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O ver the next week, I avoid the four assholes at every chance I get and instead head back to the library to learn as much as I can about mating bonds and how they work.

Mainly so I can use it against them. Turns out there’s an entire shelf of books about mates and I was just looking in the wrong place.

“It’s been so peaceful without you around as much.”

I grind my teeth, hearing Knox again. The fucker never stops talking.

“And yet here you are talking to me,” I tell him, and he chuckles. It didn’t take me long to learn how to talk back to him. But blocking him out completely is a whole other thing.

“Only because I know it annoys you so much. I have better things to do.”

“Then go do it. And fuck off,” I tell him, glancing back down at the book in my hands.

Mate bonds.

I read through the section quickly, realizing that there’s really nothing I didn’t already know. Or guess.

I had my confirmation in the shower with Malakai. All I really need to do is relax, clear my mind, and focus. It apparently gets easier over time.

But it doesn’t help when you have a dickhead like Knox constantly in your head.

Knox chuckles this throaty sound, and it slides down my back, making me feel things I have no right to feel.

I tell myself it’s because I heard him singing and that’s it.

That Malakai’s dirty mouth isn’t something I ever want to hear again, and when Cyrus looks at me with worry, it’s not because he actually cares.

Focusing on Malakai, I take a few deeps breaths as I blank my mind and thoughts.

A second later I feel it. Our bond. The warm energy expands, and in seconds my sight changes from shelves of old dusty books to the lounge in the house.

He’s sitting beside Cyrus while Knox and Theon are across from him.

“Where is she?” Cyrus asks Malakai.

“In the library,” Malakai answers, clenching his jaw.

“She’s been hiding out in that library all week, and when she’s not there, she’s in class or training,” Knox says. “She’s avoiding us.”

“Maybe she really doesn’t remember,” Cyrus says, and the others glance over at him, not immediately shutting it down.

“Or maybe she’s fucking us over, just this time playing the long game,” Theon says with a smile. And fuck if it isn’t one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen. Even if it is completely vicious and unhinged.

It only makes me want to mess with him.

“Tell Theon he has a pretty smile,” I tell Knox and smile wider when he jolts back.

“She’s watching us,” he tells Malakai.

Malakai narrows his eyes and then smirks. “She seems to like doing that,” he murmurs, and I instantly get warm remembering our little game a few nights ago.

He glances over at the kitchen as If I’m standing right there. “Are you enjoying watching us, Sena?”

I roll my eyes at the cocky fuck. “Theon is prettier to look at. Tell Malakai to turn back around,” I tell Knox.

Knox barks out a laugh, and Malakai and the others look at him.

“What did she say?” Cyrus asks.

“She thinks Theon is pretty to look at,” he replies.

Theon smirks but as if realizing what he’s doing, he frowns and then glares at Malakai.

I laugh out loud at his expression and start thinking I’m seeing things when I catch the small curve to Knox’s lips.

“Stop avoiding us and come back to the house,” Knox says. “You can’t hide out in the library forever.”

“Watch me,” I tell him.

Knox tells the others what I said, and I watch as Malakai clenches his fists . “You need to spend time with us,” he demands.

I scoff. “And you all need to stop playing games with me and being complete assholes.”

Knox tells the others what I said, and they narrow their eyes.

“We’ve been watching. We know you’re in the library. If we want to, we can head straight there and drag your ass home,” Malakai warns.

I clench my fists and tell myself I’m doing this. Now. Fuck them.

They may have been watching me, but I see them now. And there’s no way I’m going to fall for any more of their tricks again.

I focus on clearing my mind—it helps that Knox isn’t talking incessantly in the background—and then I feel for each of the bonds, immediately feeling Theon’s first.

In my mind it’s blue, cool and calm like the ocean. But I can also feel the tip of a scales. As if he can easily switch to a treacherous storm with vicious waves.

I block him out first, imaging a huge translucent barrier between me and our bond and watch on through Malakai’s eyes as Theon sits back and frowns, wondering what the fuck happened.

I move onto Cyrus next and feel nothing but an endless darkness. As if it could go on forever and it could swallow me whole if I allowed it.

But there’s something almost peaceful about it too. Something comforting and safe that makes me want to lean into it.

I have to focus harder to create the barrier between us, but it slams down just like Theon’s, completely shutting him off from me.

“Sena,” Malakai growls in warning, finally realizing what I’m doing.

“What is it?” Theon asks, but I shut them all out to try and stay focused. Their words slip in though.

“She’s learned to block us out,” he replies.

