The feeling in the room in changing. Maybe it’s because we’re all together at mealtimes, or maybe this is just a really good. bgroup /bwith the exception of Logan, but the dining hall is starting bto /bhave a family atmosphere to it. People call out to each other across the tables, giving each other a hard time, and bantering back and forth. And there isughter, lots ofughter. I didn’t think there would be afterst week, but there is. Unlike in the past when I felt like I was a bit on the outside of it all, this time, I feel like I’m right in the middle of it. It’s a good feeling. A feeling like I truly belong here. It truly feels like we’re developing our own little pack for the short time everyone is here.

When dinner is over, Alpha James stands to address the group.

“Alright everyone. The good news bis /byou all survived hell week.”

We all begin to cheer, myself included. It was a hell week, and we did survive.

James smiles like a proud father but eventually quiets us down. “Your work isn’t done, but the worst is over. Now, we begin building you to the incredible fucking Alphas I know you can be!”

We all cheer again.

“The next two months are going to go faster than you’ll believe. Every day you’ll get stronger, every day you’ll get better, and before you know it, we’ll be sitting here having a graduation ceremony and maybe, hopefully, putting some new names on

18:10

that leaderboard!:

There’s bmore /bcheeringb, /bhowling, and hand thumping on the tablesb. /b

b“/bBefore we begin handing out individual tokens, are there any ten point tokens I need to give out tonight?” he asks.

“Uh, Tyler gets a token for the sex ss,” Haley saysb, /bblushing.

“Penile pration?” James asks to rify.

She nods.

“Christina gets one too,” Sebastian says. When I look, he’s practically daring Logan to say a word about it. Then his eyes meet mine across the table and he winks at me.

“I’ll remind everyone that the sex ss isn’t a race, that’s why most of these tokens are avable to all Alphas who achieve the goal. Work with your partners, go at their pace,” James says, handing me and Tyler our ten–point tokens.

We go around and give out tokens, most of us getting and receiving them. Only Logan still seems unable to get a token for giving Sylvie an orgasm and I’m guessing my words to him earlier hit h ne.

I think Noah is actually giving Josephine more tokens for being willing to work with him than she’s giving him for the orgasms he’s giving her. She seems quite amused with him and I’m d that he’s finally got a partner that is going to help him seed.

When we’re done, I find Sebastian.

“Ten minutesb?/bb” /bI ask him.

See byou /bbthen/b.

bI /bbhave /bban /bbidea /bfor tonight. It’s putting bme /ba bit bout /bbof /bbmy /bown bfort /bbzone/b, it’s something I’ve never done before, but I bthink /bbthe /bbsex /bss is more than just giving orgasms. It’s about exploring your own sexuality and that of your partner while figuring out what makes you and your partner’s time together, band /btherefore your orgasms, that much stronger.

I get to my room and change into my robe. Since I know I’ll be having sex tonight, I don’t bother staying dressed. I also like the idea of using the tie on my robe to bind Sebastian’s wrists tonight. Hopefully that will keep him from rubbing his wrists raw again.

When I get to his room, he’s wearing only boxers. I look down and see that he’s already sporting an erection.

“Are you excited about tonight, Sebastian?” I purr at him.

“Yes,” he says. “The not knowing what to expect has been its own sort of delicious torture today.”

I walk past him, letting my hand slide over his erection. He wasn’t quite hard, but the moment I touch him, he goes rock. hard against my hand.

“Take off your boxers and lie on the bed,” I tell him. Heplies quickly.

I slowly untie my robe and slide the tie out of the loops on the robe. “I thought we’d try something softer tonight,” I say, holding up the tie. Without me asking, he puts his wrists together over his head.

O

18:10

On Instinct, I lean bover /bband /bgently kiss his lips before tying his wrists together band /bbthen /bbtying /bbhim /bbto /bbthe /bbheadboard/bb. /b

When he’s btied /bbup/bb, /bbI /btake my time, looking over his body. I brun /bbmy /bbhands /bover his muscr chest and stomach.