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Melinda’s red-painted lips stretched into a smile. “Sometimes it’s worth it to break a few laws. The gods know better than the Council, anyway. I also see you collected a few more lovers since the last time I saw you. Well done.”

I laughed even as my cheeks warmed.

“I’m glad your cranky panther adapted himself to sharing.”

“Me too,” I said with another laugh.

“I can hear you,” Caden said as he settled next to me, wrapping his arm around my waist.

Melinda only beamed at him. “I know. I’ll leave you be for now, though. I see the Council members eyeballing you. Go be important and I’ll bother Anya since I haven’t seen her for decades. Congratulations again. I really didn’t think you would make it, but I’m very glad you did.”

She kissed my cheek and sent me in the direction of the waiting Council members, Caden wiping away her smudge of lipstick for me before we got there.

“Protector Logan,” Florencia called, “come meet my cousin.”

He tipped his head with an easy smile, his hair in short, tight coils set against warm dark brown skin just like his cousin’s. “A pleasure to meet the witch granted Protectorship of a shifter nest. My name is Frederick, Shifter Council representative.”

We shook hands and he greeted the rest of my pack cordially. “Shall we get the formalities out of the way?” he asked.

“Might as well,” I replied. “Then we can get the party started.”

Frederick tapped Violet’s shoulder, and she nodded, excusing herself from Cecily. The other Protectors and I settled on the dais, Frederick and Violet each standing with a microphone.

“Today is a momentous occasion,” said Frederick, those congregated quieting down as he spoke. “This nest marks the first integration of shifters and witches in over a century.”

“With support from both Councils,” said Violet, “we’ll be considering this nest a pilot project for potential expansion and integration. We will also be looking seriously into safety complaints put forward by residents against other nests.”

“Our goal,” Frederick continued, “as always, is to ensure our people thrive. We acknowledge that we have fallen short in many regards when it comes to nest safety, relying on Protectors to make choices that best serve our people. While it is not our intention to micromanage the running of nests, we will be intervening where necessary as well as instituting liaisons to both Councils in every nest. In yours, you may bring any Council concerns to Florencia or Cecily and they will reach out accordingly.”

With that announcement made, we switched over to Shakti’s farewell. She took the microphone next, looking outrageously beautiful in a hot pink sari.

“As you all know, today marks my last day as a Protector of this nest. It has been an honor to serve you. If any of you are going through the Denver area, I hope you’ll visit the new nest my family has recently opened.

I know I’ll be leaving you in good hands.

Logan cares about this nest and will make a good Protector, even if I wasn’t totally on board with the idea when she arrived. ”

She reached her hand to me and I slipped mine into it, accepting the second microphone from Frederick. “If I can do half as good a job as Shakti has, I’ll consider myself a success. We’re really going to miss you.”

Her hug squeezed the air out of my lungs and I held on tightly. We had never become best friends, but we respected each other, and I was sad to see her go.

“No tears,” Shakti insisted to everyone. “My sendoff has to be joyous.”

And it was: hours of music, laughter, food, and drinks. Everything a party deserved.

At twilight my pack and I slipped away from the festivities. The forest welcomed us onto the trail in the woods that passed a permanent memorial for Laila and Emil, decked out with the stone carvings and more flowers than I could count.

Deeper among the trees the energy shifted, my lovers taking on their predatory forms one by one.

Kendrick was the exception, obviously, since he was a stag, but he still wanted to participate.

My nerves tingled in anticipation. I’d worn a simple sundress for the occasion, dropping my shoes and panties to the side of the trail as my heart kicked into gear.

I had played like this with Caden numerous times, and briefly with Seth, but this was the first time with my whole pack.

Their steps were silent as they followed, spreading out through the trees.

Cecily had been diligently training me since her arrival, along with more sporadic lessons from Sharla and Kyoko, and Anya when she visited. I still had plenty to learn, but I had picked up a few tricks over the last few months.

