Elder Takoda, his weathered face grave, had leaned forward. “Physical intimacy is one way—the sharing of pleasure reinforces the bond even without completion. The other is through the direct application of your combined alpha energy to the marks themselves.”

“And if we fail?” Logan had asked, voicing the fear that haunted all three of them.

Elder Miriam’s eyes had darkened. “Then when the Blood Moon rises, the Shadow Harvesters will sense him. And this time, they will take more than just his parents.”

Cade positioned himself behind Finn, pressing hot kisses along the elegant curve of his spine. Each vertebra received attention, his tongue tracing patterns that made Finn shiver beneath him. When he reached the base of Finn’s tail, he paused, running his fingers through the silky fur. Finn’s reaction was immediate—a full-body shudder and a moan that Keir swallowed with his kiss.

As Cade’s eyes caught the pre-marking again, he felt his wolf surge forward with such force that his vision momentarily flashed red. The need to claim, to complete what they’d started six years ago, was almost overwhelming. He dug his fingers into the mattress, feeling his claws beginning to emerge, tearing into the expensive sheets. The scent of Finn’s arousal, mixed with his own unique fox-like musk, was driving Cade to the edge of his control.

Hold it together,he commanded himself, forcing his wolf back with sheer willpower. Through their bond, he felt his brothers’ similar struggles—Logan’s eyes had shifted partially, glowing amber in the dim light, while Keir’s canines had elongated, pressing against his lower lip as he kissed Finn.

His hands kneaded Finn’s ass, spreading those perfect cheeks to reveal his most intimate place. The movement causedFinn to shift, his hip turning upward, the pre-marking fully visible now.

“So responsive,” Cade murmured, reaching for the oil on his nightstand. He coated his fingers liberally, then returned to his exploration, circling Finn’s entrance with teasing precision. As he did, he bent to press his lips against the silver mark on Finn’s hip, letting his tongue trace the pattern.

The contact sent a jolt of electricity through both of them—Finn arching with a gasp, Cade fighting back a growl as his wolf howled within him. He could feel his alpha energy responding to the mark, wanting to pour into it, to strengthen the claim they’d begun years ago.

Logan chose that moment to lower his head, taking Finn’s cock into his mouth with a hunger that bordered on reverence. The dual sensations of Logan’s hot mouth and Cade’s probing finger had Finn crying out, his body arching off the bed, his tail lashing wildly.

“Please,” Finn begged, the word muffled against Keir’s demanding lips. “I can’t—it’s too much?—”

“You can take it,” Cade assured him, sliding a finger inside with careful precision.

The tight heat of Finn’s body gripping his finger sent a jolt of pleasure straight to Cade’s cock. His control slipped further, a low growl escaping him as his wolf fought to take over. He wanted—needed—to claim Finn fully, to bury himself in that tight heat, to mark him inside and out as theirs forever. The restraint was physically painful, his muscles trembling with the effort of holding back.

Fuck, he’s tight,Cade sent through their bond, his internal voice a ragged growl.I don’t know how much longer I can?—

Hold on,Logan interrupted, his own control hanging by a thread.Not yet. Not until he can shift fully.

Cade worked Finn open slowly, adding a second finger when he felt the resistance ease. Each thrust of his fingers matched the rhythm of Logan’s mouth on Finn’s cock, creating a symphony of pleasure that had their mate writhing between them. All the while, he kept his mouth on the pre-marking, letting his tongue trace the pattern, feeling his alpha energy responding to the ancient magic embedded in Finn’s skin.

Keir swallowed Finn’s increasingly desperate sounds, his hands tangled in Finn’s hair to hold him in place for his demanding kisses. Through their bond, Cade could feel Finn’s pleasure building, spiraling higher with each passing second.

“That’s it, little fox,” Cade encouraged, curling his fingers to find that special spot inside Finn that made him see stars. “Let go for us one more time.”

As Finn approached his climax, Cade met his brothers’ eyes over their mate’s trembling body. As one, they focused their alpha energy on the pre-marking—Cade directly through his mouth on the mark, Logan and Keir channeling their power through their bond. The ritual Elder Miriam had taught them required all three to channel their power simultaneously during Finn’s moment of greatest vulnerability.

Finn’s release hit with the force of a tsunami, his body convulsing as he came down Logan’s eager throat. The sound he made—half scream, half sob—was the most beautiful thing Cade had ever heard. His fox ears flattened completely against his head, and his tail went rigid as pleasure overwhelmed him. The mate bond flared between them, bright and demanding, carrying echoes of Finn’s pleasure to each of the brothers.

As they channeled their alpha energy into the pre-marking, something remarkable happened. The silver marks on Finn’s hip began to glow, pulsing with power, expanding into intricate patterns that spread across his skin before fading back into the original triangle. For a moment, Finn’s entire body seemedilluminated from within, a soft silver light emanating from him as the protection renewed itself.

Finn, lost in the throes of pleasure, seemed unaware of the supernatural energy flowing through him. His eyes were closed, his body arched in ecstasy, completely surrendered to the sensations they created.

The sight of him—glowing with their combined power, marked by their energy—shattered what remained of their control. Cade’s claws fully extended, tearing into the mattress beneath them. Logan’s eyes burned supernatural amber, his growl vibrating through the room as he fought against his wolf’s demand to claim. Keir’s fangs had fully emerged, pressing against Finn’s skin as he kissed his way down their mate’s neck, careful not to break the skin despite his wolf’s howling insistence.

Mine. Ours. Claim. Mark. MATE.

Their wolves’ voices were a primal chorus through their bond, demanding completion with an intensity that was nearly impossible to resist. Cade had never experienced such a powerful urge to shift, to claim, to mate. His entire body shook with the effort of maintaining human form, sweat beading on his brow as he fought against instinct.

Not. Yet.He forced the words through their bond, each one a battle against his own nature.He’s. Not. Ready.

As the waves of pleasure subsided, Finn collapsed boneless against the sheets, his chest heaving with exertion. His eyes were glazed, his lips swollen from Keir’s kisses, his body bearing the marks of their attention. The silver glow faded from his skin, leaving the pre-marking stronger but once again visible only as a faint pattern on his hip.

“No more,” he gasped, though his cock gave a valiant twitch when Logan licked his lips. His tail flopped limply against thebed, completely spent. “I’m done. Finished. If I come again, I might actually die.”

Cade laughed, the sound strained as he fought to retract his claws, to regain his humanity. “We can’t have that.”

“Death by orgasm,” Keir mused, his tone thoughtful as he stroked Finn’s fox ear, his fangs gradually receding. “Not the worst way to go.”