Page 9 of Bound by Alphas 1: Bound (The Blood Moon Chronicle #3)
I woke to sunlight streaming through the curtains I’d forgotten to close and the horrifying realization that something was twitching on top of my head. Something that shouldn’t be there.
“No, no, no,” I groaned, reaching up with trembling fingers to confirm my worst fear.
Fox ears. Soft, fuzzy, and unmistakably vulpine, perched atop my head like some anime character’s costume accessories—except these were very real and very much attached to my skull.
A quick check under the covers revealed the matching tail—silver-white with delicate gold highlights along the tip, currently tucked between my legs in a perfect display of my emotional state. Fan-freaking-tastic.
This wasn’t the first time I’d partially shifted in my sleep. It had been happening with increasing frequency over the past year, but never the morning after finding out I was fated to be mated to my three adoptive brothers. The universe really had a sick sense of humor.
I curled into a fetal position, hugging my tail and burying my face in the pillow.
What kind of pathetic shifter couldn’t even control their own transformations?
Most wolf shifters could fully transform by thirteen.
Meanwhile, here I was at nineteen, stuck with random animal parts appearing whenever my emotions ran high.
A soft knock at the door made my ears—both sets of them—twitch involuntarily.
“Finn? You awake?” Cade’s deep voice sent an unwelcome shiver down my spine, making my tail fluff out in response. Even through the door, his scent reached me—cedar and something distinctly alpha that made my insides twist with want.
I remained silent, squeezing my eyes shut as if that could make him go away. Maybe if I pretended to be asleep, he’d leave me to my humiliation.
The door opened anyway. Of course it did. Personal boundaries had never been Cade’s strong suit.
“I know you’re awake,” he said, his footsteps approaching the bed. “Your breathing changes when you’re faking sleep.”
I yanked the comforter over my head, creating a tent of Egyptian cotton to hide my shame. “Go away,” I mumbled, focusing all my mental energy on willing my extra appendages to disappear. “I’m not feeling well.”
“Finn.” His voice was closer now, right beside the bed. The mattress dipped as he sat down, and his scent enveloped me completely—stronger, richer, making my fox parts tingle with awareness. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Just tired. Birthday hangover. Very contagious. You should definitely leave.”
“You’ve partially shifted again, haven’t you?”
My ears flattened against my head in response, which was answer enough. Traitors.
“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” he continued, his voice gentle in a way that made my chest ache. “It’s perfectly normal for?—”
“If you say ‘late bloomers,’ I will bite you,” I warned from beneath my cotton fortress.
His chuckle rumbled through the mattress, the sound sending an unwelcome wave of heat through my body. “I was going to say ‘fox shifters,’ actually. Especially those with Japanese heritage.”
Before I could formulate a suitably snarky response, the comforter was whisked away, leaving me exposed in my briefs and oversized t-shirt, ears flattened and tail still tucked between my legs.
“Don’t look at me!” I yelped, trying to grab the blanket back.
“Too late,” Cade said, his blue eyes taking in my extra appendages with an expression I couldn’t quite read. “I’ve already seen everything.”
I covered my ears with my hands, as if that would somehow make them disappear. “I’m a disaster. Why am I like this? Why can’t I just shift properly like everyone else?”
Instead of answering immediately, Cade reached out and gently pulled my hands away from my ears. “You’re not a disaster,” he said firmly. “You’re just growing into your power. It’s actually quite common for Asian shifters, especially those with fox blood. Your mother was the same way.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’re lying to make me feel better.”
“Maybe a little,” he admitted with a small smile. “But it is true that different shifter bloodlines mature at different rates. The Tanaka line has always been known for powerful fox shifters who come into their abilities more gradually.”
It was total bullshit, but I appreciated the effort. And the way he was looking at me—not with disgust or disappointment, but with something that almost seemed like… fondness?
Before I could analyze that look further, he did something completely unexpected. He reached out and pulled me into his arms, settling me against his chest.
The moment my body made contact with his, a jolt of electricity shot through me.
His warmth enveloped me, his scent filling my lungs until I felt dizzy with it.
My traitorous body responded instantly—heart racing, skin flushing, and worse, a wave of arousal so strong I had to bite my lip to keep from whimpering.
“Besides,” he murmured, his breath tickling my new ears, “you look cute like this.”
