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Victor saw Riley and Zack exchange glances. “No,” they said almost simultaneously.

“It’s the best solution for the moment,” Riley said, and Raschid stood.

“Daniel said he would keep me informed. I will make sure you are protected.” They heard the door open and children’s voices, and Victor let out a breath of relief when he realized Christopher had brought the kids back. That was going to be another problem. The older kids couldn’t go to school while this was sorted out, either. And he guessed that was why Riley was texting. To warn everyone.

Christopher strolled back into the kitchen with what looked like half a dozen kids. He immediately went to shake Raschid’s hand. “Thank you,” he said, confirming that Riley had told him what was happening.

Raschid glanced at Victor. “Keep me informed.” Then he left.

“Let’s get you both settled,” Riley suggested.

“I can do that,” Zack said.

Mo glanced at both of them. “Both settled?”

Christopher chuckled and Riley joined in. “That’s definitely a private convo.”

“Mattie?” Zack said.

“In the playroom with Jamie,” Christopher confirmed. “Any problems, I’ll give you a shout, but you three need some time to talk.”

Did they ever, Victor thought. But what the hell was he going to say? And Zack had a son. Did that mean he’d been mated, but she’d died? Had the child’s presence kept Zack alive following his mate’s death? Or wasn’t the connection as strong in bears? He trailed after Zack, who was explaining the layout of the house to Mo and very obviously ignoring Victor, and he tried to distract his wolf with what to say once they got upstairs.

Because the combined scents of both his mates were driving his wolf mad. He could feel the animal pushing him forward. Now that his wolf was satisfied both his mates were safe for the moment, the urge to touch them was almost overpowering. And he didn’t mean holding hands like they had downstairs. He meant lots of bare skin to bare skin, preferably in a large bed with no interruptions.

Wolves were simple creatures. His alpha wolf had decided he had two mates, and he wanted to claim them immediately.

As if he’d said that thought out loud, Zack glanced back at him and inhaled, and Victor couldn’t look away. He didn’t even know how he’d gotten into the room Zack had led them all into without walking into a wall. Victor heard Mo talking, but from a distance, almost. He stood staring at Zack and letting Zack look his fill. Mo’s words trailed off as if he realized no one was listening, but then Victor caught Mo’s scent again, and before he’d even thought about it, he reached out to Mo, at the same time Zack did. His wolf was trying to take over because Victor was clearly being too slow. He pressed Mo against his chest as Zack stepped up close.

“Guys,” Mo said. “Not sure what…” But Mo’s words trailed off as Victor bent his head and buried his nose in Mo’s neck, nuzzling and scraping his cheek to scent-mark him.

Then he looked up and met Zack’s gaze. He reached out, pulling Zack nearer but keeping a hold on Mo with his other hand. Zack growled long and low in his still-human throat, but the sound was all dominance and possession, and Victor nearly moaned as his cock punched against his zipper. Then Zack bent his head, and their lips met, and Victor forgot about everything else.

Victor heard the growl from Zack at the same time as their lips fastened, but he didn’t stay there long, instead bending to take Mo’s as well, unable to resist the pull to both of them. He ignored the startled eep, but loved the way Mo seemed to sag against him. Zak moved and pulled Mo between them, then simply lifted him up to their height. Undeterred, Mo wrapped his legs around Victor and returned kiss for kiss while Zak simply tore the tee shirt Mo was wearing in half, then started kissing whatever skin was in front of him.

Mo bent his head back and Victor moved so Zack could kiss him again, but he felt Zack’s arms come around Mo’s front and, from the gasp and the shudder, he would guess Zack was playing with Mo’s nipples. Good to know he was this responsive. He felt Zack’s hands slide lower and into Mo’s waistband.

“Wait,” Victor said before Zack ripped those as well, but Zack must have worked it out, because the big man headed to the bed and pulled the comforter down. “Strip him,” Victor ordered and deposited Mo on the mattress.

“What?” Mo said and scrambled back. “I—” He blinked a couple of times, as if to clear the lust from his brain. Victor didn’t like it, but he had to listen to what his mate said. Mo looked from one to the other. “Both of you?”

“Both of us,” Victor said firmly, but Zack paused just as he went to undo his jeans, and Victor saw something that looked a lot like desolation in the big guy’s expression.

And he suddenly had a flash of Zack’s life. He might be a shifter and the mating pull in a shifter was like nothing else on the planet, but Zack had a son, a family. Victor didn’t know whether to envy him or feel sorry for him. Shifters could and did reject other pups. It was harsh, but it happened. He supposed that was the same in the human world.

Zack’s hands fell away from his jeans and he stood, fixing Mo with a false smile. “I’ll leave—”

“No,” Victor said, even though he could admit that earlier he’d wanted nothing else than to have the bear nowhere near him. He strode over to close the few paces between them and slid his hand behind Zak’s neck, yanking him close. “You’re mine as well, big guy, so you’d better get used to it.” And Victor took the surprisingly soft lips with his own, teased the man so they fell open, and swallowed the resulting groan. Victor had always been attracted to guys who were smaller than him, but the feel of Zack’s strength, his muscles, knowing he was letting Victor dictate the kiss, was such a huge rush that his head spun. He broke off when he heard the tiny sound from Mo, and took in his hurried breaths, the wide-eyed stare, and the flush that decorated his neck

“You’re our mate,” Victor said, and gestured to Zack. “Both of us.”

Mo frowned a little, then shook his head. “What does that mean?”

“Nothing’s going to happen if you say no,” Victor assured him. “You say no, and we go back downstairs.”

“I’m not a shifter,” Mo said, looking between them.

Victor reached over for him and cupped his chin. “Does that bother you?” He watched as Mo took an inhale and his pupils darkened. Whatever he was feeling, Victor would put money on the fact that he had shifter genes, which made sense with what they’d found out downstairs