Chapter 8
EIGHT
Devlin
I exhale slowly, trying to ignore the burn creeping beneath my skin, the telltale ache coiling low in my belly. Being around them – my alphas – has triggered another heat spike, and I can already feel the next wave building.
I need to get back inside.
But my body doesn’t want to move. Not yet.
Because he’s here.
Cathal.
The one who left. The one who should have been mine from the start. The one I convinced myself I’d never see again, never need again.
And now, I know.
My omega knows.
He belongs to me just as much as Lorcan and Tadhg do. The bond is there, fresh and raw, something ancient and undeniable humming between us. It pulls at me, invisible strings tightening around my ribs, whispering to me in the language of instinct.
Mine. Mine. Mine.
I press my lips together, forcing myself to meet his gaze. “Text them,” I say quietly. “Ask if they’re still willing to help me through this.”
His expression flickers, pain flashing across it so fast I almost miss it. But he doesn’t argue. He pulls out his phone and types, his fingers gripping the device too tight, like he’s bracing himself for the answer. The seconds stretch, the air between us thick with everything unsaid.
His phone buzzes. He glances at the screen, then back at me. “They’re freshening up the suite. Waiting for you.” His voice is rough, but steady.
I nod, relief mixing with something sharper, something electric. “Let’s go.”
I reach for the door handle, but Cathal doesn’t move. He hesitates, his broad shoulders going rigid, like he’s preparing himself for rejection. “And me?”
I arch a brow. “I’m not leaving you sitting in my car all night.” I slide out. “Come on.”
Dejected but resigned, he climbs out and falls into step beside me, and I lock the car as we start toward the hotel. His arm brushes against mine, warm and solid, and even though I should , I don’t pull away.
His scent reaches me first.
Spicy black pepper, bold and sharp. Rich coffee, dark and grounding. Smoky birchwood, warm and steady beneath it all. And just a whisper of dark chocolate – bitter and sweet at the same time, just like him .
It wrecks me.
My breath stutters, my knees going weak. My omega surges , drawn to him, desperate to be claimed by him. The heat pooling in my core ignites , spreading through my veins like wildfire, making me ache .
I barely manage to stifle a whimper.
Cathal notices. Of course he does. His nostrils flare, his pupils darkening as he turns his head slightly toward me, his jaw tight. “You’re scenting me,” he purrs, voice husky.
I am.
Before I can stop myself, I lean in slightly, my instincts overriding every logical thought in my head. My nose brushes against the curve of his throat, right where his pulse beats strongest. His scent is stronger here, richer, more intoxicating, wrapping around me like smoke, like silk, like something I could drown in and never want to come up for air.
I need to stop. I can’t stop.
A shudder ripples through me, my lips parting as I drag in another breath.
Perfect.
That’s what this feels like.
Not just Cathal. All of them.
Three scent matches. Three alphas.
Mine.
The realisation slams into me like a physical force, my body reacting before my mind can process it.
Heat spikes . Arousal floods. Panties give out.
Fuck.
I stumble, my balance wavering, and Cathal is there before I can blink, a strong arm wrapping around my waist, steadying me. His hold is firm but gentle, his fingers pressing into my hip like he’s anchoring me to the earth itself.
“Easy,” he croons, voice like gravel, like smoke, like something deep and dangerous . His purr rumbles to life, low and soothing, vibrating through my bones.
I cling to him for half a second too long before I force myself to step away.
My breathing is ragged, my body burning , the heat already building to something I won’t be able to fight for long.
I shake my head, trying to clear it. “We need to get inside.”
Cathal watches me, his jaw tight, his eyes full of something I can’t decipher.
But he doesn’t argue.
He just nods. And follows me inside.
When we reach the suite, Cathal lingers at the door, shifting awkwardly. His shoulders are tense, his hands flexing at his sides like he’s fighting the urge to reach for me. Good. Let him feel what I’ve felt for years. Let him ache .
