The house was quiet. Shepherd stared at the unfamiliar ceiling for several minutes before allowing his mind to accept the reality of his situation. He was in Stryph’s bed but obviously no longer possessed. Everything was dark except the thin line of light that peeked around the window’s blackout curtains. He didn’t have the slightest clue of the time or even the day. Everything had slipped away from him with Stryph in charge.

After sitting up, Shepherd let his feet drop to the floor. For a moment, he gathered his bearings and eyed his body. Soft pajama pants covered the lower half of his body, while his chest remained bare. Considering the flashes he’d caught of his night with Stryph manning the controls of his body, Shepherd expected to be hungover, exhausted, and sore. Instead, he felt refreshed. His mind was clear. He pushed to his feet and followed his nose down the stairs. The smell of coffee permeated the air. Shepherd slowed as the kitchen came into view. Dark wood, even darker granite, and black appliances would’ve made most kitchens seem small. Stryph’s was large enough to handle the color scheme and the giant island in the center without feeling crowded. His socked feet padded across the hardwood floor without making a sound. He was grateful for the chance to watch Stryph without being noticed.

Stryph looked amazing standing in the kitchen shirtless while pouring his coffee. His body was sleek, and he moved like a predator. It seemed Shepherd had a thing for animalistic men. Having someone in his head was obviously another thing he found appealing. The more someone shoved their way in, the happier he was—like he was tired of being in charge. Shepherd didn’t think he was very good at handling life by himself. After all, he’d been fucking it up as long as he could recall. Maybe he just needed to let someone else take the reins.

“Would you like something to eat?”

Shepherd smiled at getting caught. He automatically moved closer. “Don’t you sleep?”

Stryph turned and met his stare. Shepherd was blown away anew by the man’s odd-colored eyes. “Would you like me to?”

He felt his brows pull together in confusion. “Why does it matter what I want? Either you need sleep to survive or you don’t, right?”

Stryph turned and leaned against the counter with his cup held between his hands. “If you’d like for me to crawl into bed beside you and sleep, I will. Otherwise, no, I don’t need sleep to survive. Surviving implies I’m a living creature. In truth, I’m more of an endless energy source, existing where I please. Since it currently pleases me to please you, would you like me to sleep?”

Rather than answer and give away any of himself, Shepherd chose to latch on to another part of his statement. “Are you telling me that an endless energy source needs coffee? If so, what hope is there for the rest of us?”

The way Stryph’s mouth twitched with barely suppressed humor did something odd to Shepherd’s chest. “Haven’t you ever heard that coffee is the elixir of the gods?”

A chuckle fell from Shepherd’s lips before he could stop it. His feet moved him closer to Stryph without his permission. “Yesterday, you were a demon and then royalty. Today, you’re a god. What will you be this afternoon?” He thought it over for a second. “What’s more powerful than a god?”

“You’d be surprised,” Stryph said, openly smiling this time. He shook his head as if he didn’t know what to think. “You baffle me, Mr. LaTour. Why does someone so filled with love care so little about themselves? It’s counterintuitive—like taking a southern route to a northern destination. But that brings me to another topic,” he said, not giving Shepherd time to answer. “There’s still the matter of keeping my end of our deal. Well,” Stryph said, motioning carelessly. “Actually, I already have. If you leave here now, you can head straight to Raff and you’ll know what to do when you get there. If you’re honest with yourself, you’ve always known what to do.” Shepherd couldn’t deny it. He knew there was only way to make things right. Stryph sipped his coffee before setting it aside and focusing on Shepherd once more. “Or I could offer you an alternative.”

“I’m listening.” Shepherd would be lying if he said he wasn’t curious.

Stryph crossed the room and closed the distance between them. Shepherd’s back hit the fridge as Stryph stole every inch of space between them. “You could choose me.”

Shepherd’s hands lifted without thought. His palms slid across Stryph’s hips. He drew the man closer.

“How do you mean?”

“Stay,” Stryph said, making it sound so easy. “I’ll keep you spoiled. You’ll never want for anything or wonder about your worth. We could have so much fun together. Imagine the trouble we could start.”

Besides the stabbing pains in his chest over the idea of never seeing Raff or Dante again, Shepherd knew nothing was ever simple or free. “What do you hope to gain in exchange for this picture-perfect life you’re painting?”

