he nods, pushes his chair out, and stands. “Well, come on,” he says, when he gets to the door, looking back at all of us. “We can do this as a family.”