Page 5

T his place is so chill compared to Orlando , I commented, trotting along at Haru’s side.

That’s because this place is run effectively and not trying to dodge both human and shifter authorities .

I turned sharply toward Haru. Were they not allowed to do those fights?

Not by any laws. They were too powerful to touch, but I’ve heard they were removed from power since we left.

Huh. Maybe the nests were evolving. Shifters lived so long they didn’t do that very often. It would certainly be a nice change of pace.

I followed Haru while they worked. The nest had so many competent people living here it was kind of ridiculous, and Haru was the communication point for most of them, a bridge between the people and the Protectors as needed.

We stopped to talk to the raccoon shifter in charge of government forgeries to give them my information. It was so easy to navigate before computers, but now things were more complicated. We had to contend with nonsense like Social Security numbers and credit scores.

Fuck that.

Forging documents like I’d done in the past was a lot easier than forging an entire digital record of your existence, but some shifters made that their purpose. The Boston nest had let Caden seamlessly slip into human life, and apparently the Portland one wanted to do that for me.

Do I really need it? I asked, peering at the paperwork the raccoon shifter was filling out.

Not immediately, replied Haru, but it’s good to keep people busy. You’re the only newcomer without papers.

That made sense. It would take time to do anyway, so might as well get a head start. It wouldn’t be fair if after all of this was over I couldn’t contribute to life with Logan and Caden. I tried not to think about it too hard because it felt like a life with them meant a life without Haru.

Logan was my bondmate and I could never leave her, not that I wanted to. I’d spent years obsessively wishing I had her, and I wasn’t going to turn tail now that it had happened.

Everyone seemed to have a job here to make the nest run smoothly.

A few people weren’t able to work due to injury or illness, but for the most part everyone was deeply involved.

Caden had taken to the kitchen, and others were dedicated to housekeeping and maintenance, landscaping and food production, childcare, administration, as well as jobs outside the nest to keep income flowing steadily.

The Protectors all have generational wealth and the investments pay for all of our basics , explained Haru.

Capitalism is ruling everywhere, it seems . I let out a coughing laugh, or as much of one as I could do while in panther form.

Haru snorted. Money makes the world go round. It’s not like the old days, where we could disappear into the wilderness and stay safe. Humans have introduced too many rules and we have no choice but to adapt.

We swung around to each group at work, getting updates on different projects. Anything they needed, Haru seemed to know how to get.

Do you know everyone in the nest? I asked.

I try to.

And you’re just a wizard when it comes to finding people what they need?

Supplies will run short soon enough. No amount of wizardry can stop that . Haru sighed. I hope no one gets cage madness.

I’m still voting for the orgy to break up tension.

Haru’s shoulders shook with silent laughter. Do you think the witch would let me play with her during that?

Better to ask her than me. I couldn’t deny the allure of sharing Logan with Haru.

It would be different than sharing her with Caden because Haru was mine too.

I hadn’t had someone be mine for so long, and now suddenly I had two.

Granted, both of them were shared with others and I was no one’s top priority, but I could delude myself for now.

Haru hip checked me. Whatever you’re thinking about, stop it.

Telepathy aside, we weren’t mind readers, but sometimes I wondered if that wasn’t a secret skill Haru possessed. I wasn’t thinking anything.

Liar. Haru rubbed his cheek along mine. I know when you’re stressing.

“Hey there, cuties.” We both turned to Logan as she crossed our path in the dining hall. She leaned it down to plant a kiss on top of my head, and as if she had always done so, gave Haru one as well. “What are you two up to?”

Snooping on Haru’s job . You?

“Having another training session with Calliope. I’m just picking up some snacks for us.”

What does she do?

“A lot of social planning and coordinating with other nests. Shakti handles the financials so luckily I won’t need much training there. I’m supposed to meet her later this afternoon.”

Shakti likes anything chocolate, said Haru. Take some with you when you start training with her as a bribe. She won’t say anything, but I know it will endear you to her.

“That’s good advice, thank you.” As if she couldn’t help herself, Logan sank to her knees and wrapped her arms around me, burying her face in my fur.

It’s unbecoming of a Protector to kneel on the floor in the dining hall.

Logan scoffed and reached out an arm, dragging Haru close so she could do the same to them. “I’ll kneel all I want.”

I purred up a storm, soaking in her affection, and I didn’t miss Haru’s tail wagging.

Haru nosed her cheek. I checked for you, and Estrella says there’s still another ten minutes before the food is ready for you.

“In that case, we should take me outside. I need some fresh air if you two aren’t too busy to accompany me.”

Never too busy for you, Lo.

Haru and I walked at her side and out one of the side doors. The mist still hung heavy, blanketing the forest around us. Logan kicked off her shoes and stood barefoot on the grass, happily wiggling her toes.

“I’ve wanted to come out here for a vacation for years. Always seemed like something came up to keep us home.” She hummed softly, fingers twined in my fur.

You wouldn’t miss the sunshine? Haru asked.

“Honestly, I prefer shade. Overcast skies have always felt quiet rather than sad to me. Plus, I’m an absolute slut for moss.”

Haru slipped into their human form next to her, bare except for their tattoos. Every inch of Logan reacted, her body tightening, earthy jasmine scent erupting, and breathing turning shallow.

“What is happening right now?” Logan squeaked.

Sometimes I like to feel the mist on my skin instead of my fur, Haru replied. I can change back if you’d rather.

