1. One

He's going to kill me.

I take a step back, back, back until a body behind me stops my retreat. The heavy touch of their hand on my hip doesn't stop the reality that's crashing through me, knocking me off my feet.

I'm falling.

Falling to my knees on the training field and into the darkness of my mind.

"Your father told me how he put you in a grave when you were a child, and for months afterward, you behaved. Let's see how staying out here for a while works now." Donald laughs. Then spits on me from where he's standing on the edge of the grave.

His hot, acidic saliva drips down my cheek, hitting my bare thigh, and slides down the inside, mixing with the bloody mess he left of me. Unlike when I was a child, this hole is deeper, I'm naked, my hands and ankles are bound, and tape covers my mouth. My tears cause the adhesion to become a slimy mess across my lips, and the taste of acrylic and melted rubber sears to my taste buds.

He left me in that hole for three days…

I swear my neck's going to snap from the force of his attempt to shove me to my knees. Pushing him as hard as I can, I dart for the door. The five-foot distance from me to the knob seems boundless. I never reach it…

His punishing grip latches around my wrist and the force he puts behind it grinds my bones together.

My palm lands across his cheek faster than I have time to think about my reaction. The sting in my hand barely registers in my mind once I realize what I've done.

The voice in my head screams for me to run, escape the consequences to come, but it's too late. The power behind his fist sends me flying to the floor and black spots color my vision as soon as my head bounces off the hardwood.

As I try to lift myself, he raises his leg and crushes my hand under his heel, trapping me beneath him. It all happens in a blur of motion.

One second, he's lifting his other leg above my head. The next, the sound of my arm breaking is louder than the screams leaving my lips. Hot, agonizing pain tears through every nerve in my body.

"If you ever hit me again, I'll cut this arm off and beat you to death with it, Willow. Do you understand me?" His eyes are wild, nearly pitch-back, but his tone is calm, soft, as if breaking my arm cools the anger that's brewing inside of him. Bending down, he gently moves the hair out of my face so he can see my answer shining through the pain in my eyes. Nodding in understanding, I let my tears fall freely for him to see.

Dunk. Sink. Hair pull. Repeat.

Dunk. Sink. Hair pull. Repeat.

It's all I can think, all I can repeat in my mind over and over. Every time I thought he'd kill me, every time he truly came close.

It's impossible. There's no way he can be in Elementra or even have any idea about this realm. But that's not true. I saw Jarod's chest, saw the proof of his existence here. It stared me in the face.

He's going to kill me.

He's going to kill me.

He's going to kill me.

Mahogany and sandalwood engulf my senses, and I'm suddenly lifted off the ground, cradled bridal style against a massive chest. The murmurs and shouts are just disorienting noise; nothing truly filters through. I'm trapped in my mind, my never-ending nightmare, that's now broken into my new life, my new world, my new home.

This is my new reality.

He's going to find me.

"I said give her to me. You aren't going to be able to get through to her."

That dark, icy voice, the demand behind it, penetrates the fear that has my mind locked down. My body becomes weightless and for a moment, I feel like I'm free-falling into nothingness.

Gasping, my eyes fly open, panic surging through me.

"I've got you. Look around." Caspian's voice is soothing as he whispers in my ear and my erratic heart instantly calms.

"We're…we're in the shadows." My voice trembles as I get my first look at the darkened scene before me.

We're still at the training fields, but he's moved us away from everyone. Not far enough that I don't feel their panic mingling with my own in my chest though.

"You were trapped in your mind. Whatever you were shouting, seeing, while you were in there had Tillman losing his shit. It started a chain reaction in all of them," he says calmly, sensing the tight rope I'm walking right now with my sanity.

"You knew how to pull me out."

I can't help but watch the madness I've created unfold in front of me. Despite Caspian whisking me away, the aftermath of my reaction is bleeding out everywhere.

Tillman's squatting on his heels, rocking back and forth, back and forth. Pulling fistfuls of long chestnut curls out of his bun. His eyes may be closed, but I know the green behind those lids is wild, unhinged.

