I've had to talk to Jared all day to prove I'm fine with him being here.

I've had to laugh at his jokes.

I've had to attempt a conversation.

I've had to act like nothings wrong all day.

Later, we all sit in the living room as the sun begins to fall. Seb, Koda, and Jared having a great ol time drinking everything in the liquor cabinet.

Though the remaining three of us are still sober.

Them three on one couch, us three on another.

Greyson has an arm draped across my shoulders pulling me tightly against his side.

We watch as the three amused as they let their words slur.

"Come on! Drink with us!" Koda says standing up while swaying his hips slightly to the music that's playing. Acting as if the vodka bottle in his hands is his dancing partner.

Drunk Koda is fun Koda.

Sebastian raises his eyebrows offering us his tequila bottle. I scoff resting my head on Greyson's shoulder. I hear him chuckling behind me.

"Just a reminder, two of us are underage." Faye chuckles.

The three drinkers freeze and look to us. Slowly they all make eye contact with each other and then slowly make eye contact with us.

Simultaneously they all shrug as Seb presses harder for Faye to take his bottle. What role models they are.

"Just a shot," Faye says sternly reaching over to grab the tequila from Seb.

"Are you going to drink?" Grey leans in whispering. I crane my neck back so I can look at him. Shaking my head I watch as he smirks. "I've never seen drunk Willa, but I expect her to be a lot more clumsy and bubbly."

I scoff rolling my eyes, while turning my attention back to the front. "I've only experience drunk Willa once and I don't even know what she's like." I tell him smiling slightly.

"You don't remember?" He chuckles.

Sighing I laugh slightly, "Yeah I was pretty drunk. All I remember is the morning after where I threw up on a random stranger who was lucky enough to be laying next to me on the ground. Lets just say she wasn't very happy." I shake my head as Greyson laughs loudly. His cackles erupt through the room at my tragic first drinking story. "So no, I won't be drinking tonight."

He still tries to stifle his laugh as he kisses my temple. I mean I don't blame him for laughing. I can't help but laugh about it too.

Looking over to Faye she tips the bottle just enough to get one shot worth before quickly handing it back to Seb. She scrunches up her face to the taste. But Sebastian seems almost unfazed as he starts to chug the bottle. Koda quickly follows his lead along with Jared.

"They're idiots," Faye retorts smiling.

True.

"Seb-Sebastian! Dance with me!" Koda screeches harshly putting his bottle down on the coffee table. We all flinch as they cling loudly against each other.

Sebastian wastes no time getting up off the couch himself. He hands Jared his bottle, "Drink my shit," he tells him.

"Got it boss," Jared says continuing to chug down both bottles.

We all watch as Koda and Sebastian do the tango, waltz, even a classic slow dance together.

It was funny watching them fight over who took the lead, and who followed. In the end Koda took the lead dipping Sebastian.

"I love you bro."

"I love you man," they both said before hugging each other shifting into a slow dance.

Greyson has to shush me as my laughs got too loud. He points to a sleeping Jared on the couch. I roll my eyes continuing to watch the two drunk dweebs dancing to the slow song.

"Hey, I have to go check the perimeter," Greyson softly pressing his lips to my ear.

My heart drops suddenly. I've only faked it this good till this point because I had security, and that security is Greyson. Without him I'm vulnerable to Jarod.

"I though you only did that on Wedne-"

"Wednesday? Yeah, well I wanted to start doing it twice a week."

You're fine Willa. You're going to have to be without Greyson sometime. Tonight is as good as any time.

"Alright," I say shifting so he can get up off the couch. I give him a believable smile as he pushes off the couch, "Be safe." I tell him quietly like every time he leaves for a check.

"Always," he replies. Quickly he pecks my lips before I watch him leave through the front door.

Calm Willa, calm. I tell this to myself as I start to feel my breathing increase in pace.

I twiddle my fingers anxiously as i just ultimately decide to go upstairs. "Goodnight guys," I rush out to everyone as I hop off the couch.

If I'm surrounded in Greyson's scent I'm sure it could calm me down.

I don't care if Jared is currently passed out from alcohol right now, he can still do things. He can still function.

Running to our bedroom I quickly open the door closing it behind me.

Quickly I search around for a shirt he's just resentful worn so the scent is stronger.

I swear he leaves at least one on the ground from the night before. But there isn't any.

I groan annoyed running to the closet looking for any shirt of his.

Walking through the closet doorway I reach to turn on the lights, but once I do a cloth is strapped around my eyes. I yelp as I get yanked away from the light switch.

Suddenly I'm thrown harshly into the closet wall. I cry in pain as my head slams against the wall and my ribs rattle in pain.

Jared, it has to be Jared. I can smell the alcohol in his breath that fans disgustingly across my face. I can feel his grimy hands pinning me by my shoulders to the wall.

I can't see his face as the cloth covers my sight and to match, the closet is in deep darkness.

My heartbeat thunders in my chest and tears overflow down my cheeks.

"No, no, no," I wither out sobbing. I try moving my hands up to take his off my shoulders. But he easily catches them holding them above my head with one of his hands. "Please no," I squirm in his grasp.

"I swear to god Willa if you keep pleading I will knock you so hard Greyson will feel it," he mumbles lowly. The alcohol in his system making his words slur and sound different.

I hiccup trying to contain my sobs.

That's until his free hand comes onto my neck.

I scream, flailing desperately in his grasp. "Stop!" I scream not caring if anyone hears us, though I know no one will. This room is on the opposite side of the house. Nothing can be heard unless you're right outside the door anyways.

He chuckles evilly wrapping his clammy fingers around my neck squeezing slightly.

