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Network 2

Author: PeaceFoundMee
last update Last Updated: 2025-11-15 23:17:16

THORNE POV

Elena returned to the network after forty seven days but she was different. The girl who came back was quieter. More careful with her emotional broadcasts. There was distance in her presence that had not been there before.

"It was beautiful," she told us when we asked about her experience. "Being alone. Having thoughts that were completely mine. Not worrying about how my emotions affected everyone. For the first time in my life I understood what you all lost when you bonded."

"Do you regret coming back," Sera asked and I felt her fear through the network.

"No. But I understand now why some people choose to stay severed. The peace is seductive. Not having constant input. Not feeling everyone's everything all the time."

Iris was sitting as far from Elena as possible while still being in the room. Through the network I felt her hurt and anger. "You left me. You chose being alone over being connected to us."

"I chose understanding myself. That is not the same as choosing agains
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  • The Mafia's Forbidden Heat   Ownership

    RIN POVIris met someone new six months after Elena's return and this time she was honest from the beginning. His name was Aaron and he was part of a different network community two hours north. When Iris told him about collective consciousness he just nodded and said his family had been bonded for three generations."He understands," Iris said with relief flooding through our connection. "I do not have to explain or hide anything. He just gets it.""That is good," I said while feeling uncertain through my bond with Thorne. Dating within network communities was easier but it also meant limited options. What if Aaron was not right for her but she settled because he understood collective consciousness."You are overthinking," Thorne sent through our private channel. "Let her be happy. We can worry about whether he is right for her if it gets serious."Aaron visited the following weekend and I felt him before I saw him. His network presence was strong and confident. Not intrusive but de

  • The Mafia's Forbidden Heat   Network 2

    THORNE POVElena returned to the network after forty seven days but she was different. The girl who came back was quieter. More careful with her emotional broadcasts. There was distance in her presence that had not been there before."It was beautiful," she told us when we asked about her experience. "Being alone. Having thoughts that were completely mine. Not worrying about how my emotions affected everyone. For the first time in my life I understood what you all lost when you bonded.""Do you regret coming back," Sera asked and I felt her fear through the network."No. But I understand now why some people choose to stay severed. The peace is seductive. Not having constant input. Not feeling everyone's everything all the time."Iris was sitting as far from Elena as possible while still being in the room. Through the network I felt her hurt and anger. "You left me. You chose being alone over being connected to us.""I chose understanding myself. That is not the same as choosing agains

  • The Mafia's Forbidden Heat   Networked.

    RIN POVIris turned fifteen and fell in love with a boy who was not networked. His name was Daniel and he had no idea that collective consciousness existed or that the quiet girl in his history class could feel his emotions if she focused hard enough."This is a disaster," Iris said through the network while lying dramatically on her bed. "How do I talk to someone who cannot feel what I am feeling. Words are so inadequate.""Welcome to how most of humanity communicates," Kai said with amusement through the connection. "You use your words and hope they understand.""But I already know he likes me. I can sense it when I am near him. His emotions are so clear. But I cannot tell him I know because then I would have to explain the network."Through our bond Thorne sent concern. "She is going to have to tell him eventually if this continues. She cannot have a relationship built on deception.""She is fifteen. This might last two weeks.""Or it might last longer and then we have bigger probl

  • The Mafia's Forbidden Heat   Temporary.

    THORNE POVIris's temporary severing lasted four hours and twenty six minutes before she begged us to reconnect her. Dr. Voss had monitored the entire process while Rin and I waited outside the room feeling the absence of her presence in our network like a missing limb."It was horrible," Iris said once she was reconnected and clinging to both of us. "Everything was so quiet. I kept reaching for you and Elena and everyone and there was nothing. Just emptiness.""That is what individual consciousness feels like," I told her gently. "Being alone in your own head.""How did you survive it. How does anyone survive being that lonely.""Because when you grow up that way you do not know anything different. The loneliness is normal."Through our bond I felt her processing this new understanding. She had experienced what we lost when we bonded. Now she knew why we sometimes missed privacy even as we valued connection."I never want to be severed again," she declared. "The network is better. Be

  • The Mafia's Forbidden Heat   Network.

    RIN POVFive years after we published the network guidelines Iris turned eight and asked the question I had been dreading. "Do you and Papa ever wish you were not bonded."We were sitting by the lake near our permanent home. A small house we had finally bought after years of temporary shelters. Just the three of us and our small network living nearby but not on top of each other."Why would you ask that," I said carefully."Because sometimes through the bond I feel you being sad about it. Both of you. Like you miss something you used to have."She was perceptive in ways that normal eight year olds were not. Growing up networked meant she read emotions with perfect clarity. There was no hiding feelings from her."We do not wish we were not bonded," I said honestly. "But sometimes we miss privacy. Being able to have thoughts that are just our own.""You have private thoughts from me all the time. You and Papa have your special bond channel that I cannot access.""That is different. That

  • The Mafia's Forbidden Heat   Information.

    THORNE POVMarcus's information led us to three other communities operating like Network Haven. Controlled collectives where central nodes manipulated hundreds of people without their awareness. We spent six months documenting the manipulation and quietly helping people escape.It was exhausting dangerous work that took us away from Iris constantly. Rin and I would coordinate through our bond while physically separated. Him infiltrating one network while I worked on another. Both of us pretending to be interested in joining while actually gathering evidence."I hate this," Rin said through our private bond during one particularly difficult infiltration. "I hate being away from you. I hate leaving Iris with others. I hate that we are still fighting battles we should have walked away from.""Two more networks after this one. Then we are done.""You said that about the last network."He was right. We kept finding more manipulation. More communities that needed exposure. More people trapp

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