Corentin's barking orders at the E.F. members, demanding all the students return to their dorms and clear the fields. The command in his tone is controlled, but the subtle glow around his body betrays the restraint he has on his gift.

Draken's pacing, creating a burned path in the grass as smoke blows out of his nostrils. His hands are partially shifted, and his eyes are pure predator. Anyone who gets within six feet of him ends up dodging flames.

I can see Oakly surrounded by her Nexus as she throws her hands up, attempting to break free of their protective ring, tears flowing down her cheeks. Gaster's jumping from person to person, trying to calm the visible rage in each of them, while simultaneously scouting the shadows looking for signs of me and Caspian.

"In the darkness, your fears don't follow you. Here, you're what's to be feared." He tilts my chin up, forcing my eyes away from the chaos I caused.

"In our awakening, you saw what I've been through. All of it?" I ask the question I've been avoiding approaching him about, but now, I need this small truth.

"Every bit, every time. Elementra showed it all." His eyes flicker with an intensity that reveals the lie of this calm demeanor he's trying to put on for me. I see the storm brewing.

I just weathered the storm of my own mind, and he knew how to pull me out because he's seen it all already. There's nothing I can truly hide from him now because he's seen me at my worst, on my knees, beaten, bloodied, and so much more.

And I, him.

"She showed me you."

"I know. One day, in the darkness, we'll discuss our nightmares, but not today. Today, Primary, the rest of your Nexus needs you before they go on a destructive war path that gets them killed."

I turn from his intensity and glance back at the others. Their need to avenge me, although they have no clue what set me off, burns through my chest. As much as I want to stay hidden in here, safe with Caspian, away from the new reality I find myself in, I can't do that. They need me and I need them.

I have to tell them about the night my air element broke through its binding.

I may have had myself convinced I was safe, far away from him, but that fairy tale has come crashing down. Now, I need to tell them what little I know about what we're facing. What threat is heading my way if Donald and my father truly have access to Elementra.

"Can you take me to Tillman?" I ask Caspian as I gently run the back of my hand down his face, trying to calm the void bleeding into his haunted eyes.

Tillman's emotions are coming through the strongest. I'm sure hearing my screams and the mantra I couldn't shake off made him fall into his own fears and worries. It'd be even worse if he watched what I was reliving.

"I can. I'll move you from the shadows and then join you once you reach him."

Mimicking me, he lifts his fingers and gently trails them down my tear-streaked face, calming the raging thoughts instantly, cutting them off completely.

Recognition of that feeling immediately registers and I widen my eyes.

"You. You've chased the nightmares away before."

"I'll always chase away your darkness, little Primary."

The corners of his lips curl upward in a sly, self-satisfied smirk as he wraps me in his shadows and begins moving me across the field before I can say anything else. I try to recall all the times my nightmares were cut off suddenly in my sleep or how many times I felt like one of them was in the room with me when they weren't. I was alone.

Sneaky ghost. Watching me from the shadows.

It should make me mad that he's been watching me, and I never picked it up, but instead, it makes my heart flutter with hope. He's very different than the rest of my Nexus and I'm going to have to understand that he'll do things differently than they will. He may not want to admit it to me yet or even to his brothers, but he cares.

He just told on himself.

Lowering myself to my knees as Caspian places me right in front of Tillman, I don't have to turn back to give him the okay. I know he's watching me. So I prepare for the weightlessness to lift as I steady my hands on my thighs and sink down to sit on my heels before the corporeal feeling returns to my body.

"Tillman… I'm here." I broadcast as loud and clear as possible when I feel the shadows leave me.

"Will."

His head shoots up. Eyes bloodshot like he's been fighting back tears, he gathers me in his arms in a bone-crushing hug and I sigh in relief even though my ribs scream. I'd die happily right here crushed in his embrace if it meant I'd always feel this safe, like nothing in the world could ever hurt me.

If only that were true.

"I'm so sorry, Tillman."

The brief feeling of relief that I found coming from him becomes clouded by guilt. He's tearing himself apart, blaming himself for not being able to get me out of my panic.

