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I spend my first night back with the girls in my old dorm. I miss The Four desperately, which makes me realise that I probably will move out this week. It is nice being reunited with the girls, though. We do facemasks and watch trashy TV.

Tuesday brings maths first period and alchemy the next.

We have a practical during alchemy. I look back and forth between Sal and Esteban. I turn to Esteban, ready to explain that, whilst he's my mate, he can spend time with me after school. I'm not ditching Sal just because I've met my mate.

I don't get the chance.

Sal sighs dramatically. "It's fine, Emmie, really. Have fun with your mate and don't be sore when my potion kicks your one's ass."

He slinks off to his own station. I call after him, but he ignores me. Es throws his arm around my shoulders.

"Come on, angel, let's show him how it's done."

Esteban and I work together to create the potion following the teachers instructions. The first batch isn't correct, we can tell straight away from the colour of it.

The second is closer and, by the third attempt, we have it down. Our bottle sits with pride at the front of our station.

Despite looking stressed out the entire lesson, Sal has managed to produce a similar coloured potion to us and the teacher. We are all praised by Professor Langston.

I convince my mates to let my friends join us for break. The girls come up to their private room with me and "ooh' and "ah' at the impressive room.

Everyone gets along really well, making me relax a bit. It's always a relief when your friends get on with your mates. To be honest, I never thought I'd have more than one friend at the academy. I never thought I'd have more than one mate, either.

Third period is a free period for me. I share this one with Lucio and we sit in the common room, discussing our business studies project. He gets a phone call and excuses himself.

I don't mean to be nosy, but I spot him pacing up and down outside the common room. He's frowning and talking heatedly on the phone. When he comes back in, he looks less than pleased.

He sits down next to me with a heavy sigh.

"I'm sorry about that, angel. It was my father."

I put down the textbook and give him my full attention. "Is everything okay?"

"One of his friends passed away this weekend. He was some elderly cousin of the King or some such, I don't know. Anyway, seeing as we are all technically part of the royal family, we have to go."

"I'm sorry. I really hate going to funerals."

He shakes his head and leans back in the chair. He plays with my hair; I think to soothe himself.

"They suck even more when you barely knew the person who died. I'm going to be so bored."

I slap his thigh playfully. "Have some respect, Lucio, a man has died! Don't worry about being bored at his funeral, worry about his poor family."

He rolls his eyes at me. "The man was a privileged arse, Em, I don't think his family are going to be bothered. Besides, he's going to drag me away from my mate on a weekend, that's shitty."

"The funeral is this weekend, then?"

"Yeah," Lucio nods. "It's not till Sunday afternoon. We'll probably leave in the morning and be back in the evening. All four of us are required to go."

"That's okay, it'll only be a few hours without you." I nudge him playfully. "I think I'll survive."

He narrows his eyes at me. "Don't survive too well, though. I want you to miss me."

I smile at that. The leader, the oldest and most bossy, is also one of the neediest of The Four.

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When I get back into my dorm that night, I call my mum to catch up with her.

"I still cannot believe my daughter is mated to four boys, and royals, too!' She gushes excitedly. "I'm afraid that I haven't told your Nana because I think that's just the shock she needs to put her into cardiac arrest. The woman is almost 900, for God's sake."

"Good idea," I reply dryly.

'So, if you bring them home, you might want to choose one to introduce to her and we'll pretend he's your only mate, okay?"

"Okay, Mum. How's Dad? Has he commented on it yet?"

She hesitates before replying. "No, not yet. Each time I bring it up, he leaves the room. I think orgies and his daughter are not compatible pairings in his mind."

"Fuck, Mum! Don't say that word."

"What? Orgies?"

"Ew! Yes!"

"I don't know why you're saying ew, you're the one that is having them."

"I'm not!" I cry, feeling flustered. "I'm a virgin!"

"Not for long when you've got four mates."

"You know what? I'm going. Hope you have a nice week, bye."

I hang up and stare at my phone for a second or two.

As if my mother just said those awful things.

I can't unhear it. I feel like my ears might bleed. I distract myself by getting out my suitcase and starting to pack. I spoke with The Four at lunch and we all agreed on moving into the mated dorm tomorrow.

I'll still keep my bed made up in this dorm, just in case they go away, or I want a sleepover with the girls. Or if they piss me off? I don't know, but it's nice to have options.

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Wednesday goes much the same as Tuesday. I have a free with Salvador last thing. We go up to his spot on the roof to have some privacy. He lights a cigarette and leans back against one of the skylights.

"So, The Four are ditching their beloved mate this weekend?" He says and blows smoke into the air. "I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"Why not?"

"They shouldn't be leaving you alone," he explains. "You only met last week."

I frown at him. "Why do you care?"

"Believe it or not, Emery St. Cloud, I consider you a friend and I care about my friends. Besides, you're the only one I've got so I kinda have to care." He pauses to take another drag. "I don't want you on your own."

"I'm a big girl, Sal, a legal adult and everything. I'll be fine."

"Even so, let's go hunting on Sunday when they go."

"Okay, I'm down for that."

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When I get back to the dorm, it's to collect my things. I hug the girls and we all get a bit tearful, which is hilarious because I'm only moving a ways down the corridor, not leaving forever.

"I promise I'll be back for meals and sleepovers and movie nights," I tell them tearily.

"Swear?"

"I swear."

The Four are waiting for me outside our new dorm, leaning against the walls and smiling excitedly.

I cannot believe I am moving in with these four hunks. This is like a dream.

"Welcome home, Em," Es says when I step through the doorway.

I take my suitcase through to the bedroom and unpack. I make the space my own having brought some fairy lights and a couple pillows with me.

"There's girly shit all over the bedroom now," Mal comments when I join them all in the living room.

"Don't assign a gender to fairy lights and pillows, Mal," I scold him, and he quickly shuts up.

I help Oro with the cooking. He bosses me around, telling me what to do and correcting me when I get it wrong, but it's hot. I like seeing this dominant side of him.

The evening is spent cuddled with my mates on the sofa. I lay across their laps. My head is on Esteban's lap and he runs his fingers through my hair. My feet are on Mal's lap, where he massages them through my socks. Lucio and Oro get stuck with my upper legs, butt and lower torso, but neither of them seems to mind.

At about ten, we get into bed. It works seamlessly, the five of us sharing a bed. I thought there might be awkward moments or learning curves, but there isn't.

I think The Four are so used to living together that having me join them hasn't disturbed their world too much. They rotate each night, changing who sleeps next to me and who sleeps on the edges.

Tonight, I am between Lucio and Esteban when the lights go out. I had thought that nothing sexual was going to happen tonight when I got into bed. Esteban's hand up my bare thigh and under my t-shirt.

I'm lying on my side with my back to him. Unable to get to my pussy from my front because my thighs are pressed together, he moves his hand to my back. He slides down between my buttocks and strokes my pussy through my thong.

I don't make any attempt to move away or push him off. He moves the material to one side and dips one finger inside me. On discovering how wet I am, he withdraws and pushes two fingers inside me from behind. The feeling makes my toes curl.

He pumps his fingers in and out of me. I bite down on my bottom lip to remain quiet.

"Why can I hear wet pussy noises?" Mal asks from the end of the bed, making Es freeze.

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