Page 20 of Bound By Alphas 1: Bound

I yanked the comforter over my head, creating a tent of Egyptian cotton to hide my shame. “Go away,” I mumbled, focusing all my mental energy on willing my extra appendages to disappear. “I’m not feeling well.”

“Finn.” His voice was closer now, right beside the bed. The mattress dipped as he sat down, and his scent enveloped me completely—stronger, richer, making my fox parts tingle with awareness. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Just tired. Birthday hangover. Very contagious. You should definitely leave.”

“You’ve partially shifted again, haven’t you?”

My ears flattened against my head in response, which was answer enough. Traitors.

“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” he continued, his voice gentle in a way that made my chest ache. “It’s perfectly normal for?—”

“If you say ‘late bloomers,’ I will bite you,” I warned from beneath my cotton fortress.

His chuckle rumbled through the mattress, the sound sending an unwelcome wave of heat through my body. “I was going to say ‘fox shifters,’ actually. Especially those with Japanese heritage.”

Before I could formulate a suitably snarky response, the comforter was whisked away, leaving me exposed in my briefs and oversized t-shirt, ears flattened and tail still tucked between my legs.

“Don’t look at me!” I yelped, trying to grab the blanket back.

“Too late,” Cade said, his blue eyes taking in my extra appendages with an expression I couldn’t quite read. “I’ve already seen everything.”

I covered my ears with my hands, as if that would somehow make them disappear. “I’m a disaster. Why am I like this? Why can’t I just shift properly like everyone else?”

Instead of answering immediately, Cade reached out and gently pulled my hands away from my ears. “You’re not a disaster,” he said firmly. “You’re just growing into your power. It’s actually quite common for Asian shifters, especially those with fox blood. Your mother was the same way.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’re lying to make me feel better.”

“Maybe a little,” he admitted with a small smile. “But it is true that different shifter bloodlines mature at different rates. The Tanaka line has always been known for powerful fox shifters who come into their abilities more gradually.”

It was total bullshit, but I appreciated the effort. And the way he was looking at me—not with disgust or disappointment, but with something that almost seemed like… fondness?

Before I could analyze that look further, he did something completely unexpected. He reached out and pulled me into his arms, settling me against his chest.

The moment my body made contact with his, a jolt of electricity shot through me. His warmth enveloped me, his scent filling my lungs until I felt dizzy with it. My traitorous body responded instantly—heart racing, skin flushing, and worse, a wave of arousal so strong I had to bite my lip to keep from whimpering.

“Besides,” he murmured, his breath tickling my new ears, “you look cute like this.”

Cute. Not sexy, not desirable. Cute. Like a puppy or a kitten or some other harmless pet. The word twisted in my gut even as I unconsciously leaned into his touch, my body betraying me by seeking more contact.

Then his fingers found the base of my ears, scratching gently, and every coherent thought fled my brain. A sound that was embarrassingly close to a purr escaped my throat as I melted against him, my fox parts responding to his touch in ways I couldn’t control.

“You like that, huh?” There was amusement in his voice, but something else too—something deeper, rougher that sent another wave of heat through me.

“Mmm,” was all I could manage, my tail now twitching happily behind me. “Don’t stop.”

“Well, isn’t this cozy?”

I froze at the new voice, my eyes flying open to find Keir leaning against the doorframe, looking unfairly gorgeous in jeans and a Henley that stretched across his broad shoulders. His golden hair was still damp from a shower, and his blue eyes sparkled with mischief as he took in the scene before him.

Then I noticed his gaze shift to something on my bed, and mortification washed over me in a fresh wave. Keir’s suit jacketfrom last night was still there, rumpled and obviously slept with. I’d fallen asleep clutching it like some lovesick teenager, comforted by his scent when I’d been too upset to think clearly.

“I—I’ll wash your jacket and return it,” I stammered, ears flattening in embarrassment. “Sorry about that.”

A slow smile spread across Keir’s face, something warm and possessive flickering in his eyes. “Keep it as long as you like, little fox. Looks better in your room than mine anyway.”

The moment he fully entered, his scent hit me—citrus and sandalwood and that same alpha musk that seemed designed specifically to make me lose my mind. My ears twitched forward without my permission, and I felt a fresh wave of arousal crash through me. What was happening to me?

I tried to pull away from Cade, mortification flooding back, but his arms tightened around me. “I’ll be ready soon,” I mumbled, my ears flattening again. “Just give me a few minutes to… fix this.”

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