"No, I am so—"

"You didn't do anything. Please don't apologize. I'm sorry you had to hear all of that, maybe even see it. I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to pull myself together," I whisper as the first tear falls.

"You're the strongest person I've ever met in my life, Willow. There's no part of you that's weak. Mind, body, or soul. Don't ever think differently." The pride and admiration that dwell in his eyes is like a gentle embrace, an affirmation that speaks volumes to me. He doesn't see me as a victim. He really sees me as the warrior he calls me.

He seals his lips to mine, stealing the breath I was preparing to take. The kiss completely breaks me free of the remnants of the panic attack and I relax into him fully. Tangling my hands in his hair, I pull him closer, deepening our kiss. After a few blissful moments, he breaks away with soft pecks to my lips and lays his forehead against mine, letting out a relieved sigh.

"Can I have her now, please?" That voice, so polite but so strained, makes my smile widen, and my blood heats as Tillman stands effortlessly with me in his arms and easily passes me to Draken.

"Little wanderer," he whispers against my neck, taking a deep breath.

"Hey you," I murmur as he pulls back to look at me.

I melt in his arms as the fire in his eyes warms me from the inside out. Holding him as tightly as I can, we sit there for a few long moments. His rapid heart slows to match the tempo of mine. I bathe in his comfort and soak in the ray of sunshine that's all things Draken.

To the realm, I'm wrapped in the arms of the deadliest creature to fly the skies of Elementra, but to me, he's just my sweet Draken, my dragon.

A throat clearing has me lifting my head and opening my eyes. Corentin's swirling orbs of whiskey are trying their hardest to see inside my mind, as though if he stares long and hard enough, he'll find every answer he's ever wanted.

Leaning my head down to Draken's ear, only for him to hear, I whisper, "I need to see our fearless leader. Can you share me for a few minutes?" I lightly laugh as a small growl slips past his lips. "None of that, dragon. I'll be right here. You can watch me from a foot away."

"Fine," he grumbles and reluctantly hands me off to Corentin.

"Willow." My name is a mere strained whisper, and his emotionless mask is firmly in place, but I'm not going to be on the receiving end of that look anymore.

"Are you okay?" I ask sweetly, reaching up to cup his cheek. For a long, fleeting moment, I think he's going to continue this stare off and not open up to me.

"Don't worry about me, princess. Are you okay?" The steely glint of his eyes softens as he kisses my forehead.

"I will be but answer me. Don't shut me out, Core." His taut body shivers, seemingly releasing some of his tension, then his arms tighten their grip around me.

"I'm not okay. Not understanding what that wolf was talking about that made you completely shut down is driving me crazy. I don't know how to fix it. I don't even know everything I need to protect you from. I can't lose you, Willow. We can't lose you." His chest rises and falls rapidly between each short breath. His soft eyes are now shifting through a multitude of emotions. So many in a matter of seconds it makes my head spin.

Grabbing the back of his neck, I pull his face down to mine. He freezes, surprised at my forwardness, then a groan has him shifting his hand and tangling his fingers in my hair. Tilting my head so he can deepen the kiss, I immediately give up control to him, knowing that's what he needs right now.

The passion behind every stroke of his tongue makes me feel alive. I'm sure I can live without ever needing air again. I can just breathe him in, and I'll survive. When he pulls back, he gazes down at me like I'm the light of his life.

My head falls to his chest as I soak in the feeling of being cared for. This is the balance he brings to my life. I need a sense of control for the simple fact I've never had any before coming here.

With him…

He makes it feel okay to give up control, hand it over willingly, because I'll be taken care of, not taken advantage of.

Exhaling, I open my eyes to take in the mostly empty training fields. I find Oakly and Gaster standing a few feet away, waiting patiently for me to finish up with my guys. I give them both a small smile and motion them over.

"I'd hug you both, but I need to stay where I'm at for now," I tell them as they rush over, grabbing my outstretched hand. The thought of leaving Corentin's arms right now has the bond in my chest going ballistic. Plus, I really don't want to move.