It's hard getting my sobs out now, but they're just coming out as rasped screams anyways. "How about we continue where we left off?" He presses harder on my neck, making me choke upon my sobs.

"If I killed you right now nobody would know. No body would come to your rescue. You'd be here, cold and dead until someone remembered you." He spits letting go of my neck only to squeeze my wrists harder.

I sob loudly as I feel like it's the only thing I can do. I can't compete against his strength. I can't do anything. "Please Jared," I whisper because nothing I do or say will stop him.

But to my surprise he freezes.

He takes a deep breath letting my hands free. My arms drop to my sides as I'm too shocked to function.

He actually listened to me?

I sniffle my cry when I'm suddenly engulfed tightly around my shoulders in an embrace?

I flinch back trying to get away.

"I'm so sorry, I had to make it as convincing as possible." A much too familiar, nice voice, that's not Jared, whispers in my ear.

As soon as they pull away from the embrace I rip off my blindfold, and as I do so the lights flip on in the closet.

A small cry quivers as I see Sebastian in front of me. His arm still on my shoulder as he looks down refusing to make eye contact with me.

But standing behind him makes me even more shocked.

Faye, Koda, and Greyson all stand behind him. All with sad, mad, or ashamed faces.

"Wha-" I start but I'm quickly cut off by Greyson rushing up to me engulfing me in the largest hug.

"I knew you wouldn't tell me if I asked," he says.

"How?" I shakily say. Surprised words can even leave my lips.

Greyson sighs pulling away from me, he looks into my watery and puffy eyes. "I knew you weren't telling me the full truth this morning. And I knew you wouldn't tell me what else was bothering you. So that's why I linked everyone the plan today."

He sighs as I step away from him with my mouth covered by my hands. "I never left the house. Sure I left through the front door, but I waited outside the window until Sebastian got you into the closet." Greyson continues running a hand through his hair as I listen to what he did.

What they did.

"That's why we were drinking so much tonight," Koda speaks up. "Jared can't handle his alcohol, but he never drinks alone. So it was a group effort."

"I volunteered to act as Jarod between Koda and I." Seb then says.

"And I couldn't do it because you would've felt the mate bond if I touched you," Greyson says grabbing onto my hand pulling it away from my mouth. Instantly warmness and tingles erupt onto my skin.

"B-but how could I not smell any of you?" I look between them all.

"Alcohol trumps scent, screws it up," Faye tells me.

I shake my head releasing my hand from Greyson's. Instantly I start pacing back and forth through the closet constantly running a hand through my sweat ridden hair.

What is Jared going to do when he finds out they know? It's all my fault. "You're not supposed to know," I whisper. "You have no idea what you did." Constant tears stream down my face.

Greyson runs up to me grabbing onto my shoulders stopping me from continuing my never ending path. "Jared's going to pay for what he did to you."

"You don't get it!" I suddenly scream hitting his hands away. "I was protecting you! Protecting Faye! He threatened you two! He said he knew people who could kill you with the snap of his fingers!"

"He's not going to get the chance!" He yells in my face making my eyes soften, being taken back. He sighs calming his breathing. "Besides, Jared's going to think nothing is wrong until we have him down in the cells away from outside. I'm giving him his warrior rank back tomorrow so he can go down to the cells thinking he's doing his job. But damnit Willa, he's going to pay for everything he did to you. That I promise," he huffs pulling me into him.

Instantly I wrap my arms around him feeling secure and comforted. Do you think this could really work?

He kisses the top of my head, "I just don't want anything to happen to Faye. To you." I whisper.

"You can't get rid of me so easily little one."

~~~

My eyes flutter as Greyson pecks me on the lips. I groan watching him suddenly roll out of bed.

Slowly I sit up looking at him walk to the bathroom. "Morning," I smile softly.

He turns around smiling back. "Morning little one.

He runs his hands through his bed hair, making his muscles flex in all the right places. Not to mention he's only in his boxers and that sight alone is quite a treat.

Control Willa, control. It's too early in the morning

I look down rubbing my eyes of sleep before he has a chance to look back and catch me ogling.

"Hey, I'm going to go take a shower." He says, making my head snap up a quickly. I flash a smile onto my lips.

He smirks as he leans himself against the doorway, "Would you like to join?" He raises his eyebrow clenching his jaw waiting for an answer.

He's playing all the cards to make me be more influenced to say yes. The shirtlessness, the clenching of the jaw, the small smirk. He's begging for me to jump on him.

Then why don't you do it?

"Sure," I laugh. "As in, sure I'll jump in after you're done and getting dressed." I smile.

If that isn't showing control then I don't know what is.

Grey's expression drops instantly, though a little smile makes his way into his lips. "Low blow little one." He says like he's hurt. "You can't tell a man one thing and then correct it a second later. It's not very nice," he pouts making me laugh.

"So you're a man now?" I tease.

"I've always been a man," he grumbles lowly crossing his arms stubbornly across his chest.

More like a pouting toddler.

I chuckle blowing him a kiss. He pouts turning his head as if refusing the kiss.

I only roll my eyes slowly climbing out of bed. "While you're in the shower I'm going to get some toast or something. Do you want anything?"

"I'll take some toast too," he smiles pushing himself off he door frame. I nod walking towards the door. "And put some pants on!" He exclaims walking to the bathroom.

Suddenly I look down noticing my very short pajama pants.

I roll my eyes, but I still walk to the closet.

The shower turns on as I head out the door now dressed in black sweats. I shake my head fighting the smile that's wanting to make its way into my face.

He's going to be the death of me I swear.