Page 67 of Bound By Alphas 1: Bound

Drew nodded, his expression troubled as he watched Logan help Cade carefully transfer me to the smaller boat.

“I’ll check on you later,” Drew called down to us, clearly torn between his loyalty to me and his role as host.

As our small boat pulled away from the yacht, I caught a glimpse of Sophia and Mia at the railing—frustration quickly masked by sympathy. They’d failed this time, but I had no doubt they’d try again.

The ride back to shore was silent, Cade cradling me against his chest while Keir piloted the small craft and Logan kept a protective watch, his eyes scanning the water as if expecting further threats.

The walk to the car was a blur. My fox ears refused to retract, twitching with every sound, and my tail remained firmly in place, dripping lake water onto the dock. Keir walked ahead, clearing the path and opening doors, while Logan followed behind, his presence a wall of protection at my back.

In the SUV, Cade settled me in the back seat, wrapping another dry towel around my shoulders before sliding in beside me. Keir took the wheel while Logan claimed the passenger seat, his body half-turned to keep me in his sight.

“You’re safe now,” Cade murmured, his arm around my shoulders pulling me closer to his warmth. “We’ve got you.”

And despite everything—the confusion about our relationship, the revelation of the mate bond, my own conflicted feelings—I believed him. In that moment, I felt safer with these three men than anywhere else in the world.

Chapter 12

SINCLAIR BROTHERS

Cade felt it the instant Finn hit the water—a violent rupture in their bond that sent his wolf surging to the surface. One moment he had been watching Finn from across the boat, keeping a careful distance while maintaining awareness of his location. The next, his entire world narrowed to a single, primal imperative.

MATE. DANGER.

He was moving before conscious thought could form, his body responding to instinct alone. As he dove into the lake, the image of Finn’s face—shocked and betrayed as he fell backward—burned in his mind. Through their bond, he felt Logan and Keir’s immediate response, their shared consciousness flooded with protective rage.

The water was darker than it appeared from above, visibility limited by the afternoon sun’s glare on the surface. Cade’s wolf-enhanced vision searched desperately for any sign of their mate.

There,he projected through their bond, spotting Finn’s struggling form. The sight that met him sent a surge of both relief and fury—Finn was conscious but clearly in distress, hisfox features fully emerged underwater, complicating his ability to swim effectively.

Cade reached him in seconds, strong arms wrapping around Finn’s waist, pulling him upward with powerful strokes. The moment he touched him, Cade was struck by how light Finn felt, how fragile against his chest. He kicked hard toward the surface, one hand cradling Finn’s head.

When they broke the surface, Finn gasped and sputtered, coughing as air rushed back into his lungs. Through water-blurred vision, their mate was looking directly at him, conscious and aware despite his ordeal.

“I’ve got you,” Cade said, his voice steady despite the rage vibrating through him. “You’re safe.”

Logan and Keir were already in position, forming a protective triangle around Finn in the water. The three brothers moved as one, supporting Finn between them as they swam toward the boat. Their mate’s fox features were fully visible now, ears and tail exposed for everyone to see.

“Let’s get him up,” Keir said, positioning himself beneath Finn.

With careful coordination, the brothers lifted Finn back onto the deck, where he immediately collapsed into a coughing fit, expelling lake water from his lungs.

“Oh my God, Finn!” Sophia exclaimed, rushing forward with a towel. “That was terrifying! You just lost your balance and?—”

“Don’t,” Cade cut her off, his voice barely above a whisper but carrying an alpha command that rippled through the air like thunder. His wolf was so close to the surface he could barely contain it, rage pulsing through his veins at the Blackwood cousins’ calculated deception.

He snatched the towel from Sophia’s outstretched hands, deliberately avoiding contact with her as if her touch might trigger the violence simmering beneath his skin. Through theirbond, he felt Logan’s murderous intent—the middle brother was seconds away from shifting right there on the boat deck.

Control, Cade projected through their bond.Finn needs us calm.

Cade wrapped the towel around Finn’s slender shoulders, pulling him protectively against his chest. His mate’s body was trembling, fox ears twitching wildly with each sound, his skin cold and clammy against Cade’s. The scent of fear rolled off him in waves, mingling with lake water and the distinctive cherry-honey smell that was uniquely Finn.

“We need to get him home,” Logan growled, his voice barely human as his eyes tracked every movement on the boat with predatory assessment. His stance had shifted to combat-ready, muscles coiled to strike at the slightest provocation.

Jake and Tyler had backed away instinctively, beta wolves recognizing the dangerous energy radiating from three alphas in protective rage. Drew stood frozen, confusion and dawning suspicion warring on his face as he looked between his brother and the Blackwood cousins.

“But the day’s just starting,” Mia protested with practiced innocence, her voice a perfect blend of disappointment and concern that might have fooled someone who hadn’t witnessed her calculated push. “And Finn seems okay now?—”

Keir’s laugh was sharp and cold, nothing like his usual warm charm. “We’re leaving,” he stated, the finality in his tone making it clear this wasn’t a suggestion. His usual playful demeanor had vanished completely, replaced by an icy calculation that was somehow more frightening than Logan’s obvious rage.

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