“I guess this is goodnight,” he mutters, but there’s hesitation in his voice, like he’s hoping I’ll tell him otherwise.
And fuck, a part of me wants to.
A deep, instinctual part of me that still needs him, still knows he’s mine.
My omega is pacing , restless and agitated, clawing at my ribs, furious that I’m keeping him at arm’s length. She wants him inside. She wants to be knotted full of him, to have all three of them surrounding her, claiming her.
I shove that thought down, ignoring the sharp pull in my chest.
I tilt my head, considering him. Then, before he can turn away, I say, “Stay.”
His whole body stills, his eyes snapping to mine, hope flashing through them so fast it’s almost painful to witness. His lips part, breath hitching?—
“In the lounge,” I add, cutting him off before he can say anything stupid. “You can listen.”
His mouth snaps shut, his expression darkening with something sharp and frustrated.
From inside the suite, Lorcan and Tadhg’s laughter rumbles through the door. “Cruel, a stór,” Lorcan teases.
Tadhg chuckles. “Absolutely brutal, Cloverheart.”
I flick my hair over my shoulder, meeting Cathal’s heated stare, fully aware that I’m playing with fire. Let him burn.
“He deserves it,” I say simply.
Cathal swallows hard, his jaw working. But instead of snapping back, instead of pushing, he nods .
“I do, mo féileacán,” he confesses, voice rough with something deeper than frustration. “Hit me with everything you’ve got. I’m ready to burn for you, Embers.”
Fuck.
The way he says it – low and reverent, like I’m something holy – sends a full-body shiver down my spine.
My omega rages, pressing against my skin, demanding I let him in. She does not approve of this plan. Fix it , she snarls. Fix it now.
But I don’t.
Because the Devlin who got left behind in Cork, the Devlin who spent years wondering what she did wrong, who she wasn’t enough for—she refuses to break so easily.
I steel myself, forcing a smirk I don’t quite feel. “Then enjoy the show.”
His nostrils flare, his whole body going tight , but he doesn’t argue. Just gives me a slow, deliberate nod, like he’s accepting a challenge.
Satisfied – or at least pretending to be – I push open the door, stepping inside.
The moment I do, I’m hit with the scent of them. Lorcan’s wild, untamed energy: black leather, smoky oak, and dark bourbon, intense and dangerous. Tadhg’s deep, steady warmth: cedarwood, amber, and smoky vanilla, grounding and safe. It washes over me, soothing and igniting all at once, and my body reacts , the heat that had been simmering flaring into something ravenous .
The room has been refreshed – the bed stripped and remade, cool sheets waiting – but it’s the nest that catches my breath.
A carefully constructed pile of neutral-colored blankets and pillows, arranged just right, perfectly built to comfort and cradle, to welcome me inside.
A soft warmth unfurls in my chest.
I turn to them, my voice quieter now. “You did this for me? You built me a nest?”
Tadhg steps closer, pressing a kiss to my temple. “Of course we did. Everything is clean, but hotel issue. We weren’t expecting to find our omega this weekend, otherwise we would have booked an omega suite – which comes with a lot more space and perks. But once Lorcan scented you, he alerted the front desk and had extra supplies delivered. And snacks. We want you to be as comfortable as possible, Cloverheart.”
Lorcan tugs me toward the nest, his fingers tracing along my wrist. “We take care of our omega.”
And just like that, the last of my restraint crumbles.
I let myself be guided into the nest of blankets, my body light with desire, but also heavy with the weight of everything that’s been building.
As soon as I crawl into the nest, I’m hit by their scents. All of their scents.
Tadhg’s warm amber and smoky vanilla with crisp cedarwood accents blends perfectly with both Lorcan’s commanding leather, oak, and bourbon mix, and his twin’s striking fusion of coffee, black pepper, birchwood, and a hint of bitter-sweet chocolate. It shouldn’t work, but the softer notes of Tadhg’s scent beautifully balance the other two alphas’ more overpowering notes.
