Acquired in Time Downs Jana

Marked 2

Acquired in Time

Cian Augustin is a gamma for Alpha Mustang's wolf pack. Fate
gave him three beautiful mates, but the old pack law had allowed
him to claim only two of them. The third, a human, was off-limits.
Now that the ban is lifted, he doubts second chances and new laws
will be enough to bring Jeremiah Likos home.

Kane and Abel, Cian's two submissives, are not so easily
dissuaded from following their hearts. They're determined to do
what their Master will not—bring their mate home and complete
the family. However, Jeremiah is wary to trust Cian again, and
he's not sure if his feelings for Kane and Abel are real enough to
make everything all right.

When Jeremiah's ex-boyfriend steps back into the picture, the
wolves will have to fight for their right to be with their mate and
carve out a place of happiness for their new family.

Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Shape-
shifter
Length: 37,608 words

ACQUIRED IN TIME

Marked 2

Jana Downs

MENAGE AMOUR

MANLOVE

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Ménage Amour ManLove

Acquired in Time
Copyright © 2012 by Jana Downs
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62241-732-2

First E-book Publication: October 2012

Cover design by Sloan Winters
All cover art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

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ACQUIRED IN TIME

Marked 2

JANA DOWNS

Prologue

Cian watched his friend as he made rounds during monthly moon

gathering at their Alpha’s estate. He looked happier than he’d ever
seen him. Grayson had really come into his own as Alpha Mate to the
pack. It had been a month since Grayson Gambler had accidently
been turned into a werewolf and taken his place by Mustang’s side to
lead the pack, and the pack was doing well with the adjustment. Kane
and Abel, Cian’s mates, sat on either side of him, both busy tearing
into the barbeque chicken and potato salad that Mustang had catered
to feed them. Abel was actually much easier to live with now that the
Alpha Mate was just a phone call away. Relinquishing his burdens to
another higher-up submissive really helped keep him happy. Cian’s
mates really were beautiful. They were everything he’d ever asked
for. The pack said that he was blessed by the All Father to have more
than one mate. Most men only got one.

Cian wasn’t most men. His heart had always been big enough for

all of them, and normally he agreed with the state of his blessing.
However, on nights like tonight, when everyone was gathered and
their families were gathered with them, it seemed a curse. Because his
family wasn’t complete. There was always an emptiness that
should’ve been filled by another person on his left.

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“You’re thinking about him again, Master,” Kane said, forking

another bite of chicken into his mouth. He took his time chewing
before he swallowed. “You always get that look on your face
whenever you think of him.” His tone wasn’t sullen, more
contemplative. Kane and Abel were some of the only people who
were aware of his little problem.

“I’m not thinking about him.” The denial was all he had. It would

only cause him problems if he admitted to it. Kane and Abel would
encourage him to go after the object of his obsession. It would
weaken his resolve, and there was no real point in the weakening. He
was involved with someone else.

“The Alpha lifted the ban on being with humans, Master. We

wonder why you haven’t gone after Jeremiah,” Abel said, placing his
plastic fork beside his Styrofoam plate. The name spoken aloud felt
like a punch to the gut. He still remembered their last conversation.

* * * *

“I love you, Cian! This isn’t a club fling for me. I need more than

once-a-month sessions where I’m some dirty secret,” Jeremiah had
shouted.

“This isn’t some club fling for me, but I have no choice,” Cian

said desperately. He hadn’t wanted Jeremiah to walk out, but what
choice did he have? If the Alpha found out about it…He gritted his
teeth. Damn pack law.

“So what is it? You have Kane and Abel live with you, and I’m

what? The club sub you get off with occasionally?”

“You know that’s not true. I care very deeply for you.” He balled

his fists at his sides, desperate to command his submissive, his third
mate, to stay with him always.

Jeremiah’s blue eyes filled to the brim with that same longing that

had drawn Cian from across the room. “If you care, you’ll let me in,

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Master. If you care, you’ll either let me be a part of your life or you’ll
let me go.”

“I—” He cut himself off. How could he even begin to explain?
Jeremiah’s countenance crumbled. “Fine. I’ll make it easier for

you.” He reached up and broke the silver chain around his neck. The
symbolism of the gesture wasn’t lost on Cian. It was Jeremiah’s day
collar, the one he wore when he was out in public at his day job. He
put it on the table beside the spanking bench and looked up at him
with eyes filled with tears. “I can’t give you everything when you
don’t give me anything, Cian.” With that he turned and walked out
the door, his head held high. Cian could only stare after him, wanting
to go after him like he wanted to breathe but unable to do either at the
moment.

* * * *

He shook his head, banishing the images playing in never-ending

reels in his head. That had been three years ago. It was time to let it
go. “Kane, Abel, we will not discuss this again. I told you, he lives
with his new Master a few towns over. He has moved on from us.”
From me. He’d never really allowed Jeremiah to grow attached to
Kane and Abel, knowing that the time for them to be together would
inevitably be cut short. He wouldn’t hurt his submissives that way,
would never let his selfishness blind him to the pain the attachment
and subsequent rejection would cause.

Kane and Abel glanced at one another in the way they did when

they mutually disagreed with something Cian said and would discuss
it at length as soon as Cian was out of earshot. He sighed. Sometimes
those two were handfuls.

Mustang stood at the head of the long rows of picnic tables they’d

pushed together in the converted barn that acted as their meeting
place. He raised his hands for silence, cutting off the soft
admonishment Cian was about to deliver to his submissives. “Thank

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you all for coming here today. Both myself and my mate are very
pleased that you all could attend. Please, help yourself to as much
food as you can stand and don’t be shy to ask for leftovers. In another
thirty minutes or so, we’ll move into the back paddock. My mate will
stay with the children and any of the other submissives that don’t
want to participate in the run with us. Anyone under sixteen will not
be permitted. That means you, Travis,” he directed at a lanky
redheaded fourteen-year-old that had a penchant for trouble. “Till
then, enjoy your meals, everyone!”

At least he only had thirty more minutes before he could lose

himself in the fields that surrounded the property Mustang owned.
Running with the pack always got his mind off of unhappy subjects.

“Master?”
“Yes, Abel?”
“We love you.”
He turned to look at his submissive. His auburn hair was in need

of a haircut, and his soft brown eyes gazed at him with knowing. Cian
cupped his cheek, unable to resist the comfort he found in those eyes.
“You two are my sanity.” He meant that. He wouldn’t have been able
to stand himself if he hadn’t had them after Jeremiah left. Taking care
of them had consumed him, and he’d loved the consumption.

“And your torment,” Kane added from his right side.
He smiled. “Yes. That, too.” He finally was able to turn his

attention back to his plate and the food he’d been neglecting. The
wolf-run catering company that Mustang had prepare their meals
every month was really great. He would have to remember to ask for
a business card for his next informal meeting with the board. His law
office was doing exceedingly well since he’d made partner, but it
never hurt to schmooze the other members.

Kane rubbed his cheek against Cian’s bare arm, getting his

attention. His long black hair was hanging down tonight. His ice-blue
eyes peaked out at him from behind half-lowered lashes. Ah. My
submissive wants some attention. It was Kane’s playful gesture. From

Acquired in Time

his other side, Abel put a hand on his thigh beneath the table and gave
the muscle a squeeze before he leaned his head on Cian’s other arm.

“Do you and Abel want to stay back or come on the run?” he

asked, already knowing the answer.

“I’d like to run,” Kane said automatically.
“Me, too,” Abel echoed. They rarely did things separately. They

were very close, and since Cian often worked long hours, they relied
heavily on one another when their Master wasn’t around. They also
worked as a team against Cian if he wasn’t careful.

“Uh-huh. This wouldn’t have something to do with the fact that

I’m feeling a bit morose would it?” They both gave him identical
looks of innocence.

“Not at all. We’re just in a mood for some outdoorsy type

activities,” Abel said as Kane nibbled on the place where his elbow
bent. They hated going for runs. They were all about privacy, but
pools and manicured lawns were more their style. Occasionally Cian
could convince them to venture further out into the land and explore
the fields and woods nearby, but it was a rare occurrence. They’re
taking care of me again. A lot of people were under the false
assumption that just because he was Dominant that his submissives
were the ones in constant need of emotional support. They were
wrong. They took care of him just as often as he took care of them,
just in a different way.

“All right, you two mother hens. I’m fine. No complaints if we get

out there and you get twigs and crap in your hair again. Got it, Kane?”
I’m the luckiest Dom on the planet.

“Yes, Master. No complaints. Got it.”
“Abel?”
Abel batted his brown eyes at him. “I never complain, Master.”

He was such a little liar.

Jana Downs

Chapter One

Two months later

“There he is,” Kane whispered as their Master’s former flame

folded a pair of blue jeans in the back of the True Religion store.
Since their Master had some kind of conference in Dallas with the
other partners, he and Kane had decided to check up on the man who
was meant to be their fourth. Blue eyes were framed with thick, dark
lashes, and his dark hair had gotten much longer since they’d last seen
him. It was cut into an artful shag now, a world of difference from his
almost-military-short buzz cut from before. He’d lost some weight as
well. His naturally lean five-eleven frame looked almost too thin,
indicating that he definitely didn’t weigh the one hundred and sixty
pounds that he’d weighed previously.

Abel frowned as he took in the employee’s name tag that was

pinned to the front of his T-shirt. “He works here?”

“Yeah. According to Dean, he’s been working here almost a

year,” Kane replied, walking casually over to the shirt racks and
began perusing through them at a leisurely pace. Dean was the pack-
employed PI that Kane had contacted to find Jeremiah in the first
place.

Though their Master had already found him, he’d refused to give

them any more information. As usual, he was trying to protect them
from what he perceived as a threat to their well-being. Most of the
time that was more than fine, it was welcome. However, on this
particular issue, Cian was dead wrong. The punishment would be
worth the payoff if they could just convince Jeremiah of two things:

Acquired in Time

the existence to shape-shifting wolves and the fact that he belonged in
their family and always had.

“Pick out a couple shirts and a few pairs of jeans to bring back

with us,” Abel instructed. It wasn’t like they really needed the clothes,
but if they were unsuccessful in their mission, they could at least
show their Master that they’d gone shopping in his absence. He need
never know where exactly they’d gone shopping at. There was, after
all, a True Religion store much closer to home.

“Good idea,” Kane said, actively shopping now rather than just

appearing to shop. Abel almost chuckled. Kane was a bit vain, and he
always had been. Clothes, jewelry, and colognes made him into a
shopaholic in a minute flat. It was one of the reasons he wasn’t
allowed to go shopping on his own anymore. His impulse control
went out the window when he saw something he “had to have.” When
he’d maxed out his ten-thousand-dollar credit card in the span of one
of the Master’s forty-eight hours business trips, Cian had thrown one
hell of a fit. He’d given Kane a set of rules for shopping excursions
from then on out, never over a thousand dollars in one go and never
more than that in a span of two weeks. It was a fairly easy rule to
keep, considering Abel owned a set of boutique shops downtown
filled to the brim with some of Kane’s favorite brands, but it kept him
from getting a little nuts when he went out other places. The rule had
been working really well for Kane since it put someone else’s
authority over his when it came to his impulse buys. Of course that
was the Master’s job. He made rules to help them, and each set, while
they had similarities, had big differences as well. Cian was a good
enough Master that he made the system work for both of them.

“Master needs a new pair of running shoes,” Kane said as he took

a shirt off the rack and draped it over his arm. “The ones he runs in
have holes in them.”

“So noted, Kane. We’ll get him some before we leave the mall.

Keep focused on the task at hand please.” He shouldn’t have
suggested that Kane actually buy things. It had seemed like a good

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idea at the time, but Kane could get carried away very quickly if he
wasn’t careful.

“No worries, Abel,” Kane whispered, leaning over and pressing as

kiss to Abel’s cheek. “I’m okay. I just want to do something nice for
Master. He seems so sad lately.”

Abel sighed. “I know. He’s done so much for us and takes so little

in return. It makes me worry over him.”

Kane and Abel were not their given names, but they were names

given to them by their Master when he’d collared them. They didn’t
answer to anything else anymore. Both of them had been rejected by
their families when they’d come out as submissive. In a wolf’s world,
the Dominants had the power, the submissives were the caretakers. It
was the way the power dynamic had always worked. Unfortunately,
both Kane and Abel’s fathers had seen submissive male children as
unacceptable and had cast them out into the pack. The former Alpha,
Mustang’s father, had allowed them to be reared by the orphanage
that had been set up to care for pack members whose parents had been
killed, but it hadn’t been until Cian had stepped in to take care of
them as his mates that they’d really been respected as legitimate
members of the group. Rejection by one’s family indicated something
seriously wrong with a pup, and the wolves of the old pack, before
Mustang took over, were a superstitious bunch who’d believed they
were bad luck.

“We’ll bring Jeremiah home for him, and everything will be good.

You’ll see,” Kane said, bringing him out of his contemplation of their
past.

Abel wasn’t sure if he shared Kane’s optimism, but that was all

right. Whereas Abel was more cynical of the world, Kane tended to
be very naive when it came to how the world worked. Where Abel
needed proof that goodness existed, Kane believed the goodness was
there until bad smacked him in the face. It was one of the reasons that
Kane didn’t recover as well from displays of cruelty. It upset Abel
when they happened and it would throw him into a depression, but

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Kane freaked out on a much bigger scale to the point where
functioning was next to impossible.

“I hope so.” The whispered words were more of a plea to

whatever power that existed to make it so than a belief that everything
would work out as they planned. He watched as Jeremiah made his
way to the back of the store to straighten a display table. “Take the
stuff to the register and pay for it. I’m going to go say hello.”

Kane nodded. “Okay, I’ll meet you over there in a second. I love

you.”

“I love you, too.” Steeling himself against what he might

encounter once he made his way over to Jeremiah, he lifted his head
and headed in his other mate’s direction.

* * * *

Please don’t let them see me. Jeremiah ducked under the display

counter, picking up some fallen T-shirts and taking his time folding
them before he stood again. The last thing he wanted was for his
former Master’s two live-in lovers to see him working here. Though
he hadn’t been super close to Kane and Abel when he’d been with
Cian, they’d had a few moments of definite tension between them that
he would’ve been a fool to dismiss as something less than what they
were. He’d felt drawn to the pair as much as he’d been drawn to Cian
the first night at Riders.

What a fucking month this has been. He’d finally managed to

break it off with his Super Dom ex-boyfriend Charles a few weeks
ago and had just gotten the cast of his arm where Charles had tried to
“convince” him not to leave earlier this week. Now his ex-lover’s—he
couldn’t even consider Cian as an ex-boyfriend—submissives had
waltzed into his shop, bringing with them all sorts of feelings that he
would rather not experience right this second. He was done with the
lifestyle and done with Dominant men who claimed to want to take
care of him. It was all a crock of shit.

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“Hi, Jeremiah. Long time no see.”
Every muscle in his body tensed at the sound of that voice. He

turned his head to look behind him. Sure enough, there was Abel
standing there in his designer jeans and a T-shirt that boasted the
name of his boutique shop “Copacetic” across the chest in
shimmering letters. He was just as handsome as he remembered, and
Jeremiah didn’t try to resist the little bit of resentment that went
through him as his eyes caught on the silver chain with a key dangling
at Abel’s sternum. He’d had a collar just like it once.

“Abel,” he said, trying to go for civil. He didn’t quite manage it.

He sighed. It wasn’t Abel’s fault that he was one of the lucky ones
that Cian had deemed acceptable to include as part of his family.
Jeremiah had really believed that one day Cian would bring him home
and make him a part of that. He’d been wrong, and it wasn’t Abel’s
fault that he had been a fool. “How’s it going, man?”

Abel gave him a brittle smile. “It’s going well at home. We have

few complaints, though the ones we do have are rather heavy things.”
He paused, his eyes going up and down Jeremiah’s thin frame. He felt
it all the way to his toes. Damn. When had Cian’s submissives gotten
so bold? “You look good. A few more meals would make you look
great. Will you have lunch with Kane and me? We’re in town today.”

No. No. No. Don’t offer that. Not so casually. His heart

constricted, and his eyes fell to the mountain of unfolded shirts he
needed to fix. “I work until closing,” he hedged.

“That’s all right. We wouldn’t be opposed to a late dinner. The

shop closes at nine, correct? We can swing by and pick you up at nine
thirty easily enough.”

Why wasn’t he letting this go? It wasn’t fair. Nothing about Cian

and the world he offered was fair. “I, uh, I don’t think that it’s a good
idea, Abel. Cian and I…we ended a long time ago, and I just got out
of another relationship, and I don’t see what the point of eating with
you guys—”

Acquired in Time

“Jeremiah,” Abel interrupted, his face hardening with resolve.

“I’m going to be frank with you. We missed you. Have missed you
since you broke it off from Master, and we always felt your absence
in our family. No one misses you more than Cian does, and now that
he can come after you, he doesn’t because he fears your rejection. We
weren’t allowed to get close to you, and it was something we always
regretted. I’m not asking you to jump into a relationship. I’m asking
you to have supper with us.”

Jeremiah’s eyes widened with each sentence that was spoken. His

stomach rolled over and over in his gut, unwilling and unable to
process what Abel was saying. Had they really always felt like that?
He banished the hope that threatened to bloom in the middle of his
chest. No way. He’d sworn off the lifestyle and Cian and all things to
do with his family. That included Kane and Abel. “I’m not into the
lifestyle anymore.” He threw it out there as a barrier between them.

