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I wake to find Knox’s face right in front of me, his eyes closed and his body completely at ease. Every inch of us is plastered together, our arms and legs entangled.

It’s as if we couldn’t get close enough to one another so we wrapped ourselves around each other and held on tight.

It’s something I’m desperately trying to shove to the back of my mind right now, along with the fact that it was one of the best night’s sleep I’ve had in a long time.

Also, something I’m never going to willingly admit to him or anyone else.

For some reason, I feel completely safe in his arms. Another thing that only annoys the fuck out of me.

I start to inch out of his hold, but he pulls me back into him with a frown, rubbing his cheek against the top of my head.

I try again, this time moving slower, trying to at least remove my leg from over his. But he shifts sliding his leg up more into my center.

I gasp and feel him tense up, and instead of being an adult and having a conversation about everything, I close my eyes and block him out, slamming that barrier down between us.

I try to even my breathing and keep my heart rate steady but then I feel the soft brush of a finger slide down my cheek, and my heart rate picks up speed.

He sighs, unravels himself from my legs and arms, and gets up, dragging himself away from me slowly.

I don’t hear him moving, but instead feel his eyes burn into me, as if he’s standing there watching me.

The sound of hands running through hair hits my ears, followed by another deep sigh. Footsteps move away from me, and I finally start to relax. I wait until I hear the door shut before opening my eyes and stare up at the ceiling, wondering what the hell just happened.

T he guys have been working hard trying to break my barriers, and every now and again, they do.

I learn that Theon can sense my emotions similar to an empath whereas Cyrus is more like a physical empath, feeling anything I do physically.

I enforce my block once more when I start feeling Knox trying to wiggle his way into my mind.

I found out I can still block them from reaching me while also slipping into a one-sided connection to mess with them.

I slip into Malakai’s bond and find him on a field with a group of other males around him all running drills. I spot Knox across from him with Cyrus and Theon to the left of him.

Focusing on my memory in the shower with Malakai and the kiss with Knox, I allow myself to fall into the feeling of pleasure, remembering Knox’s touch and Malakai’s dirty mouth.

A strangled choke has me focusing back on Theon and his growing erection.

Clearing his throat, he moves to Knox and whispers something in his ear before quickly slipping away.

I chuckle but accidentally open a connection with Knox.

“Sena...” he says . “That was naughty.” I hear the smile in his voice, and then they all try to bombard me through the bond, and I immediately pull back.

But not before spotting Knox smile and shake his head.

I nstructor Dick is in right form today. Something or someone must have seriously pissed him off.

Instead of his normal torture of running us beyond exhaustion and then forcing us to do the assault course over and over until we’ve knocked off a few seconds, he’s decided we need to beat the shit out of each other until one of us is knocked out.

And if we don’t agree, he’s decided to step in and take over the job for us.

He pairs me up with Robin. But there’s no way I’m knocking her out just because he says so. There’s a difference between learning certain moves and how to get the upper hand or escape a hold. But this is nothing but an excuse to get us to hurt one another, all so he can get his kicks out of it.

“I’m not fighting her,” I tell him.

Robin opens her mouth to say something, but I give her a look, and she sighs, closing it just as quick.

The Dick is going to be annoyed either way. It’s better that he’s annoyed with just one of us.

“If you don’t fight her, you fight me,” he snarls.

I nod, and he gives me a savage smile. And something about it has my nerves on edge.

The girls move to the side to watch as I step closer to him.

We circle one another, sizing each other up, but he smirks as if he’s found something he was looking for.

I don’t give him any more time to think and shoot forward, blocking his attack before punching him straight in the face. His head whips to the side, and when he turns back to me, he doesn’t look happy.

Spitting out blood, he rolls his shoulders and cracks his neck before getting in position again.

He moves forward, and I reach out to block, but… nothing happens. Instead, I get my hand a couple of inches from his side, and it freezes.

Pain slams into my ribs as his hard punch meets my right side, making me gasp.

But I still can’t move.

I open my mouth to tell him something is wrong. But no words come out. My eyes find his, and the savage look full of glee he gives me tells me everything I need to know.

It’s him. He’s doing this. Whatever this is.

Finally able to move again, I move forward and strike hard, but just like last time, as soon as I’m a couple of inches away from touching him, my body freezes.

And then he attacks. This time he doesn’t ease up. He kicks and punches me until my body bends over in a gasp of agony.