“No, it’s okay. I want you to be comfortable.”

I couldn’t help but notice the way she squeezed her thighs together or how strong the scent of her slick was. She turned to focus on me, her pupils dilated.

Lo, do you have a crush on Haru? I tailored the thought just for her so Haru couldn’t overhear it.

It’s not my fault they’re so beautiful.

I worked my way between her legs, nudging them wider and brushing my fur against her bare skin before lying on the grass, forcing her to stay spread open to accommodate my sprawling.

Are you being a brat? she asked me.

Maybe.

I’m trying to be discreet and you’re making it very difficult.

Instead of answering, I rolled onto my back, the weight of the amulet against my chest, letting the magic stored in it flow into me so I could shift into my human form. Logan stared down at me, and I curled my fingers around her calves.

“What the fuck is happening?”

“Just seeing if you might want to play. There’s no one else out here.”

“Haru is right there .” It wasn’t much of a protest when I could see the wet spot forming on her panties.

“And?” I traced patterns on her skin, and her eyes glowed. “You definitely don’t have to play with us, but if you wanted to…”

Logan let out a breathy, needy sound.

I don’t mind if you don’t want me, said Haru, but I need it to be clear that I want you .

My fantasy was coalescing right in front of my eyes.

“You two are dangerous.”

Is that a yes or a no, witch?

Logan pulled in a shaky breath, scent growing stronger by the second. “Yes.”

Haru was on her instantly, mouths meeting in a hot tangle that had both of them moaning.

Gods-damn, they were beautiful together.

Logan’s whimper of surrender as Haru drew her down almost had me spilling all over myself.

She curled her hand around my cock. I swore, arching into her touch.

Haru monopolized her mouth while I awkwardly wrestled Logan out of her panties without destroying the garment.

The warm heat of her sinking onto me was heaven itself.

Logan shuddered, squeezing tight, panting into Haru’s desperate kisses.

Pleasure snaked through the bond, her hot grip sending me soaring, the sensation cycling back to her.

I nudged Haru around until their cock was close enough for me to reach.

A series of piercings ran up the underside—five in total—that I had intimate experience with.

I coiled my hand around it and tugged gently until I could slot the tip between my lips with a groan.

I thought you meant you would both play with me.

We’ll get there. I dug my fingertips into Haru’s ass cheek, nudging them deeper.

Haru dipped his fingers to Logan’s clit and I bucked helplessly as her pussy gripped me with a vengeance.

Haru slowly fucked my mouth, a gentle steady rhythm almost at odds with the frantic rise and fall of Logan’s hips.

Between the two of them I was pretty sure I was about to ascend to another plane of existence.

Logan traced her fingers down my throat, brushing over the swell of Haru’s cock. You look so hot right now.

I can’t look at you to see, but you feel pretty damn amazing. Keeping my breathing even to match Haru’s pace was a task in itself as Logan drove me closer to the edge. If you like my piercings, wait till you get to experience Haru’s.

My curse was muffled by cock, Logan’s pussy squeezing so hard I had no choice but to give in. I emptied every drop into her slick heat. She clutched the amulet sitting heavy on my chest, her power pouring into it as we played with her.

Haru’s growl vibrated down their body, their pattern growing more erratic.

Taking them was like riding a bike. I hadn’t done it for a long time, but my body remembered how to do it.

Praise the gods I didn’t have a fucking gag reflex to worry about.

I felt the swell of his knot and pushed his hips back as they poured down my throat.

Their fingers didn’t give Logan a moment of peace, teasing her clit until she broke apart and squeezed my oversensitive cock one more time.

The glow of her eyes was like a beacon in the pale light, and the amulet grew hot under her touch.

Haru drank down her whimpers, still slowly fucking my mouth, gently grinding their knot against the front of my teeth.

I wrapped my fingers around it and squeezed; Haru shuddered and dropped their mouth to Logan’s shoulder, teeth snaring her.

Logan whined softly as Haru lifted her off of me and spread her onto the grass. I rolled over with a groan, hooking one of her knees with my arm as I lay down next to them. While he dove between her thighs, I claimed her mouth for myself.

Every sound she made was more desperate than the last. I could admit to myself it was more than a little hot to watch Haru eat her out after I had filled her up. Things could be easy with us, each of us ready to devour the other with no hierarchy or imbalance of power between us.

Logan’s squirming grew increasingly unruly, her hips bucking hard against Haru.

With one desperate move, she dug her nails into my wolf, a final surge of pleasure rocking through her and into me from the bond. The heat of her sizzled against my skin, sinking into my bones and filling me up with the essence of my mate.

I collapsed onto the grass, grateful for the cool air and fine mist caressing my skin.

Haru leaned up, grinning down at her. Have fun at training.

Logan whined and Haru kissed the inside of her thigh before sitting up all the way. “I can’t believe you guys would wreck me and send me back to work. That’s mean.”

You’re welcome to tell Calliope you’re busy, Haru suggested.

“I shouldn’t. I have such a short time to go through training.” With a sigh, she hoisted herself up and pulled on her discarded panties. “I’ll see you both in the suite later?”

“Wild horse shifters couldn’t keep me away.” I staggered my way to standing, drew her into a kiss, and held her waist while Haru did the same.

When she had departed, we both collapsed onto the grass.

Do you think she had fun? Haru asked.

I know she did.