Abel’s lips twitched as if he wanted to smile. “Well, good thing I

didn’t want to bend you over and spank you at dinner then.” The
image went immediately to his cock, and it started to swell. Fuck! It
had been an image he’d not been able to get out of his head since he’d
first started seeing Cian. He’d fantasized about one big session where
Cian would order the two of them to use his ass for their pleasure
before the Master had stepped in and finished him off.

He’d actually met Kane and Abel first on sub night at Riders. His

friend had gotten him a membership there as a birthday present, and
he’d been stoked to meet and hang out with other people who shared
his tastes. He struck up an instant friendship with the pair, and maybe
just a sizzle of attraction had risen between them when their Dom
showed up. Something about Cian called to him in a way that no other
Dominant had before, and Cian had seemed to feel the same way.
Kane and Abel had given their blessing, as if they’d known all along
how their Master would react and approved, and so they’d agreed to
one session. That session had turned into a monthly rendezvous that
had ended in Jeremiah breaking the collar that Cian had given him on

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their fourth meeting and his heart cracking into a million pieces in the
process. He hadn’t seen any of them since.

He swallowed. “Abel…”
“It’s just dinner, Jeremiah. I’m not asking for your heart.” No yet.

That much went unsaid. His resolve weakened. It was just dinner, and
he did want to know how things were going for the threesome.

“Fine.” He shifted from foot to foot. “Be here at nine thirty.”
Abel beamed at him. “We will.” He looked like he was going to

say more but seemed to decide against it. His dark eyes went up and
down Jeremiah’s frame one more time before he turned toward the
approaching Kane and draped his arm around Kane’s shoulder. “See
you in a bit, Jeremiah.” They waved before walking back out the
door, bags in hand.

* * * *

“Those are perfect!” Kane declared as Abel held up the black-and-

white adidas. They were climate control so Cian’s feet would stay
cool during his long runs. He often complained about how sticky his
feet felt afterward. “Let’s get them.” Cian was going to be so happy
that he had some new shoes to work out in. Their Master was nothing
if not religious about his workouts.

They were basically killing time until the mall closed and

Jeremiah got off. That was fine for Kane. The longer it took, the more
shopping he got to do. Abel seemed to be reluctantly hopeful about
Jeremiah’s agreement to join them for supper. Kane was trying very
hard not to be nervous about it. He supposed that his anxiety was part
of the reason that Abel was letting him shop during the intervening
hours. It could be crippling if it got out of control. He didn’t usually
leave the house when the Master was out of town because nothing
cured him quite like his Master’s heavy hand. “Did you check our
reservations?” he asked for probably the millionth time.

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Abel gave him an easy smile before bending down to get a box of

shoes in Cian’s size. “I checked it online and called about it while you
were drooling over the new Gucci cologne. No worries.”

Kane opened his mouth to reply but was stopped by his Master’s

ringtone coming from his phone. He swallowed. Crap.

“Don’t answer it,” Abel warned, eyeing his shirt pocket like it was

a snake. Cian had the uncanny way of knowing exactly when they
were lying about something.

“If I don’t, he’ll freak out. You know he gets insanely

overprotective when we’re away from him. I–I had a bad night before
he left. You know how he worries.” He blushed as he recalled that
particular memory. As usual, the announcement that Cian was leaving
on short notice sent him into a spiral of panic. Cian had tied him up
and let him rage until the sunlight and the plane schedule had forced
him to let Kane go. He’d left Abel in charge of his aftercare and had
checked in with Kane every few hours afterward. It was just routine.

He slid his finger across the phone to operate the speaker. “Hi,

Master.”

“You’re not at home, candy Kane.” Cian’s voice was a low

rumbled purr of disapproval. “I called the house phone. Where are
you?”

“Out shopping, Master. Abel and I are buying you a present,”

Kane said, cradling the phone to his ear. A pang of longing went
through him. He wanted his Master back. He wanted everything to be
back to normal. Well, maybe not entirely back to normal. He wanted
Jeremiah to be with them, too. Then their family would finally be
complete.

Cian chuckled. “A present? You must be in a better mood than

when I left. Enjoying your shopping, sweet?”

“Yes, Master. I miss you, though.” A lot. “How is the

conference?” A quick change in conversation was in order. He didn’t
want to get too caught up in his longing for Cian’s return. That would
only make his Master’s stay harder away from them.

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“Boring. I’m so tired of humans complaining about the burdens of

their lives. Wives, girlfriends, boyfriends, children, all of them a
subject for complaint. I swear I’m the only happy person here.” The
sound of water reached Kane’s ears from the other side of the phone.

“Taking a bath, Master?” Kane asked. If Cian was soaking, he’d

either gone for too long on the treadmill of the gym or he was all
tense from his meeting.

“Yeah. I just got in from the dinner with the partners. They’re

talking about expanding the law office and acquiring a new set of
office buildings downtown and another in Cherryville.” The water
sloshed like Cian was sinking deeper into the water. Kane’s heart
kicked up into a gallop. Cherryville. Where Jeremiah lived. Where
they were. Crap!

“You don’t sound happy about it,” Kane managed to say as Abel

stepped closer, a concerned look on his face.

“No, I’m not unhappy about it per se. I just don’t like to squabble

over the details, and Richard is trying to make me oversee the new
office in Cherryville until we bring in some—” He cut himself off and
started laughing. “You don’t want to hear all the details, but thank
you for asking. I’m going to go soak, and you and Abel have fun with
your shopping. Text me when you get in.” He paused. “Are you
following your rules?”

“Of course,” Kane said, shifting from foot to foot. He hadn’t spent

too much money today. Abel had been keeping track.

“Good boy. I’m planning something special when I get back for

the two of you. So be prepared. Love you, Kane.”

“Love you, too, Master.”
“Hand the phone over to Abel.”
Kane handed the phone to his other lover, his stomach churning.

He never kept things from his Master. This is for the best. This is so
that we can all be a real family again. This isn’t to hurt him. The
secrets still felt a lot like lying to him. Cian always prided himself on

Acquired in Time

being honest to a fault, and Kane had always held himself up to that
standard.

He turned the corner and walked down the next aisle. More

running shoes and basketball shoes lined the shelves in orange boxes.
Would Master be terribly angry when he found out? He balled his
fists up at his sides to stave off the feeling of panic that was rising in
his chest. If he didn’t calm down, he was going to give himself a
panic attack.

“I love you, too. I’ll see you soon,” Abel said into the phone from

a few feet and one aisle away. “Kane, I can hear your breathing
heavy. Deep breaths, lover.” The pop of a pill bottle reached his ears,
and he winced. He never needed meds when Cian was around. He
helped him work through it. Abel could at least rely on Grayson, the
Alpha’s Mate, to calm him down when he was in a mood. Nothing but
his Master would work for Kane.

Abel came around the corner with his hand outstretched. “Under

your tongue, Kane. It’ll calm your nerves a bit. Please.” Kane opened
his mouth obediently and let Abel put the little tab under his tongue.
He felt heat in his cheeks as Abel watched him with a concerned
expression on his face.

“I’m not a baby, Abel. I can handle things on my own.” He was a

grown man after all.

Abel’s expression softened infinitely. “I know that, Kane. I care

about you. That’s why I worry. Let’s go pay for this stuff, change
clothes in a bathroom, and go pick up Jeremiah.” Kane nodded. It
sounded like a good plan. The little white tab did its job. He felt the
creeping calmness as his heart rate slowed and his breathing was no
longer coming out in pants. Refocused, he resolved to think of the
problem at hand.

Jana Downs

Chapter Two

Jeremiah closed the metal grate and locked it, the sound echoing

through the now empty mall. Down from his shop, his friend Aldo
waved as he closed the gate of the Foot Locker. They were usually the
last ones to close up shop. Unlike most of the store managers, they did
their close up work after hours as opposed to in the mornings before
the shop opened. They’d had coffee a few times after the mall closed,
and they’d both decided that they weren’t morning people. Aldo was
probably in a hurry to get home to his boyfriend if his quick footsteps
out the side entrance were any indication. Jeremiah stared after him
enviously. He wished he had someone to hurry home to.

He blinked. Oh yeah. I guess I don’t have to go home right away.

I have a date…sort of. It wasn’t really a date, so it didn’t count. He
was just checking up on old acquaintances. Yeah. Just old
acquaintances. Nothing more. He swallowed. Kane and Abel were
beautiful and always had been. But there was nothing left for him
with any of them.

He tucked his keys into his pocket and took off toward the same

exit Aldo had left out of. He had considerable less pep in his step than
his friend had but tried to make himself relax. He came out of the
building and onto the sidewalk beyond. Normally he’d take a sharp
right and walk to the bus stop so he could get a ride to his crappy
studio apartment. He had awesome casual clothes thanks to his job
and his employee’s mall discount. However, his minimal wages
barely afforded his place and food. Forget a car. He didn’t see how
anyone really lived on minimum wage.

Acquired in Time

At least he wouldn’t have to ride the bus tonight. He glanced

around the parking lot, not seeing the two subs at first. Then whoever
was driving kicked the lights on, and an electric-blue sports car that
probably cost more than everything he owned combined roared to life
and rolled toward the sidewalk where he was standing. He waited as
the car stopped and the passenger door opened. Kane got out. He
must’ve changed clothes because the print tee was gone and in its
place was a soft blue button-down dress shirt.

“Sorry about the car, Jeremiah. If I would’ve thought about it, I

would’ve had Abel take the four-door,” Kane apologized and tugged
on the end of his midnight hair. It had gotten even longer since the
last time he’d seen it. The nervous gesture, however, was new.

“It’s all good, man. I don’t mind riding in the back.” He tried to

sound much more chipper than he felt. It had been a long day, and this
interaction was taking a toll on him. While he’d always prided
himself on being a fighter and being able to handle anything life
threw his way, he’d had a rough couple of months, and emotionally
he was just exhausted.

Kane smiled at him and shook his head. “That’s okay. I’ll get in

the back, no problem.” He messed with the seat for a minute until he
got the back to lean forward so he could climb into the cramped
backseat.

“Thanks,” Jeremiah said, readjusting the seat so that he could get

in. “Are your legs cramped?”

“I’m fine. I’m so happy you are coming with us.” Kane wrapped

his arms around the seat and Jeremiah from the back. The warmth of
the touch sank into Jeremiah’s skin, and a feeling of peace overcame
him. He’d missed the easy interaction between them. Even in the brief
time he’d been allowed their company, they’d always given him such
easy affection.

He swallowed past the lump in his throat. “Thanks, Kane.” How

am I ever going to make it through dinner? This hurts more than I
thought it would. How stupid is that? He’d never even officially been

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with either Kane or Abel during his tryst with Cian. The promise had
always been there, but in all actuality, he doubted that they even saw
him like that.

He reached up and patted Kane’s arms. “So where are we going?”
“This restaurant called Boudreaux’s. It’s a Cajun place. I thought

you might like it,” Abel said, turning on his signal to get into the left
lane so he could turn onto the highway.

“I’m surprised you remembered I like Cajun food.” He’d gotten a

taste for the stuff when he’d visited New Orleans with his older
brother when he was still in high school. He’d told some stories from
the trip at sub night at Riders. Kane and Abel had organized to have
the following sub night catered by a Cajun food company. How could
I have forgotten about that? It seemed he was blocking a lot out from
that period in his life.

Kane’s arms tightened around him once more. “I remember

everything about you, Jeremiah. Even the things you never got to tell
us.”

His heart tripped over itself in his chest. The worst part of that

sickly sweet statement was the sincerity that saturated every syllable.
Kane was so very sweet, like candy. “Kane.” His word was a whisper.
No. I can’t do this. They’re with Cian. Cian, who had broken his heart
into a million pieces. Cian, who had taken Kane and Abel into his
home and told Jeremiah that he couldn’t come, too.

“He missed you,” Abel whispered. Instant rage went through him

at the words. His fist slammed into the dashboard as he broke Kane’s
hold on his shoulders.

“No. You do not get to tell me that. You do not get to mention

him again. If you do, I swear I will throw myself out of this damn car
and into oncoming traffic.” The desperate words seemed to do their
job because both men fell silent. Jeremiah took a deep breath and tried
to get his heart into some semblance of a normal rhythm. Why would
they even bring that up? Cian must’ve told them how it ended, so why
would they try to hurt him like that?

Acquired in Time

“I’m sorry,” Abel said after a long minute of silence. The tension

drained from his shoulders in gradual intervals after that. It was okay.
He was okay.

* * * *

They arrived at the restaurant. The parking lot was still packed,

and they had a difficult time finding a space. Finally they ended up at
the far end of the lot. That was okay though because Jeremiah had to
change anyway. Kane tried very hard not to look as the other man
stripped off his T-shirt and tossed it into the floorboard of the
backseat. He’d succeeded for the most part. The lack of light helped
his success but only in the fact that quick glances in Jeremiah’s
direction yielded little visual results. The shadows and the muscles
revealed teased him, and he had to remind himself over and over that
he couldn’t take care of an erection before they were ready to go into
the restaurant.

Abel wrapped his arms around Kane’s waist and pressed a line of

kisses to his neck. “Hold it together, Kane,” he whispered. Kane
nodded and turned his face away as Jeremiah slid the dress shirt on
his shoulders and buttoned it up.

“Do you guys have a tie I can borrow?” Jeremiah asked.
“Of course. It’s in the same bag your shirt was in,” Abel offered.
Kane helped Jeremiah with tying his tie, and then they were

heading toward the front entrance of the restaurant. It was as Kane
remembered it, an odd combination of alligators, bright colors, and
voodoo dolls. The theme was actually tastefully done and subtle in
comparison to some other themed restaurants that they’d been to.

Kane stepped up to the counter where a girl in a green uniform

stood scribbling something down in a book. “We have reservations
for three, please.”

The girl looked up from her papers and offered him a smile. “The

name?”

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“It’s under Augustin.”
She turned toward her computer and made three keystrokes. “I

have your reservations right here, Mr. Augustin. If you’d like, why
don’t you wait in the bar for your table. It’ll be a five or ten minute
wait.”

“Not a problem,” Kane said brightly. He was so happy they were

doing this. It seemed like the most natural thing in the world to him
for them to all be going out like this. The only thing missing was
Cian.

“Hmm, I’m considering a Love-Martini,” Abel said as they

walked into the bar part of the restaurant before sitting down at the
long, polished bar top. The bartender stood behind it in an all-black
ensemble mixing another cocktail for an impatient waiter.

“Love-Martini? Are they any good?” Jeremiah asked, picking up a

spirits menu and flipping through its contents.

“Oh yeah,” Kane piped up. “They’re delicious and sweet. They

taste a little like strawberry lemonade only better.” He smiled at the
memory of the last time they’d had Love-Martinis. Cian had taken
them out for Abel’s birthday, and they’d all gotten pleasantly tipsy.
Since Abel’s birthday fell on Valentine’s day, it only made sense that
they drink Love-Martinis in celebration.

“You’ve convinced me,” Jeremiah declared with a wink in Kane’s

direction. The playful look tugged on his heart. It made him want
Jeremiah to come home with them all the more. Jeremiah was a part
of their family even if Cian had decided to let him go. He was what
was missing.

“I’ll follow suit and get one as well,” Kane said, returning

Jeremiah’s wink with a smile.

“So three Love-Martinis for my three prettiest customers,” the

bartender said. Kane looked up to see him smiling at the three of them
with a knowing glint in his eye. Kane sniffed the air. Shifter. That
would explain the knowing look. He probably smelled the connection
between them if his nose was as good as a wolf’s. Abel shifted a little

Acquired in Time

closer to Jeremiah, who sat between them, and Kane followed his
example. He didn’t want anyone else near their Jeremiah.

The bartender held up his hands in surrender. “No worries, fellas.

I’m happily mated.” He pointed to the gold band on his left hand and
gave them a sheepish smile. “I am a flirt though, forewarning.” Kane
felt his body start to relax at that. He could handle flirting. That didn’t
mean anything.

“Then we would love to have three Love-Martinis,” Abel said,

leaning his shoulder against Jeremiah’s. Jeremiah may not have
noticed the action, but Kane did. It was one of possession. They
would have to watch themselves. It wasn’t good that their instincts
were coming out so hard so fast.

“Coming right up.” With that he walked to the other end of the bar

and started playing with liquors and martini glasses.

Jeremiah leaned back in his barstool and looked at each of them in

turn. “Thanks for taking me out tonight, guys. I don’t think I’ve been
able to relax in so long that I’m rusty at it.” He smiled. “Forgive me
for being a little bit dramatic earlier?” Was he talking about the car
ride when he’d freaked out over Cian?

“There is nothing to forgive, Jeremiah. We pushed, and we

shouldn’t have. Let’s forget about it and enjoy our drinks. Wait till we
get to the food. It is to die for.” Abel handled the situation with ease,
comforting Jeremiah in the same calm, confident tones that he often
used with Kane when he was having a bad night.

The bartender sat their drinks down in front of them and walked

back to the other end of the bar where some other patrons had sat
down to wait for the reservations to be called. Kane picked up his
glass and raised it in salute to his two companions.

“To a memorable evening,” he said. They raised their glasses in

answer to his declaration.

“To a memorable evening,” they said in unison. Kane lowered his

glass and then took a sip. The strawberry and peach flavors washed

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over his tongue. Delicious. He was going to have to learn how to
make these things at home. It would be nice to have after a long day.