And then – then – I realise something else.
Cathal’s scent is here too.
It’s faint, but present. A thread of dark spice and smoky heat woven into the fabric of my nest, grounding it, anchoring me .
Something inside me eases, even as tears of gratitude threaten to fall.
We fit.
This was meant to be.
And knowing that the guys went to the trouble of including not only their own scents in here, but Cathal’s too, means the world to me. It’s touching. Everything they’ve done here makes a swell of emotions rise to a lump in my throat.
There’s a warmth here, in the way they’re touching me, in the way they’ve prepared this space for me, that feels like more than just a physical need. But it’s still hard for me to fully grasp, to truly understand. And my questions bubble up, demanding to be asked.
I hesitate, unsure if now is the right moment, but the need for answers presses against me, urging me forward.
“Lorcan…” My voice catches, but I force it steady. “What’s your connection to the twins? How did you guys become a pack?”
The room seems to hold its breath, the tension shifting. Lorcan’s jaw tightens, and Tadhg’s gaze drops to the floor for a beat, as if contemplating how much to reveal. They’re hiding something, I can feel it, and the question hangs in the air like a storm waiting to break.
After a long moment, Lorcan exhales slowly, meeting my eyes with something raw in his gaze. “It wasn’t always like this,” he starts, his voice steady but heavy. “Cathal didn’t just step up as pack leader because he wanted to. He did it to protect us.”
Tadhg nods, his eyes darkening as he adds, “Being bisexual Catholic alphas in Cork – even today – it’s not something people always readily accept. Our bond, the way we’re connected...it’s not exactly normal, not in their eyes. It raised more questions than answers. Especially when we didn’t find an omega.”
The words hit me like a punch. I try to process them, but it’s like trying to catch smoke with my bare hands.
Lorcan continues, his voice softer now, a layer of pain threading through it. “So, Cathal—he stepped in. He brought us over to England and made the pack. He made us a family. He gave us a reason to stay close without anyone asking too many questions. Twins, best friends – of course we’d pack together. He made sure no one would look twice.”
I stare at him, trying to make sense of it all. “So…you’ve been together all along, but no one knew you were so close? No one knew what you really meant to each other?”
Tadhg steps in, his voice rougher, more vulnerable. “It wasn’t just about hiding us. It was about survival, Devlin. Our narrow-minded corner of the world wasn’t ready for what we were. For what we are . But Cathal – he gave us a way to be together, without fear.”
A shiver runs through me. Their bond, their loyalty – it’s deeper than I thought. Far more complex than I could have ever understood. But there’s still something unsettled in me, a flutter of fear I can’t shake.
I bite my lip, unsure whether to voice the question that’s been haunting me. But I can’t hold it in any longer. “But…what if I can’t be what you need?” I ask, the words slipping out, trembling. “What if I come between you two? What if I ruin what you have?”
They’re quiet for a long moment, the only sound is the soft rustling of the blankets beneath me. Then, Lorcan’s fingers lift my chin, his touch gentle but insistent.
“Devlin… Red,” he says softly, “What we have – it’s never been just about us. We’ve always known there was something missing. Someone missing. A piece of our hearts, you could say.”
Tadhg’s gaze sharpens, and he steps forward, taking my hand in his. “You, Clover. You’re what’s been missing. You’re the heart of our pack. The one who completes us.”
I swallow hard, the enormity of their words sinking into my chest. “But…what if I can’t be what you need? What if I can’t fit into this...dynamic?”
Lorcan brushes his thumb over my cheek, his touch soft but firm. “You will, Devlin. If you want to. There’s no pressure either way. You already are fitting in with us. Our bond, our pack – it’s been waiting for you. And we need you to trust us, to trust in what we’re building.”
The knot in my stomach loosens, and for the first time, I feel a sense of certainty. They’re right. This – us – is something deeper than I ever imagined. It’s not just about attraction or need. It’s about completion , about becoming something more, together .
