"What the fuck Mason!" Luke curses. Axel pulls me from the table, wrapping his arms around me to shield me with his body.


    "Not cool Mace, he''s not a part of our bond!" Theo adutonishes.


    Axel guides me to his room, which is the closest escape. Once the door is closed he releases me to fetch a t-shirt from his wardrobe. He helps me into it and I wrap my arms around myself, totally ashamed of everything that just happened. Raised voices areing from the living area and I can''t take this. A single tear escapes my eye. I wipe at it quickly, I had vowed no one would see me weak or crying again and here I am weak and close to bursting into


    tears.


    "You did nothing wrong," Axel reassures me.


    "I did, I let myself be vulnerable in front of Mason and he took his opportunity. I''m so stupid," I try to keep the tremble from my voice.


    "I hate to defend him, but I don''t think he did that to get at you, I think he knew exactly who was behind that door. He''s trying to get Deacon to admit what we all already know," Axel exins, and I don''t know what''s more shocking. His words or that I''ve never heard him speak so much.


    "Mason hates me, of course, he''d pull a stunt like that, and Mr Collins isn''t one of my bonds," I sigh.


    "I don''t think he hates you, I think he hates what you make him feel," he shrugs. The bedroom door swings open before I can ask him what he means by that..


    "Are you okay?" Luke asks, his voice is full of concern.


    "I''m fine," I nod, there will be no more shows of weakness from me.


    "I''m sorry it ended like that, I was hoping you''d feel morefortable around us all after that, but as usual someone has to ruin a good moment and mess up everything I''m trying achieve. I just want to make this as easy for you as possible but it didn''t go to n," Luke looks sad and my heart melts for him a little. I realise then how selfish I''m being, this isn''t all about me and how I feel. It''s about them too, this is new territory for all of us. Luke has taken the lead, making it his mission to get us allfortable with each other in the best way he can. I can already see a massive difference in Axel and I had two amazing orgasms. Even Mason made progress. He might not have actively participated, but he''d been there, and he hadn''t killed me in a fit of jealousy when Theo had. touched me. So it wasn''t a total failure.


    "It wasn''t your fault, and it wasn''t ruined. Thank you for doing that. I think it helped us all," I smile at him genuinely.


    "I want this to work, more than anything. And I want you to trust us before youe into heat. I hate the thought of you worrying about that," he says taking my hands.


    "It will work, we will make it," I reassure him, "What did Mr Collins want?"


    "He came to update us on his investigation into what happened this morning. He''s found a couple of witnesses who saw what happened and they have both named the same person, although he won''t tell us who until he finds out more as these witnesses are not the most reliable and are known for making up stories to create drama,” he exins.


    "Okay, well at least it''s progress. We should eat before we need to get back to our next lesson," I say.


    "We have 45 minutes before we need to be back," Axel tells us.


    "Then I better make us something simple, let''s go and see what I have to work with,"


    I open the fridge, which is fully stocked with meats, cheese yoghurt vegetables and milk. In the cupboard, I find pasta, jars of sauce, Unned food, bread, cereals and snacks, It''s basic stuff but plenty to make a few meals. I spot a box of teabags, they''re a well-known human brand. I pick them


    1. up.


    "Do you guys get your food from the human realm?" I ask


    "No.


    What is that?” Luke motions to the box in my hand.


    "They''re tea bags,


    "Never heard of them, is that how you make the tea they sell at Starbucks?" He asks.


    "Yes," I put the box down and go back to the fridge to examine the contents more closely. I grin when I spot a pack of bacon and sausages, it looks like I have everything need to make a full English breakfast in the morning. I look at thebels on the packs and recognise the supermarket brand. "Some of this is human food,"


    "No need to guess whose idea that was," Luke rolls his eyes andughs. I know he will be happy to explore some human food but I''m not sure about the others.


    "What''s this?" Axel asks, holding up a bar of my favourite white chocte.


    "Oh my god! That is a bar of pure heaven," I groan. My mouth watering at the thought of that chocte melting on my tongueter.


    "Okay, let''s leave the chocte forter and find something we can make and eat in the next 35 minutes," Luke says, his voice full of amusement.


    "Fine," I sigh. "Axel hide that chocte somewhere forter because if anyone eats it without me I will not be held responsible for my actions," I warn.


    I make enough ham and cheese sandwiches for a small army and I''m about to take them to the table but swiftly change my mind, not wanting to sit at that table again so soon. I ce the tter on the coffee table after Axel and Luke clear the boxes from it. Luke shouts to Theo and Mason that food is ready and I go back to the kitchen and grab the bottle of mayo and the multipack of Doritos. When I turn to head back to the living area Mason is blocking my path.


    "Excuse me," I mutter, not making eye contact with him.


    "Can we talk?" he asks, his tone not unfriendly, but not friendly either.


    "There''s nothing to talk about, I try to step around him and he moves to block me.


    "Theo wants me to apologise," he shrugs.


    "Do you want to apologise?" I raise an eyebrow.


    "Nope. I don''t think I have anything to apologise for,"


    "Then don''t bother, it won''t mean anything to me anyway, I huff.


    "Good. I''m d we agree on something," he smirks.


    "I didn''t say that," I scowl. He steps closer to me, so close that we are almost touching. I know he''s trying to intimidate me so I look up, staring into his eyes. I won''t cower away from him like he expects. His eyes sh blue and I''m not sure what emotion I see hiding behind them.


    "You should be thanking me actually," he says, his voice hoarse. No part of our bodies is touching but I feel him


    everywhere. My traitorous body responds to him as if he has a maic pull that I''m unable to resist. I hate it.


    "Fuck you, Mason,” I breathe, the air too thick with his scent. A devilish grin spreads over his face and then he moves like lighting, spinning me and pushing my chest down onto the kitchen counter so I''m bent over it. Hist hand on the back of my neck plus me there.


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