Page 48 of Bound to Exiles (Rejected Wolf Pack #5)

Gage

The crisp December air bit at my skin as I circled Zak, watching his movements with the critical eye of a pack alpha.

We’d stripped down to just our jeans, our bare chests steaming in the cold as I tried to avoid letting my eyes latch onto Zak’s nipple piercings.

Heath stood nearby, arms crossed over his own naked torso, a smirk playing at his lips.

The training session was a welcome distraction from the restless night I’d endured.

Sharp jolts of pain had stabbed through the Frost Fang pack bond at irregular intervals — not the steady ache of injury or fear, but something else entirely.

Something that made my wolf pace beneath my skin, hackles raised at a threat I couldn’t identify.

Each spike of agony had torn me from sleep, leaving me staring at the canvas ceiling of the tent as I tried to get comfortable on the cot alone. I’d reached through the bond, searching for the source, but found only an unsettling void where clear connection should have been.

“You didn’t sleep well,” Heath observed, his caramel eyes studying my face as I circled Zak.

Zak’s gaze fell to the bags under my eyes, and I knew I couldn’t deny it .

“The Frost Fang pack bond kept me up all night,” I admitted. “Rowan said he was too busy to talk. So something’s definitely wrong.”

“Of course there is,” Heath growled. “The pack is upended and they have no alphas to keep order.”

I shook my head, not wanting to argue when I wasn’t sure exactly what I’d felt in the bond. Instead, I refocused my attention, feinting high then darting in for a light tap to Zak’s ribs. He groaned, knowing he’d failed again.

“You’re thinking too much,” I told Zak. “Your wolf doesn’t strategize — he reacts.”

Zak’s dark eyes tracked me, his muscular frame tense. “I’m used to casting spells, where you have to be mindful of how much energy you waste.”

“That’s your mage talking.” I lunged without warning, grabbing for him. “Act like a wolf.”

Zak sidestepped faster than I expected, his reflexes improving since yesterday’s shift. A grin spread across his face, satisfaction clear in his expression.

“Better,” I acknowledged. “But still too controlled.”

Heath chuckled. “Gage prefers his wolves wild and untamed.”

The suggestive tone in Heath’s voice made Zak’s eyes dart toward him, and my wolf noticed the telltale signs of arousal in the mage. The momentary distraction was all I needed. I tackled Zak to the ground, pinning him beneath me in the frost-covered grass.

“Never take your eyes off your opponent,” I growled, my face inches from his.

Zak’s breath came in quick pants, his body warm beneath mine. “Noted.”

I became acutely aware of our position — my thighs straddling his hips, my hands pinning his wrists above his head. The scent of his arousal mingled with that of his magic, creating an intoxicating combination that made my wolf stir.

My wolf’s reaction to Zak’s yesterday had shocked me.

Not only did he view Freya and Heath as his mates, but Zak as well.

And I wasn’t sure how to feel about that yet.

Zak’s thoughts on the matter seemed clear enough, with the way his hard length tented his pants and his half-lidded eyes watched me.

“If you two are done with the foreplay,” Heath drawled, “maybe we could move on to actual combat training.”

I released Zak and stood, offering him a hand up.

As I pulled him to his feet, our eyes locked, and something shifted in the air between us.

Ever since he’d joined the pack, the tension between us had been building, and it was something I wasn’t quite ready to acknowledge.

Not until I knew where things stood with Heath.

“Your wolf instincts are getting stronger,” I told him, stepping back. “But you’re still holding back.”

“Old habits,” Zak admitted, rolling his shoulders. “The coven beat the wildness out of me.”

A growl rumbled in my chest before I could stop it. The thought of anyone hurting one of my packmates or mates — especially one as vulnerable as Zak had been — awakened something primal in me.

Heath stepped closer, his expression darkening to match my mood. “Those witches have a lot to answer for.”

Zak’s eyes flicked between us, surprise evident in his expression, even though he kept himself locked away in the Bonded link. “You both actually mean that…”

“You’re pack now,” I said simply, as if that explained everything. And to me, it did.

Zak might be able to hide his emotions in the Bonded link, but his strongest emotions easily bled through the pack bond. And right now, he was overwhelmed by the sense of belonging, something he’d craved for far too long.

Heath’s hand landed on Zak’s shoulder, squeezing gently.

The heat in Heath’s gaze as he looked at Zak would have once made me jealous.

But something had changed since our night with Freya.