“You. A partner in crime.” Before Shepherd had time to absorb that detail, Stryph glanced over his shoulder, as if seeing something Shepherd didn’t. “I’m sorry, but you’ll have to make your decision quickly. Your mate is losing his patience. They’ll come for you soon.”

Shepherd’s mind froze. He didn’t know how to feel. Nothing made sense any longer. All he’d wanted was to make his own choices. To choose who he wanted without anyone’s insight. Now everything was rushed again, and he was just… lost.

Stryph massaged his arms. His light gaze never wavered. A sad smile touched his lips. “It’s okay, sexy. I know you’re tired. I’ll fix your life.” Everything went hazy as Stryph leaned in and touched his lips to Shepherd’s, and then everything was gone.

Raff paced the hallway. He couldn’t stop. Nothing felt right or good. Jonathan was locked behind his bedroom door, being treated by his mates. Dante had disappeared hours ago, and Shepherd was still out there somewhere in Goddess Celeste only knew what condition. Their lives had been upended, and no one knew why. Possibly they were being kept distracted from something even worse that was already on its way. Maybe they were being tested. The whys didn’t matter to Raff. He wanted... Raff massaged his chest, trying to answer that question or possibly holding in the truth. He stopped and stared out the window at the pounding rain that bounced from the leaves of a nearby tree. Raff wanted to tear apart the world until he found his mate. Then he wanted to lock Shepherd away, claim him, and never look away. It was a slap in the face to the life he’d lived for the past fifty years, but he couldn’t change the way he felt. When he’d met Dante all those years ago, his mate hadn’t been born yet. The other half of his soul had been with Celeste, waiting for a new body to inhabit. Now they were supposed to be together and Raff had squandered his chance. Even worse, now there was part of his soul out there at the mercy of a being that could do anything without conscience.

Something moved at the corner of his vision, dragging Raff’s attention away from the window. Evan and Tamil lingered at the mouth of the hallway. They faced each other, hands moving but not lips, as if they were having a silent argument. Tamil noticed him watching and scrambled out of sight. Evan followed at a slower pace. They were an odd pair. Raff went back to staring out the window. Maybe if he focused hard enough, he could call out to Shepherd, even though they weren’t officially mated. Another tiny movement dragged Raff’s attention back toward the end of the hall. Tamil and Evan were back. This time, it was doubly obvious they spoke mentally. The idea caught and held his attention. They weren’t mates. That shouldn’t be possible.

“How do you hear each other’s thoughts?”

Two sets of eyes shot his way. They froze as if he’d busted them doing something illegal. Neither man looked at him directly. They visibly searched for a lie. Tamil broke first. “Bleidd touched me once and since I’m—” Evan slapped a hand over Tamil’s mouth, cutting off his words.

“Annual orgy incident gone awry,” Evan yelled, sounding panicked as he dragged Tamil out of sight. He could hear their rapid whispering around the corner but couldn’t make out their words.

With a shake of his head, Raff went back to pacing. His gaze kept sliding back toward the mouth of the hall. Evan and Tamil kept popping into sight and back out again, wrestling like children. Raff rolled his eyes. Pups. It blew him away that Evan had been chosen by Odin to be the guardian wolf of a god’s mate. The boy was... well, a boy. Not only had he snagged a coveted role in the wolf chain of command, he’d been fated an ancient alpha mate. It was mind boggling. Yet, it wasn’t. Raff genuinely liked Evan. He was pure of heart and would die for his people. Holding on to those things through everything life threw someone’s way, that was a true test of character. Raff had failed at life long ago.

Tamil flew around the corner, heading his way. Evan was right behind him. “No, Tam. Risk still hasn’t recovered from what you did last night. He’ll be so upset. I don’t want another to the grave secret. One exploding demon in a lifetime is enough.”

Exploding demon. What the hell?

Tamil froze and focused on Evan. “Just like with the demon chunks thing, I’ll sneak back into bed and Risk will be fine. Plus, once Shepherd is back, everyone will know he’s here, so it won’t be a secret. Jonathan needs peace to recover. I can give it to everyone.” He looked Raff’s way and spoke quickly, as if he expected Evan to cover his mouth again. “I can get Shepherd.”