They sat chatting casually until a tall waiter in the same green

uniform as the lady at the front desk came into the bar and announced
that their table was ready. Abel paid the tab and picked up his glass,
motioning for Kane and Jeremiah to do the same. They followed him
and their waiter to a small table near the back windows. Kane was
glad. He enjoyed looking out a window while he ate. It made him feel
less crowded. He was a little agoraphobic, so sitting there helped.

“You aren’t allowed to pay for anything while you’re out with us.

It’s seriously our treat,” Abel said, drawing his attention from his
examination of the parking lot. He wasn’t talking to him.

Jeremiah blushed lightly. “But everything on the menu is pretty

expensive and—”

“And we have plenty of money to take care of the tab. Please,

Jeremiah. Let us treat you,” Abel said. It was his stubborn voice, the
one he used with Cian when they were arguing about something. The
Master won ninety percent of the time, but that ten percent winning
record made Abel seem like the rowdiest submissive in the world to
Kane.

Jeremiah grumbled a little but then nodded his assent. “Fine.”
Kane reached under the table and gave Jeremiah’s hand a squeeze

where it rested on his thigh. “It’s more than fine. I like treating the
ones I care about. Ask anyone.”

“You care about me?” Jeremiah asked. There was a vulnerability

in his gaze that told Kane that he’d been more than a little hurt in his
past relationships. Cian hadn’t been the only one to break his heart. It
seemed like someone had tried to break his spirit as well. The urge to
comfort rose up inside him and was nearly impossible to deny. He
was a pack submissive. He took care of his family.

“Of course I care about you. I care about you a lot. How could I

not? You’re beautiful and funny and about a million other things. I
feel in my heart that you belong to me as much as you ever belonged

Acquired in Time

to Master Cian.” He hadn’t meant to say all that, but Kane had never
been good at denying himself the impulse to be completely honest
with his mates.

“Even if I’m not into the lifestyle anymore?” Jeremiah asked

softly. He seemed to be caught in the same spell that Kane was.
Everything outside the restaurant, any problems that existed there, had
no dominion over this moment.

Abel took Jeremiah’s other hand. “I think we would all care for

you no matter what, Jeremiah. Feelings like these don’t just vanish
because someone says it’s over.”

The waiter came back over to take their drink orders, and they all

ordered another Love-Martini before they ordered the special of the
night, roasted lamb with asparagus and chickpeas. Kane watched the
server walk away and popped the strawberry which had been in the
bottom of his glass into his mouth. It was delicious.

The alcohol had worked its magic, and a deep sense of relaxation

washed over him as he continued to hold Jeremiah’s hand under the
table. I’m such a lightweight. It didn’t take much to get him tipsy, so
he would probably stop after martini number two.

“I don’t much care for real strawberries. The seeds drive me nuts.

Want mine?” Jeremiah said, offering up his sliced strawberry to
Kane’s mouth. Without thinking Kane leaned forward and wrapped
his mouth around Jeremiah’s fingers, taking the strawberry and
licking off any lingering juices on the proffered digits. Jeremiah
sucked in a breath, and the air around him blossomed with the scent
of instant arousal.

Kane looked at him from below lowered lashes. “Thank you.”
Jeremiah swallowed. “You’re welcome.” He reached out and ran a

finger along Kane’s bottom lip. He felt it all the way down to his toes.
Kane leaned forward, drawn by Jeremiah’s pull. He’d never kissed
Jeremiah before. Master hadn’t let them get that close.

“The food is here,” Abel said, interrupting them before Kane

could make contact. Kane said back in his seat, but he couldn’t help

Jana Downs

but be hyperaware of Jeremiah’s presence. He looked at Abel as the
waiter sat the food plates in front of them and refilled their water
glasses. The other wolf seemed just as affected by Jeremiah as Kane
was. He was looking at their other mate with hunger in his eyes.

Jeremiah cleared his throat. “The lamb looks delicious. I haven’t

had it since we had that cookout on sub night at the club.”

“Anything else we can get for you gentlemen?” their server asked.
Kane shook his head. “No, thank you. Just the other martinis we

ordered.”

“Of course. I’ll be right back.”
They ate in comfortable quiet interspersed with light conversation

and a few laughs. The food really was excellent, and Kane couldn’t
help but luxuriate in the riot-inducing taste as he devoured his lamb.
He left the asparagus alone but consumed the chickpeas with the same
hunger he’d eaten the lamb with.

“Hmmm, this is so good,” Jeremiah said, forking his last bite of

lamb into his mouth. Kane smiled at him.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Abel said, draining the last of his martini.

“I’m ridiculously stuffed. Anyone want dessert?” Jeremiah and Kane
groaned in unison.

“No way. I can’t,” Jeremiah said, putting a hand on his stomach

for emphasis. “We can’t do that too often. I’d be as big as a house.”

“No kidding,” Kane seconded, leaning over and resting his temple

on Jeremiah’s shoulder while he held rubbed his foot along Abel’s
leg. “I think I’m ready to get out of here.”

“All right. Let me settle the tab, and we can go.” Abel glanced

down at his watch and sighed. “I dread the drive home though.”

“Why don’t you two crash at my place tonight? It’s not what

you’re used to by any stretch, but it’s clean and there is a place for
you to park in the garage.” Jeremiah’s offer was entirely unexpected.
He’d barely been able to tolerate them earlier on in the day, but after a
few hours spent in their company, he seemed like an entirely different
person, more like the man they’d gotten to know on sub night at the

Acquired in Time

club than the brittle and damaged retail worker who seemed to hate
them because he’d been left behind.

He and Abel exchanged a look if agreement, and Kane nodded.

“We’d love that. We’ll have to get back to town tomorrow when Cian
comes home, but I would, we would, be honored to sleep at your
house.”

A look of peace settled over Jeremiah’s face. “Good. Then let’s go

to my place and tuck the both of you into bed. I open the store
tomorrow anyway.”

Jana Downs

Chapter Three

Jeremiah was hyperaware of the two men as they climbed up the

wooden stairs that led to his studio apartment. All throughout dinner
he’d thought about the two of them, the almost kiss that he’d shared
with Kane, and the comfortable conversation. Everything about them
seemed so natural as if everything was falling right into place where it
had been always meant to be. His hands shook as he fumbled in his
jean pockets for keys.

“I bet you have great views of the mountains when the sun is up,”

Abel said, making inane conversation as Jeremiah fumbled to put the
correct key in the lock.

“Haven’t noticed,” Jeremiah answered honestly. Finally the key

slid in and the lock twisted free. The door swung inward and revealed
the sparsely filled space that was his living room, kitchen, and
bedroom. The bathroom wasn’t even a full bath, with only a sink,
toilet, and standing shower that was attached to the kitchen behind a
door that should open to a pantry. It wasn’t much, but Jeremiah
wasn’t ashamed of it. He’d worked really hard to afford even a place
this small.

“I’ll lay the futon down so you’ll have a place to sleep. I only

have one extra pillow, but it’ll be big enough if you guy sleep close.”
Jeremiah tried not to let his desire sidetrack him as he did what any
good host would do when inviting someone to spend the night at their
home. The house phone started ringing, and he swallowed past the
almost instant spark of panic that induced. He went to the closet and
got a set of sheets and an extra pillow down.

Acquired in Time

“You want me to get the phone, Jeremiah?” Kane asked. It was an

innocent question, just Kane trying to be helpful, but it irritated him.

“No. I don’t. Let the machine pick it up. If you want to be useful,

pull out the futon and convert it.” The machine picked up the call, and
his anger melted away to terror.

“Jeremiah, you left with some strange men today. Your Master

doesn’t approve. If you don’t call me back and explain yourself, you
will be punished. You know my number.” Click.

The sheets hit the floor, and Jeremiah’s heart went into a

galloping rhythm. Crap. Crap. Crap. He had moved, changed his cell
numbers, got a new house number, everything the police had told him
to do.

“Jeremiah, what’s wrong? Who was that?” Kane asked, walking

toward him like he was approaching some wild animal instead of his
almost-love interest.

“Y–you need to leave,” Jeremiah stammered, backing up until his

body hit the wall. “Please, if he knows I’m here, he’ll see you.”

“Who will see us, Jeremiah? What are you talking about?” Abel

approached him from the other angle, moving just as slowly as Kane
was.

“You have to leave!” Jeremiah shouted, shoving Abel away from

him. It left an opening for Kane to swoop in and get him in a tight
hug. “Let me go!”

Kane’s grip on him tightened. “Whoever that was isn’t going to

hurt you, Jeremiah. We’re here. We’re going to take care of you.”

Abel’s warmth pressed against his back and wrapped around him

as well, effectively trapping him between them. “Is that your ex-
Master? The one who made you not want to be in the lifestyle
anymore?” He nodded, too terrified to do anything else. Abel made a
noise of comfort and pressed a kiss to the curve of his neck. “Don’t
worry, sweet Jeremiah. We’ve got you. No one is going to hurt you
ever again. No one. Do you hear me?”

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Something in the promise made him believe them. They would

take care of him. They would cherish him. Cian may have broken his
heart, but he knew deep down that neither he nor the men who he had
claimed would hurt him. His breathing started to even out, and Kane
lifted his head to look Jeremiah in the eyes.

“I’m sorry,” Jeremiah whispered. “He’s just everywhere.” His

heart sank at the thought that his ex had found him again.

“He’s not here right now. It’s just us, Jeremiah. No one else,”

Kane said, leaning up so that their foreheads touched. “What do you
want to do right now? We can do anything you like, okay? Anything.
We can watch TV, go get some ice cream, or just talk. Whatever you
want to do.”

“I want you to kiss me.” The words just came out of his mouth on

their own volition. It was like he couldn’t even stop it if he tried. And
it was something he really wanted. The fear of rejection and the fear
that the last memory of someone else’s touch would belong to his
bastard ex-boyfriend made him want to experience Kane and Abel all
the more.

“I can do that,” Kane said, his words a husky murmur of sound.

Then his lips pressed against Jeremiah’s own, and the damn broke on
the sexual tension that had been building up all night. Their tongues
danced, sliding along one another as it lengthened and deepened into
a pleasurable place where heat and liquid were just shy of perfection.

“Kane,” he groaned into the other man’s mouth and pressed his

ass back against the growing rigidity that was no doubt tenting Abel’s
pants.

“Christ on a Ritz cracker,” Abel cursed, running his hands down

Jeremiah’s body until he palmed the painful erection that Jeremiah
was sporting. He squeezed and massaged Jeremiah’s cock in his
pants, and Kane’s hands worked up under Jeremiah’s shirt to tweak
his pierced nipples. His brain short-circuited as the sensation of two
sets of hands caressing him sent him into orbit.

Acquired in Time

“Wait,” Kane said suddenly, pulling back. “We can’t. Not without

Master’s permission.”

Jeremiah nearly screamed in frustration, and tears filled his eyes.

“Then why start this at all? Why tease me? Why make me believe that
you both wanted me?”

“We do want you. You belong with us. You’re the missing piece

in our family that’s been empty far too long. But if we don’t tell Cian
or talk to him about it, we’ll be betraying him.” Kane looked
downright morose as he said it. “You know we come in a set,
Jeremiah. You can’t have us without having him.”

“But I always wanted him and he said no!” Jeremiah shouted,

pulling away from them and stalking toward the opposite side of the
room. “Don’t you get it? He doesn’t really want me!”

“There were rules before, things you don’t understand that stood

in his way of claiming you before. They don’t apply now. We can be
happy together, if you give it a chance,” Abel said, crossing his arms
over his chest in a protective gesture. “Master hasn’t come to claim
you because he feels guilty about what happened, and he doesn’t want
to screw up your life by being with us. But from where I’m sitting,
your life isn’t all that great anyway. We want to make you happy.”

“Again with all these rules, rules I don’t understand or want or

have any say in!” He’d known it was too good to be true, that they
hadn’t really meant it. He was just supposed to be alone. Maybe he
would someday find a nice normal vanilla guy and spend the rest of
his life with. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. “I
don’t want to be in a relationship that means I won’t ever be privy to
big sections of your lives. I don’t want secrets.”

“Do you really want to understand?” Abel asked softly. “If you

learn this secret, there is no going back, no way to forget. You’ll have
to take it to your grave or else we could get into some serious
trouble.”

“Abel…” Kane said in warning.

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“No. He’s right, Kane. We can’t expect him to take us seriously

just because we say that we’re serious. He needs some kind of proof
that we are in this for the long haul.”

“But pack law—”
“He is our mate. Fuck pack law. I’m not losing him because he

might panic. We can walk him through this, make him understand.”
Abel stared at Jeremiah, and a determination lit up his face in a way
that Jeremiah had never seen before. “If we show you the secret and
explain everything to you, will you consider coming home? Cian
misses you, we miss you, but most of all, we need you in our lives.”

“He hurt me,” Jeremiah whispered. “He hurt me so badly. I can’t

handle the distance again.” Jeremiah may have been the one to walk
away, but Cian had been the one who had refused to let him in,
refused to let him be a real part of his life.

“Once you know this and decide to be a part of our family, you’ll

never have distance between us again. You’ll be stuck forever. It’s not
something that is to be taken lightly, and I know you’re already
shaken up from the message. Either way, we’ll find a way to protect
you from that guy, but I have to offer this to you. We can make this
work. Start all over with a new life, but start it over with us. Please?”
Abel sounded so sure and strong and genuine that Jeremiah found
himself believing in them again. Everything about them rang true.

“Can I think about it?” he asked. He didn’t want to be too

impulsive. He’d tried being impulsive, and usually it didn’t work out
very well with him.

Kane nodded. “Of course. Why don’t we go lay down on the futon

together and watch a movie?” The small twenty-five-inch screen
beckoned.

“Okay. I think I can handle that.” Jeremiah took a deep calming

breath. Today had been hell on his nerves. He’d have to call
tomorrow and get the number on his phone changed. “You guys want
to watch Sherlock Holmes? I scored a bootleg copy from a guy at
work.”

Acquired in Time

“Sounds good,” Abel said.
Jeremiah set up the movie while the two of them put the futon

down and put sheets and a comforter on it. The idea of basically
having a snuggle fest with the two of them was a strange and oddly
arousing idea. They seemed to anticipate his wants, and even though
they hadn’t seen one another in a long time, it still felt like they had
that instant sort of connection that couldn’t be found anywhere else.

Once he got everything set and had the remotes firmly in hand, he

turned back to the futon. Kane and Abel were stretched on either side
with enough room in the middle for Jeremiah. It looked cozy. He
crawled between them and pressed play.

“Thank you for giving me time to think,” he whispered as the

previews began. Kane rolled so that he was snuggled to Jeremiah’s
side, his long dark hair blanketing his chest. Abel turned in a similar
position except he was resting his cheek against Jeremiah’s shoulder
instead.

“We’ll give you all the time you need, Jeremiah. We’re here for

you. It’s the only reason. You’re ours,” Abel said, kissing the cloth-
covered skin under his cheek. “Just watch the movie and relax.
Afterward you can tell us what you want to know about what
happened and what possibilities exist in the future for us. Okay?”

“Okay.” Jeremiah was fine with that. For the first time in the

months and years of separation between him and the three men, he
felt hope.

* * * *

“He’s asleep,” Kane whispered as Jeremiah snored softly.
“Yeah, I see that.” Abel sounded half-asleep himself, but Kane

didn’t bother pointing that out. They’d all had a long day.

“We should let him sleep. I’m going to step outside and tell

Master that we’re going to bed. Okay?” Abel’s snores answered him.
He rolled his eyes and carefully got to his feet, walked across the

Jana Downs

floor to the door, and then slipped outside. The cell phone in his
pocket was warm from his body heat, and the coolness of the night air
seemed to make it seem hotter than it probably was. He dialed his
Master’s number from memory and listened to the ringer.

“Kane?” The Master’s groggy voice came through the phone. “It’s

late, baby. What is it?”

“I just wanted to check in with you and tell you that Abel and I are

about to go to sleep.” He smiled as he recounted the movie they’d
watched. Cian always made him feel warm and listened to. It was just
one of the things that he loved about his Master. The man always
listened attentively and didn’t dismiss anything Kane said as trivial.
He really cared.

“That sounds great. We’ll watch it again when I get home.”
“What time does your plane get in tomorrow?” Kane asked. They

had to be home in time for that, and he hoped that they would be
bringing Jeremiah with them.

“Not too early. I’ll be home around one. I think we’ll go out to the

land this weekend and take the horses out. What do you think?” It was
something Cian liked to do with them. They usually had a picnic
along with it.

“I think I’d like it. Hey, Master?”
“What is it, Kane?”
“I love you. Very much. I want to take care of you and our family

forever.” He meant every word. The one thing in his life that he had
no doubts about was the fact that they would be together through
thick and thin.

“That’s sweet, Kane. I love you, too. Don’t worry. I’ll be home

tomorrow, and we’ll be with each other again.” His Master chuckled
to himself. “I feel like I’m missing a limb when I’m not around my
subs. You’ve got me wrapped around your little finger.”

Kane smiled wider. “Well, that’s where you need to be, Master.

Though if you’re worried about us not being tied down, you can
always get the rope out of the closet and take care of that.”

Acquired in Time

“Oh, you little tease. I’m going to warm your bottom up tomorrow

when I get in,” Cian rumbled. He loved it when Cian went all husky
and dominant on him.

“Hmmm, can’t wait.” The erection that had been perpetually

aroused throughout the night grew harder. The idea of his Master
spanking him and making him come made him dizzy. An image of the
three of them at Master’s mercy flashed through his mind. He nearly
groaned out loud. That would be a heck of a sight.