Cute. Not sexy, not desirable. Cute. Like a puppy or a kitten or some other harmless pet. The word twisted in my gut even as I unconsciously leaned into his touch, my body betraying me by seeking more contact.
Then his fingers found the base of my ears, scratching gently, and every coherent thought fled my brain. A sound that was embarrassingly close to a purr escaped my throat as I melted against him, my fox parts responding to his touch in ways I couldn’t control.
“You like that, huh?” There was amusement in his voice, but something else too—something deeper, rougher that sent another wave of heat through me.
“Mmm,” was all I could manage, my tail now twitching happily behind me. “Don’t stop.”
“Well, isn’t this cozy?”
I froze at the new voice, my eyes flying open to find Keir leaning against the doorframe, looking unfairly gorgeous in jeans and a Henley that stretched across his broad shoulders.
His golden hair was still damp from a shower, and his blue eyes sparkled with mischief as he took in the scene before him.
Then I noticed his gaze shift to something on my bed, and mortification washed over me in a fresh wave.
Keir’s suit jacket from last night was still there, rumpled and obviously slept with.
I’d fallen asleep clutching it like some lovesick teenager, comforted by his scent when I’d been too upset to think clearly.
“I—I’ll wash your jacket and return it,” I stammered, ears flattening in embarrassment. “Sorry about that.”
A slow smile spread across Keir’s face, something warm and possessive flickering in his eyes. “Keep it as long as you like, little fox. Looks better in your room than mine anyway.”
The moment he fully entered, his scent hit me—citrus and sandalwood and that same alpha musk that seemed designed specifically to make me lose my mind. My ears twitched forward without my permission, and I felt a fresh wave of arousal crash through me. What was happening to me?
I tried to pull away from Cade, mortification flooding back, but his arms tightened around me. “I’ll be ready soon,” I mumbled, my ears flattening again. “Just give me a few minutes to… fix this.”
“Not soon,” Cade said firmly. “Now. Breakfast is getting cold, and you need to eat.”
Before I could protest, he stood up, taking me with him.
One moment I was sitting on the bed, the next I was cradled against his chest like a child, my body pressed firmly against his.
The contact sent another surge of heat through me, and I had to fight to keep my scent from broadcasting my arousal to both alphas.
“Put me down!” I yelped, pushing ineffectually against his chest. “I’m not five years old!”
“Could have fooled me,” Keir quipped, stepping aside to let us pass. As we moved past him, he reached out and flicked one of my ears, sending an electric shock straight to my core. “Especially with that fluffy tail. Very intimidating.”
“I hate you both,” I muttered, giving up the struggle as Cade carried me down the hallway toward the stairs.
There was no point fighting—I’d learned years ago that when the Sinclair alphas decided to manhandle me, resistance was futile.
What they didn’t know was how much their touch affected me, how each point of contact felt like it was burning through my skin.
“No, you don’t,” Keir said with infuriating confidence, falling into step beside us. “You love us.”
If only he knew how true that was—and how much it hurt.
The Sinclair mansion’s kitchen was a chef’s dream—all gleaming stainless steel and marble countertops, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Pacific.
This morning, it was filled with the mouthwatering aromas of freshly baked bread, sizzling bacon, and something sweet I couldn’t quite identify.
Elena, our housekeeper and pack beta, was orchestrating the breakfast preparations with military precision, directing the two kitchen staff while simultaneously brewing coffee in what looked like a spacecraft disguised as an espresso machine.
“Finally!” Drew exclaimed when we entered, looking up from where he was sitting at the island.
My three pets—Mochi, a pudgy Japanese Spitz who thought he was much larger than he actually was; Pixel, a one-eyed rescue tabby with attitude problems; and Boba, a French bulldog puppy I’d rescued last month—immediately abandoned their begging positions to rush toward me.
“I thought I’d have to send a search party—” Drew broke off, his eyes widening at the sight of my extra appendages. “Dude. You’ve gone full Pokémon.”
“Shut up,” I growled, squirming until Cade finally set me down in one of the kitchen island chairs. My tail immediately wrapped around my waist, as if trying to hide itself.
“Aw, don’t be embarrassed.” Drew grinned, clearly enjoying my discomfort. “The ears are cute. Very on-brand for you.”
“I will end you,” I promised darkly.