Raff’s heart jumped into his throat. “What? How?”

Tamil didn’t look quite as confident with Raff’s intense focus on him. Raff tried making himself less intimidating. Even though it didn’t seem to help, Tamil didn’t back down. “Last night, you learned something about me, but then Jonathan took the memory from you to keep us both safe. So, I can’t tell you exactly why I can get him. But now that I know who has Shepherd, and since Jonathan can’t help you right now, I sort of feel like I should go get him.”

Raff didn’t want to insult Tamil, but he didn’t look strong enough to do anything. He cleared his throat, trying to think of a way to say as much without insulting the man. Tamil was beautiful and fragile-looking—like a tiny porcelain doll. No doubt he made the perfect docile mate to comfort Riskel’s life, but he was very obviously not a warrior. “Um. Why don’t you tell me where he is, and I’ll go?”

Evan and Tamil exchanged glances. They looked uncomfortable. This time, Evan was the one clearing his throat. “No offense, but you’re not strong enough for this.”

A snort escaped Raff before he could call it back. “You’re both very sweet. I haven’t been the alpha of the southeast pack for over two hundred years for nothing. Just give me an address and I’ll handle this.”

Tamil cocked his head to one side and eyed Raff like he thought he was insane. “So you think you’ll just bust into the home of Stryph, grab Shepherd, and what? Drive away?”

“Well, when you say it all out loud like that…” Raff shook his head. “But ridiculous or not, if you know where he is, I don’t want to wait until one of the vamps around here can pop in and out. A million and one horrible things could happen between now and whenever Jonathan is stable or whatever. Add in the fact that it also has to be nighttime for them to dissipate; fuck, it could be forever from now. My nerves can’t take the waiting.”

Tamil now ran the dress of a doll Raff hadn’t noticed him holding before between his fingers. He didn’t look like he was really getting what Raff was saying. No one currently unoccupied with the king had the power to do what Tamil planned. A loud sigh rent the air as Tamil handed the doll to Evan. “Don’t let anything happen to her,” he said, sounding harder than Raff imagined the man could. Before anyone could respond, Tamil was gone. Raff stared at the spot where Tamil had been, unsure of how to react. Something niggled at the back of his mind. He’d learned something mind-blowing about Tamil the night before, but he couldn’t recall what. Before Raff had time to work through a single thought, Tamil was back. With his arms locked around Shepherd’s chest, he labored under the weight of holding the unconscious man. Raff’s first reaction was his most telling. His throat swelled at the sight of his heart in Tamil’s arms. He couldn’t go back to living without Shepherd.

Everything was dark, loud, and crushing his brain. Jonathan couldn’t focus, breathe, or open his eyes. Too many people were silently screaming in their heads and praying he could make it stop. Meanwhile, he was paralyzed, incapable of helping a single soul, even those closest to him.

Warm lips brushed his nape. Another set settled against the corner of his mouth and lingered. The combined scent of his mates overcame him. Everything fell silent inside his mind. The pain slowly lessened. He inhaled deeper, inflating his lungs with their essence.

“That’s it, sexy. Breathe.”

Cin’s voice sounded like it came from a distance, even though he could feel his touch.

Niall’s hand massaged his hip. “You can’t scare us like this.”

He always knew the difference between their hands and lips, even with his eyes closed. They were unique in their own ways, yet they equally held Jonathan’s heart. He would never leave them. No matter how hard he fought to say as much, nothing worked. His body was still paralyzed.

“If you leave, I’ll follow. I know you don’t want that, but I don’t want to be here without you.”

“Aye,” Cin said, joining Niall’s insane plan. “I’ll go too. Nothing matters to me except the people in this bed.”

They were in bed? That was odd. Jonathan had been plotting Shepherd’s return only a moment ago, and then... and then... nothing. There was nothing.

“Follow your mates’ voices back to us, Jonathan,” Lire said, confusing Jonathan further. “What will become of your clan if all its leaders are gone? I could visit you, but Dougal, Faolan, and Riskel wouldn’t see you again. Think of how that would destroy poor Evan and Tamil. They can’t take the blow.”

Panic rose in Jonathan’s chest, choking him. Why was everyone talking like he was dead? He was right there, squeezed between his mates.