“I’ll trust you,” I promise, the words coming easier now, even as my heart races in anticipation. “But only if…if you’ll be with each other during my heat. I need to know we’re all in this together.”
Lorcan’s lips curl into a faint smile, his eyes dark with something I can’t quite name.
“We’re all in this together, Devlin. Always.”
They begin to kiss me slowly, their hands exploring, as they pull me closer. Tadhg’s lips capture mine, sweet but demanding, while Lorcan’s teeth graze my neck. The world outside fades, and all that matters now is us – our bond, our pack.
My omega protests that we’re not whole, not without Cathal, but I know that we’ll get there. She just needs to be patient. The first time we see him after six years is not the right time to invite him into our nest, our bed and our heart.
Lorcan and Tadhg’s eyes lock, their expressions intense and unspoken, as if they’re having a silent conversation. Then, with a shared look, they both act.
I’m barely aware of what’s happening before I’m gently but firmly pushed back onto the bed, my body sinking into the cool sheets beneath me, surrounded by a mound of blankets and pillows I’m itching to run my hands all over. My omega wants to inspect everything, to ensure that it’s up to her exacting standards – that it’s good enough for her alphas – but there’s no time for that. The nest will have to do.
The warmth of their touch lingers as they stand over me, gazes dark, burning with intent. I’m left breathless, my heart pounding in anticipation.
My skin prickles with need, the air between us electric. My breath hitches as Lorcan slowly kneels at the edge of the bed, his hands caressing the curve of my hip, his touch possessive yet tender. Tadhg is on the other side of me, his eyes taking me in, as though he can’t decide where to start first.
“Ready?” Tadhg asks, his voice low, teasing, but I can hear the edge of something deeper beneath the question.
I nod, barely able to form words, my body aching for them. They take their time, undressing me carefully, their hands gliding over my skin as though memorising every inch. The soft brush of their fingers, the heat of their eyes, sends shivers through me, heightening the anticipation.
My whole body flushes when Lorcan peels my slick-soaked panties away and my perfume blooms so hard it overpowers all the other scents in the room.
Once I’m bare before them, my chest rising and falling with rapid breaths, they step back – just for a moment – to admire the sight of me. Their eyes are hungry, but there’s a deeper reverence there, something I can’t quite name.
Then, without another word, they turn to each other.
I watch as Lorcan steps toward Tadhg, pulling him into a fierce kiss, their mouths colliding with an urgency that makes my pulse spike. Tadhg’s hands move, eagerly undressing Lorcan, unbuttoning his shirt before throwing it aside. The tension between them is palpable, their need for each other just as consuming as it is for me.
My omega purrs.
As they undress each other, their movements fluid and hungry, I see the way they fit together – like two halves of the same whole, their bond so deep, so intrinsic. It’s more than just lust. It’s something profound, something that calls to me in ways I can’t fully understand, but I want to. I need to.
Tadhg’s shirt hits the floor, followed by Lorcan’s pants. Without breaking their kiss, they move together, their hands roaming, pulling at the last of their clothes. The sound of fabric hitting the floor mixes with the sound of their breath, the heat of their bodies almost tangible.
Finally, when they’re both naked before me, they pause – briefly. It’s a moment of silence, a moment where everything seems to stand still. Then, with a shared look, they turn to me. They stand before me, bare and magnificent, the heat between us thickening. They’re so alike in many ways, yet so different. Lorcan is the one with the wild spark in his eyes, while Tadhg is quieter, more controlled – but in that moment, it’s clear they’re both equally hungry for me, for us, for what we’re about to become.
“Now, Devlin,” Lorcan says, his voice low, like a command and a promise all in one. “It’s time.”
I nod, heart hammering in my chest, as they close in toward me.