Yes, I fucking have.

I quickly move onto Malakai. The bond between us is red and warm, almost fiery. I feel his passion, his protectiveness towards the others. But just like Theon’s switch, there’s also something almost soft and gentle about it too.

I slam the barrier between us and focus on the last of the four.

Knox.

I frown when I see his bond is green and light and airy. Like a wide-open forest. But there’s something almost sharp about it too. Like the edge of a blade.

“Don’t you even think about—” he starts, but I yank the barrier down on him too. And then there is nothing but silence. And a thumping headache.

But I’ll take that over having to deal with any of them.

I take a moment to breathe before packing up and moving. Knowing they’ll probably head straight to the library, and I need a few hours to myself before I have to head back to them.

I spend the next four hours eating, training, and hiding out in the forest. Enjoying every damn minute of it.

When it’s time to head back, I hide some food in a small container and place it under a rock in a hidden spot in the forest just in case. While also hoping the animals don’t steal it from me.

I slip into the house after I know they’ve gone to bed and head upstairs, breathing a sigh of relief when none of them come thundering down the hall to my room.

Stripping into just a tee and shorts, I slide into bed and sprawl out, happy that I’ll have a peaceful night’s sleep tonight.

Taking advantage of the beautiful silence in my head right now, I let every inch of my body relax before slowly starting to drift into a deep sleep.

In the back of my mind, I hear a door open and close. But I think nothing of it as I drift further into the dark.

An arm slides under me, and I jolt awake only to find Knox pulling me closer to him and his body.

“What the hell are you doing? Get out!” I shout.

Knox ignores me, so I start moving, shoving and kicking him away.

He tenses up and glances right at me and the look in his eyes makes me pause. It’s dark, making warning bells go off in my head, but there’s also layers of pain and sadness.

“I’m on the edge right now, Sena,” he admits. “The others are managing. But right now, I need this. So just suck it up and fucking let me hold you. You can go back to hating me in the morning,” he grits out before settling in behind me and moving us until my back is to his front.

“You hated me first,” I remind him, still trying to figure out what the hell is happening.

“Yeah, I did,” he whispers, and I pause at the complete honesty his voice.

I wait for a minute for him to completely relax and then I ask, “What did I do?”

He stills, and I feel every inch of his body tense up. He doesn’t answer, instead choosing to stay silent. But I really need to know what she did to them that made them this way. There are glimpses of the men they could be. But it’s completely overshadowed by their complete and utter hate for me.

“What did I do to make you hate me so much?” I ask, allowing the vulnerability in my voice to seep out, hoping he’ll give me something. Anything .

His hand slides up and curves around my throat, and he leans up and over me as he turns my head to him, looking down at me like he doesn’t know whether to strangle or kiss me.

I’m about to decide for him and break each of his fingers when he leans down and chooses the latter, running his tongue over my lips and mouth and destroying every thought I just had.

The kiss starts off lazy and languid while he holds me still and tempts and teases me with each stroke and brush of his lips, leaving me breathless.

Lost in a haze of pleasure, I hungrily push back, kissing him and sucking his tongue needing more.

He groans low and deep, making me shudder, and something snaps inside him. His hand tightens on my throat, and I feel him harden behind me.

Within seconds, the kiss turns angry and brutal, like he hates that he’s enjoying this as much as I am but can’t stop himself either.

And even though I still hate him and his shitty attitude, this body and the bond between us doesn’t. And it’s desperate and fucking hungry to feel more of him.

He bites my bottom lip and sucks it while groaning, sending a spark of heat straight to my clit. And my dirty little mind only makes me think of all the other places he can use this talent of his, greedily wanting his lips and tongue on every inch of me.

Crushing his lips to mine, he swirls his tongue before fucking my mouth in a bruising kiss that has me gasping for more. But all too soon, he drags his lips away and releases my throat, pulling back to stare at me with ragged breaths.

I fist my hands, stopping myself from reaching out to him and pulling him back to me.

Something shutters in his eyes, and after a minute, he sighs and leans down, rubbing his cheek along mine before settling back behind me and pulling me into the curve of his body.

Feeling dazed, confused, and completely frustrated, I wait a moment for my heart rate to slow down and my mind and heart to catch up to realize what just happened.

But I still don’t know what to make of it. And instead of sleeping, my mind decides to wake up and come alive, running through different scenarios of ‘What the fuck?!’ .

“You know this doesn’t mean anything, right?” I tell him and myself, making sure I remember it too.

He doesn’t answer me, but a moment later, I feel his grip tighten.