Cian’s amused chuckle sounded. “Sexy minx. I can hear how

much you want me from here. No worries. I’ll give you all the
attention you need tomorrow. I promise.”

“Master?”
“Yes?”
“Can I please go jerk off?” Kane had always enjoyed when Cian

controlled his orgasms. He craved it in fact. When he was denied
release, he grew hotter. When he was given permission to release, his
orgasms were earth-shattering.

“Have you been a good boy?” The sadistic tone was in Cian’s

voice, letting him know that Kane hadn’t been the only one affected
by their conversation.

“Sort of,” he answered, starting to pant.
“I see. You’ll confess your sins tomorrow for me then. Until then

I want you to bring yourself to the edge of orgasm.”

“Now, Master?” Kane asked. It was late enough that no one was

out here, and he was mostly in shadows, but he was still outside. The
thrill of getting caught caused his dick to jerk.

“Yes, now. Unbutton your pants and take your cock out.” Cian’s

breath was coming out in sharp pants like he was mirroring his
instructions on the other side of the phone.

“Master…” He did groan then as he pulled his organ free and

turned further toward the wall so that no one would be able to see
what he was doing from the street.

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“That’s it, Kane. You asked for this. Jerk off for me like a good

boy. Maybe if you please me, I’ll let you come.” Cian’s voice was so
damn sexy. It was impossible to resist, so Kane didn’t even bother to
try. He wrapped his hand around his thick meat and began
masturbating with all the enthusiasm of a teenager with his first skin
mag. If he closed his eyes, he could almost imagine that Cian was
right there watching the scene with voyeuristic pleasure as Abel
sucked him down. But it wasn’t complete in his head.

“Master, may I finger-fuck myself?” he asked, his hand on his

cock moving faster in an effort to keep up with his runaway arousal.

“Yes, you may, but be careful and don’t hurt yourself.”
“Thank you, Master.” He held the phone between his ear and

shoulder, continuing to jerk his cock while reaching his other hand
around and finding his puckered entrance with his fingers. He circled
the rosette twice before shoving a finger inside like he’d been
penetrated by something other than his index finger.

He strained to hear every little noise from the other line. He

wanted to hear Cian come, needed his permission before he himself
went over the edge and into the abyss.

“Close, love?” Cian growled into the phone.
“Yes, Master. Please, may I—”
“Yes, boy. Come for me.”
Kane yelped as his orgasm fountained over the top of his fist in a

geyser of release. His wolf howled along with him, the fur so close to
his skin that he could almost feel it. It stretched on as he knotted, the
swelling bit of him an indicator of his species and his attachment to
the man on the other line. The only time shifter wolves displayed it
was during their joinings with their mates.

“Thank you, Master,” he whispered as he tried to tuck himself

back into his slacks with nerveless fingers.

“You’re welcome, baby. Sweet dreams and I’ll see you

tomorrow.”

Acquired in Time

“Bye, Master.” He shut the phone and put it back into his pants

pocket.

* * * *

Jeremiah’s phone went off at seven thirty as it always did on days

he worked. Damn. He’d forgotten to reset it before he’d fallen asleep.
He stretched out, feeling the mattress below him. He frowned. This
wasn’t his bed. It should be softer. He opened his eyes and stared at
his ceiling. The warmth at his back moved closer. It was a good
feeling. Memories trickled into his consciousness like pieces of a
good dream. Dinner, the conversations, and the movie afterward were
the most relaxing moments of his recent existence. He hadn’t felt this
relaxed since he’d been with Cian.

“Good morning,” Abel murmured from behind him. A kiss was

pressed to his neck, and in his pleasurable stupor, he allowed it.

“Mm, good morning to you, too,” Jeremiah said. He looked over

at Kane, whose black hair was spread over his pillow. He looked so
beautiful in repose. How he was able to sleep through his alarm was
anyone’s guess.

Abel nuzzled him again. “He sleeps really hard. It usually takes a

good shake to wake him up.”

“Good to know.” Jeremiah sat up and disentangled his limbs from

the other men’s. He was scheduled to open the store today, but he was
a big believer in waking up a little early to get a good meal in
beforehand. “I’ve got eggs. You guys want breakfast?”

“How about we talk about last night and give you some of those

answers you wanted?” Abel asked the question in a nonchalant
manner, but there was a tension around his mouth that hadn’t been
there before. “We gave you time to think about it.”

“Abel?” Kane asked with a yawn. “Is everything okay?”
“Everything is fine, honey. Jeremiah is just deciding if he wants to

know our secrets.” Abel reached over and petted the other man’s

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head. Kane leaned into the touch as if it were the most natural
position in the world to be in. They touched so effortlessly. Jeremiah
wanted to be a part of it, wanted to have the sort of connection that
they shared. He’d always wanted it.

“I think I’m ready to hear what you have to say.” He braced

himself for the worst sort of news, be it mobsters or drug dealers or
whatever else could be wrong with them.

Abel took a deep breath before he spoke. “We’re wolf-shifters.

Spiritual wolves whose souls are bound to certain humans at birth. It’s
a genetic thing passed down for generations that enable us to be both
wolf and man at the same time. We don’t turn furry until puberty, but
we share minds with our wolves all throughout life. Pack structure is
rigid. Dominants care for their submissives, and submissives nurture
the pack. It’s one of the reasons the world of BDSM works so well for
us.”

Jeremiah was quiet for a good thirty seconds after Abel finished.

“You’re out of your damn mind,” Jeremiah said bitterly. He should’ve
known that they wouldn’t give him a straight answer. “You’re talking
about werewolves and destinies and crap that’s better left to
Hollywood!”

Abel rolled to his feet and took a step toward him. “You are our

destiny, Jeremiah. Our mate. I’m not speaking in riddles or making
fun of you. I am completely serious about this,” Abel said in calm
measured tones. “Do you have any idea how much it hurt to walk
away from you? To let you go? The only reason Cian let you walk
away from us was because pack law at the time forbade human-shifter
matings. The law has changed, but Cian is scared to interfere after so
long. Kane and I decided to come here, to come to you in hopes that
you would understand and try with us like it was supposed to be from
the beginning.”

“Prove it. If you think that you are some kind of shape-shifting

whatever, prove it. Show me. Right here,” Jeremiah demanded, not
bothering to keep the condescension and the anger out of his voice.

Acquired in Time

Abel’s hesitation sent his temper from simmering to an open boil.
“What? You need a full moon to turn furry? Give me a break! You
know what? Get out. Get out of my house and go fuck yourselves.”
He turned from the two of them and stormed toward the kitchen.
Suddenly Kane was in front of him. He blinked. How had Kane
moved so fast?

“I know it’s hard to believe, and if you will calm down, we’ll

show you exactly what we mean.” Kane got within arm’s length of
him and pulled off his shirt.

Jeremiah swallowed. “Am I getting a strip tease now?”
“No,” Abel said from behind him. “We just can’t shift with our

clothes on. Our legs will get tangled.”

Their legs will get tangled. O…kay. They’re crazed. At least he’d

known what to expect from his crazy ex, Charles. He knew the
triggers and what sort of reaction he could expect if he did X, Y, or Z.
This was a whole other level of crazy.

“Look, I don’t know what you’re playing at. I just—” His mouth

slammed shut as a fine gold glow infused Kane’s body and became
blinding for a split second. When it cleared, a small black wolf stood
in his place. “Holy fuck!” Jeremiah yelped, backpedaling. “Kane, is
that you?” It can’t be him. Kane isn’t a…wolf. Holy fuck, he’s a wolf!
He turned his head back toward Abel. “Is this…Is this real?”

Abel nodded and circled around Jeremiah so that both Abel and

the wolf were in his sight. “This is definitely real, Jeremiah. You’re
not dreaming, and we very much were honest about the things I said.”

“So, mates? They’re like destined whatevers for your wolfy

sides?” He eyed the wolf warily. The black coat was as luxurious as
Kane’s hair and his too-intelligent eyes glowed a soft, burnished gold.
The animal whined softly and padded slowly toward Jeremiah. He
swallowed hard. It’s just a dog. Just a big dog. You kissed him last
night. He’s in there. He’s just not human. You kissed something that’s
not human. Oh fuck. They weren’t kidding about the werewolf thing!

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“I am having issues deciphering what you’re asking, but being our

mate is like being perfectly compatible with us. We’re blessed with
multiple mates in our particular situation. Most wolves have only one
or two. We’re the only polyamorous mating that we know of. It
makes things complicated, but it works for us,” Abel answered as
Kane, the wolf, reached Jeremiah’s leg. Kane rubbed along his legs,
lifting his muzzle to lap at Jeremiah’s hands with his long rough
tongue. It felt odd, much odder than he’d imagined it would feel like.
“Touch him,” Abel encouraged. “Scratch him behind his ears. He
loves that.”

Jeremiah did, and a low noise of satisfaction filled the air as Kane

made very satisfied dog noises. “Holy crap. You guys are freaking
werewolves.” He laughed at the sheer insanity of it all.

“We’re technically wolf-shifters. We don’t consider people

werewolves unless they were humans first,” Abel said. Jeremiah was
barely paying attention as he luxuriated in the feeling of Kane’s silky
coat. Mates. I have mates.

“Cian really didn’t want to leave me?” he asked as he pressed his

face into Kane’s furry neck to inhale the wild scent of the animal he
had become. Hope blossomed in his chest like a winter garden in the
middle of a snowstorm.

“No. Our Master didn’t want to leave you,” Abel assured softly.

Jeremiah spent another few moments petting and cuddling Kane
before he drew back with a sigh of happiness. His mind was made up,
and there wasn’t much anyone could say that would deter him now.

“I want to go with you. I want to be with you two and Cian. I

don’t care that you are sci-fi creatures.” It felt like a weight had been
lifted off his chest at the admission. Everything he’d used to hold
himself together since he’d left town and distanced himself from his
Master no longer seemed relevant or important.

Abel wrapped his arm around Jeremiah’s shoulders and drew him

back. “Go ahead and shift back, Kane.” He met Jeremiah’s eyes.

Acquired in Time

“Cian is afraid that he’s hurt you too deeply to recover any sort of
relationship between us. It’ll be our job to convince him otherwise.”

Kane’s body shimmered and then reappeared in his human form.

He was grinning and naked when he came into view. “We can
convince him. He’ll love it. The best surprise ever.”

Jeremiah found Kane’s joy both infectious and adorable. “I’ll

come on Friday. It’s when I’m next off.”

“Come today, love,” Kane said, a cute pout on his lips.
Jeremiah hesitated. “But I’ve got first and second shift tomorrow

at the mall. I’ll have to come back early.”

“We’re not that far away from here. We’ll bring you back. I

promise,” Abel cut in. It was impossible to argue with that logic.

He sighed. “Fine. I will. But I have to come back tonight. You

promise you’ll bring me back?”

“I promise,” Kane and Abel said in unison. Jeremiah took a deep

breath. It was a lot to process and a lot to come to terms with. He
needed some normalcy for a while before he came down the rabbit
hole again. “How about that breakfast?”

Jana Downs

Chapter Four

Cian was never flying coach again. Ever. He’d sat in between a

woman who had clearly never heard of the wonders of antiperspirant
and her husband who babbled on and on about the statistics of plane
crash survival. With his ultrasensitive smelling capabilities and his
acute hearing, the end result equaled him with a bout of nausea and a
massive migraine. He couldn’t wait to go home and lose himself in
his submissives. He’d already texted instructions to Abel to have
lunch ready and for both Kane and Abel to be naked and prepared for
his arrival. The three things that were on his must-do list tonight were
eating something, fucking, and cuddling, in that order.

The cab ride from the airport was the longest ride of his life. He

loosened his tie in the backseat, staring out the window as they passed
downtown and made their way to the outskirts of his property. They
passed his office on the way, and he resisted the urge to growl in
sheer frustration. Leave it up to the partners to make his life more
difficult.

His cell rang, interrupting his internal tirade about greedy human

lawyers. After checking the caller ID, he felt a little of his tension
drain away. He hit the button on the touch screen to answer the call.

“Hello, my lovely Kane. I’m about fifteen minutes from home.”

He couldn’t wait to get home and show his lovers how much he had
missed them.

Kane giggled. “Good. I was calling to ask.”
He shifted the phone on his shoulder and readjusted the briefcase

on his lap. “You sound like you’re excited for me to be there, more so
than usual.”

Acquired in Time

“Our surprise is going to rock your world, Master.” Kane sounded

downright sexy right then. Whatever he was keeping under wraps
made him excited, and Cian’s cock twitched with interest. The last
time his subs had surprised him there had been a hell of a scene that
lasted until sunrise.

“Stop teasing me and go help Abel get the food ready. There will

be no playtime until after lunch.” He hung up before his submissive
could answer with more teasing words. His lovely man would no
doubt be bouncing with energy. If Kane didn’t squirm through their
meal, Cian would eat his briefcase.

Finally, they pulled onto the road that led up to his home. A quick

glance at his watch told him that their meal would be a late lunch
since it was a little after three. It didn’t matter though. They typically
ate late dinners anyway. The big white farmhouse had been his pride
and joy since he’d purchased it, but it had only become his home
when he’d filled it with his two lovers. The honor of collaring and
naming them had been more of a wedding than any vanilla ceremony
had ever been. Their presence could almost take away the lingering
notion that, though his home life was good, it was still incomplete.
The emptiness had only grown since Jeremiah had walked away, but
most days he could ignore it. Today would be one of them. Kane and
Abel would heal him. They always did.

The cab stopped at the end of his porch just before the white steps

started. He glanced at the dashboard to see how much his tab was and
fished out some crisp twenties from his billfold to hand to the cabbie.
“Keep the change,” he said. The driver nodded, got out of the car, and
proceeded to the back to get out his carry-on bag.

He opened his own door and met the driver in the back. He never

traveled with a ton of baggage, and on business trips he carried even
less. He was a bit tired from jet lag, but he was getting his second
wind as he traversed the first step and headed for the brightly lit front
door. He was vaguely aware of the cab pulling away, but his focus
was entirely on the men who were waiting on him.

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A second later the door flew open and two very naked

submissives were rubbing against him, kissing him, and generally
making it very difficult for him to think properly.

“All right, all right, you two. I get it. You’re happy to see me.” He

laughed as Abel bit his neck and ran his hands down his backside.
“What has gotten into you two?”

“Wait until you see your present. Then you’ll understand,” Kane

said, bouncing like an eager pup.

“Dinner first,” Cian said firmly. He ushered them off the porch

and the cool air outside into the house. He stole two kisses from each
of them and shut the door behind them. “I hope you made something
good because I am starving.”

He let the two men pull him into the formal dining room. It was an

odd choice. Usually they only ate there when it was a special
occasion, birthdays, holidays, that sort of thing. The feast that was
arranged artfully on the center table drew his eyes immediately and
hunger twisted his gut at the same time his mouth started to water. He
almost missed the extra person in his dining room. Almost.

His jaw dropped along with his stomach. “Jeremiah?” He felt like

he was being strangled. Sitting at the head of the table in his usual
spot was his former lover and would-be mate. His heart went into a
galloping rhythm as their eyes met. He’d never thought to look into
those glittering blue orbs again. He turned toward his two
submissives, his eyebrows probably at his hairline.

“Don’t blame them, Master,” Jeremiah cut in, “I’m only

guaranteeing tonight, but I’m hoping for a lot more. When a man is
told that the three people he wants most are his mates, he sits up and
pays attention.”

“You told him about us,” he directed at Kane and Abel. It was one

of their laws, something that couldn’t be violated but under the most
extreme of circumstances.

“He is our mate, Master. Our missing part,” Kane said. He

sounded afraid. A quick look at his face told Cian that he was terrified

Acquired in Time

that he’d done something wrong. He looked over at Abel, whose jaw
was locked.

“We knew you wanted to have him back, but we knew you

wouldn’t go after him. We did what was necessary to bring him
home,” Abel said. The firmness in his voice said that if Cian reacted
in a way that Abel felt was wrong, he would have a fight on his hands.
Cian was torn. On one hand, he needed to reprimand them for telling
an unauthorized human about them. On the other, he couldn’t even
pretend to be angry over a gift so perfect.

Jeremiah drew his attention by pushing back from the table and

walking toward them. He was as naked as his other two submissives
and just as mouthwatering as the last time they’d seen one another.
Cian’s throat got tight all over again, and his cock, which had been
wildly interested on the porch, came back to life in full force.

He was speechless as Jeremiah stood before him. “Tell me you

want me,” Jeremiah said. “Please, tell me that you still want me,
Master.” Tears glittered in Jeremiah’s gaze along with a healthy dose
of fear. Cian couldn’t resist.

He cupped Jeremiah’s cheek and leaned down to press their lips

together. They both groaned in unison, and then Cian had an armful
of beautiful human devouring his mouth. Cian wrapped his arms
around Jeremiah’s hips as the kiss stretched on and their kiss
deepened into dangerously out of control territory. Their tongues
danced, and a low growl of want was smothered by their fused
mouths. He traced the muscles of Jeremiah’s back and kneaded the
pert ass that was teasing him. Jeremiah’s cock pressed against his
thigh, letting him know that he wasn’t the only one who was enjoying
their tangle.

“Master,” Jeremiah gasped. “Missed you. Missed you so much.”
It took every ounce of willpower he possessed to pull back instead

of ravaging Jeremiah right there on the dining room floor. Kane and
Abel stood on either side of them, both panting and hard.