"It's okay, Willow, we're just happy to see you conscious and speaking," Gaster says with glossy eyes.

"Was I that bad?" I ask Oakly, knowing she won't sugarcoat the truth.

"Yeah, Willow. I've never heard screams like that before in my life. None of us could calm you down and I don't think you were aware we were trying to get through to you," she tells me as she sniffles and wipes her tears with the back of her hands.

"That's so embarrassing. I'm sorry you all had to hear and witness that." This is what I hate most about the panic attacks. I'm so weak, vulnerable, and exposed when they happen.

"Stop, Will. You're none of those things. We'll work through this." Tillman's firm voice sounds from right behind us.

Glancing over Corentin's shoulder, the stern scowl on Tillman's face says he's listening in on my thoughts, and he doesn't appreciate what I was just thinking regarding myself. I let my eyes linger on his, a silent promise that I'll try to do better.

"I need to tell you, everyone, the story of what happened the night my air element came out. I believe it'll answer your questions and create a lot more. But I'd rather do it at home," I tell Corentin once I focus back on him.

"Everyone, give us fifteen minutes to get to the mansion and get Willow comfortable then meet us there," he orders Gaster, Oakly, and her Nexus. Then he turns us so my body is nestled in the middle of my Nexus, transporting us home as one.

Normally, we'd transport to the back lawn, that's pretty much been deemed the transport zone, but instead, we step out right into my bedroom. Walking over to my closet, Corentin gently sets me on my feet and holds me while I get my bearings.

It's moments like this that I know he pays attention to every little detail of anything I say and do. He knew I wanted to change out of these clothes. Baths, coffee, and comfy clothes are my go-tos after an emotional breakdown and they've all seemed to take notice of that. Especially him. Nothing gets past him.

"Thank you," I say as I stand on my tippy-toes and kiss his cheek.

The sound of my bedroom door shutting has my lips freezing against him and my bond freaking out, stretching out to see who just left.

Draken.

"Why did Draken leave?" I whine embarrassingly.

"I'm sure he's fine, but I'll check." He swears as his eyes widen a fraction when he sees my panic back on the surface. With a quick kiss to my cheek, he heads out of the closet.

Sitting down on my love seat, I take a few calming breaths, knowing the panic that's rising in me is just my bond and damn hormones reacting to one of them leaving my space so soon after I just calmed down.

Not even a minute later, my closet door flies open, smacking into the wall so loud I flinch. Draken's worried eyes search the room for a millisecond before they land on me, and he rushes to kneel in front of me. As soon as his hand touches my skin, the pounding in my chest subsides, and my breathing evens.

"I just had to go to my room. I wasn't leaving. Put this on," he demands softly, handing me his favorite shirt that he tends to dress me in when I stay in his room. It's just a black T-shirt that reaches mid-thigh with the silhouette of a dragon on it, but he seems to really like me in it.

Chuckling, I go to ask why I need his shirt, when I lock eyes with slits of cobalt. I swear I see his dragon pacing. A predator preparing to attack whatever dares to threaten what's his.

I love when he's so protective and possessive.

"Your dragon needs me to wear your clothes?"

"No, my dragon wants to fill you to the brim with my cum until your belly is swollen with my baby. This is my compromise with him." A subtle rasp adds a raw edge to his words, a hint of primal desire mixed with his own.

Elementra, I shouldn't be so turned on right now by that.

"Will you help me with my shirt?" Despite trying to fight off the desire, my voice is thick with it.

Draken steps back, shaking his head out a couple times, taking a few deep breaths, and when he looks back at me, his eyes are his own again.

"If I didn't get him back under control before I touched you, we wouldn't be leaving this room, sweetness. Then the guys would be busting in here to find out what's taking so long."

The thought of them catching me and Draken fucking, standing at the door watching us, has my face flushing and my body throbbing. It's a reaction I have no control over.

"Wicked little wanderer. I knew you'd be a little exhibitionist," he says as a devilish smirk graces his lips.

