Page 114 of Bound By Alphas 1: Bound

Keir moved to kneel beside Logan, his hand replacing Cade’s on my cock, his rhythm faster, rougher, his grip tighter than Cade’s had been. “Look at you,” he said, his voice rough with desire. “Taking us all so perfectly. Made for us.”

The scar on my hip began to burn, no longer just warm but actively hot, as if responding to their touch, their words, their need. With each stroke of Keir’s hand, each thrust of Logan’s fingers, each scrape of Cade’s teeth against my neck, the mark pulsed hotter, spreading warmth throughout my body.

I felt my fox features emerge—ears and tail appearing as they often did during intense emotion—but this time there was more. A ripple of power surged through me, strange markings appearing on my skin, glowing silver in the dimming light of the studio.

“Finn,” Cade gasped, his body going rigid against mine. “You’re?—”

Whatever he saw in me seemed to snap the last thread of their restraint. A growl rippled through all three of them simultaneously, a primal sound that vibrated in the air betweenus. Their movements became wilder, more instinctual—Cade’s teeth closing on the nape of my neck in a dominant hold that would have terrified me with anyone else, Keir’s hand moving at a punishing pace, Logan adding a third finger alongside the first two, stretching me to the point of pain.

The pressure built inside me, a coiling tension that bordered on unbearable. My body trembled between them, caught in a storm of sensation too intense to process. The markings on my skin glowed brighter, pulsing in time with my racing heart.

“Let go,” Keir commanded, his voice an alpha’s order that my body couldn’t help but obey. “Come for us. Now.”

The orgasm hit like lightning striking, pleasure exploding outward from my core in waves that stole my breath and vision. Silver light burst behind my eyes, and for a moment, I felt something shift inside me—as if pieces of my soul were rearranging themselves, making room for something new.

I screamed their names—all three of them—as my body convulsed between them. For a heartbeat, I felt connected to them in a way that transcended the physical, as if our very essences were intertwining. The sensation was both terrifying and exhilarating, too much and not enough all at once.

When awareness returned, I was lying on the sectional, cradled between their bodies, their arms forming a protective cage around me. I was trembling, aftershocks of pleasure still rippling through me, tears streaming down my face though I couldn’t have said why. Joy, grief, pleasure, pain—all of it mixed together in a confusing tangle of emotion I couldn’t begin to unravel.

“Shh,” Cade soothed, his voice gentle now as he gathered me against his chest. “We’ve got you.”

“You’re safe,” Logan added, his large hand stroking down my spine, the earlier roughness replaced by tender care.

“Always,” Keir promised, pressing a kiss to my temple, his lips soft against my skin.

I let them hold me, comfort me, pretending for just a little longer that their words were true. That this was real. That they wanted me as desperately as I wanted them.

The setting sun cast shadows across the studio floor, painting us in shades of gold and amber. In that perfect northern light, with their arms around me and their scent surrounding me, I could almost believe we belonged together. That fate hadn’t played a cruel joke on all of us.

Almost.

But I had heard the truth from their own lips. Duty. Obligation. A twisted joke of fate.

As I drifted toward sleep, cradled in their arms, I made my decision. I would leave. I would pack my things while they were occupied with pack business, take the acceptance letter from Seattle Art Institute, and start a new life far away from here.

Far away from them.

It would hurt—God, it would hurt like nothing I’d ever experienced. But staying, knowing they were with me out of duty rather than desire, would hurt more in the long run.

This night, this perfect memory captured in golden light, would have to be enough to sustain me. The last kiss. The final touch. The memory of being completely, if temporarily, theirs.

Chapter 23

SINCLAIR BROTHERS

Four Years Later

The council chambers had not changed in centuries—stone walls steeped in old magic, ancient wooden tables worn smooth by generations of supernatural hands, and windows that filtered the evening light into patterns that seemed to whisper secrets. Cade stood at the head of the oval table, his hands braced against the polished surface as he surveyed the room.

Elder Miriam MacKenzie sat opposite him, her silver hair gleaming in the fading light, her eyes sharp despite her advanced years. To her right sat Elder Takoda, his weathered face impassive, and Elder Wu, whose fox heritage was evident in her quick, assessing gaze. Logan and Keir flanked Cade, their postures mirroring his tension.

“You’re certain?” Cade asked, his voice carefully controlled despite the churning in his gut. “The signs are unmistakable?”

Elder Miriam nodded, her gnarled fingers tracing patterns on the ancient map spread before them. “The celestial alignments have begun shifting. Not a Blood Moon yet, but the preliminary signs are there.” She looked up, her eyes meeting Cade’s. “The Shadow Harvesters are growing active again.”

Logan’s jaw tightened, a muscle jumping beneath his skin. “How many incidents?”

“Three disappearances along the West Coast in the past month,” Elder Wu confirmed, her voice soft but carrying. “My contacts in the fox community report increased activity. Young shifters, mostly. Those with unusual abilities or mixed heritage.”

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