Page 87 of Bound

My fingers dig into her fur, praying it’s not true, but no matter how much I wish it, his next words stab me in the chest as if I’ve been gutted.

“She’s my fated mate.”

Chapter 36

Cherry

Maddox is my mate.

Excitement and joy fill me as I cling to Bain.

Bain.

Is this the last time he’ll ever hold me? Will the twins no longer sleep beside me? Will I never get to cuddle with Gage again?

And why did I shift?Howdid I shift?

One moment, I was enjoying their touch, the next, I shifted.

Happiness and worry spiral inside me, causing me pain at the thought of losing my connection with any of them. I want Maddox to pull me into his arms right now, but I also don’t want to let go of Bain, afraid it will be the last time he ever holds me.

Bain bends forward, as if he’s been punched in the gut and releases a pained grunt. I dig my claws tighter into his shoulder and press my head against his neck, hoping that if I hold him tight enough, he won’t be able to let me go.

He stands back up, and I see the twins staring at me with worry and confusion.

“You’re not jealous,” Bain says, and it takes me a second to realize he’s talking to Maddox.

“Why would I be jealous?”

“Because I’m holding your mate.” My claws twitch at that word. That one simple word is so powerful. It has the ability to change everything.

Chase frowns as Maddox speaks. “You holding her… it feels the same as it did before. Maybe because you’re my pack mate?”

“Can we talk about the fact that she just shifted,” Chase says, reaching out to stroke my cheek. “How did that happen?”

I press my face into his hand, appreciating that he’s asking that important question.

“She seemed really relaxed, maybe that’s the key?” Hunter suggests as he strokes the back of my neck.

It’s quiet for a minute, and I hear the other two moving in the water behind me. “She’s been relaxed before,” Gage says thoughtfully as he touches my back. His fingers dig into my fur a little before I hear him gasp.

“It’s touch!” he says in excitement. “Have all five of us ever touched her at the same time before?”

“We must have,” Chase says as he frowns at me, trying to remember. I try to recall a time when they did, but at night, it’s normally only two or three of them lying with me. And when I was recovering from my regenerations, they were close, but not all of them were actually touching me.

“That’s crazy. That can’t be it,” Hunter says, shaking his head as he strokes my neck.

“There’s one way to find out,” Gage suggests as the twins look over my head at Maddox.

I can feel the tension surrounding us as Maddox moves closer. Chase’s eyes drop to mine just as I feel Maddox’s palm touch my back. The shift is instant and painless, just like lasttime, but the sensation still feels foreign, strange, as if I’ve forgotten what it feels like to shift.

My eyes close as I feel my arms and legs shift, and I wrap them around Bain, squeezing him as tight as I can. Each connection point where their five hands touch me feels warm.

Chase’s hand on my cheek shifts as his thumb strokes my skin gently, making my breath hitch as my eyes fly open, connecting with his gorgeous brown ones.

A jolt tears through me, making us both gasp.

Mate.