Wil's POV:

My head was pounding and my throat felt dry. When I spoke my voice was a croak.

I couldn't believe those bastards had gotten to me, I must be losing my touch. I need to pay more attention; this was a risky moment, not the time for distractions.

I glanced over my shoulder to see that Nathan-kun was still following me, an exhausted and distressed Sang in his arms.

My heart squeezed painfully in my chest at the sight of her tear streaked face. I wish she didn't have to go through so much pain, but sadly there was nothing I could do about that. Pain was a part of life, and for us it was a big part.

I clenched my fists against my own need of taking her in my arms and comforting her. She was fine where she was, and it was best that she learns to trust and depend on the Blackbourne team. If everything went as I planned they would belong to her sooner rather than later.

That was the only thing I could do to ensure her happiness and safety.

Approaching the door to the office where I know all the boys are going to be at I knock quickly on the wood before opening and stepping inside.

They look at me briefly before their eyes fly to the blond girl behind me and I watch intently as their expressions change from boredom and impatience to worry, fear and caring.

Yup.

It is all going as expected in this front.

I sat down facing Blackbourne-san, Luke-kun, Silas-kun, North-kun and Sean-san sat to my right. Kota-kun, Victor-kun and Gabriel-kun sat to my left.

Nathan-kun joined them, sitting at my side between me and Gabriel-kun, Sang still on his lap.

"What the fuck happened?" Gabriel exclaimed.

"Are you okay, Pookie? Come here and let me take a look at you." Sean-san ordered.

"Princess, are you okay?" Victor's question made me look sharply at him. Did he know? No, he couldn't.

But still, I had to give it to him, the boy nailed it by calling her "Princess". If only he knew... I thought wryly.

"I'm fine." She said quietly from where she was still sitting on Nathan's lap. It didn't look like she planned to get up from there any time soon. I almost smirked.

"Can someone please explain what is going on?" Blackbourne-san asked with an exasperated sigh.

Then I started by telling them about the attack last night, followed by Sang who explained how she ended in my room and why and what happened afterwards, and finally Nathan told his part.

Once we were done reporting the room fell silent for a few minutes.

"Shit." Kota-kun said, startling everyone.

"Well said, Lee-kun, but let's avoid any cursing, okay?" Blackbourne-san commanded to which the other boy merely nodded.

Sighing, Blackbourne fixed his gaze on North and Silas before giving his orders, "Go back to Wil-sama's rooms and begin the cleanup."

They both nodded and stood up to do as ordered.

Once they had left Sean-san turned to Blackbourne-san and asked "Well, and what are we going to do now, my friend?"

Owen Blackbourne raised his hand to fix his glasses and answered calmly "We need to make sure the ascension of the heiress of the Sorenson clan goes correctly and send them back home before our lord decides to start a war. Technically, we, the Academy clan have no fault in the death of their lord so a war should still be avoidable if we offer our help accordingly."

Sang flinched at his words and muttered "I'm sorry." Her hand raised, fingers pressing to her lip.

I moved before anyone else could, taking hold of her hand and causing her to focus on me. "This was not your fault Sang, and I hope you aren't sorry you saved my life." I said, smiling a little at her wide-eyed look.

"Of course I am not sorry I saved you Wil!" she exclaimed taking my hand between both of hers, "I am just sorry that this caused things to become so much more complicated." She muttered sadly.

I nodded at her to show I understood before saying, "Actually it is a good thing, sweetie."

She raised startled eyes at me, completely shocked.

"What do you mean, Wil-sama?" Blackbourne-san asked, breaking my focus from Sang and causing me to glance at him.

I smirked at him "Well, that is simple, really. Sorenson wasn't much better than my own father. None of them were fit to be lords anymore, and leaving that sort of men in the power can cause problems not only to their clan but that of others. His death was rather convenient."

The older boy nodded in agreement after a moment of thought.

"There is a little problem, however." I said and them all turned to me. "Marie Sorenson-sama isn't the real heiress."