The air is thick with the scent of heat, drowning everything else in its intensity. I tremble, my body slick with sweat, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I writhe beneath them. The first waves were overwhelming, but this? This is unbearable. Heat claws at me from the inside, twisting my nerves into raw, frayed wires of pure need.
Tadhg’s hands are firm, grounding me as I struggle, his touch a brand against my overheated skin. Lorcan is at my side, his breath warm against my throat, his body a wall of strength keeping me from slipping into oblivion. I can feel them both, their scents wrapping around me, making me dizzy with want. My body knows what it needs – what it craves. And right now, nothing else matters.
“Tadhg,” I whimper, nails biting into his forearm as I squirm on his pulsing cock. “Lorcan. Please.”
My voice is desperate, wrecked. I barely recognise it as my own.
“You already have us, sweetheart,” Lorcan rasps, his hands smoothing over my thighs, holding me open for Tadhg. “We’re right here.”
“No,” I gasp, my back arching off the bed. “I need?—”
I can’t even say it, but they know. Of course, they do.
Tadhg curses under his breath, his jaw tight, his muscles straining. “Devlin…Clover…sweetheart…you don’t know what you’re asking for.”
“I do.” I turn my head, pressing my forehead against his, my breath coming in hot, frantic puffs. “Bite me. Alpha. Please.”
Lorcan’s growl is deep, a possessive rumble vibrating through his chest. “You want us to claim you?”
“Yes,” I breathe, my fingers digging into his biceps as I pull him closer. “I need it. I can’t—” My voice catches on a sob of frustration as another wave of heat crashes through me. “Knot! I can’t take it anymore. Bite!”
Tadhg shudders against me, his self-control hanging by a thread. He’s already scent-marked me a dozen times tonight, rubbed his jaw along my throat, left his scent all over me, bitten my skin until it’s tender but unbroken, and knotted me into oblivion and back…but this…this is different.
A bond mark is forever. And I’m begging for it.
“Red,” Lorcan breathes, his lips ghosting over my pulse point. “Once we do this, there’s no going back.”
“I don’t want to go back,” I whine.
Tadhg groans, his restraint snapping like a rope pulled too tight for too long. He fists my hair, tilting my head back to bare my throat, his mouth hovering over the spot that belongs to him. Lorcan watches, waiting, his body taut with anticipation.
“I’m not going to bite you until you come for me again,” Tadhg growls, his eyes blazing with unrestrained desire.
“I can’t!” I wail. I’ve lost count of how many orgasms have been wrung out of me today. There’s no way I can go again.
I’m stretched beyond my limits, but the ache...the need doesn’t stop.
“You can and you will,” Tadhg insists. He holds me firm as Lorcan slides a hand between us, his fingers drawing slow, perfect circles around my swollen clit. The feeling is exquisite, maddening, and I can’t help but tremble as he applies just the right amount of pressure.
“Be a good omega, a good girl, Red. Come for your alphas.”
I don’t have a choice. I’m at their mercy, and my body is desperate to please them. Another orgasm tears through me, blinding and relentless. I feel every inch of it as my hips buck against Lorcan’s hand, my body shaking violently, on the edge of unraveling completely.
Tadhg hisses as he feels it, his grip tightening in my hair, pulling me back to expose my throat.
“There,” he growls, and then – finally – his teeth sink into my skin.
The bite is sharp, deep, and primal. The pain is electric, but it’s drowned in the overwhelming rush of pleasure that floods my veins. I scream out, every cell in my body vibrating with the bond snapping into place. His mark is permanent, and as he pulls back, licking over the wound, his voice is thick with satisfaction. “You’re mine now, Devlin.”
My omega purrs. We belong to him now.
Something primal surges through me before I can think – I need to bite back. My body moves on its own, surging forward, my fingers fisting in Tadhg’s hair as I pull him to me. His eyes widen, lips parting in surprise, but he doesn’t stop me. He wants this just as badly as I do.
I press my mouth to the curve of his neck, inhaling deep, his scent thick with possessiveness, with me. Then I sink my teeth in.
