The phone rings twice before I hear Dot''s voice.


    "Luke, you better be calling with some good news because em going crazy here.


    She should be awake by now and the healers need..."


    "Hi, Dot," I cut her off. I can''t believe no one has told her Im awake yet.


    "Josie?" she gasps,


    "Yes, it''s me,"


    "Oh my goodness, Josie, it''s so good to hear your voice! I''ve been so worried. How are you? When did you wake up?" she blurts and I can hear the emotion in her voice.


    "I''m good Dot, thanks to you. The doctor said I have no negative effects," I tell her.


    "I''m so happy to hear that, I thought maybe I messed up and..." her words are cut off by a sob.


    "Dot, I''m fine. You saved me, I owe you my life," I say with tears rolling down my face. I wish I could hug her right now, she has spent all these weeks thinking she had done something wrong.


    "They wouldn''t let me see you, I''ve been going crazy here. Is Mason with you?" she asks.


    "I know, I called as soon as I found out. Mason is not here right now," I''m not sure how much I should tell her


    about him.


    "Oh, Josie I''m so worried about him too. How is he? He was so broken and now he won''t speak to me at all. Seeing him like that was worse than when..."


    "I''m not alone," I cut her off when I notice Theo paying extra attention to our conversation.


    "Who are you with?"


    "Theo and Luke," I say nervously and Dot blows out a relieved sounding breath.


    "That''s okay, maybe they can help him. Tell them what you think they should know but do not, under any circumstances, let Mason find out," she says.


    "Okay. He''s not doing great but I''ll get him back Dot, I promise, I got through to him once already, and we were making progress. I can do it again," I tell her with determination.


    "I know, I could tell. When are youing home?" she asks.


    "I''m not sure," I look at the guys. Luke shrugs and Theo looks lost in thought. "I''ll let you know as soon as I know,"


    "Okay, thank you for calling me. It is so good to hear from you. I''m d you''re okay," she cries again and I hear male voices in the background. Probably her bonds trying tofort her. "I need to go, I''m mid-heat and I don''t want to be on the phone when the next wave hits," she halfughs.


    "Shit, sorry. Erm... have fun. I''ll see you soon," Iugh.


    "Message me when you get back and I''ll visit as soon as I can,"


    "Will do, bye,"


    435 SAN


    Chapte


    "Bye," she says and the phone goes dead. I blow out a breath. She must have been so worried to lure answered the phone to Lake during her heat.


    "What do you know?" Theo asks. His voice is hard as he states at the wall. Luke takes my hand, squeezing it in


    support.


    "I think this is best kept between you two, maybe you should both take a shower and I''ll keep watch at the window," Luke says. I nod, he''s right. Theo can probably help but Luke can''t. Mason can tell Luke his story if i wants to, but if Theo and 1 are going to help Mason then he needs to have some clue of what we are dealing with Theo gets up without a word and heads into the ensuite, he holds the door open and stares at me expectantly. I hate the way he''s looking at me, I''ve hurt him again. When follow him in he turns on the shower and both taps on the sink before leaning against the wall with his arms folded over his chest and his jaw tense, waiting for me to talk. I clutch the pillow to my chest, wishing I had clothes on for this conversation.


    "Theo, first of all, I only just found this out right before my heat started, and I was sworn to secrecy. Mason has no idea I know and we have to keep it that way. We can''t act differently around him, but we can use it to understand him, and maybe help him,


    "Fine, tell me," he juts his chin a little. I take a breath and tell him everything that Dot had told me about Mason''s disappearance and his behaviour since he returned.