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“Shut up,” Finn muttered, his eyes already drooping. “Some of us don’t have supernatural stamina.”

Logan moved up the bed, gathering Finn against his chest with surprising tenderness given the feral light still glowing in his eyes. “Sleep, little fox. We’ll be here when you wake.”

Finn’s eyes fluttered closed, his breathing evening out almost immediately. Exhaustion claimed him, dragging him into a deep sleep that softened his features and made him look even younger. His fox ears remained, twitching occasionally in his sleep, but seemed more relaxed than they had been since the lake incident.

The three brothers exchanged glances over Finn’s sleeping form, their bond humming with satisfaction and something deeper—a fierce protectiveness that went beyond mere possession. The air around them practically vibrated with restrained power, their wolves still fighting to break free, to complete the claiming that instinct demanded.

He’s ours now,Cade sent through their bond, brushing a strand of hair from Finn’s face with fingers that still trembled with the effort of controlling his shift.Truly ours.

Not completely,Logan reminded him, his internal voice a barely controlled growl.Not until he can shift properly.

And not until he accepts it,Keir added, his usual playfulness absent as he fought his own battle for control.In his heart, not just his body.

But the pre-marking is stronger,Cade noted, his fingers hovering over the now-brighter marks on Finn’s hip.Elder Miriam was right. The ritual worked.

Cade nodded, his eyes never leaving Finn’s peaceful face. The bond was stronger now—he could feel it. And so could Finn, whether he was ready to admit it or not. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, new complications. But for now, they had this—their little fox safe in their arms, their bond strengthening with each passing moment.

It was enough. For now, it was enough.

As Finn’s breathing deepened into sleep, the three brothers remained motionless, unwilling to disturb their exhausted mate. The moonlight streaming through the windows cast his skin in silver, highlighting the marks they’d left on him—evidence of their passion and restraint.

And that restraint was becoming unbearable. Cade’s body ached with unfulfilled need, his wolf clawing at the surface, demanding completion of what they’d started. His partially shifted claws had torn holes in the sheets, and he could taste blood where he’d bitten the inside of his cheek to maintain control. A quick glance at his brothers confirmed they were in similar states—Logan’s eyes still glowing amber, muscles bunched and tense beneath his skin; Keir’s breathing ragged, hands clenched into fists so tight his knuckles had gone white.

We need to run,Logan’s voice was barely recognizable through their bond, more animal than human.Now. Before we wake him. Before we take him.

I don’t want to leave him,Keir replied, his hand still gently stroking Finn’s hair despite the tremors running through it.Not after this.

Cade understood both sentiments perfectly. The thought of leaving Finn alone after what they’d shared felt wrong on a primal level. But staying beside him, aching and unfulfilled, withtheir wolves so close to the surface, would lead to something they couldn’t take back. Not yet. Not until Finn could shift fully, until the bond could be completed properly.

He’ll be safe here,Cade decided, carefully extracting himself from the bed, feeling his joints crack with the effort of moving slowly when his body demanded action.We won’t go far.

With practiced care, they tucked the blankets around Finn’s sleeping form. Each brother pressed a final kiss to some part of him—Cade to his forehead, Logan to his shoulder, Keir to his palm. Then, moving as one, they slipped from the bedroom and down the stairs.

The night air hit them like a blessing as they stepped onto the private deck. They stripped off what little clothing they still wore and shifted. The transformation was instantaneous, born of years of practice and the desperate need for release. Where three men had stood, three massive wolves now shook out their fur—golden brown, deep mahogany, and pale blond.

Cade led them down the path to the beach, their paws silent on the familiar terrain. The run would help—the physical exertion, the wind in their fur, the freedom of their wolf forms. It wouldn’t satisfy the demands of the mate bond, but it would make them bearable until Finn was ready.

As they raced along the shoreline, Cade cast one glance back at the illuminated windows of his bedroom. Their little fox was safe there, wrapped in their scents, surrounded by the evidence of their desire for him. The pre-marking was stronger now, the protection renewed. When they returned, they would curl around him, protecting him through the night.

And tomorrow… tomorrow they would face whatever came next. Together.

Chapter 16

Iwoke to the sensation of being slowly crushed to death by a pile of muscular limbs and radiating body heat. For a moment I couldn’t remember where I was or why I felt like I’d been hit by a truck—a pleasurable truck, but still. Then the memories flooded back, and I froze.

Oh.

Oh no.

Oh God.

I’d slept with my brothers. Well, technically not slept with them in the biblical sense—there had been no actual… penetration. But there had definitely been hands and mouths and… everything else. And it had been…

Amazing. Earth-shattering. Possibly life-altering.

I was so screwed. Literally and figuratively.

I cracked one eye open, assessing my predicament. I was in Cade’s bed—because of course we’d ended up in the most alpha of alpha territories—surrounded by three very naked, very asleep werewolves. Logan’s arm was thrown possessively across my waist, Keir’s leg was tangled with mine, and Cade… Cade was practically wrapped around my entire left side, his face buried in my neck, his breath hot against my skin.