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“Dinner,” Cian commanded, motioning with one hand to the table.

“Dinner first.” Jeremiah’s eyes were smoldering as Cian spoke and
the Dominant wondered if it were possible to die from an erection. He
had wanted this for so long, the three of them with him, that he didn’t
even know how to proceed from there.

“Yes, Master. We need to talk.” Jeremiah smiled up at him,

looking like a satisfied house cat. And I need to fuck with
desperateness that you were counting on, minx. The tables had been
turned on the Dominant and he knew it. The manipulation wouldn’t
have been so funny had it not been done with purest of intentions.

He disentangled himself from Jeremiah’s embrace and went to the

head of the table to sit in his usual chair. His naked submissives came
and sat in their proper place, Kane and Abel at his left, and his sweet
Jeremiah at his right. It was as if a blanket of rightness descended
over his home as he reached into the ice bucket and extracted the wine
bottle and the wine bottle opener that one of them had left in the small
tray attached to the free-standing bucket.

“Cabernet Sauvignon, California red. My favorite. You are

spoiling me tonight.” He popped the cork and filled each glass in turn.
“One glass apiece, gents. I want everyone sober enough to play
afterward.”

“And are we going to play, Master?” Jeremiah asked boldly.

“Because I don’t play in the lifestyle anymore.”

That sentence almost made him spill his glass. “What do you

mean you don’t play anymore?”

“His last Dom—” Abel began.
“My last Dom only contributed and was not the deciding factor. If

you want we can do light play, no scenes, and no rules. I’m not letting
anyone run my life again,” Jeremiah interrupted, shooting a glare at
Abel.

“Huh,” Cian said, not sure what to say to that. He frowned and hid

his indecision with a deep swallow of the wine. The slightly bitter
taste rolled on his tongue.

Acquired in Time

“I still love you, Cian. I still want to join your family, and I want

to have the chance to fall in love with Kane and Abel as well. To do
that, you need to give me time to readjust. If you can promise me that,
I can promise dating and copious amounts of sex.” Jeremiah said all
of it with the cutest little smirk on his face imaginable. The moment
the word “sex” was out of his mouth, Cian’s mind blanked and all the
available blood used to fund his frontal lobe descended into his other
head.

“We’ll revisit the reason that you don’t want to take up the

twenty-four-seven relationship that satisfies both of us on a
chromosomal level. Until then, I agree with your requests. You’re
going to date all of us, together and one-on-one, until you feel
comfortable enough to move in.” It would kill him to carry out a
vanilla relationship with the man who’d submitted so beautifully to
him, but he would do it. He would seduce his Jeremiah and mate him
properly. “We will have to take our claim to the Alpha at some point
soon, and we have to discuss when you want to turn into a werewolf
because in order for the full mating you’re going to have to do that.”

Jeremiah raised his wine and grinned. “Hurry up and eat. I want to

be fucked, Master, and your two submissives have been teasing me
since last night and I want a piece of all of you.”

He started choking on the wine at that. How the hell was he

supposed to eat when Jeremiah kept dropping one-liners like that?

* * * *

Dinner went at a snail’s pace, and Jeremiah was enjoying every

slow deliberate bite. He’d never seen Cian off balance, and maybe he
was enjoying the fact that he had been the one to knock the perfect
Dom off his game. The teasing may have been his way of punishing
Cian for letting him walk out and leave all those months ago, but at
least he wasn’t being too malicious. The last bite of grilled New York
strip waited on his plate as he polished off his green beans. With

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deliberate care he speared his tiny piece of meat and put it in his
mouth.

The animalistic growl that sounded from the head of the table

made him look in Cian’s direction for the first time since they started
eating. He’d mostly exchanged heated glances and footsies with Kane
and Abel, who sat across from him. What he found at the head of the
table gave him a thrill all the way down to his toes.

Cian sat there, hands nearly in claws holding onto the edge of the

table, pupils dilated wide with arousal, panting softly. It was an
incredible display of raw sexual desire, and Jeremiah’s cock jerked in
want.

“I think we’re all done here,” Abel rumbled, sounding just as

turned on as Jeremiah felt.

“You, Abel, I did not give privileges to be anything other than my

twenty-four-seven submissive,” Cian said from his place.

Abel all but purred. “Sorry, Master.”
“It’s all right. You’ve earned a spanking for that, Abel. I’ll give it

to you later. Take Kane and go up to my bedroom. I want you both on
my bed and jerking on your cocks by the time I follow you up.”

God I love that commanding tone. I have missed it like nobody’s

business. Charles, his ex, had always screamed orders at him. He just
didn’t have Cian’s commanding tone. He savored the moment of
anticipation as the two naked men who were soon to be his lovers
pushed back from the table and all but ran from the room.

“You’ve made me wait. Are you enjoying our role reversal,

Jeremiah? Are you enjoying having the power?” Cian asked, sitting
back in his chair and watching him with the calm confidence of a
predator.

“I bet you’re intimidating as hell as a wolf,” Jeremiah said, licking

his lips. “I am enjoying playing Red Riding Hood to be honest, more
so now that I know for a fact that you’re the big bad wolf.”

“Hmm, does that make the three of you little pigs? Shall I huff

and puff and blow—”

Acquired in Time

Jeremiah interrupted with a loud bark of laughter. “Oh God, that’s

so corny!”

Cian joined him in his giggle fit. “Yes, but all sex should be this

much fun.” He was right. It should be a little bit of laughter, a little bit
of fun, and a lot of enjoyment. Jeremiah couldn’t remember the last
time he’d actually enjoyed sex.

“Cian?” he asked, suddenly on rocky ground. He liked

boundaries. He’d grown used to having rigid rules to guide his life, be
it self-imposed rules or rules imposed by the Dominant of his choice.
Here he was, in control of his fate with three beautiful men. What was
he supposed to do?

“Easy, lovely. Go join the boys upstairs. Explore them while I

clear the table and load the dishwasher. Enjoy yourself, and I’ll be up
in a moment,” Cian instructed. That little push was just what he
needed to hear. Jeremiah got up from his chair and pressed a kiss to
Cian’s lips.

“Thank you, Master,” he whispered, giving another chaste kiss to

his former lover.

“You’re welcome, Jeremiah. Now go.”
He didn’t need to repeat himself. Jeremiah turned and walked out

of the dining room and up the stairs to the second floor where Kane
and Abel had shown him the rooms on his tour of the house. Though
they all had separate bedrooms, spaces to go to be alone and for their
things, they still all slept together in the massive master suite with the
orgie-sized bed. A pang of regret hit him at the realization that he had
to leave to go back to work sooner than he wanted. He wouldn’t be
able to sleep with his lovers in this bed. He banished the thoughts as
soon as they entered his mind. He would enjoy this and have no fears
or regrets. He was determined to.

He threw open the door to the master suite, and all his thoughts

blanked. Kane and Abel lay side by side, holding hands where their
thighs were pressed together, and used their opposite hands to jack
their lubrication-shined dicks in unison. They were both already

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slicked with sweat and looked downright edible. Their eyes raked his
body.

“Join us, Jeremiah,” Kane said breathlessly.
“Mmm, you two look great,” Jeremiah complimented. This was

how it was always supposed to be. This is what he’d been missing. He
walked to the edge of the bed where the two sex kittens were playing
with one another. Well, he said explore. He climbed onto the bed and
touched Abel’s calf. There was no preamble since they were all
already naked, but there was a slight hesitation in his touch. This was
something special.

Abel stopped playing with himself and sat up, dragging his lover

into his chest and claiming his lips in a kiss. Instant attraction and lust
swamped him, and the oddest smell made his head spin with need. He
opened his mouth to moan and found it filled with Abel’s tongue.
Someone tugged on his hair, demanding he raise his head. He opened
his eyes at the same instant that Kane’s lips met his, and his tongue
pushed into his mouth. There were hands everywhere, and he felt his
world spinning out of control.

“Yes,” he whispered. Knowing that this was what Cian wanted

and knowing that he would be joining them shortly just made him
hotter. Abel suckled his nipple while his hands kneaded Jeremiah’s
balls. Kane continued to kiss him while he jerked Jeremiah’s cock.

Jeremiah wasn’t sure how often he cried out as they played with

him, kissing and sucking on every available inch of skin. All he knew
was that he was like a top being wound tighter and tighter.

“I want,” he whispered. “So good.” He wasn’t even sure he was

making much sense, but he felt like he was about to explode.

“He’s on fire, Master,” Abel groaned over his shoulder.
“I can see that. So responsive. My beautiful, wonderful,

submissive. I missed this.” Cian’s rumbling voice was filled with a
deep-seated need. Jeremiah knew he was in the room, but all he could
see was the curtain of Kane’s hair and his soft lips. The little brat kept

Acquired in Time

tweaking his nipples, playing with the pebbled tips over and over with
each plunge of his tongue.

“This is better, Master. All of us is better,” Abel said firmly.
“You’re very right, Abel. All of you guys are much better.” The

sound of kissing filled the room, and then Kane pushed his back to the
mattress and proceeded to kiss his way down his chest. I need this so
much. I need them so much. A part of him was terrified that the men
he’d chosen to be with weren’t even human, but another part of him
was just happy that he was with them and that they wanted him with
the same desperate edge that he wanted them.

Kane pulled back, giving him some air, just as his Master’s hands

grabbed his ankles and dragged him to the end of the bed. He
groaned, missing Kane’s touch.

Cian chuckled and ran a hand down the front of his body, tracing

the muscles as his eyes burned Jeremiah alive. “I’ve waited my whole
life to be able to be with my mates. You are meant to be mine,
Jeremiah.”

The words spoken so seriously, so permanently, drew him out of

the world of pleasure, and a trickle of fear broke his lust. “We’re
dating remember? I can’t commit yet. Not yet. Please, Cian, give me
time.”

Cian’s lips thinned. “I know. I’m trying. But when we’re here, in

my bed, can you forget about all the rules you are imposing and just
be with us?”

Jeremiah nodded. He could do that. He was just so afraid to lose

himself in his lovers. He knew it would be easy to do. It was easy
between them, too easy to fall for them in an irrevocable way. He
couldn’t answer Cian with words. So he just threw his arms around
Cian’s neck and dragged the man down for a kiss. Their naked bodies
touched head to toe, and their tongues danced in a way that allowed
Jeremiah to forget their conversation and everything else outside
Cian’s bed room. His Master was right. This was so sweet, so right.
He shouldn’t waste the time he allowed them.

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Their lips melded together again, and for the first time since he’d

left Cian, he felt like everything was as it should be. Cian’s hands
molded his body, seeming to touch him everywhere. Kane and Abel’s
hands joined Cian’s, and Jeremiah could do little but writhe under
their combined touch.

“Stay on your knees, Jeremiah. Let me get you ready,” Cian

commanded. Abel chose that moment to turn his head and lap at his
lips. His mind drifted away and descended down into a lustful place
once again.

Abel turned him so that they were face-to-face once again and

proceeded to deepen their kiss while Cian’s hand spread Jeremiah’s
cheeks and circled his puckered entrance. The slick lube eased the
stretch as Cian’s fingers pried him open, readying him for Cian’s use.
He didn’t doubt that Cian would be the first to take his ass. As their
Master, that was a given. Even if he couldn’t deal with the demands
of a Master outside the bedroom, he certainly fell into the role of
submissive under Cian’s skilled touch.

“Master, may I suck him?” Kane asked, panting softly. Jeremiah’s

cock jerked at those soft words. He couldn’t remember the last time
he’d had a blow job.

“Yes, Kane. It’ll help relax him. Abel, you may take Kane when I

take our Jeremiah.” Cian directed them like he had been born
commanding men for his pleasure. He probably had been. Kane
crawled in between the press of bodies and lapped at the head of
Jeremiah’s cock. The human moaned at the sensation. Kane took his
time teasing the slit, licking and sucking just the head until Jeremiah
cried out into Abel’s mouth and dug his fingers into Abel’s broader
shoulders. Behind him, Cian stretched him, forcing his passage to
accommodate two of Cian’s thick digits as they fucked inside his
body in preparation for Cian’s cock. The three-hundred-and-sixty-
degree touch was driving him mad.

He whimpered as Cian withdrew his fingers. He needed. Didn’t

Cian see that? He needed his touch. He wasn’t left empty long. Kane

Acquired in Time

held his hips steady as Cian spread his cheeks and pressed the head of
his cock into his stretched passage. He gasped at the feeling of being
filled by his lover for the first time in years. He pressed back, wanting
deeper and harder penetration.

“Abel, use Kane. Give our Jeremiah something beautiful to watch

as I fuck him.” Cian’s gravel-filled tones had Jeremiah’s eyes rolling
into the back of his head. Kane finally stopped teasing him. Instead,
he plunged his head down onto Jeremiah’s pre-cum-dripping cock and
suckled hard as if using the action as a focal point. Jeremiah groaned
as Cian pressed forward until the backs of his thighs rested against the
swell of his buttock. Yes. Yes. Right there. God! The internal mantra
repeated over and over as Kane continued to suck him while Cian
waited for his body to adjust.

Without meaning to, Jeremiah wound his hands into Kane’s long

dark locks and started fucking his face with desperate, needy lunges.
Kane’s eyes just slid shut, and a look of serenity came over his
features as if he gave himself completely to the experience of their
lovemaking. Jeremiah couldn’t remember anything so beautiful. Is
that how I look when I submit to Cian? Then Cian started moving, and
he lost his ability to think at all.

Cian fucked Jeremiah in the way he had yearned for since he’d

left his relationship with Cian behind, just a little rough and more
dominant than any man he’d had before or since. Maybe it was
because he was something beyond human that made his union with
Cian so intense. His head fell back against Cian’s shoulder, and he let
the firestorm inside his body catapult him into orbit.

“Watch them,” Cian rumbled in his ear, kissing down his neck and

nipping at the place where his throat met his shoulder. “They’re as
much a part as this as we are.” He was right, so right. Kane and Abel
were his, too, his lovers. He opened his eyes, and everything in his
body tightened in triumph. Abel pounded inside Kane, his hungry
gaze devouring the three of them as he did.

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He whimpered. “You’re so beautiful.” He spoke to all of them,

and they returned his noises of need. Cian’s low growl of want was
the only signal before he started working Jeremiah’s backside with
renewed vigor, working his cock against Jeremiah’s internal pleasure
spot. Jeremiah moved with him, needing them to finish in unison.

Kane’s eyes met his as he sucked Jeremiah’s cock, seeming to

sense his desire. When he raised his gaze to Abel, he saw a similar
look in the other man. There was a sharp, almost animal hunger in
Kane’s and Abel’s eyes that Jeremiah wasn’t sure how he hadn’t
noticed before. Definite inhuman desire shown there.

“On my command,” Cian rumbled as Jeremiah began the slow

climb to the peak.

“Yes, Master,” Jeremiah gasped, needing that reassurance that

Cian was still their Master, still in command of the sensations going
on inside him.

“Never stopped being your Master, Jeremiah. Now, come for me,”

Cian commanded, biting down on Jeremiah’s shoulder as he said the
words. Without thought, Jeremiah obeyed, coming apart at the seams
as he shuddered through the most intense orgasm of his life. Kane
never stopped sucking him as he drank him down, not spilling a drop.
Abel slammed his hips forward and groaned as he reached his peak as
well. Kane shuddered, pulling off Jeremiah’s cock to whimper
through his own release.

Cian followed his lovers over the edge, slamming forward one

more time before stilling. The feel of Cian’s release splashing against
his insides made Jeremiah tighten instinctively. Cian growled against
his shoulders, and it felt like he shoved deeper somehow even though
he was already as deep as his hips would allow.

Kane smiled up at him, nuzzling his thigh as Cian held him and

shuddered. “Dominant wolves knot their mates. It makes the orgasm
last longer and creates a swelling that locks the Dominant in place.”
That animal quality made him shudder. The idea was sexy as hell for

Acquired in Time

some reason. It was animalistic and primal, two things that seemed to
push his buttons.

Kane nipped his thigh. “I want you next, Jeremiah. I want to fill

you up.” A look of surprise flickered over Abel’s face.

“You want to top me, Kane?” The idea of having Kane inside him

made his spent cock want to rise again. It wouldn’t be a matter of
pleasing him like Cian. Being penetrated by Kane would be the
meeting of two equals, and the pressure would be absent. It would be
fun to tango with an equal every once in a while.

Kane licked his lips. “Yes. I want to fuck you.” He smiled almost

shyly. “Would you let me?”

Jeremiah felt a grin tugging his lips. “Yeah. I’d let you.” He

looked over his shoulder. “Would you mind, Master?”

“Hmmm, I think that would be beautiful to witness,” Cian said,

finally pulling from Jeremiah’s body. His Master lay down on the
mattress beside Kane and reached out to pat Kane’s dark hair. Abel
followed his example and lay down as well.

“This is nice,” Jeremiah said, looking down at the three of them.

This was what he had wanted when he’d first met the threesome. Now
it seemed almost surreal to see them lying there, waiting for him to
join them.

“This doesn’t have to end, Jeremiah. I know you feel like this

could go away, but you belong with us and I’m not letting you go,”
Kane said, rising up to hug Jeremiah around the neck. He was so
sweet. He’d always been sweet. It had been the thing he’d admired
about him from the very beginning. Jeremiah returned the embrace,
nuzzling against Kane’s neck so that he could breathe in the scent of
his new lover.

Jeremiah couldn’t help but chuckle. “You can keep me, but we’re

still going slow. Okay?”