After he’s finished, he releases whatever hold on my body as he steps back, and I drop to the ground.

The girls try to move closer to me and from the corner of my eye I spot Robin’s long red hair, but one warning from the Dick, and they back up immediately.

All but Robin.

He rounds on her, and I know she’ll end up his next target if I don’t do something.

I try to move but every muscle and bone in my body feels like it’s been dragged towards the ground and held there.

I open my mouth and manage to mumble out some incoherent version of, ‘Go.’

“This is what happens when you don’t listen to me. Now, onto the assault course. She can sit here and think about what she did wrong. Now move it.”

What I did wrong?! That fucking asshole.

“But—” I hear Robin start, but he must have given her a look because she grows quiet really quick.

Shuffles of feet move away from me, but one pair moves closer.

“Next time you don’t listen to me, I’ll leave you more than a little broken,” Dick grits out.

I still can’t to tell him to go fuck himself, and after a moment, he leaves me alone in my silence and agony.

Another few minutes pass before I can actually move. And when I do, I realize how much of a beating I actually took.

I groan, crawling to my hands and knees while realizing he must have some type of paralyzing ability.

He knew I was going to give him a run for his money, so he cheated instead.

Pain shoots up through my body as I get to my feet. I limp my way through the forest to my hidden spot of food. Finding it untouched and still safely in its container, I sit down with a groan and wolf it down while trying to assess the worst of my injuries.

Nothing seems to be broken, but my ankle is definitely sprained. I’ve a nasty bruise on my right ribs and some more sprinkled over the rest of my body. But apart from some shallow cuts here and there, everything else is good.

A spike of aggravation slashes through me, and I know it’s not mine. I draw down the barrier between me and Knox—thinking he’ll be the only one who won’t be able to figure out what state I’m in—and roll my eyes when I instantly hear him.

“Where are you?” he growls.

“Getting my nails done,” I reply with a smirk.

“Sena...” he warns. I guess he’s no humor for games.

“What happens if I don’t spend time with you all,” I ask him, wondering if I can just hide out here for the night and forgo the embarrassment of them seeing me after I got my ass kicked. They’d probably just laugh about it making me feel even shittier. “Will you really hulk out?”

“If I have to hunt you down ? —”

I sigh. “ I’m honestly just asking. I want to know if you’re all just fucking with me. I have no one to talk about this stuff, and you’re all assholes that like to play games. So, is this another one of your games or do you actually need me?”

I feel him pause before reluctantly answering. “Yes,” he hisses. “ We need you… close by.”

Close by… I glance down at the blood on my body and the cuts and bruises and my stomach churns.

I don’t know why I’m so worried about them seeing me like this. It’s not like they really care. I’m just there to help them stay calm.

“Fine. I’m on my way,” I tell him.

“You—”

“And don’t even think about asking me to train with any of you.” Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, fucking shame on me. It wasn’t happening a third time.

He chuckles as if sensing my change in mood. “Hurry up.”

Getting up with a groan, I start my trek back to the house while every ache and pain makes itself known. Opening the door, I head inside but freeze when I see all four of them still up, standing around waiting.

They all freeze when they spot me, and the atmosphere in the room quickly changes, becoming tense and full of rage.

“Who. The Fuck . Hurt. You?” Malakai bites out.

I laugh, not really feeling one bit of humor. “Oh, I got my ass kicked. Thought you’d be happier about it.” I run a hand down my face and avoid looking at any of them and their intense stare downs. “I’m heading to bed.” I start limping by them when Theon steps in front of me.

“Who?” he asks, and I glance up to find his teal blue eyes darkening with rage and murder.

“Why does it matter?” I ask with a frown.

“No one gets to fucking touch you!” he growls.

I raise a brow. “Because I’m your personal Xanax?” I ask, and they all frown, probably wondering what the hell I’m talking about.

Sighing to myself, I shake my head, too exhausted for this. “Look, I’m tired. Can we do this—whatever it is—another time?” I don’t wait for their answer and step around Theon before heading upstairs to my room. Knox said I only need to be close .

Thankfully no one follows me.

I take a quick shower, washing away the dried blood before getting changed and into bed.

Slowly drifting off to sleep, my mind replays their reaction to seeing me. They didn’t look angry at me for once. Instead, they looked angry for me.

It makes me think that maybe somewhere deep, deep down, that they do care.

Then I realize I don’t live in a damn fairytale and remember they’re all still assholes and force myself to go asleep.