My face flames even hotter because never in my life would I have thought I'd be labeled that. But I can't deny the fact that his comment is causing a confusing bout of arousal to flood me and the fact that I do get turned on anytime I think about them catching me or watching me with him.

"Don't tease me," I say, flustered, standing from the love seat hurriedly.

Stomping my way over to my clothes, I then toss my wet underwear and pants to the side and quickly pull on a new pair with some biker shorts. Holding out his shirt for me to put on, Draken stands there with a playful dance in his gaze, a mixture of amusement and anticipation. I snatch my shirt off forcefully and toss it at his face while I pull his over my head. He just laughs, holds it to his face, and takes a deep breath.

"Come on, kitten, they're out there waiting on us."

Despite him getting me all hot and bothered, I'm thankful for the distraction. I've been putting this conversation off since I arrived, and he's the only one I've verbally talked about it with. Caspian, I'm sure, saw what was about to happen to me but not what led to that moment, but now that I know there's a connection, I can't keep it from them.

"What's going on?" I ask suspiciously as the other three hush their conversation when we step out of my closet.

"I don't think Ry and his guys need to hear this. It's none of their fucking business." Caspian snarls, shooting Corentin and Tillman a look of fury.

"One way or another, they'll find out. Either from Oakly when I tell her she can talk about it, or from Tillman when he informs Ry of what he's learned. I won't go into graphic details, Caspian." He knows what I'm talking about, and I can tell that's what he doesn't want them to hear by how his eye twitches slightly.

"Fine."

Corentin steps directly in my line of sight, blocking me off from the other three as soon as I move forward. "Willow, I need to tell you something before the others come in."

"What's wrong?"

"In my awakening, I saw what happened the night your element broke free. Not everything that happened but enough, and I told the guys about it." Poking my head around him, Caspian gives me a nod, confirming they all know. Draken and Tillman nod along guiltily.

I don't move or break my eye contact with Corentin as I think about that. I'm definitely a little upset, but to my surprise, I almost feel relieved.

"I'm not happy you shared that with everyone without me knowing, but at least now I won't have to tell it to you all privately after this conversation. Have you all shared what you saw in your awakenings with each other?"

Three yeses and one no resound around the room.

Caspian shrugs his shoulder, adding, "They know what I saw for the most part, but no, not everything, no details."

We stare at one another as an understanding passes between us. He'd be furious if people were just discussing what he went through without his knowledge or permission and he's extending that courtesy to me.

"Thank you," I tell him genuinely then focus back on Corentin. "I'm glad you told me. I'm mad that you told everyone, but I'm not mad that everyone knows. I didn't want to talk about it, but I was willing to for the sake of honesty."

"I know and I'm sorry. I know…we know better now, and none of us will have discussions like that again without you involved." He swears, guilt and sincerity flaring in his eyes.

"Everyone will be here in a minute," Tillman informs us, breaking up the tense moment.

"I don't want to do this here. I'm not tainting my room with that night." I declare.

They wait for me to decide where we're going, but I nod to Corentin, giving him the choice of where we'll talk. I don't want to make any decision, small or large, right now.

"Outside in the fresh air would be best," he announces while pulling his communicator out of his pocket and starts typing away. No doubt informing the kitchens.

As we step onto the back patio, the kitchen staff is already placing finger foods, pastries, and coffee on the table, at the same time as Gaster, Oakly, and her Nexus poof onto the back lawn.

"Are you okay? How are you feeling?" Oakly asks as soon as she's closer to me.

"I'm fine now, I promise."

I grip her hand in mine as I move slightly over to Gaster, who's crept his way right beside us. Turning to him, the words I was preparing to say are smothered out as he pulls me into his chest.

"I'm so sorry, Willow."

"You have nothing to be sorry for. No one here does." I tighten my arms around his waist and hold on for a second longer.

"Is Jarod answering any questions?" Tillman asks Ry as they greet each other, grabbing my attention.