Tadhg roars . His whole body tenses, his hands crushing my hips as a shudder wracks through him. The taste of him bursts over my tongue – dark, rich, sweet, and mine. The moment my bite takes hold, it hits. The bond.
It’s not just physical. It’s a rush of him – his hunger, his desperate need to protect, his fierce, unrelenting love. It crashes through me like wildfire, blazing hot and undeniable. My head spins, my breath hitching as his emotions pour into me, raw and unfiltered.
I feel everything . Tadhg loves me. He always has. and I can feel his love for Lorcan too.
His arms tighten around me as his knot inflates, locking us together as physically as the bond has. It’s as if he can’t bear to let go, and for a second, we exist in this perfect moment, wrapped in each other, our souls locked together in something unbreakable.
Then – pain.
Not mine. Not Tadhg’s.
A flash of hurt, sharp and deep, like a wound ripped open.
It’s Cathal .
His presence flares at the edge of my awareness, distant yet painfully close. It’s only a glimpse, just for a second, but it’s enough. Enough to know that he felt this. That even without a bond between us , he knows .
Guilt twists in my stomach, but before I can grasp onto it, before I can think, Lorcan growls.
His fingers slide under my jaw, turning me toward him. His eyes are heavy-lidded, dark with possession, but there’s something else there too – something gentle. He strokes his thumb over my swollen lips, as if soothing me, as if claiming me without words.
“No more thinking,” he utters. “You’re ours now.”
And then his mouth is on mine, wiping away every other thought but him and I lose myself in the two of them, in the intensity of their bond pulsing through me, drowning me in sensation.
Time stretches and warps as I feel it – a web weaving around us, pulling us tighter, locking us in place. It’s not just physical anymore. It’s the merging of hearts, of souls, the connection deepening beyond anything I could have ever imagined. Every breath, every touch, every beat of our hearts is synchronized, as if we were always meant to be this way.
In the silence that follows, the world feels like it’s holding its breath. We’ve crossed a threshold, and nothing will ever be the same. My body still hums with Tadhg’s presence, a quiet, burning reminder of the bond that’s been sealed, of the unspoken promises that tether us together.
I belong to him. He belongs to me.
“Please,” I whisper, my voice trembling as Tadhg’s knot eventually goes down and he slips free. “I need you, too.”
Tadhg pulls back with a low chuckle, leaving me aching, empty, a part of me already missing the weight of him. The moment his body shifts, Lorcan takes his place, sliding in with a force that makes me gasp. He’s larger than Tadhg, stretching me in ways that make my legs tremble, my breath catching in my throat as his power consumes me. His hands grip my hips tightly, locking me in place as his thrusts come hard, deep, and unyielding.
“You feel so fucking good, pumped full of both our cum,” Lorcan growls, his voice thick with satisfaction, each word like a brand on my skin. He drives into me with a brutal rhythm, each movement making me cry out, every sound spilling from my mouth as I shudder under his force. He pulls back slightly, teasing me, making me chase each thrust until I’m a trembling, desperate mess.
“Begging for it,” he purrs, his lips brushing my ear as he drives in again, harder this time. “You like being filled up, don’t you? Want both of us to take you – leave you dripping for days?”
The words hit me like a surge of electricity, my thoughts swirling, consumed by the feel of him filling me, stretching me, his dominance igniting something inside. I can barely respond, my body aching for more. Lorcan’s movements are a steady beat, powerful and sure. His rhythm holds me in place, pushing me closer and closer to the edge, each thrust overwhelming my senses.
“Come for me,” he demands, his hand sliding down to where we’re connected, rubbing against my swollen clit. The pressure builds, tightening deep inside me until I’m gasping for air, my body trembling as I break apart in a wave of ecstasy.
