Page 21

T he portals to and from the camp are a bust. They only work one way. Malakai gave me a savage smile when he pointed it out.

I guess I’m not as subtle as I’m trying to be and will have to figure something else out.

Heading into the house, I make my way to my room and ignore the guys and their hushed conversations.

After having a nice long hot shower, I throw on a tee and shorts and head for my bed.

Malakai steps into the room without knocking, his eyes dragging down my body before lingering on my legs.

“I think you’ve got the wrong room,” I tell him.

He clears his throat. “We’ve decided that it’s best if we take turns sleeping with you.”

I raise a brow. “I slept just fine the last couple of times without being attacked,” I remind him.

He releases a harsh breath and drags a hand down his face.

“We haven’t been doing as well as it may have looked.

Being in the War Camps and near the Hollow usually helps.

But it didn’t.” He looks everywhere but me.

“Cyrus and Knox said they felt better after spending the night with you, and I’m too close to the edge.

I…” He clears his throat. “I need this.”

I pause and look at him, really look at him. Every inch of him is tense. And his hazel eyes are so dark they’re almost black.

The madness. It has to be. And something that probably wouldn’t be as bad if not for the Void.

My heart clenches as he tugs on every fucking string I have.

“Fine,” I tell him.

His entire demeanor changes in an instant as he smirks and takes a step toward me, thinking I’m going to make it that easy for him. But I raise a hand, and he freezes.

“I still haven’t got you back for the forest incident. And you’ve been an asshole to me this entire time,” I remind him.

He narrows his eyes on me. “I ripped the hearts out of the two fucks who brought you to the Wasteland. I upturned the entire fucking camp and made everyone pay.”

My left eye twitches. “Was that supposed to be your way of an apology?”

He watches me for a moment before slowing releasing a long-drawn-out breath. “Fine,” he grits out. “What do I have to do to make it up to you?”

A sliver of excitement rushes through me as the balance of power between us finally tilts in my favor.

Keeping my smug smile to myself, I sit down on the end of my bed and cross my legs. “Crawl,” I tell him, and his eyes narrow to slits.

“Get on your knees, and crawl to me. Beg for forgiveness for your shitty attitude and asshole-ish ways and maybe I’ll forgive you.” I give him a wicked smile. There’s no way he’s going to?—

He throws off his top, gives me a smirk that makes my toes curl, and then gets on his knees before slowly making his way over to me. I nearly swallow my god-damn tongue at the dark heated look he gives me as he crawls toward me.

“I’m always going to be an asshole, baby.” He places a kiss on my leg, and every sane thought quickly flees my brain. He places another on my knee and then thigh, his eyes never leaving mine. “That’s not something that will ever change.”

His eyes grow dark with lust, making some deranged part of me excited.

“But I promise you, you’ll enjoy every minute of it.”

When my senses finally return to me, and I snap out of the little heated daze he’s dragged me under, I crawl back onto the bed and he quickly follows, sliding in behind me. His hand curves around my waist, and he drags me back to his front.

His hand keeps moving, sliding up my body and under my top to my breast. I don’t stop him because I’m actually enjoying the feel of his touch and the way his body is curled around mine.

“Just holding what’s mine,” he says with a throaty rasp to his voice. He gets comfortable and just… leaves his hand right there.

“How I am I supposed to sleep like this?” Especially when he’s making me wet and doing nothing about it.

“Same way we all have,” he says and presses a kiss to my shoulder and then bites it, making me gasp before licking the spot. “With plenty of cold showers.”

“ Y our family should be arriving soon,” Malakai says as soon as I walk downstairs.

I pause as a bolt of shock rushes through me, “I have a family?” Technically, I knew it was a possibility, but with everything going on, I just forgot about it.

They all freeze and look at me.

“Shit, you really don’t remember,” Knox says, and I glare at him.

He clears his throat. “I mean… I don’t know… I just thought you’d remember something .”

“Well, I don’t. Do I have siblings?” I glance between then all. “Are my parents… nice?”

The guys share a hesitant look between them, but it’s Knox who answers. “One brother. And from what we’ve seen, they’ve always been nice to you.”

I read between the lines and the passed looks they share. Meaning they haven’t been nice to them .

I already don’t like them. That and they seem to have raised a spoiled brat.

“How are they getting here?” I ask.

“Portal to the main building,” Cyrus says biting into his apple. And even though his lips give me far too many ideas, my stomach is empty, and all I can think about is getting to the canteen to grab something to eat.

Wait… His reply finally filters past my foggy brain. “Portal?” I ask.

Malakai chuckles at me. “One that’s heavily guarded on both sides. You need a pass just to get in.”

I frown, and he laughs harder. “We should start working with your ability,” he says, and it takes me a minute to figure out what he’s talking about.

“The shield?”

Malakai nods. “You should also start learning how to call on our weapons, just in case.”

I suppose that would be nice. I could have used it back in the red zone.

“Sounds good,” I tell them and they still.

“You’re just going to agree?” Knox asks with nothing but shock in his voice.

I roll my eyes at him. “I’m not so stupid as to turn down actual training that might help me.” I narrow my eyes on him and the rest of them. “But if any of you try any more games or tricks, I’m revoking your bed privileges and paying you back tenfold.”

