Page 35 of Forging Bonds: Part One

Kieran and Jess share a look, and then Kieran nods, "Yeah, we could do that. I've got to warn you though, it's probably going to take us a while. We were only at the very beginning stages of development."

Doc nods, "That's absolutely fine. We don't need it straight away."

Jess nods, "Is this Ty sanctioned or something we need to work on in our free time?"

My eyebrows rise as I glance questioningly at a smirking Evander.

"Ty knows," Van confirms.

"Awesome, that makes it a bit easier to work on. Although not quite as fun as trying not to get caught working on something that we shouldn't be working on," Jess grins.

"Great, thanks guys," Doc says. "We'll leave you to it. It's getting late. Make sure you eat!"

They both look slightly confused as they look up at the clock, and their eyebrows lift in surprise.

"Well, shit," Kieran says.

Doc chuckles, "Bye, guys."

I wave goodbye to them as I turn and follow everyone else out of the room.

"Is it too late to eat in the dining hall?" I ask.

"If we're quick, we might be able to get there before it shuts," Raiden says.

As one, we all pick up our speed and head toward the dining hall. Unfortunately, it seems that we're further away than I thought we were because it's taking a lot longer than I remember it taking before. Maybe I'm just hungrier than I was, and it's making it seem like it's taking longer.

"I have no recollection of walking down this way," I say after a moment.

"That's because you were looking at your phone and messaging Navy and the others," Evander points out with a smile.

"Oh yeah," I reply.

Just as I begin to open my mouth to thank Ransom for stopping me from going the wrong way or walking into something, a group of people walk around the corner, and I recognize Kylen and Rupert—the two members of the Draconian Team who had the other half of the gym.

"Shit," River curses as he moves up beside me and places a hand on the bottom of my back.

"Don't let them rile you up. It will just give them more incentive to do it again," I mutter. My eyes search the group and find Coen walking behind them, his shoulders hunch, he suddenly tenses his eyes darting up to mine, and I see such a mix of strong emotions, fear, longing, and rage that I have to try really hard not to fucking react.

I really fucking hate this, and it may be one of the hardest things that I have had to do. Knowing that he is with them against his will, and I do know that, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind, knowing that and knowing that it's been that way for a really long time now is fucking hard. I want to get him out of it, I want to kill the Draconian Team for being involved or at the very least, Kylen.

"Ah, we were hoping we would run into you," Kylen says with fake happiness.

The rest of his team have smug grins on their faces and the same feeling of wrongness about them. In other words, they all seem to be assholes. Apart from Coen, Kylen, and Rupert, there are two more members, all of them men, and all looking at me like I'm worse than the dirt on their shoes.

"Can't say I felt the same way," I reply.

Kylen's eyes flash with anger, "That's no way to speak to your future leader."

I burst out laughing, full belly laughs, and see Coen's lips twitch in amusement out of the corner of my eye before his expression becomes dark again, the amusement only lasting for milliseconds. My heart sinks, but I make sure that my expression remains blank and decide that it's probably best to keep my gaze away from Coen for the remaining conversation or I'm not going to be able to keep my cool.

"Sorry, but that was hilarious." My expression cools drastically, and I allow the shadows that play with my demons in the depths of my being to rise to the surface, "Let's get one thing clear: if, for some ridiculous reason, I somehow end up being named as being on your team, you will never be my leader, I think it should be stated right now, that I will do everything in my power to ensure that you simply don't survive."

Coen's eyes heat.

The others look wary, there's no denying the truth in my words, but Kylen laughs.

"You're a human and I'm going to look forward to breaking that smart mouth of yours," he sneers.

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