......

Owen's POV:

I blinked.

Surely I didn't hear what I think I just heard.

By the shocked expressions on all of my brothers' faces, however, I knew that I did indeed hear Wil-sama saying that Marie-sama wasn't the Sorensons real heiress.

"What do you mean, Wil-sama?" Great, now I was repeating myself.

The brat of course took notice of that fact if the insolent smirk on his face was anything to go by.

"Exactly what I said, Blackbourne-san. Marie is not the oldest daughter. She isn't even Ronald's child, really. Elise was already pregnant when she married the Sorenson lord."

Well, fuck.

"Mother fucking shit!" Gabriel exclaimed with his usual flair for words.

"Language, Coleman-kun" I said automatically.

"If Marie isn't the real heiress, so, who is?" Kota-kun asked from beside me, his hand rising to fix his glasses, a thoughtful expression on his face.

The younger boy wasn't going to let this new tidbit of fact get in the way, I had no doubt his brain was already calculating every possibility and finding solutions.

I watched as the Academy heir fixed his own calculating gaze on Sang and the pieces started to fall in place.

By the shock on Sean's and Victor's gaze it seemed that my two brothers had arrived at the same conclusion.

"Sang," Wil-sama called for her attention.

The girl turned confused, green eyes in his direction, and stared.

They merely looked at each other for a few minutes until understanding dawned on her expression and her mouth fell open in shock before she started to shake her head from side to side in denial.

"No. It can't be, Wil." She said, her voice faint, she'd paled and Sean stood from his place beside me to sit between Gabriel and Nathan to check on her.

"Breath, Pookie. We will solve this." Sean crooned at her, taking her wrist in his hands.

By then the other boys had caught up and were staring in horror at Sang and Wil.

"How is it possible?" She asked tremulously.

"I have your birth certificate, which proves he was your father. And the shrine's shaman from your own clan can attest that you are indeed Ronald's only daughter." Wil answered.

She began hyperventilating then.

Sean took her from Nathan and walked out into the garden, Gabriel trailing after him.

I could see my other brothers wanted to follow him too, but stayed behind instead. They knew they would be of more help here, sorting this situation out for her.

Kota-kun turned to me then.

"I think we need to review where our loyalty truly lies, Blackbourne-san." He said.

I nodded in agreement with him. It was time we sat down and choose which side we were truly fighting for.

"Once all your brothers have returned we will take a vote." I declared.

My gaze met that of the Academy heir and the pleased expression on his face told me he approved the possibility of us leaving.

If I doubted he cared for Sang before, now I had no doubts. His father would never give up his most lethal killers to another clan.

......

Sang's POV:

Heiress.

Heiress.

Heiress.

Not a servant, but a heiress.

Well, that explained all the opportunities to study and better myself that I had received.

How did I miss it?

Maybe because I'd also been treated like trash by my mistress and her daughter, but even that made sense.

They must have known and hated me for it.

I was Ronald Sorenson's only daughter. The man whom I had killed today.

I killed my father.

My body went suddenly airborne and I screeched as I flew until I hit the hot water.

I came back up sputtering, water having come into my mouth, eyes and nose.

"Mother fucking shit, Doc! I didn't tell you to throw her in, God damn it!" Gabriel was cursing from where he stood at the edge of the hot spring.

Sean gave him an innocent look, as if to say "I didn't know what you meant!" to which Gabriel huffed before turning his attention back to me.

"Come back here, Trouble. I will help with your hair before we leave you alone to take a bath." He commanded.

I blinked at him. "A bath? What? Now?" I asked incredulously, my wet kimono sticking to my body like a second skin.

He just smirked at me. "Sure, why not?"

I started walking over to him, "Are you crazy? I just found out I killed my own father and am supposed to become head of a whole clan while in enemy territory and you are suggesting I take a bath?" I would be screaming at him now, if I could, but as it was I merely spoke a bit loudly.