Zak had fucked Heath in front of me, and my wolf had howled with joy when Heath came in my hand.

The possessiveness I’d felt toward Heath had transformed into something more complex — a desire to see him happy, even if that meant sharing him. Much like how I felt with Freya.

“Alright,” I said, clearing my throat. “You managed to shift back on your own yesterday, but it took too much effort. For the pack mark, you relied on my command. In a fight, you won’t have time to think, and I won’t always be there to give you a push.

Your wolf needs to answer your call, not just mine. Try it again. Faster this time.”

Zak nodded, stepping back and unbuttoning his jeans. I tried not to stare as he stripped, but Heath made no such attempt at discretion. His hungry gaze followed every movement, and when Zak caught him looking, Heath just winked.

“You’re not subtle,” Zak told him with a laugh.

“Never claimed to be.” Heath grinned. “Besides, I’ve got two beautiful men to admire right now. Why deny myself the pleasure?”

The casual inclusion of me in his statement made something warm unfurl in my chest. Despite his obvious attraction to Zak, Heath’s feelings for me hadn’t diminished. If anything, they seemed stronger, more open now that I’d finally acknowledged them.

Zak closed his eyes, concentration etched on his features.

“Don’t think about the mechanics of shifting, mage. Feel your wolf and let him free,” I said quietly, without using my bark on him.

Zak’s body trembled, and I could sense his frustration building. His wolf was there, just beneath the surface, but he was still fighting the transformation.

“Maybe we—” Heath began, but I held up a hand.

“He needs to learn to do this without commands,” I said. “A beta who can’t shift at will is vulnerable.”

Zak’s eyes snapped open, determination hardening his features. “I can do this.”

He closed his eyes again, his breathing slowing. This time, when his body began to shake, it wasn’t with frustration but with the beginning of transformation. Bones cracked and reformed as fur erupted across his skin. The shift came slowly, not as fluid as it would become with practice.

In moments, a dark gray wolf stood before us, amber eyes bright with triumph.

“Well done,” I praised, kneeling to stroke his fur. “Much better.”

Heath shifted next, his silver-white form larger than Zak’s. He playfully nipped at Zak’s ear, inviting him to chase. The two wolves darted across the clearing, their movements becoming more natural as Zak’s wolf took over.

I watched them for a moment, enjoying the sight of my packmates at play, before shifting myself. My wolf surged forward eagerly, bones and muscles reforming with ease. As always, the world sharpened around me, making scents and sounds clearer, more vibrant.

I joined the chase, my larger form easily overtaking both of them. When I caught Zak, I pinned him gently, demonstrating dominance without harm. He submitted immediately, rolling onto his back to expose his throat.

“Good,” I told him through the pack bond. “Your wolf understands hierarchy.”

“I’ll follow where you lead, alphas,” Zak said, his mental voice laced with double meaning.

Heath circled us, his silver form sleek and powerful. “Tell me, Zak. Have you ever been around a female wolf in heat?”

Both sides of me enjoyed having the beta being pinned beneath me, but I reluctantly released him. I wanted to hear his answer and gauge his reaction for myself.

“No… and Freya’s scent is already driving me mad. I just don’t want to betray her trust. I don’t want her to have sex with me just because of the heat, you know?”

I chuckled, remembering how hard it had been for us to resist Freya in the beginning. Even though I’d hated female wolf shifters back then, I’d craved her anyway.

“Trust me, she’s still in control right now. When her heat arrives in a few weeks, you’ll see a big difference. In the meantime, we’ll want you to keep tapping into your wolf side.”

“Shifting will only get easier from here on out,” Heath added.

Zak’s mental voice was still tinged with wonder. “It feels more natural today. Like my wolf is closer to the surface.”

“As it should be.” I nipped at Zak’s haunches as he got to his paws. “The more you shift, the more integrated your two sides will become.”

We ran together for a while, teaching Zak hunting techniques and pack formations. His natural agility made up for his lack of experience, and by mid-morning, he was moving with growing confidence. We were about to start sparring in wolf form when Rowan’s urgent voice cut through the Bonded link.

His words were sharper and more tense than his report two days ago. “Gage. The situation’s escalated.”

With the alarm in his mental voice, I instinctively bled my concerns to Zak and Heath in the pack bond. Rowan’s presence felt distant but clear — he was still near Frost Fang territory, observing from the shadows as I’d instructed.

“What’s changed?” I asked, pulling Heath and Zak into the connection so they would understand why I’d frozen in place.