“I love it when you flirt with us,” Knox says with a wicked smirk.

I narrow my eyes on him. “Threaten, Knox, threaten you.”

He waves me off. “Same thing. Have fun with the parentals.”

I wince and hear their boisterous laugh as I slam the door behind me. Heading toward the main building, I run into Robin.

“Are you excited to see your family?” she asks, practically bouncing around. I guess she’s excited to see hers. “They should be here soon.”

She glances toward the main building, and it finally hits me that I’m going to have to meet people that have known the old Sena her entire life.

What if they figure out I’m a fake?

Panic seeps into every cell in my body, but I nod my head and force a smile on my face while trying to figure out how the hell I’m going to get out of this one.

What if they can instantly tell I’m not her?

“I think we’re all meeting up in the canteen. The Shadows are out doing some team building exercises, so it’ll just be us,” Robin says dragging me from my moment of panic.

I guess that’s something. At least I won’t have an entire audience for whatever is about to go down.

We head into to the canteen. A few parents are already there waiting while a handful are chatting happily with a couple of females I’ve never met.

I watch their genuine smiles and happiness and start to wonder what it feels like to have someone that loves and cares about you unconditionally.

The dread and fear rushing through me slightly lessens at the thought of feeling that for even a moment.

I move to a seat near the window. Finding a book on the table, I open it and leave it in front of me, so I don’t look like a complete loser sitting on my own. Even though I should be used to it by now.

Time passes as more and more families show up, and I start to feel stupid for even worrying. The old Sena didn’t seem like the nicest person. Maybe she and her family weren’t that close. They might not even turn up.

I give it a few more minutes before I move to get up, ready to head back to my room for a quick nap when another family shows up.

The male is tall with slick black hair, his eyes a dark green mossy color.

The woman has brown eyes and blonde hair.

But it’s most definitely dyed with her dark roots already starting to show.

There’s another tall male beside them that looks to be around my age.

He’s the spitting image of the older male.

But looks to have the woman’s brown eyes.

They glance around the room for a bit, looking more and more annoyed by the second. Until they glance my way and smile before quickly making their way over to me.

“There you are, Darling,” the blonde coos, making me freeze.

Shit. It’s them. It’s Sena’s parents.

“Why don’t you give us a quick little tour?” The older male asks with a look in his eyes that almost feels familiar, but I can’t pinpoint what it is, too wrapped up in my fears of them figuring out I’m not their Sena.

“I—” I start but the blonde woman takes my arm and links it with hers, giving me a wide, hopeful smile.

“Tyler, help your sister with her things,” my mother says.

The younger male grabs the book I was using as a prop. “I’ve got it.”

I open my mouth to tell them it’s not mine but let it go when the woman gives me another hopeful look.

“Sure,” I tell her feeling a little off kilter as we make our way out of the canteen and down the hall.

“Oh, this is lovely. How are you settling in?” she asks as I try to keep this short and sweet. I can’t risk them delving in too deep and figuring out anything.

“It’s good,” I tell her.

“That’s wonderful,” she says patting my arm, and I relax a little, relieved they don’t think I’m anyone other than the Sena they’ve raised. Now I just have to make sure it stays that way.

The older male gives me a tight smile that I ignore. Maybe Sena and her father never got along. This is probably all normal, and they seem nice enough.

We walk down another hall, and it takes me a moment to realize I’m the one being led instead of leading this little impromptu tour. And it looks like we’re heading to the wrong area. Nobody comes down here.

“We’re clear,” Tyler says and in the matter of seconds everything changes. The hand on my arm quickly grows sharp and tight. I glance up at the woman and see her facade quickly fade revealing her true nature.

“Where is it?” she demands.

I try to pull my arm from her grip, but it tightens making me wince. “Where is what?”

“Don’t act fucking stupid,” she grits out. “You had plenty of time to get it. Hand it over.”

I frown trying to break her hold. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

My so-called brother steps forward. We don’t look a thing alike. “We heard you had a little accident. But you forget we know you. So cut the little act. We know your secret. But not only that, we have information on your mates that would send them back to the Void for a long time.”

My heart drops. “How do you know about the Void?”

He laughs, a cruel vicious laugh that makes my stomach churn. “Cut the act, Sena. You sent them there.”

My mind shutters to a stop as everything slows down. My heart. My breathing. When it finally picks back up and his words register, my heart nearly shatters there and then.

I… I sent them to that place. Well, Sena did. But they don’t know I’m not actually her. And she… Oh, God. No wonder they hated me. She sent then to fucking Hell on earth.

The older male rounds on me, and before I even open my mouth, I’m shoved up against the wall with his hand wrapped around my throat.

I quickly block my mates out, not wanting them to rush over here and cause a scene.

“You have one week, or I’ll make sure your world comes crumbling down,” he hisses as he tightens his hold, making me gasp for air. I reach up and try to pull his hands off my throat, but a hard punch to the side has me immediately stopping and trying to curl away from the pain.

“Get the fucking device or I will end you and your four mates,” the older male warns as he sneers at me. His grip tightens on me, and I start to see dark spots. Before I pass out, he quickly releases me, but not before shoving me to the ground, face first, and kicking me hard in the ribs.