“Whatever,” Kane said cheekily.

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“Why don’t you two go grab a shower while Abel and I recover?”

Cian asked. Jeremiah raised his head and looked over at Cian and
Abel, who had cuddled up on the center of the bed.

“You sure?” Jeremiah asked. He wasn’t sure how sharing worked

in a relationship like this one. He’d wanted to be a part of Cian’s
household and join with his two submissives, but he never really
thought about what that meant.

“Of course. Becoming part of this family means loving all of us.

While we know each other very well, you’re not as familiar with
Kane and Abel. I encourage you to know them and love them as you
love me, Jeremiah.” Cian smiled, and relief went through Jeremiah at
the action. He still felt bound to Cian, still felt their connection as
Master and submissive, even if he wasn’t actively participating in the
lifestyle. To know that Cian approved of his full immersion into their
group made him melt inside. He’d waited so long for this.

“Come on,” Kane said, tugging Jeremiah off the bed and toward

the door again. “We can use my shower. It has the best Jacuzzi tub.”

* * * *

Cian watched two of his lovers disappear out the door and down

the hall to Kane’s bedroom and his bathroom beyond.

“That was…” Abel whispered.
“Yeah,” Cian said. “It was amazing. Everything just seemed to

work.” He hadn’t been so fulfilled in his life, and for the first time in a
long time his wolf was absolutely content. Ours, his wolf said with
absolute conviction. The animal part of him had been right on the
surface of his skin throughout the entirety of their tangle, and now it,
too, lounged in lazy contentment knowing that all of his mates were
under one roof.

“How long do you think it’ll be until he agrees to come live with

us?” Abel asked.

Acquired in Time

Cian stretched, straining his worked muscles to stave off any

lingering stiffness. “Hopefully not long. I trust that Dean reported that
he was not seeing anyone else when you two went gallivanting off to
fetch him?”

“Yeah. It’s a pretty recent breakup from what Dean could find.

Master?”

“What?”
“Are we going to be punished for going behind you back and

bringing him home?”

The question wasn’t surprising. It was a legitimate question in the

eyes of a disobedient submissive. Cian thought about how to address
it. “Do you think you need to be punished for tracking down
Jeremiah?”

Abel worried his bottom lip, and he could practically see the

anxiety spiking inside him. Crap. I shouldn’t have done this. Abel had
bad anxieties, and Cian knew if he pushed him onto unfamiliar
ground without firm boundaries, he’d buckle under the perceived
pressure and panic.

Abel started babbling, and Cian knew he was in trouble. “I–I just

wanted our family to be fixed. I wanted our family to have a real
chance…you weren’t going after him. We thought—”

“Baby, please, don’t get upset. I was just asking. My mind is so

upside down because of Jeremiah’s presence that I asked you a
question I would have only asked Kane and only if he was completely
blinded by the end result of what he’d done. I am happy you and Kane
did that. All right?” Cian asked, cupping Abel’s face and pressing
kisses over both eyes and his mouth.

“Okay,” Abel said, breathing out.
“That’s it, Abel baby. Deep breaths.”
He gave him a sheepish look. “Sorry, Master. I didn’t mean to wig

out on you.”

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“It’s nothing, Abel.” The look in Abel’s eyes said he needed more

reassurance than words could provide. “After we take Jeremiah home
tomorrow, we’re going to have a session, just me, you, and Kane.”

Abel’s look hardened. “No, Master. Our family is complete now.

I’m not doing a session solo until we come together as a family.”

Cian’s heart skipped a beat. “You mean there will be no more

sessions until Jeremiah joins us for one?”

“I mean, respectfully, Master, that I don’t want to have one until

Jeremiah joins us.”

Christ.

Acquired in Time

Chapter Five

Kane and Jeremiah washed each other thoroughly in the shower,

giggling like two kids who had shared an ice cream cone. They’d both
been too spent to act on the sexual tension that was washing over
them, but they’d enjoyed the slow, sensual attention. Kane hadn’t
wanted to dress after, but Jeremiah knew that if he dared to climb
back in bed with the three of them, he would never make it to his shift
at the clothing store. So instead of confronting Cian head-on, he’d
gone back downstairs to unload the dishwasher and ready his bag of
toiletries to return home.

“I see your avoidance skills have only improved since we last saw

one another,” a slightly annoyed voice said from the doorway.
Jeremiah turned around from his place on the couch to see Cian
leaning casually against the door.

“I’m not avoiding per se. I’m just being efficient.” Jeremiah was

happy that his voice didn’t shake as bad as his insides were. Just
seeing Cian standing there made his resolve to take things slow
weaken.

Cian twirled his keys around his pointer finger. “Uh-huh. I see

you, Jeremiah. I’ve always seen you. But until you realize that I won’t
jerk this out from under you at a moment’s notice, I’ll let it slide.”

He nodded, pushing himself up and circling around the couch.

“Are you taking me? I know it’s not a long drive, but I was under the
impression that Abel and Kane would be taking me back.”

“If they took you back, he and Abel would stay the night. It’s the

way they are. They don’t understand how to give space, and they
don’t get that you want ‘think time’ away from all this. I will drive

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you home because I am their Master and I have decided that this is the
best course of action for us,” Cian said, taking the bag from
Jeremiah’s hands. He realized then that he had half hoped that Kane
and Abel would’ve stayed with him. He relaxed with them, laughed
with them. They made him happy. He belonged with them like he’d
belonged with Cian when they’d first met.

“I think I’m halfway in love with them. I wanted them to stay.”

The admission was out of his mouth before he could even think to
keep himself from saying it.

Cian visibly tensed. “You can’t tell them that, not yet. Kane and

Abel are fragile in ways that I’m not. They wouldn’t survive you
walking away from them like you did from me.”

It felt like Cian had slapped him through the face. Every feeling of

resentment from before bubbled up inside him. How could he even go
there? “You’re protecting them from me?” he asked. “Seriously? I’m
not going to rip their hearts out.”

“I just don’t want them to get their hopes up,” Cian snapped. He

had no right to be angry. No right.

“I’m giving them a chance. Not getting their fucking hopes up!”
“Why are you yelling?” Cian asked, raising an eyebrow. His

whole demeanor screamed Dominant who was about to lay into his
submissive. When he took a step in Jeremiah’s direction, Jeremiah
started shaking. When he raised his hand, Jeremiah flinched and took
a hasty step backward, tripping over the coffee table before falling on
his ass. A look of pure horror came over Cian’s features.

“Who hit you?” Cian whispered. “Who the fuck hit you?”
“I–I. No one. Please. Just. Don’t.” Tears blinded him, and he crab-

walked backward as unreasoning panic clawed at his insides.

“Easy, Jeremiah, easy. I love you. I’ve never hurt you, and I will

never hurt you.” Cian knelt on the floor in front of him. He looked
bewildered.

Jeremiah dug his fingers into his own arms and forced himself to

breathe. He’s not here. Cian wouldn’t hurt me. He squeezed his eyes

Acquired in Time

shut. Master Charles was his past. Jeremiah had summoned his own
strength and had left the man. He had started over and left Charles
and the lifestyle behind him.

“He’s the reason you don’t want to live in the lifestyle with

us…why you don’t want me to be your Master.” Cian sounded sure
when he said it, as if a critical piece of the puzzle had fitted neatly
into place for him.

“I left. I’m strong. I don’t need it anymore.” Jeremiah repeated his

mantra over and over, forcing his body to relax and resume a normal
rhythm. His therapist, Dr. Daniels, who was a lifestyle submissive
himself, had talked him down from more than one of the panic attacks
he’d had since moving into his new home. Dr. Daniels hadn’t really
approved of his quitting the lifestyle entirely but had supported his
decision to take a hiatus.

“Jeremiah!” Kane said, breaking his internal concentration.

Jeremiah looked up in time to see Kane start toward him in a pair of
silk boxers. The tears streamed down Jeremiah’s face, and he opened
his arms to catch the other man as he came into range.

“Don’t—” Cian began. But he fell silent when Kane fit easily into

Jeremiah’s arms. Without meaning to, Jeremiah started sobbing,
taking comfort from Kane as the other man petted and soothed him
through his tears. His long black hair hung about him, and the scent of
his shampoo was lavender and honeysuckle, something not entirely
masculine but somehow fitting for Kane all the same.

“Shh, Jeremiah. It’s okay. You’re ours now. Nobody will hurt

you,” Kane murmured, kissing Jeremiah’s face over and over. “Stay.
Don’t go home. Stay. Let us take care of you.” Jeremiah hesitated. He
wanted to stay right there. He wanted to let himself be lost in Kane’s
gentle touch and lean on Abel’s quiet strength and—his mind stalled
as he came to Cian. Where did Cian fit into this new thing he was
creating? A chill worked down his spine as realization hit. Cian was
his Master. He was the one who was able to take control from all of
them and make them fly and take the hurts that they themselves

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couldn’t deal with. If Cian couldn’t be his Master, what was the
point? Jeremiah didn’t understand his own feelings at the moment. He
shook his head.

“I can’t. I need to be strong,” Jeremiah said firmly. He had to find

his inner strength in order to have a chance of submission to Cian in
the future.

Kane smiled against his cheek. “You silly boy, don’t you

understand anything? We can be strong for you. That’s what we’re
for. We’re going to be pack soon. Pack means you never have to be
strong by yourself.”

The idea was such a foreign concept for him. It wasn’t a very

human concept, the idea that they could be happily together and have
a sort of equal codependency went against his very independent
culture. It had taken him most of his life to get to the point where he
admitted that he wanted to give himself up to one man, to be a
submissive. Their multiple partnership seemed like a step further
away from the culture he’d grown up with. He’d flirted with the idea
before when he’d been with Cian, but the reality was a different thing
entirely.

Jeremiah leaned into Kane and kissed him soundly on the lips.

“Thank you. Knowing that you’re here for me helps a lot.” He was
falling a little bit in love with the men whose family he was joining.
He reconsidered his stance on leaving. “I’ll stay tonight if you can
drop me off tomorrow at work. Can we do that?”

“Yes,” Cian answered from his place on the carpet. “We’d love to

have you stay.”

Kane tilted his head up for another kiss, and Jeremiah leaned into

the touch with a sigh. It was so easy between him, Abel, and
Jeremiah. They touched easily, laughed easily, and seemed to be
falling for on another easily, but the glue of their relationship, the part
that held them together, Cian, was going to be the hardest thing for
Jeremiah to accept again. The larger picture made his head hurt.

Acquired in Time

“Will you guys show me again tonight? Will you show me your

wolf forms?” Jeremiah asked, wanting to distance himself from his
meltdown.

Kane grinned. “If Master says it’s all right, then I’d love to.”
“Master is going to have to have a long talk with Jeremiah before

we introduce him to anything else from our world,” Cian said.
Jeremiah cringed at the sound. He hadn’t wanted to show his Master
that part of him. He hadn’t wanted to show him his weakness.

Abel chose that moment to walk into the room. “Is everything all

right? Kane said he was going to get some Jell-O cups from the
fridge, but he never came back.”

“I’m staying the night,” Jeremiah said before anyone else could

offer more detailed explanation.

Abel grinned. “Excellent. I hoped you’d changed your mind. I

can’t wait to hang out more. Maybe Master will give us a session with
the three of us. Wouldn’t that be hot? I mean, I know you said that
you weren’t into the lifestyle anymore but—”

“We’ll see,” Jeremiah interrupted. “Can we please just go back to

having a good time?”

Cian cleared his throat. “Yeah. We need to do that. Kane, Abel,

why don’t you run upstairs and strip the sheets and replace them.
Jeremiah and I will join you in just a moment.”

Jeremiah wasn’t exactly a happy camper when Kane pulled back

and gave him a soft look of support before getting to his feet and
slipping out of the room with Abel. Left alone with Cian once again,
they stared at one another from across the few feet of space that
separated them.

“Do those anxiety attacks happen often?” Cian asked. It wasn’t

what Jeremiah expected him to ask.

“Not often but often enough that I see a therapist twice a week.

I’m getting stronger.” He had to make sure that Cian realized that. He
wasn’t completely weak, not by a long shot.

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Cian nodded. “You know I can help you better than any therapist

could.”

“I want to do this on my own, Mas—Cian.”
“When you join our family, you’ll never be alone again, Jeremiah.

Can you handle that?” Cian asked.

Jeremiah swallowed. “I hope so.”

* * * *

Cian made sure Jeremiah was distracted with a movie and his

other submissives before he went to the attached living space that
acted as his study to make a phone call. Rage that he’d kept in careful
check as Jeremiah had come down from his panic attack was bubbling
to the surface now. He took his cell phone from his pocket and looked
up his Alpha’s number in the directory.

The sound of buzzing tattoo guns came over the line before Cian

heard anyone speak, which meant Alpha was at his tattoo and piercing
parlor. “Yeah?” Mustang, the Alpha of their pack, said by way of
greeting.

“Alpha, I have a problem, and I’m about to lose it.” As gamma of

the pack, Cian was used to dealing with a lot of issues before it got
passed up the ladder to the betas and then to the Alpha. Cian wasn’t
going to run it up the chain of command. He needed something the
betas couldn’t offer.

Instantly the sound of machinery stopped. “What is it?”
“I need permission to use Dean to get information on Jeremiah’s

ex-boyfriend.” He let it out in a rush. His tone was quarrelsome and
almost dared his Alpha to tell him no. He wasn’t trying to be
disrespectful, he just wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

“The human you used to have sessions with is back in your life?”

Mustang asked, completely ignoring his question.

Acquired in Time

“We’re courting him as per your mandate. When he’s ready to

commit, we’ll come before the pack and let our intentions be known.”
Cian tried very hard not to let the impatience saturate his voice.

Alpha paused for a moment as if contemplating something

serious. Crap. Immediately Cian was analyzing their conversation for
hidden traps. He really didn’t want Alpha’s direct involvement in
anything if he could help it.

“I want to meet him. Bring him, Kane, and Abel over to the ranch

this weekend. My mate will want to speak with him, and we can share
a meal together.”

Cian breathed a sigh of relief. “So does that mean I can contact

Dean?”

“Yes. If he hurt your submissive, then he is subject to pack law

and we will deal with him appropriately. I’ll check with the Circle
Enforcers, but the law should still apply.”

Cian drummed his fingers on the surface of his desk,

contemplating that. He was surprised the Enforcers were still there.
Usually the Circle’s men went to whatever location they needed to
and left almost immediately afterward. It made him wonder if they
had a separate agenda than the Alpha’s mating to a newly made
werewolf.

“I’ll text your mate when I have a day pinned down.” It would

give Cian an opportunity to check up on Grayson, Mustang’s new
mate and Cian’s longtime friend. They hadn’t had a ton of time
together since Grayson had joined the pack. They’d used to run at
nights, but that was something that he and the Alpha shared now. He
also was interning at the tattoo shop under Mustang’s tutelage, and he
was also busy running pack concerns and Mustang’s schedule. Being
an Alpha Mate was a big responsibility, so it would be nice to be able
to check up on him.

“Yep. Take care of yourself.” A click on the other end let Cian

know that Alpha had hung up. The man had never been one for
chitchat. Serious since he’d taken control of the pack at seventeen,

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Mustang wasn’t exactly the man who Cian would’ve chosen out for
the gentle giant submissive that Gray was, but they worked somehow.

He shook his head, refocusing on his objective. He had to find out

everything he could about the man who had made his Jeremiah afraid
to submit. He had to know so he could know how to put his
submissive back together again.

* * * *

Abel stroked Jeremiah’s head as it rested against his chest. Almost

the second Cian had disappeared into his office, Jeremiah had calmed
down. It was obvious that Jeremiah had a fear of Dominant men that
he hadn’t had before when they’d known him. He pressed a kiss to the
top of Jeremiah’s head. They’d all gotten into their pajamas and piled
onto Cian’s leather sectional and rented a movie on pay-per-view. It
was some romantic comedy that Kane had been wanting to see, but
Abel could hardly pay it any attention. Worry roiled in his gut like
sandpaper.

“Don’t worry so loud, Abel. You haven’t watched a second of this

movie,” Jeremiah said softly.

“Can’t help it, Jeremiah. You looked so lost a minute ago. You

know Cian could help you work through that anxiety.” Abel didn’t
know if he was stepping out of line, but he felt the need to say it. Cian
always knew how to take away the heavy stuff and replace it with
warmth and love and contentment. He wanted to share that with
Jeremiah.

“When I’m restrained or in headspace, it makes it worse. I’ve seen

a shrink. I’m not ready,” Jeremiah said stubbornly.

“You submit in bed. You called him Master. It felt natural to

you,” he argued.

“Leave him alone, Abel,” Kane piped up. “He doesn’t need us on

his ass. We need to just relax him.”

Acquired in Time

Shock infused his body. Kane never argued with Abel. They

usually ganged up on Cian. Kane always defended him. “Yeah? How
we going to do that?”

“I’m going to fuck him.” Kane said it so matter-of-factly that Abel

started laughing.

Jeremiah lifted his head and grinned. “I’m so game for that.”
Abel considered the two of them. They were similar creatures in

their avoidance issues. When in doubt, turn to sex or something
equally distracting. Why wasn’t Master dealing with this like he dealt
with his other two submissives? When Kane bowed up and stubbornly
clung to something that made him unhealthy, Cian as their Dominant
took matters into his own hands, and he was better for it. Master did
the same thing to Abel when he needed it. Why was Jeremiah any
different?

