Page 7 of Bound by Alphas 1: Bound (The Blood Moon Chronicle #3)
SINCLAIR brOTHERS
C ade Sinclair stood at the edge of the great room, crystal tumbler untouched in his hand as he tracked his mate’s movements through the crowd. From the moment Finn had descended the staircase—honey-brown hair slightly tousled, amber-gold eyes downcast, Cade’s wolf had been clawing to break free.
Mine , it snarled with each breath. Take. Claim. Keep.
Cade felt the connection to the mark they’d placed on Finn’s hip five years ago, the bond pulsing with each beat of their mate’s heart. That desperate night when they’d marked fourteen-year-old Finn had saved his life, but the price had been years of restraint as they waited for him to mature.
His gaze narrowed as an elderly pack member reached out to touch Finn’s arm, asking some inane question about his shifting abilities. The crystal cracked in Cade’s grip.
Easy, brother , Logan’s voice slid through their pack bond. You’re about to shift in front of fifty guests.
Cade didn’t look toward where his middle brother stood by the French doors, his military posture perfect as he surveyed the room with predatory focus. Through their bond, he felt Logan’s own struggle—the rage simmering just beneath his controlled exterior.
I should have canceled this farce , Cade responded, his internal voice a growl as he watched Finn force a smile at yet another intrusive question. After this morning’s mate augury, bringing him here was cruel.
He has no idea how beautiful he is, Keir joined their internal conversation, his voice colored with longing. The youngest alpha stood near the bar, surrounded by admiring women, but his attention was entirely fixed on Finn. Look at him—trying so hard to be strong while his world falls apart.
Finn moved through the crowd with Drew at his side, his slender form making him appear almost fragile among the larger shifters.
The perfect blend of his Scottish American father and Japanese mother had given him an ethereal beauty rare in their supernatural community.
His skin held that coveted milky alabaster tone that seemed to glow from within, neither burning nor tanning under the sun.
At barely five foot six, he was dwarfed by most wolves in the room, his delicate bone structure and narrow frame a stark contrast to the broad-shouldered European bloodlines surrounding him.
In the soft lighting, his features revealed the perfect harmony of East and West—almond-shaped eyes with a distinctive fold, but larger and with the striking amber-gold color that flashed when he turned toward the windows.
High cheekbones and delicate chin framed lips that were full and expressive, somehow both soft and defined.
His honey-brown hair caught the light with natural gold highlights no stylist could replicate, falling in silky strands that combined silken texture with warm, rich tones.
The pack members watched him with barely concealed interest—not just because he was the brother of their three alphas or because he was a fox among wolves, but because he was simply beautiful in a way that made him seem almost otherworldly.
Too delicate for their rough world, yet somehow perfectly suited to it.
A low growl escaped Cade’s throat when he saw Jason Patterson deliberately brush against Finn as they passed. The young wolf’s nostrils flared, obviously scenting the newly revealed mate status that the ceremony had brought to the surface.
I’ll kill him . Logan’s internal voice was deadly calm. One more touch and I’ll tear his throat out in front of his father.
Not yet , Cade cautioned, though his own claws were pressing painfully into his palm. But mark him. He needs to understand.
Logan pushed off from his position by the doors, moving with deceptive casualness toward where Patterson stood too close to Finn.
As he passed, he deliberately bumped the younger wolf’s shoulder, the contact seemingly accidental to observers but carrying an unmistakable threat.
Patterson paled, stepping back immediately.
Good boy . Keir’s mental tone was viciously amused. He finally remembers whose territory he’s in.
Through their bond, all three felt the moment Finn noticed Cade watching him. His heartbeat accelerated, a flush spreading across his cheeks before he quickly looked away. The scent of cherry blossoms and honey intensified, tinged with something that made Cade’s mouth water.
Arousal , Logan identified, his internal voice roughening. He wants us.
And fears it , Keir added, catching the bitter note of anxiety in their mate’s scent. The ceremony this morning—he thinks we’re trapped. That we don’t want this.
Cade set down his cracked glass before he shattered it completely.
For five years they had hidden their true nature from Finn, playing the role of protective older brothers while their wolves howled for more.
The memory of that summer day by the lake rose unbidden—Finn at fourteen, sunlight catching in his hair as he sketched, unaware of how his developing scent had intensified their already-established bond.
