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Ren starts to carry Ember off toward the pack house as he passes me, he pauses,

"Can you please grab her some food and bring it to my room?" I pat his shoulder and head to the kitchen, grabbing one of the breakfast trays from the larder. I fill it with a selection of everything in sight. Alma gives me a look and then tucks some cutlery into my pocket,

"You might need these." She winks at me.

I freeze at the door. They are nowhere in sight. I expected to find them in bed; their scent is fresh. I notice the balcony doors are open; when I reach the doors, I find them curled on a blanket, some cushions spread around to lean on; I walk over and pop the tray on the floor in front of them as I go to stand and leave them to their new bond, Ember pats the spot next to her as Ren passes me a drink from his stash, we all started hiding our favorite fizzy drinks from J as he will chug the lot and none of the rest of us were getting any, now Ember has explained why he has such a sweet tooth it makes sense.

I sit down, and we work our way through the tray of food, not a word between us. Partway Ember disappears, I notice she’s only wearing Ren’s shirt, and I ponder to myself if she’s wearing panties... stop! I take a calming breath.

“I want to bond with her. I have since I met her. Is Pine expecting to be part of our first time, or can that just be between me and her?”

I don’t look at him when I’m finished. I just sip my drink and wait.

“He doesn't have a problem not being there physically. He just wants to be told, not us, to go to school and come home to find an unknown mark, and the person hasn’t even told me they are interested. There are enough unknown marks on her gorgeous body without one made by a friend,” he ends on a growl.

“I have no problem with anyone having one-on-one time with her. Same as I will want the same now and then. I just want to know who has accepted her so if for any fucking reason something happens and one of her mates regrets it after; I know whose ass I’m kicking and who to grab to comfort our mate while I’m busy,” he says this all so unemotionally, and we both burst out laughing as Ember comes out, smiling at us.

She sinks back into her spot, pulling out a sketch pad and watercolor pencils. She fidgets a bit, trying to decide what to draw, getting comfortable as she ponders. I pick her up, making her squeak, plonking her so she can lean against my chest, but her shoulder is near my mouth, how I’m laid on my side. Ren moves over so he’s in a similar position but her legs go over him and her biteable ass is pressed against his crotch, and he curls up so his head is level with her chest, we both give her kisses and strokes now and then. Ren and I are talking, but not about anything in particular.

We can hear the meet winding down. J comes in and says goodnight, kissing Smudge on the head. Jace and River head to bed; they share the balcony with Ren, but they don’t come out. Ren has been feeding Ember every now and then, but there is hardly anything left now. All of Ember's sketches are of things from tonight.

“My favorite so far is the one with the oldies and Alma," I say. Ren hums,

"I like the one with Miles over I’m guessing mine and B's shoulder." She confirms his suspicion while packing up, taking care to put her pencils back in the right spot in their box.

“I never have a favourite, even though I hate some. I sometimes draw bad dreams to get them out of my head, it helps me go back to sleep most of the time.” She says it so casually, and we just watch her as she heads in.

"I’ll take the tray down. Do you want anything while I’m downstairs? Go curl up with her," Ren asks while organizing the tray so nothing falls.

“Bottle of water if you don’t have any up here,” I say, chuckling when Ember calls the same thing.

"There’s some in my fridge. Help yourselves." With that last statement, he’s off.

As Ember is crawls onto Ren’s bed. I strip to my boxers and climb in next to her.

Ren walks in and copies my actions, but he grabs the clothes and throws them in the hamper. As he climbs in he leans over Ember kissing her deeply

“ I love you”

She repeats the sentiment, I have no idea what it means, She rolls so she faces me, kisses my peck over my heart, and curls into me. Ren acts as her big spoon, and one by one, we fall asleep.