“Because I’m broken, Abel,” Jeremiah whispered, turning his eyes

on Abel. Did I say that out loud? “And he doesn’t know if he wants
me. That’s why it’s different with me.”

“That’s not true, Jeremiah,” Abel said. “Trust me when I say that

you are dead wrong about him not wanting you. He felt you even
though you weren’t with us.” He got up from the couch and crossed
the living room. He stopped at the TV and turned back to Kane and
Jeremiah, who were sitting on the couch looking at him strangely.

“I want him to put me there, Abel. I do. I just—” Jeremiah fell

silent, biting into his bottom lip and squeezing his eyes shut as if he
couldn’t stand to force the words out of his mouth.

Everything clicked into place for Abel. He wasn’t the only one

wondering why Cian wasn’t stepping into his natural role and
showing Jeremiah that he could trust his Dominance rather than just
giving the submissive empty words. “I understand. You can’t ask for
it, and we can’t recommend it. Master has to figure it out on his own.
Until then, you’re going to lean on us to keep it together.”

Jeremiah nodded, looking grateful. Kane chose that moment to

start kissing down Jeremiah’s chest, and Abel knew that heavier

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thoughts were going to be left behind for now. He smiled softly at his
two lovers, knowing that they’d come together over and over tonight.
He could wait his turn. “I’m going to go see what’s in the kitchen for
supper and set something out. Master will want a hot meal for dinner,
and when you two finish, pick out something to watch after dinner.”
He was pretty sure they didn’t hear him though. They were focused
on one another, and that was all right. Today was the beginning of
healing and the reformation of the family. That was all that mattered.

Acquired in Time

Chapter Six

Jeremiah put his overnight bag in his work locker and shut it,

placing the dial lock on the ring and twisting it to lock it. His shift
was going to last forever. He was sore, his muscles tight. Yesterday
had been totally worth it though. Lounging in bed with Cian, Kane,
and Abel had been the single most erotic experience of his life, and
the possibility of a forever kind of thing with them made him almost
ready to throw himself into their love heart-first. However, there were
three things holding him back from commitment. First, they were
shape-shifting whatevers and he knew next to nothing about their real
world, which he still had trouble believing and wrapping his mind
around. Secondly, Cian still wanted to be his Master and Jeremiah just
wasn’t sure if he could handle Jeremiah’s damaged self. And thirdly,
the possibility of Charles trying to get back at them. What if his ex
really made good on his threats of keeping Jeremiah? He got really
jealous anytime he suspected Jeremiah was out with someone else. It
was bad news all the way around.

“Good night, Jeremiah?” Pam, his supervisor, asked as he walked

from the employees’ stock room out into the main part of the store to
clock in on the register. She was a short little thing, only around five
three on a good day, with dark-red hair and soft brown eyes. He
offered her a smile and felt his cheeks heat. Am I walking funny or
something?

“It was pretty good. Slept finally.” He sighed as he remembered

the absolute pleasure of getting an uninterrupted deep sleep for once.
Being cuddled between his three lovers was like taking a bottle of

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sleeping pills. He’d woken up this morning at the alarm feeling
positively drugged.

“That’s great. I told you that it would get easier with time.” She

was probably the only person in the world that knew the full extent of
his ordeal besides his therapist. She’d been the one to cover his shifts
and pick him up from the hospital afterward. She didn’t ask questions
and didn’t pry, but she’d probably garnered more information than
most about his situation.

He shrugged, not committing either way. The black folder on the

back bar was open to the store layout, and he double-checked his
section before turning and heading toward the accessories. At least he
didn’t have to fold shirts over and over. It was insane how he would
go through and straighten shirts and whatnot and then come back five
seconds later and every article of clothing he’d folded would be
messed up again. Shoes, sunglasses, and swimwear, when it was in
season, were relatively easy to keep in order.

After a few hours of stocking, straightening, and customers, he

was ready for lunch. His appetite surprised him after the spread Cian
had gotten for the three sleepy subs after a night of debauchery. He’d
been stuffed before. Now he was again ravenous. Guess I burned a
few calories.

He walked over to the registers. “Hey, Pam, you mind if I run to

the food court and get a sub? I’m starving.”

“Sure. Grab a ham and cheese sandwich for me, too, while you’re

there. I’ll cover your section while Tina runs the registers.” She dug
in her jeans’ pocket for some bills and handed them over the counter.

He turned and left the store. As soon as he was in the main

passageway of the mall, he fished in his pocket for his cell phone. It
had been on silent since he’d been at work, and he was happy to find
several text messages from his lovers.

The first was from Kane. Missing you! Xoxo. The next two were

from Abel. Would you like to come over tonight? And, I miss you
already. The final message was from Cian. When you get off, call me.

Acquired in Time

No love words or sentiments of longing from his Master. Annoyance
flickered through him. They felt like they were on separate
wavelengths, like there was still a barrier between them. I need to be
patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day. An idea danced through his head
as he remembered the collar that he had when Cian and he were
lovers before. It had been a lovely silver chain, delicate and thin,
something worn easily beneath his clothing. The best part had been
the rings, four golden ones that rested side by side in the center. It had
seemed to be a pledge at the time, a promise that one day they would
be united.

He dialed without thinking, pausing at the dividing line between

the food court and the rest of the mall.

“You’re off already?” Cian asked as he picked up the phone.
Jeremiah’s heart clenched at his tone. He wanted to hear Cian’s

deep rumble of praise. He longed for the relaxed love they shared
before. “No, Master. I was about to go into the food court for some
lunch. I needed to talk to you.”

There was a pause on the other end of the phone, and then a soft

sigh sounded. “My little lost lamb, what do you need?” He sounded
tired, as if he were carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

“I need you to be my Master,” Jeremiah whispered. “I want you to

collar me as yours, as you’ve collared your other two submissives.”

“You know a collar means a commitment, Jeremiah. I know you

feel disconnected, but I can’t very well give you something and not
mean it.” Cian didn’t sound as firm as he usually did when he said no.

“A collar for when I’m at your home then. Something I can put on

when I come through the door that binds me to you,” Jeremiah
begged. His heart started to pound in misery, and panic started rising.

“Shhh, Jeremiah. It’s all right, lamb. If you need that of me, it

shall be done. You may have it tonight if you come home.”

Relief flooded him. “Thank you.” It was as if he could breathe

again.

Jana Downs

Cian chuckled. “You are going to be as spoiled as Kane and Abel.

Do you want me to drive out to you for lunch? I’ve got an afternoon
meeting, but I can reschedule.”

“No, Master. That’s okay. I’ll be off in a few hours, and I have a

few errands to run before I can come over.” He smiled at the errands
he had to complete.

“All right,” Cian said warmly. He sounded pleased, and that

knowledge seeped into Jeremiah. This is how it is supposed to be.
“Call when you get to your apartment. We’ll come and pick you up.”

“Okay. I will.” Jeremiah smiled, feeling lighter. “Well, I gotta

grab lunch and take it back to the shop. Love you.” The words were
out of his mouth before he could call them back. It had happened so
naturally, like it had when it happened the first time he’d spoken the
words years ago.

Cian seemed to enjoy his blunder however because his reply was

even more happy sounding than his previous one. “I love you, too,
Jeremiah.”

He hung up the phone and continued on to the sub shop, thoughts

of love and the words he’d spoken too soon swirling through his
mind.

* * * *

Jeremiah went home to shower, change, and pack yet another

overnight bag. The messages on his answering machine went ignored.
The five new messages waiting for him there were red flashing
reminders that his life was not completely his own. If I disappear
back to Cian, leave this life and this place, I will be free. The idea was
one worth considering. Their courtship was only in its infancy in
many ways. And years in coming in others. He hated being divided on
the subject. Hopefully his next gesture would further cement his
commitment to himself and his lovers. He was stepping into their
world and carving a place for himself there.

Acquired in Time

He grabbed his keys off the coffee table and brought the address

for the shop up on his phone. Just then the cab pulled into the drive.
Nerves jittery and more than a full paycheck in his pocket, Jeremiah
made his way out the door.

The cab ride was a quiet one, and Jeremiah had to remind himself

multiple times not to text one of his men. He didn’t want to spoil the
surprise, but it was strange after having them in his life for a few short
days he couldn’t seem to get them out of his head.

They pulled onto the highway, and it wasn’t long before the

university town came into view. Night had fallen over the bustling
little town, and it was lit up like a Christmas tree, like a beacon of
safety, of home. It had been home when he’d been with Cian before,
and now it was beginning to feel like home again.

“Exit 3B,” Jeremiah said, not wanting the cabby to take the long

way around. The cab driver nodded at him in the mirror and put his
blinker on. Jeremiah sat back further in his seat and excitement started
to fill him. He was going to love showing his gift to the guys tonight.

“Forty-two fifty,” the cabby said, pulling up in front of the white

building with the flashing neon lights that surrounded the sign
advertising “Howlers Tattoo and Piercing Emporium,” complete with
full moon and howling wolf. He’d thought it was funny and a sort of
tribute to Cian, Kane, and Abel when he’d picked the shop.

He paid the cab fee and grabbed his bag off the floor. He was a

little early for his appointment, but he figured that he would have to
fill out paperwork anyway. He walked up the steps and into the shop.
The shop bell rang, announcing his arrival.

“Hey, can I help you?” a tall light-blond haired man greeted from

an empty tattoo station.

“Yes, please. I have an appointment with a guy named Mustang?”

He meant to sound stern about it, but he just managed to sound
uncertain. Crap. He’d never gotten anything like this done before.

Jana Downs

The guy stood up and walked toward him. Holy shit. He’s a giant.

The guy was well over six feet, had to be. “Cool. You must be my
Sir’s seven thirty.” He smiled.

Sir? This guy is a submissive. Damn.
“Um, I guess.” Jeremiah tried for a smile, but he figured that it

came out as more of a fearful look than anything else.

“I’m Grayson,” the big male said, offering his hand for a shake.

“Don’t be nervous. Mustang is really a gentle hand.”

“Are you one of the artists, too?” Jeremiah asked, trying to turn

his mind away from what a “heavy hand” would feel like. He knew it
was silly to be afraid of a needle, but he was. He liked submission,
liked being held down and spanked, but he drew the line at things like
needle-play. He wished his lovers were there. No. It’s supposed to be
a surprise. Chill out.

“I’m apprenticing to be one. I’ll sit in on your tattoo, if that’s all

right,” Grayson leaned forward and inhaled deeply like he was
sniffing him or something. Jeremiah frowned and took a half step
back.

“Um, yeah. That’s fine,” he said. Maybe he imagined it because

the guy turned to the counter and got out a clipboard that was there
and in the next second handed it over to fill out. “Just fill out these
forms and Mustang will be out to review them with you in just a
second. I’ll go get him.” He turned like nothing had happened and
walked toward the back of the shop.

Weird. The website had gotten excellent references, and he’d gone

through the portfolios of the art and it was all good, too. Howlers was
the best, bar none. Maybe he’s imagined it. The repeated refrain made
him feel better.

* * * *

“He smells like Cian. He’s human though,” Grayson said as

Mustang watched the guy via the security cameras as he filled out

Acquired in Time

paperwork in the front of the shop. Ryan and Regan were out on an
errand and wouldn’t be back for another half an hour, so it was just
the two of them.

“That must be the famous Jeremiah that Cian contacted me

about.” Mustang sighed. “He shouldn’t be here without Cian. It’s
improper for a submissive to be here unescorted. What is he in for?”

“A tattoo, lettering. Nothing extensive. I wonder if Cian ordered

him to go by himself.” Gray leaned against the closed office door, his
eyes watching the screen as the pretty man chewed on the end of the
pen as he read over the paperwork.

“No way. Cian was here for every appointment for Kane and

Abel. He considers the act of marking his lovers as seriously as we
do. There is no way that he knows about this.”

Mustang considered his options. He could call Cian. It was the

proper thing to do. However, if the guy was human, he wouldn’t
know he broke the protocol. As Alpha of the pack, it was Mustang’s
duty to keep pack order, and sometimes there were gray areas where
humans were concerned. It almost made him wish that the pack was
back the way it used to be with no humans being allowed to join it at
all. It would’ve made his life simpler. Of course then he wouldn’t
have his wonderful lover, mate, and submissive, Gray, and that
prospect was unacceptable. Well, I’ll just have to deal with the
growing pains.

“I’ll speak with him and see what exactly he wants inked on him.

If it’s within the parameters of acceptable behavior, I’ll not interfere.
He’s supposed to be coming over to the house this weekend for a
formal introduction to you and me. It figures a human would be the
one to mess up the schedule.”

Gray reached out and gave his shoulder a squeeze. “Now, now,

none of that. I love you, Master, but you are so judgmental. All
submissives should be in their place because you’re the big bad
Alpha.” The teasing did its job of relaxing his muscles where they had
tensed in his indecision. He grinned. Yeah, he really wasn’t that bad,

Jana Downs

but Gray seemed to think that he was a control freak. I wonder what
gave him that impression.

“Okay, okay. I’ll go easy on the kid,” Mustang conceded, pushing

his chair back and standing.

“I now see why Doms come with their subs. You, Sir, would

intimidate most of them into never getting a tattoo ever.” Gray kissed
his cheek, and Mustang reached up and tugged his ear.

“You better be respectful in front of him. You can be casual for

now, but this weekend you’re going to have to be formal,” Mustang
warned.

“Yep. Got it. Now I get to misbehave, but when he comes over I

have to display proper subby type behavior in front of the guests. Got
it. I’m an old pro at this point, Mustang. Come on.” Gray sounded a
little miffed, like he was offended that Mustang would remind him to
behave.

“I’m just trying to give you perimeters to work in, love. I’m not

getting on to you.” And he wasn’t. The presence of an unescorted
submissive human that belonged to one of his pack Dominants just
made him edgy was all.

“Okay,” Gray said, smiling brightly. His lover forgave him so

easily. It was one of the many things he loved about Grayson. He was
infinitely sweeter than he deserved.

“Very well, my love. Let’s go deal with our lone sub. You can

comfort him as Alpha Mate. It’ll be a new duty to add to your list.”

Gray just smiled. “Whatever you say, Master. Whatever you say.”

* * * *

Mustang scared the hell out of him. It wasn’t that the guy had

been aggressive or even threatening. It was that he felt like the kind of
guy that played hard and would break a lesser submissive in two. No
wonder he has a giant for a bottom. Christ. Jeremiah was sincerely
rethinking getting tattooed at this point.

Acquired in Time

Grayson reached out and patted his back as he flipped through the

lettering book that Mustang had given him to look through. He
wanted Cian’s name at the top like a family tree and the three of their
names below his with vines connecting them. It hadn’t seemed nearly
as intimidating on the way over here. Grayson’s hand moved in a
slow circle that felt like friendly without feeling creepy. Despite the
fact that Grayson was bigger than Mustang, Grayson felt safe.

“It’ll seriously be okay, Jeremiah,” Grayson reassured as Mustang

turned from them and went over to the register to get another book of
letters. “I know this seems like a huge step, but I am sure you’ve
thought this through enough times to know that you want them in
your skin.”

“There was this big separation for a while. We just recently got

back together. I don’t know. Maybe this is too soon…” Jeremiah
worried his bottom lip.

Grayson chuckled. “I felt that way when I first met Mustang. It

was too intense too soon, and everything I’d ever read, heard of, or
had been told said that I was jumping in too fast. But men like
Mustang and Cian are forever kind of guys. They know exactly what
they want, and when they find it, you can take the promise of forever
to the bank.”

Jeremiah considered him. “You know Cian?” It seemed like a

legitimate question considering how warmly Grayson had said his
Master’s name.

Grayson seemed to hesitate. “Yeah,” he said after a minute. “To

be honest, he and I are good friends. I knew exactly who you were
when you mentioned Kane and Abel. Cian mentioned that he
reconciled with you recently when he was talking to Mustang. I didn’t
expect you to come here though. Usually if any of his subs gets work
done, Cian comes with.”

“It’s a surprise,” Jeremiah offered. “They’re all trying so hard to

make me comfortable and show their commitment. I wanted to do the
same. Plus, it feels right having them in my skin, like destiny or

Jana Downs

something.” He felt his cheeks heat at the romantic and probably silly
sounding words.

“Destiny is a good way to put it. People like us tend to believe in

destiny more than we believe in anything else,” Grayson said.

The “people like us” part struck Jeremiah for some reason. Were

Mustang and Grayson werewolves like his lovers? He couldn’t
exactly come out and ask. It was something to ask Cian later though.
He filed it away for future consideration.

“Here’s another book to consider,” Mustang said, handing over a

great black folder with yet more letters inside it. Grayson’s expression
went from curious to perplexed as Jeremiah opened it and started
looking over the foreign script.

“See any symbol that strikes your fancy?” Mustang asked. The

design had seemed incomplete before. Maybe he did need a symbol to
go along with the basic design, something more than vines to tie them
all together.

His eyes traveled the pages considering each symbol in turn

before rejecting them for whatever reason. It wasn’t until he was
halfway through the massive binder that he found one that seemed to
work. He traced it with his finger, running the tips over the swirling
lettering that looked a little like Arabic script and a little like art.

“This one feels right. What does it mean?” he asked, captivated by

the way the symbol looked. It would look perfect in the separating
space between Cian and the submissives’ names.

“Unity, Faith, and Family. It’s a good choice. It’s a pledge of sorts

to always strive to be one with your family and to love them with all
the power the wearer possesses. The ‘Unity’ is a promise of forever,”
Mustang explained, looking pleased.