"No. He hasn't said anything since they took him to the holding cells. He's just sitting there with a smug grin on his face." Ry snarls, causing the others to growl along with him. And I mean real growls, not the sexy growls I've read about in my smutty books. Oakly and I share a look that has laughs busting out of us.

"It's not funny. Nothing about this is funny. I'm sorry," I get out between fits of laughter. "You all are just so…"

"Animals. You're all animals, and there's technically only one shifter here." Oakly finishes for me.

I would've put it better than that, probably, maybe, but she's not wrong. The nature of their anger is absolutely on the animalistic side. Draken's doubly bad.

"Okay, okay, you two. Quit your picking and let's have a seat," Gaster teasingly scolds us, but I can see the twitch on his lip. He may want the guys to think he's defending them, but he's more so amused with us.

Corentin passes me a cup of coffee and Draken pulls me into his lap as I call for everyone's attention.

"Let's just jump right in. There's no point dragging the suspense out. I hate that. So you all know that my air element broke free on my twenty-sixth birthday. Earlier that day, I went to take a walk in the woods to visit my tree and that's where I found my birthday present waiting for me. My Memoria stone was in a box with my name engraved on the lid, with a note telling me not to take the necklace off, that everything would make sense soon. I have no clue who it was from, nor has my stone told me." I give a brief rundown, catching Oakly's Nexus up. By the looks on their faces, they were unaware I own a Memoria stone.

Oops, probably should've asked the guys if I was supposed to keep that to myself.

"It's fine. They know nothing leaves this house," Tillman answers my thoughts immediately.

"When the stone touched my skin for the first time, I was suddenly assaulted by what I know now is all the elements. Water filled my lungs, my blood felt like it was boiling, my feet were stuck in the ground like I was fighting quicksand, and the air was blowing me around like I was stuck in a tornado. It was awful and so painful, but it lasted maybe ten seconds and then just stopped. I wasn't hurt. My body was fine. I honestly thought I imagined it all."

"Everything occurred at the same time or consecutively?" Gaster asks with a thoughtful look about him.

"It hit me all at the same time. Does that mean something?"

"I'm not sure yet. Carry on, please." The gears in his mind begin turning, flipping through the pages of information stored in that brain of his.

I start with a brief rundown from the time I walked into Donald's study and am making my way to the blood sacrifice when I can see the wheels in all their minds rolling, questions forming left and right. It's no surprise when Corentin's the first to break.

"Do you remember what your father said when he addressed the room?"

Taking a deep breath and closing my eyes, I sink into my mind to pull the words out from the depth of my tormented memory.

"For two hundred years, our society has forged a brotherhood that has put us above all others, with power and strength our founding fathers only dreamed of. Because of you and our fellow comrades, our legacies will never be forgotten. Please welcome my son-in-law to the fold with unity and open arms so we shall continue to grow and conquer."

"What about the oath?" He follows up.

"With your blood, you seal your fate, unite with the rest of your brothers to serve this society, everything that is yours becomes theirs, and everything that is theirs will be shared with you. When Donald repeated it, that's when my father carved an M into his chest."

"An M, just like Jarod had? That's what you were asking him about?" Caspian asks, putting two and two together first.

"Wait, what does ‘what is yours becomes theirs and theirs becomes yours mean?' Were they going to share their blood?" Oakly's face is horror-stricken like that's the worst possible thing that could occur, and I wish I could say yes. That'd be better in my opinion than the alternative.

"Yes, the M just like Jarod had," I answer Caspian first before turning to Oakly with a sad smile, hoping she can read between the lines. "No, Oak, not their blood."

"Then what—" She gasps. Her hand flies up to cover her mouth, eyes immediately glossing over. "No. Oh, Willow."

"It's okay. It didn't get to that point. My air broke free and saved me. Then Gaster showed up and brought me here." I give her a reassuring smile.

I speed through the destruction I left behind, saving her from the gruesome details of Michael's slit throat and his cold, empty eyes as he took his last breath.

"So their society is both in Elementra and the nonmagical realm. We need to figure out what that M stands for and go from there. I can start searching the archives, the library, and maybe…" Reaching across the table, I give Gaster's hand a squeeze to calm him.