That day, their connection to the mate marks they’d placed on Finn the year before had intensified so powerfully they could feel it burning through their bodies, forcing three alphas to flee to the woods to maintain control.
We should have prepared him , Cade admitted through their bond. The shock on his face this morning when Elder Miriam announced our bond…
The pain , Logan corrected, his internal voice harsh with self-recrimination. Did you see his eyes? He thinks we’re horrified to be bound to him.
When we’ve been dying to claim him for years , Keir finished, his frustration palpable through their connection.
Across the room, Finn had found temporary refuge near the sushi display, his artist’s hands arranging the pieces with the same precision his mother had once shown them.
Sakura’s lessons in Japanese cuisine had been one of the few things Finn had embraced after her death, preserving her memory through food and art.
The sight of those slender fingers, so careful and precise, sent heat coursing through Cade’s body. His wolf surged forward, demanding he cross the room, seize those hands, and show Finn exactly what they could be doing instead of arranging food for strangers.
Your eyes, Cade , Logan warned. They’re shifting.
With supreme effort, Cade forced his wolf back, blinking until his vision returned to normal. But the momentary lapse had been enough—across the room, Finn had frozen, his head tilted slightly as if sensing the predator’s attention.
Their eyes locked.
For one breathless moment, Cade allowed himself to look at Finn—really look at him—without the pretense of brotherly affection. He let his hunger show, his possessiveness, his need. Finn’s lips parted in shock, his pulse visibly accelerating in the delicate column of his throat.
Then Drew appeared at Finn’s side, breaking the connection as he handed Finn a drink. The moment shattered, leaving Cade’s wolf snarling in frustration.
He felt it. Keir’s internal voice was triumphant. Did you see his reaction?
He’s confused , Logan countered. Scared. The women aren’t helping.
Cade followed Logan’s gaze to where Rebecca, a red-haired alpha from an allied pack, was making her way toward Keir.
Part of their arrangement—women who understood the situation, who provided distraction and release without emotional entanglement.
Women who were nothing like Finn—tall where he was petite, bold where he was thoughtful, aggressive where he was artistic.
The arrangement had been necessary during the agonizing wait for Finn to reach maturity. But now, with their mate freshly awakened to their bond, the sight of these women at their party felt like betrayal.
End it , Cade commanded through their bond. All of it. Tonight.
Agreement flowed back from both brothers, tinged with relief. None of them had wanted to continue the charade.
Cade moved through the crowd with purpose, his alpha presence causing guests to instinctively step aside.
As he approached, he watched Finn’s body language shift—a slight stiffening of his shoulders, a quickening of his pulse that Cade’s enhanced senses detected easily.
Up close, Finn’s scent was intoxicating—cherry blossoms and honey with an undercurrent of fox that had strengthened since the ceremony.
“Having a good time?” Cade asked, his voice deeper than intended as he fought to maintain his composure.
Finn looked up at him, searching his face with those gold-flecked eyes. “It’s great,” he lied, the slight tremor in his voice betraying him. “Thanks for… all this.”
Cade couldn’t stop himself. He reached out, ruffling Finn’s silky hair in that brotherly gesture that had been their safe contact for years. But this time, he let his fingers linger just a fraction too long, savoring the texture.
“Only the best for our little fox,” he said, the possessive pronoun slipping out before he could catch it.
Finn stepped back slightly, confusion and something darker flashing in his eyes. “Right. Wouldn’t want to disappoint the guests.”
The hurt in his voice cut through Cade like a physical wound. Before he could respond, Logan appeared at his shoulder, his expression tense.
“Problem at the gate,” he said quietly. “Security needs you.”
Cade nodded, his wolf raging at the interruption. “Stay inside,” he told Finn, unable to keep the alpha command from his tone.
“I’m not a child,” Finn snapped, familiar irritation rising. “I can handle myself.”
“Just do as you’re told, Finn,” Logan said, his voice gruff but gentle as his hand landed on Finn’s shoulder.
Through their bond, Cade felt Logan’s struggle not to pull Finn closer, not to bury his face in that tempting neck and breathe in their mate’s scent. It mirrored his own battle for control—a battle they couldn’t afford to lose, not when Finn was still processing the revelation of their bond.