"First off, Pookie, that man wasn't your father, just a sperm donator. Trust me, I am a doctor, I know what I am talking about." Sean said from beside Gabriel, his face serious, but with a twinkle in his eye.

"Yeah, Trouble. Besides, as an heiress from a clan you have a right to take a relaxing bath before dealing with all the shit falling into your lap." Gabriel said as I approached him.

He signaled for me to turn my back to him as he kneeled behind me with a bottle of shampoo in his hands.

"Besides, I am sure you will find that you have plenty of friends even in the "enemy's territory", Trouble." He murmured by my ear as he started massaging my scalp with the shampoo.

I couldn't believe how good it felt to have someone else washing my own hair and almost moaned.

His touch was firm and so relaxing I felt my muscles turning to mush, the stress leaving my body.

"I am going to stand by the door and make sure we aren't interrupted. You take care of her, Gabriel-kun." Sean ordered before I heard his footsteps walking away.

"You are not alone, Sang-chan." Gabriel murmured, his deep voice a warm breath at the side of my face setting butterflies at my tummy and tingles racing up my spine.

I swallowed deeply.

"We are from different clans, Gabriel-san. Your lord wants the Sorenson's heiress death. He wants me dead." I whispered to him.

His fingers started combing the strands of hair. "Huuummm" he hummed, "I think none of that is going to matter by nightfall, Trouble."

I wanted to turn around and look into his eyes, see the truth in them, the brightness. But I couldn't convince myself to move when his hands began massaging my scalp once again.

"How?" I asked instead. "How are things going to change?"

"Our first loyalty has always been to our family and second to our clan." He said. "I think it is time we review what is best for our family, keep following a corrupt leader or find a new one."

His words made my heart skip a beat and the air rush from my lungs. Certainly he wasn't saying what I thought he was saying!

This time I did turn around, the water sloshing around me, and grabbed one of his arms at the wrist. "What are you saying, Gabriel-san?" I asked while looking intently into his bright blue eyes. For once they didn't look wild and excited, but completely serious, like Nathan's often looked.

"I can't talk for my brothers, you little trouble-maker. But I assure you, if I have my way when you return to your clan there is going to be nine guys with you, ready to protect and help you." he leaned closer until our foreheads were touching. "You don't be alone ever again." He whispered.

My heart was beating double time, as if in hope of leaving my chest. I could only imagine where the traitorous organ wished to go. Right into this beautiful boy's hands.

God help me.

......

Gabriel's POV:

She was fucking beautiful.

She was always fucking beautiful, and it was irksome. How could someone look so damnably pretty even when she was about to break down?

In no more than a few days I had watched this girl sitting in front of me show so many expressions and different traits to her personality that I was almost dizzy.

I had admired her strength when she fought with me and Victor, I had found myself respecting her for her intelligence and resourcefulness, I had obsessed over her beauty and I had practically applauded her innate kindness.

Now, seeing the vulnerability in her gaze, the fear of what was to come, the uncertainty but also the determination to make it all work for the best all I wanted was to love her.

Yeah, I was a killer, an orphan, a servant to my lord and an artist.

Not someone worthy of a clan heiress.

But damn if I didn't fall for her. I could never be able to love her the way I wanted, but I was going to give her all the love she allowed me to give.

"Gabriel-san," She breathed my name in that raspy and sexy voice of hers and I had to close my eyes to control myself.

I was supposed to be helping her, making her feel good and more grounded, not trying to seduce her.

I gulped at the thought that maybe I could seduce her.

Bad Gabriel! No!

I leaned away from her before I gave in to my heart's wishes and kissed the shit out of the unsuspecting girl.

"Now turn back around, you beautiful Trouble-maker." Before you get me in trouble.

I finished washing her hair in silence, humming an old song that I couldn't remember where I had heard before.

Once I was done I told her I would bring a yukata for her to dress into after she was finished with her bath and hightailed out of there before temptation put me in trouble.

Shit! I needed to stop thinking about getting in trouble!