With a sweep of my hands, I disappeared from view. Invisibility was one of Cecily’s favorite spells to teach me, and with the tweaks to my magic from Rachel, I was able to perform it.

My pack would have to track me by sound and scent.

Whoever catches me gets to have me until someone else shows up to take over. No rules beyond that. Team up, go solo, I’m happy for whatever you decide.

Their desire and excitement was a tangible thing in the bond, enlivening my senses and making my pussy clench.

I bolted into the trees, shoving energy down my legs like Cecily taught me to boost my speed.

I wasn’t as quick as my mates, but it at least gave me a chance of not being immediately caught.

They were all so beautiful, moving through the trees like grace personified.

A spicy primal hunt was perfect for my own inclinations, but it was what they needed too.

Satisfaction was bright and beautiful in our connection, my lovers indulging in those ancient compulsions to capture their mate and claim them.

I was so ready to be claimed however they saw fit.

Soft moss met my footfalls, practically begging me to sprawl out across it.

The alterations to my magic meant I was no longer at risk of burning down my home or the beautiful forest around me.

My control was far better under Cecily’s guidance than it used to be, but Maeve’s well of magic tempered the fire, and instead the trees thrived with each rush of energy.

Kendrick caught me first, his long stag legs letting him leap over the underbrush quicker than the others.

He shifted back to his human form as we crashed together and I wrapped him up in the same invisibility spell I wore.

His eyes gleamed with mischief when I came into view, his mouth descending against mine.

Desire curled hotly in my core. His hands made quick work of my dress in the way, fucking into my already dripping cunt.

My desperate sound disappeared between his lips, my hips meeting him thrust for thrust.

With the elimination of our life-and-death threat, my body had settled into being an omega surrounded by my bonded pack. I craved them at all hours and they were more than happy to oblige me. When I wasn’t working or sleeping, I was most often wrapped up with at least one of them, if not several.

Velda tumbled over us, knocking Kendrick away and stealing me for herself. She flipped me onto her back, taking advantage of our now-shared invisibility to bolt through the woods at full speed in her bear form. She kept to the trail, the moss muffling the sound of her running.

Where are we going?

I need time to ruin you.

I clung tightly to her plush fur until we had gone as far as she deemed necessary.

Sprawled out on the moss, she resumed her human form and buried her mouth between my thighs.

Velda ate pussy like it was her job, determined to push me over the edge before anyone else caught up, though the pitiful sounds she forced from me probably gave them a very good clue as to where we were.

Every sweep of her tongue unraveled me until I was whining.

You sound so fucking good, little witch. Come for your alpha like a good girl.

I dug my fingers into her hair, shaking as she sucked my clit before she ratcheted the pleasure up too tightly, making me scream into the trees and gush slick over her cheeks.

Riding the sharp wave left me breathless, still panting when Yelena charged into view and crashed against us in her human form.

She stole one molten kiss from Velda, licking my slick from her lips before taking my bear’s place.

Unwilling to abandon me as her quarry, Velda pinned my wrists with one hand, tugging down the neckline of my dress and bra cup with the other.

Yelena spread my thighs like the pages of a book, using her considerable strength to keep me from moving.

Hello, precious. Don’t you look delicious and ready for me?

A desperate growl climbed out of my throat as the two of them descended.

They had always been good at tag-teaming me, but since they had bonded, we often found ourselves tangled together, ruining one another to perfection.

Of course, while today was more focused on me, I could still offer a little something back.

I grabbed hold of our connections in the bond, sending a direct shot of my pleasure to each of them, my beautiful bear and lioness shuddering.

Yelena purred, the vibrations choking off the air in my lungs.

Alpha, please.

Yelena’s laughter was hot against my skin. Sweet omega, I’m not stopping you from coming. Go right ahead.

Velda grazed her fangs over my nipple, the spark of pain exactly what I craved.

The warmth of their mouths, the arc of electricity between us, was more than I could contend with.

A fresh surge of power pushed them over the edge with me, the orgasm ricocheting through the bond as I arched off the moss, shaking and squirming.