Lorcan lets out a dark chuckle as I tremble beneath him, his thrusts never slowing, pushing me further, taking me higher. He drives into me once more, a deep, unrelenting rhythm that has me shuddering again, unable to stop. He doesn’t stop until I’ve come a second time, my body a trembling, pleading mess beneath him.
With a deep growl, he leans in, biting down on my shoulder. It’s sharp, intense, and just as primal as Tadhg’s mark, but it’s different. His bite isn’t just claiming me – it’s something more. It’s a promise. A bond that will hold me together, keep me safe. My whole body shudders as the sensation of him marking me floods my mind, grounding me in a way nothing else ever has.
The moment his teeth pierce me, another wave crashes through me, sending me spiraling, lost to the pleasure and power of it. The bond flares to life, wrapping around my soul, tying me to him in a way that is final, irreversible. I feel it in every fiber of my being – a connection that is not just physical, but deeply, intimately emotional. His presence in me, his devotion, his need to protect me, all surge through me like wildfire. I am his. I am his everything .
I barely have time to breathe before instinct roars to the surface again. Mine .
My hand grips his shoulders, pulling him closer as I part my lips and sink my teeth into his skin. Lorcan shudders violently beneath me, his body locking up as my teeth dig in. A guttural sound rumbles from his chest, a deep, raw sound that sends a shiver through me. His hands tighten around me, as if I might disappear if he lets go.
Then it hits.
The bond snaps into place, and everything fades except for him. Lorcan isn’t just steady – he’s constant. His presence is a deep, thrumming warmth beneath my skin, grounding me in a way I never imagined possible. It’s not just his body. It’s him . His love. His devotion. His promises. The weight of it presses on me, settling into every part of my soul, and I realise – I feel him. He isn’t just a part of this bond. He is the bond. The world outside fades to nothing. It’s just us. It’s always been us.
The intensity of it overwhelms me. I gasp, my chest tightening with the sheer force of his love, his unwavering devotion to me. This – this – is love. Not the tentative, unsure kind, but the kind that consumes, that demands everything, that marks you in ways you can’t escape. And in that moment, I realise something.
I’m not just a passive participant in this.
I feel it too. The depth of it. The pull between us. It’s undeniable. And in the quietest corner of my heart, I can’t help but acknowledge it. I am starting to feel the same. Maybe not yet in the way he does. But it’s there. A seed. A promise that I can’t ignore.
“Fuck,” Lorcan breathes, his voice thick with awe, his forehead pressing to mine as he exhales sharply. “You feel that?”
I nod, my hands gripping his shoulders, my whole body trembling, adjusting to the weight of the bond settling between us. It’s heavy, overwhelming in the best possible way. The promise that he will never let go, that we are bound in ways I never thought possible.
Tadhg’s hand slides down my spine, a soothing touch that brings me back to myself. “You’re perfect, sweetheart,” he croons, his voice low, steady, offering the reassurance I didn’t realise I needed.
I blink against the haze of pleasure, slowly coming back into my body, into the moment. My heart is racing, but there’s something else too – something deeper. I know this is just the beginning, that the connection between the three of us is far more than just physical. And somewhere, deep down, I realise that for all the things I’m still unsure of, there’s one thing I’m certain of.
We’re bound. In every way that matters. And there’s no going back.
I’m trying to process it all, trying to breathe through the sheer enormity of what we’ve just done, when another pang of emotion – not my own – shudders through me.
Hurt.
Pain.
Cathal.
It’s not as sharp this time, maybe because he knew to expect it, but it’s still there. Lingering, aching.
The bond tugs at me, whispering that he felt it.
But before I can follow that thought, before guilt can sink its claws into me, Lorcan shifts, kissing my jaw, his lips pressing soft, reverent kisses along the fresh mark he just gave me.
“No more worrying,” he insists. “Just relax and feel, Devlin.”
And I do.
I let it consume me, let the warmth of their bodies, the weight of their claim, the depth of the bonds wrap around me completely.
I’m theirs now.
Forever.