"Gaster, slow down. I know what the M stands for."

"You know what the M stands for? You know the name of their society?" Caspian asks. His burning gaze on me is a mixture of bloodthirsty hope and also disbelief.

"Yes. The M stands for Mastery. Their society is called the Mastery," I state, holding his stare as I watch his eyes alight with purpose. He smirks darkly at me like I just gave him a bag full of priceless blood jewels.

Everyone at the table says the name like it's acid on their tongues. I can feel them all turn their attention to me, but I don't pull my eyes from Caspian, waiting to see what he has to say.

"We've been searching for their name or some sort of information for over twenty years, Primary. And you just gave us our first real step in stopping them," he says sinisterly, appreciatively. I know it's more than just that.

I know I just gave him his first step closer to revenge.

"Cut that off." I groan, burying my face in Draken's neck, trying to chase the sleep that was so rudely interrupted.

"No can do, little one. Time to get up. We have training." Tillman pulls me away from Draken's warm embrace, peppering my face with kisses before he hops out of bed and slings the covers off me.

"Why am I the only one who's forced to get up with you to train? It's bullshit and sexist, you know." I really don't think it's sexist. I just don't want to get up at dawn and work up that kind of sweat.

"We all train. The others just train at different times of the day. You train with me, and I train at dawn. Now, come on, move that pretty ass. Five minutes, back lawn," he orders, leaving me there still pouting on the bed.

"Better get going, little wanderer. He doesn't like when people are late," Draken murmurs groggily.

There's a sly smile on his lips, so I throw my pillow at him as I drag my ass out of the bed like I was told and stomp toward the closet. His deep, playful laugh reaches my ears as I slam the door shut to get changed. By the time I come back out not even two minutes later, he's softly snoring.

So unfair. I'd rather be snoring right now.

Tillman's sitting there, waiting for me as I make my way out the back door, glancing down at his timekeeper, preparing to tell me I'm one minute late, so I cut him off.

"I'm not late. Don't start that shit with me before I've had my coffee."

"Fine. Three laps."

We set off at our normal pace and I take a deep breath of fresh air. With my senses now heightened tenfold compared to what they were when I first arrived, I have a new appreciation for everything.

The leaves of the trees aren't merely green but radiant, bright, full of life, and come in all shades from shamrock to sage. Flowers with petals that shimmer in a spectrum of colors like the hues of a rainbow, bloom across the forest floor. Each petal, every branch, seems to hold a piece of the sky, creating an ever-changing display of color that dances with the wind.

Unlike in the cities, where you can smell trash, feces, even the pollution, here it's nothing like that. The air is a clean, refreshing scent. Sweet and heady as if the forest is exhaling the pure, untainted breath of the land.

Rounding out our third lap, a calm I can only feel when I'm out here or cuddled in the arms of one of the guys envelops me. It's a peace I've never known and a peace I'm not willing to lose. I'll do anything to keep this for myself. For us.

As we begin jogging in place back at the start of the trail, Draken exits the back door, heading toward us.

"Decided to join us after all?" I ask with a smile on my lips, more than happy to tumble around with him and Tillman on the mats.

"Nope, opposite, kitten. I came to save you from your torturous workout. Corentin wants us all in the breakfast room. Said there's been a change to today's plans." He wraps his arm around my shoulder, steering me into the house, the gleam of sweat covering my body not deterring him in the slightest.

"What kind of changes?" Tillman asks.

"No clue, T-man. I'm just the messenger. And I came to escort my girl since you've started hogging all her attention." Draken sends him a withering scowl then shakes his head, mumbling, "Sorry."

I laugh at his dragon's slipup, while Tillman smirks over at him in understanding and amusement. Poor Draken suffers the most out of the guys when it comes to handling his emotions since his dragon pushes his natural instincts, his bond pushes, and his own possessiveness pushes. He's constantly trying to juggle multiple feelings being shoved down his throat.