A knocking came from miles away, barely kissing Jonathan’s ears. Shuffling and cursing followed.

“Now is nae the time,” Dougal barked. Whispered words followed. Jonathan fought to make them out without luck. A door slammed in the distance, sounding like a hollow echo.

“We’re alone now, gorgeous. You can open your eyes. Please,” Cin begged. Jonathan’s fingers found a loop on his jeans. He managed a small tug. It felt like a victory. Happiness filled Cin’s voice. “I felt that little tug. You’ll have to work harder than that if you want me out of my jeans. You did nae marry an easy man.”

“Liar.” The word burst from Jonathan’s lips yet sounded weak. “I had you two hours after we met. Niall’s the one who made me wait.”

Niall’s arms encircled him and tightened enough to cut off his air. “But I wanted you before you knew I existed,” Niall whispered against his throat, sounding choked.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” Jonathan admitted, hearing the fear in his voice. “I can’t get my body to do anything I tell it to do.”

“It’s okay,” Cin said. His voice soothed him. “We’ve got you. Tam says you focused too hard on a being much stronger than you. Stryph obviously didn’t like you pushing at his mind, trying to find him, so he shoved you away. The mental blast took you down.”

The memory returned. He’d pushed too hard. The move had been unintentional. He’d just hoped to find Stryph quickly and get Shepherd home. Jonathan had expected Stryph to be hard to track down, and he’d blasted too much energy the man’s way. It didn’t appear Stryph appreciated the mental intrusion. He didn’t care to repeat the experience.

“Note to self, don’t piss off Stryph.”

“You’re growing stronger by the minute. That’s what’s important.”

Jonathan nodded at Niall’s observation. “I just need a little longer and I’ll find Shepherd.”

“No.” Niall’s harsh tone surprised Jonathan. “You’ve done enough for everyone else. The world can care for itself for a while. You need a break or it’s only a matter of time before you crack. I’ve ordered everyone to back the fuck off, and I put out the ‘closed for complaints’ sign. You’re off duty, Jonathan.”

“Don’t worry,” Cin said, sounding calmer than Niall, as if he was playing peacemaker. “Tam has Shepherd. There’s nothing immediate that needs to be done. No more playing the fireman for you. For our sakes, just stay put.”

“Is Shepherd okay?” Jonathan felt his blood pressure rise. The need to check on everyone was already overwhelming him despite not being able to open his eyes.

Cin sounded hurt when he spoke again. “When do we get to come first?”

Guilt crashed down on Jonathan, crushing him. He forced himself to let everything else go. “You two are always first with me.”

“Then prove it, goddamn it,” Niall snapped. “Let everyone else sort out their shit without you for once. You do a lot of good. No one is denying that, but you won’t be any use to anyone dead, especially us. If you love us at all, stay put for a few days. Let us baby you. It’ll take us a minute to get over the ever-living fuck you just scared out of us.”

Jonathan relaxed deeper into Niall’s hold. A happy sigh escaped him as his mate’s warmth engulfed him. He managed to pry one eye open. Cin stared back at him. His features were pinched, and he chewed on his bottom lip.

“Goddamn, it’s not fair for one person to be so sexy.”

Cin’s expression cleared and a lecherous grin pulled at his lips. “Don’t compliment me. I only made it two hours after we met. Nowadays, I’m even less patient. I’d hate to take advantage of you in your weakened state.”

Jonathan snaked his hand between Niall’s body and his. He cupped the man’s package as he openly taunted Cin. “I thought you wanted to keep me in bed.”

“To rest, minx,” Niall said as he kissed the shell of Jonathan’s ear. It was too late. He’d heard the hint of laughter in Niall’s voice. Half the battle was already won.

“Well, I mean, there’s two of you and only one of me. I don’t see why I always have to do all the work.”

Niall pinched his ass—hard. “You’re a little shit starter.”

Cin nodded. “Don’t think we don’t see right through your ploy.”

Jonathan released a long, weary-sounding sigh. “Rejected again.”

“Are you kidding me?” Niall’s voice was heavy with laughter, but Jonathan knew he had him.

“We’ve never rejected you. Not once,” Cin said, sounding insulted.