Stepping into the bright breakfast room, Corentin, Caspian, and Gaster are already there, waiting for us. I make my way over to Corentin and lean down to kiss him on the cheek, when he surprises me by pulling me down on his lap, hitting me with a blistering kiss.

"Morning, princess," he breathes, rubbing his nose with mine.

"Morning." I pant.

Where did that come from?

"Sorry for interrupting your training, but some things have come up this morning and I need to discuss it with everybody," he explains while he gently places me in my seat. My head's still spinning from his unexpected affection, so my mind's slow to process what he's saying.

"Here, drink your coffee," he instructs.

Yes, coffee… I can focus on that.

Or I could crawl back into his lap.

Or maybe he could kiss me in more places than my lips.

"Little warrior…" Tillman's deep, sultry voice holds a hint of warning.

Whipping my flustered face to him, I narrow my eyes. "Are you spying on my thoughts or am I just thinking too loud?"

"Both."

"Stop calling me out on my private thoughts," I warn him.

"Stop thinking things like that at the breakfast table, or the food won't be what we eat this morning."

I detect the barely restrained lust simmering just beneath his surface. He'll follow through on that promise if I keep this line of thought going and I'm tempted to push him just to see. I'll lose nothing out of it.

"Maybe we should focus on the plans for the day right now, kids." Gaster's voice breaks through the thickening sexual tension in the room. A bucket of ice-cold mortification is poured over my head as all thoughts of being spread out across this table flee from my mind.

"Yep, absolutely," I rush out, not daring to look up at Gaster.

Corentin adjusts in his seat and takes a long sip of coffee before addressing us. "Jamie and Nikoli were able to identify that the gem Jarod crushed was an Emittium gem. So he's signaled someone for something. Now the question is, did he alert someone to the academy's whereabouts or Willow's whereabouts, or both."

"How does an Emittium gem signal someone?" I ask.

"Emittium gems come in pairs. One sends, one receives. When the sender is activated, the other will emit a pulse. Its vibration grows stronger and stronger until it reaches the area the signal was sent from. It's difficult to get your hands on a pair," Caspian answers, not looking up from his book.

"Off the main topic I know, but how did Nikoli help with that?" I know Jamie's a scientist, so his involvement is self-explanatory, but all I really know about Nikoli is that he's an E.F. member, and according to Oakly, the jokester of the bunch. It's why he and Draken get along so well.

"Nikoli's a Detector. He can detect any material, substance, ingredient, you name it. Well, hence the name, he can detect it," Draken explains.

"Damn, that's pretty cool. And San?" I should probably ask Oakly these questions, but why wait if the guys are open to sharing.

"An Absorber. Anything he reads or learns, he obtains forever. He's a walking library."

I detect a hint of jealousy in Caspian's tone, and I can't help but smirk. That would drive him nuts that he can't do that.

Shit, go, best friend. You and your powerful group of men.

"So what does them identifying the Emittium gem have to do with changing the plans for the day?"

"I've canceled all classes today. Due to yesterday's incident, the wards need to be strengthened and the students need to stay in and be accounted for while that's going on. This gives us the opportunity to interrogate the captives from the last mission and Jarod ourselves so we can figure out what we can from him. The E.F. investigators are getting nowhere. He doesn't even acknowledge them," Corentin says. I don't mind not having classes, but I'm not looking forward to going to the holding cells with them or seeing Jarod again.

"Willow, I was hoping you'd like to stay back with me. I could use some extra eyes and there's a spell I'd like to teach you." Damn, I don't know if Gaster pulled that excuse out of his hat based on my aura or if he really had this planned.

"Honestly, I'd prefer that. If you all are okay with me staying behind, that is." Collectively, they release sighs of relief. "Why didn't you just say you didn't want me to go?" I ask, rolling my eyes.

"It's not that we don't want you to go with us, little wanderer, but we don't want you around that fucking wolf or the holding cells. We were giving you the chance to decide for yourself." Draken squeezes my hand reassuringly.

"Thank you." I squeeze his in return then throw Gaster a mischievous smile.

"Looks like it's you and me."