Jonathan rolled onto his back, crossed his arms over his chest, and stared at the ceiling. Cool air brushed over his skin, making him realize he was nude. “It’s okay. I’m sure my pride will recover. One day, someone will come along who wants me.” Jonathan sniffed loudly. “They won’t strip me in my sleep and then reject me.”

“You lost your kilt when you shrank back to bite-sized Jonathan while unconscious.”

“Yeah,” Cin said, having Niall’s back. “Maybe we enjoyed it a little and unanimously decided not to cover your incredibly sexy body, but we didn’t tease you.”

“You ogled my nakedness while I slept,” Jonathan said, reaching for his most obnoxious and accusing tone. “You know I can’t achieve my best angle while unconscious.”

“First off,” Niall said, easily snagging Jonathan around the waist and slipping beneath him until Jonathan sprawled across him like a mattress. “Your every angle is an amazing angle.” His hand found Jonathan’s cock. “Secondly, we’ve been ogling you in your sleep for years.”

Cin shifted to his knees and crawled their way. “Don’t worry, baby. We’ve always made sure you were awake for the good parts.” He licked Jonathan’s crown.

A gasp escaped Jonathan.

Niall tilted his chin up, forcing Jonathan to meet his gaze. “You ready to get double stuffed?”

The snort escaping Jonathan died on a moan as Niall’s tongue filled his mouth. Cin’s hot mouth opened over his nipple. Jonathan went into sensory overload as Cin helped Niall undress. He felt stronger by the second. His powers grew. Jonathan knew he could snap his fingers and the pair would be every bit as nude as him. Instead, he relinquished control, resting his powers as his mates requested. Their needs came first, even if what they required was Jonathan being docile.

The moment he found himself stretched wide to the point of painful, their emotions overwhelmed Jonathan. They were scared and sometimes felt shoved aside by the weight of Jonathan’s duty. His lungs burned. Tears pricked at the backs of his eyes. These men were everything to him. He’d always known if the choice came down to them or watching the world burn, he’d watch the world burn every time. But they didn’t know it and that killed Jonathan.

“I’m sorry,” Jonathan choked out, ruining the moment. Cin froze with his fangs sunk into Jonathan’s chest. Niall held him tighter, as if trying to squeeze out the pain. Jonathan’s breaths came faster by the second. He couldn’t stop the flood of emotions. “I never meant to make either of you feel cheated. It crushes me that you’re unhappy being mated to me.” He couldn’t stop the oncoming panic attack. Losing Cin and Niall wasn’t an option. He wouldn’t survive it. Hurting them was a two-ton weight on his windpipe.

While crushed between them, Niall and Cin kissed every place they could reach. They shushed him, trying to comfort him.

“Breathe, baby,” Cin whispered against his skin.

He tried. His voice sounded winded and strained when he spoke. “I’m trying.” He gulped and gasped, fighting for oxygen. “I can work harder. You won’t get pushed aside again. I didn’t mean to fail either of you. Your unhappiness is choking me. I love you both. Please don’t leave me. I can figure out how to give you more.”

“Goddamn,” Niall cursed, rolling until they were on their sides and the pair could crush him between them. “Stop, Jonathan. No one is going anywhere. The only thing that makes us unhappy is watching you killing yourself. But Cin and I both know we can step in and slow you down at any moment. We know you’ll always stop whatever you’re doing to be alone with us.”

Jonathan’s teeth chattered. Niall’s words and the cadence of his voice slowly drained away the fear.

“Come here,” Niall said, urging Jonathan onto his back. His lips touched Jonathan’s. As their tongues met, Niall pulled Cin into their kiss. Love overwhelmed every other emotion filling him. He could feel their affection.

Jonathan buried his fingers in Niall’s and Cin’s hair, holding them tight as they pressed their foreheads together. “I don’t understand what happened,” Jonathan whispered as he felt the last tendrils of panic ebb.

“I have a bad feeling I do.” Niall’s tone turned dark. “I don’t think it’s Shepherd they just rescued, or at least, I don’t think he came back alone.”

“Naturally,” Cin said, summing up Jonathan’s thoughts perfectly. It wouldn’t be their lives if something went right. Now they had Stryph under their roof, and—fuck all—Jonathan was exhausted.