Jeremiah couldn’t help but laugh. “Good Lord, I will never

remember all that.”

“I’ll have Grayson type it up for you before you leave. I promise,”

Mustang said. “I’m glad Cian has finally decided to bring you into his
home. You are a good match for the family.”

Acquired in Time

Jeremiah frowned. “You can tell all that from a tattoo selection?”
“I am a man that is a firm believer in fate and a disbeliever in

coincidences. The symbols and marks we choose to put on ourselves
tell a lot about us.” Mustang gave him a ghost of a smile and went
over to one of the drawing tables by the stations. “For example, a
Dominant who pierces his submissive’s lips as a sign of ownership is
claiming his kiss. It is the part of the sub’s body that the Dominant
enjoys that means something beyond the ring fastened to display
ownership.”

Jeremiah hadn’t really thought of things like that. He thought of

Kane and Abel’s marks. Kane had his nipples pierced and wore a thin
chain to attach them to one another, and Abel had the words
Devotion, Desire, and Destiny in a ring around his neck that laid just
below his shirt line. Had Cian picked them? He already knew that
Cian had Kane and Abel’s names on him, but what did his subs marks
mean? He’d have to ask later.

“Give me just a moment to draw it up and put it on the

transferable paper, and we’ll be in business. Gray, wipe down the
station and get out the right colors. You want this in black and white
right?” Mustang asked, not looking up from his station.

“Yes, please,” Jeremiah said.
Grayson kept him distracted by talking about how he knew Cian

and some of his experiences with Jeremiah’s Master while Mustang
drew up the tattoo at the drawing board. It was odd to think that Cian,
Kane, and Abel had continued to live, to change, to grow in the period
since Jeremiah had been a part of their life. It had seemed like time
had almost stood still for him. He’d made few friends, one boyfriend,
but for the most part he had stayed in the same perpetual state of
existence.

Mustang interrupted their conversation. “All right, Jeremiah. I’m

ready for you. Come on over and we’ll decide on placement.”

Jeremiah swallowed and nodded. He started to shake as he made

his way over to the neatly organized space with the chair that looked

Jana Downs

like a dentist’s, the tiny cups of ink, and a metal gun-looking thing.
Overall it looked very sterile.

“Okay, so where we putting this bad boy?” Mustang asked, eyeing

him with purely professional interest.

“My back,” Jeremiah said. “I want it bold and impossible to

miss.” He thought about the words on his skin and felt a chill go down
his spine. The idea of Kane, Abel, and Cian tracing the letters with
awestruck fingers was a particularly potent fantasy.

“That I can do, man. Take your shirt off, and Gray will prep you.”

Mustang put on gloves and sat down on a small rolling stool by the
tattooing chair.

“This, um, feels like I’m having surgery,” Jeremiah said. His

nerveless fingers drew his shirt over his head, and he tried very hard
not to let the other two men see his hands shake.

“Don’t worry, Jeremiah. I’ll be right by your side the entire time,

and if you need to break, you just tell me and I’ll get Mustang to
stop,” Gray reassured, smiling. “Just consider me another friend, no
pressure, no anything. I’m here to help you out. If you need some
water or whatever, just say it.”

“Okay, I can handle that. How should I sit?”
“Straddle it,” Grayson said. He pulled up another chair and sat in

front of the chair so that Jeremiah could see him when he sat down.
“First Mustang is going to shave the area and wash it with some green
soap. It may be a little cold. Then he’s going to apply the stencil and
begin your tattoo. The tattoo gun is going to make a loud buzzing
noise and the sensation is something like a burn, but you just look at
me and focus there. All right?”

“Thank you, Grayson,” Jeremiah whispered. He held out his hand

and was grateful when Gray grabbed it and gave it a squeeze. He was
going to be all right and make his Master and his lovers happy with
his choice. He just knew it.

Acquired in Time

Chapter Seven

Kane glanced at his phone for the three millionth time since

they’d sat down for dinner. Jeremiah hadn’t texted yet for a pick up,
and Abel had finally let them all eat. Dinner was lasagna with Caesar
side salads to die for. Kane could only pick at both.

“Kane, eat please. He’ll text us as soon as he’s finished with his

errands,” Cian said woodenly. He’d grown more and more cold as the
hour Jeremiah got off from work came and went with no word. It was
Cian’s way of dealing with things that hurt. If Jeremiah walked away
now, Kane doubted that Cian would ever recover. He rubbed his
breastbone with two fingers and took a bigger bite of his salad. He
himself wouldn’t recover at this point. Jeremiah was under his skin,
and there was no way that he could get over his loss. He’s our mate.
He can’t leave us. He knows he’s ours.

He looked up in time to see Abel’s bottom lip start trembling and

his breath start coming out in harsher gasps.

“No,” Cian commanded. “You will hold it together until you have

a reason to panic, Abel.”

The trembling spread over his body, but his breathing evened out.

“Can I call Gray?” The Alpha Mate had become the one Abel relied
on to listen to his moments of panic without demanding to fix it. Most
of the time Abel’s panics just made Kane panic. So he was useless.
Maybe Jeremiah would fill that vacancy when he joined the family for
good.

“Go. Call the Alpha Mate and worry yourself sick. I will finish

my supper and wait like a logical person,” Cian snapped, his fork
banging against the plate as if to punctuate his statement.

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Kane looked up at his Master in horror. “Master!” Cian had never

attacked them, not verbally, not at all. Cian protected them, sheltered
them, and gave them what they needed.

Cian raised his eyes for the first time since they’d begun their

meal. There were untold amounts of pain swimming in his depths.
“I’m sorry.” He raised his hand and rubbed his temple. “I expected
him to call. He wanted me to collar him. I went out and—” He cut
himself off abruptly.

“You went out and bought him a collar,” Abel whispered.
Kane looked around the room and knew he had to be the strong

one for once. “He’ll call. He will call, and he will come to us, and he
will love us and make our pack complete. It’s going to happen. You
two just need to chill out.” Two sets of eyes turned to him with twin
expressions of shock. He offered them a nonchalant shrug. “Seriously,
you guys are being dramatic.”

A knock to the front door interrupted any reply the two may have

made. They froze instead and looked toward the entryway. Kane
sighed, releasing the automatic tension that rose in his chest. He
quietly pushed back his chair from the table and padded to the front
door. Without preamble, he opened it and looked out onto the front
porch. Relief washed over him.

“Hi, stranger,” Kane managed to say. “You didn’t call like you

were supposed to. How’d you get here?” He stepped back to allow the
human into the house. The scent of blood and ink clung to his skin.
Want and amazement went through him. Had Jeremiah gotten a
mark?

“Sorry if I worried you. I had some stuff to do, and I went out and

got something for you guys. I wanted it to be a surprise.” Jeremiah
looked a little pale, but his face was relaxed and completely open. He
was there for them.

Kane took his overnight bag and tossed it in the living room.

“Great. Can’t wait to see it. We’re eating now. Hungry?”

Acquired in Time

“Famished.” Jeremiah smiled happily at him and padded to the

table. Kane grinned at Jeremiah’s back as Cian nearly sagged in relief.
Everything was going to be all right.

“Abel’s food is always good, but tonight it was really good,” Kane

continued to chat as Jeremiah took his seat beside Cian. They all
jumped when Cian moved, grabbing Jeremiah by his shirt and all but
hauling him around the table and into his lap. Kane went instantly
hard as their Master claimed Jeremiah’s lips with his own. Abel
gasped softly as Cian wrenched Jeremiah’s pants open and all but tore
his shirt off his body. The bandage on Jeremiah’s back just seemed to
incite Cian more, and then they were kissing again, Jeremiah perched
half-naked on Cian’s lap as their Master’s hands ran possessively over
his exposed skin. Kane wondered if Cian was going to take them all
to bed and forgo supper for the moment, but his question was
answered a second later as Jeremiah pulled back from the kiss with a
gasp.

“Stop, Master, please,” he said. His cock was clearly visible in the

outline of his boxers, and Kane ached to go to them and ease
Jeremiah’s turgid length out of the cloth and suck him down his throat
to ease the lust that had permeated the air and muddled his senses.

“I want you, little lamb,” Cian rumbled, clearly not all that

interested in stopping what he’d started. He nibbled Jeremiah’s neck,
and Kane shivered in sympathy.

Jeremiah laughed softly and turned his head to receive another

kiss from Cian. Again he ended it sooner than Kane thought, and
Kane couldn’t help the growl of impatience that issued from his
throat. Kane wasn’t normally the aggressive one, but the knowledge
that Jeremiah was teasing them and the fact that he’d worried them all
sick made him want to hold the other man down so they could all take
turns making themselves unforgettable in the human’s tight ass. Abel
draped his arm over his shoulder and kissed Kane’s neck, his tongue
snaking out to find the pulse and lick it.

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“Show me,” Jeremiah said, gasping as Cian fished Jeremiah’s dick

out of his pants and began to pump it as he sucked and licked at the
point where his neck met his shoulder. The human groaned. “Not that.
I want you to show me your transformation or whatever. I want to see
you guys as wolves. Prove it to me.”

Kane tilted his head to the side and looked at him. It was certainly

an odd time to want to discuss the fact that they weren’t human.

Cian growled. “Now? Seriously?”
Jeremiah hesitated, his eyes going to each of them in turn. “No.

After.”

Relief went through Kane at the words. The desire that was going

through his veins wouldn’t be denied for even the length of time it
took to shift into his feral form and back again. Cian pushed back
from the table and stood with Jeremiah in his arms.

“Living room,” he said, his eyes glued to the space as he walked

toward it. Kane shivered at the stark lust etched in Cian’s face. Their
little human, their little lamb as Cian had named him, was going to be
the death of them.

Kane and Abel followed them, hunger for Jeremiah replacing their

hunger for food as their misery had the moment before. Cian finished
stripping him on the rug where their coffee table sat. Kane nodded to
the table, and Abel read his mind and helped him move it out of the
way so that the two of them could get down on the floor with them.

Cian flipped Jeremiah’s now completely naked body onto his

stomach and angled his hips up for Cian’s pleasure. The human
panted and pressed his ass back against Cian’s body as their Master
spread his cheeks. The bandage on his back was a taunt to them
because the ink smell was unmistakable.

“Can’t take it off yet,” Jeremiah panted.
Cian rumbled his approval. “You can show me later.” With that he

sank his cock into Jeremiah’s beautiful buttock. Kane reached down
and squeezed his prick through his pants. God above, that was a

Acquired in Time

wonderful sight. He reached back for Abel and was immediately
found by his other lover.

“Master, share him,” Kane said as Abel ground against him as

they worked to strip one another. Cian seemed lost in Jeremiah’s
sweet self, his animal making noises of growling satisfaction, and the
smell of his other side thickened the air. If Cian ever let Jeremiah
leave the house again, he would be greatly surprised.

“Master, share our mate,” Abel rumbled. He seemed as impatient

as Kane to touch their lamb. Cian finally looked up at them.

“Sorry,” their Master mumbled, pulling Jeremiah up so that he

was speared on Cian’s cock but upright so that he was exposed to the
rest of the room. Kane licked his lips at the sight. He was a gorgeous
specimen of manhood, that was for sure.

“Master, may I have his cock?” Abel asked.
“Yes. Will you fuck Abel, Jeremiah? Fill him up while I fill you

up?” Cian pressed a kiss to the shell of Jeremiah’s ear.

“Please, yes,” Jeremiah whimpered. Kane didn’t really blame the

boy. Being skewered by their Master’s dick made thinking an almost
impossible task.

Abel moved quickly, stripping off the remainder of his clothing

before positioning himself on his knees with his back to Jeremiah.
Hmmm, yummy sandwich. Kane opened the drawer beside the
loveseat and extracted the small tube of lubrication they kept there.
They tended to stash tubes of the stuff in various locations throughout
the house due to the fact that, when the lust was running high, they
typically fucked wherever they were.

Kane tossed the tube to Cian, who prepared Abel’s body with

deep plunges of his fingers while he continued to fuck Jeremiah. How
he managed to still be in control was beyond Kane. He would’ve been
mindless by then.

“Fuck him,” Cian commanded, thrusting deep and holding still so

that Abel could push back and take Jeremiah’s leaking cock into
himself. Kane was struck by the beauty of his mates. Their family was

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good together, and Kane could finally see light at the end of the long
tunnel of incompleteness.

Kane crawled around to the front of his men and fished out his

dick, stroking lightly as he watched the threesome move in perfect
sync toward orgasm. Beautiful. My men are so damn beautiful.
Jeremiah’s pretty gaze looked up at his movements.

“Kane, with us,” Jeremiah murmured, his eyes locking on his

cock. He nodded and moved his hand faster. He would come with
them because his sweet Jeremiah had asked. He couldn’t deny him
that.

Within moments, it seemed that they were about to fall over the

edge, and the smell of lust and orgasm permeated the air as the mass
of bodies began to shake. Kane’s body jerked, spilling its contents
into the circle of his fist. Jeremiah screamed out his pleasure, freezing
in place as he followed Kane over the edge. In the next second, Abel
and Master lost it as well and collapsed against the carpet in a sweaty
heap.

Kane had never been on the outside of the pile before, and it was

an unreal experience. To watch and take voyeuristic pleasure in his
lovers was a new level of intimacy that he was going to thoroughly
enjoy in the future.

“Hmmm, that was great,” Kane mumbled. Abel managed to

squirm out from under Cian and Jeremiah, but not before they all had
a good laugh about it. Kane padded to the small downstairs bathroom
to retrieve washcloths and ran them under a warm tap before returning
down the wood-floor hallway that was so very familiar to him. We’re
going to be a real family. At last. He tossed the cloths at his lovers
and smiled as they started helping one another clean up. Life was
good.

* * * *

Acquired in Time

Abel reset the table and warmed up the food that had gotten cold

in the intermittent time he’d been making love to his men. He didn’t
bother to dress.

“Naked supper. I like this. I should make it a new rule,” Cian said

from the head of the table. Instead of dejected, he looked downright
smug. It was a good look for him.

“I approve of this rule, Master,” Jeremiah said, smiling brightly.

He looked relaxed, and best of all, he looked like he belonged at their
table. “So will you show me your wolf forms or whatever? I know I
saw Kane the other night, but I want to see you all, too. Werewolves
are pretty cool.”

“We’re shifters actually. The distinction is subtle, but it is there,”

Kane said, refilling his wine glass. He must have been celebrating
because he rarely drank the stuff. “Werewolves were once human.
Wolf-shifters were never human. We were born this way. So
technically the only would-be werewolf in the room is you.”

Jeremiah’s smile widened. “Cool. I like being original.”
“Once everyone eats, we’ll go into the backyard and shift for you.

Will that satisfy you?” Cian asked. Abel smelled his Master’s unease.
He was nervous about Jeremiah seeing them shift. It was interesting
because Cian didn’t get unnerved easily.

Jeremiah all but bounced with happiness. “Yes. It will.”
“So which tattoo shop did you go to?” Abel asked, taking a bite

out of his entrée with genuine interest for the first time all night.

“Howlers? It’s this place in the city. The guys there seemed to

know you,” Jeremiah said, forking a bit of food into his mouth.

Everyone in the room froze.
“You went to see Mustang?” Abel asked. Was that allowed? Were

submissive pack members allowed to go out and get their own marks?

“Yeah. He and Grayson took good care of me. Though I was such

a baby Grayson had to practically hold my hand through the entire
thing.”

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Abel’s lips twitched. That sounded like Gray. He was a nurturer,

and as Alpha Mate, his job in the pack was to take care of its
submissive members. Though he’d always taken care of his friends,
even before Mustang had accidently turned him into a werewolf and
dropped him into their world. He regretted that he hadn’t been there
for the event, but he was glad the Alpha Mate had been. He would
have to call Gray later and talk to him about it. He wanted the skinny
on everything that Jeremiah said while he was there.

“Well, you’ve already met the Alpha and his mate then. I suppose

this weekend’s get together will be easier since you already know one
another,” Cian said, sounding pleased.

Jeremiah frowned. “Your Alphas are tattoo artists?”
“It’s the most important job in our culture,” Abel said before Cian

could speak. “We give marks to signify everything, matings, pledges,
you name it. The Alpha is always the artist of the pack. His two betas
can perform his duties, but for anything important, the Alpha or the
Alpha Mate must mark them.” He watched as Jeremiah took in what
he said and took pleasure in the fact that he was providing his mate
something even if it was just information. The urge to not just be
cared for as a submissive but to care for his more submissive mates
welled up inside him. He was his Master’s right hand, and it felt
fantastic.

“Will you guys ‘mark’ me?” Jeremiah seemed turned on by the

idea. Which was good because marking was just something they did.
It wasn’t optional.

Abel smiled and sipped at his wine. “We need Alpha approval

before we can turn you into a werewolf. Otherwise the Circle, our
governing body, will have a fit over it. You’ll get your first mark after
our wolves bond to you. We’ll all go to the tattoo shop, and Cian will
pick out a symbol of your progress. Periodically, as you reach new
levels in our relationship, you’ll get more. Abel and I have three
apiece. The greatest measure of a relationship is to die covered in
marks.”

Acquired in Time

“You guys aren’t immortal or something?” Jeremiah asked.
“Nah. We’re as mortal as you are. We just happen to be able to

shift into alternate forms. We do happen to heal better than the
average human though.”

Jeremiah grinned. “Sweet.”
They continued the rest of the meal in relative silence, making

polite conversation as their plates emptied and the time grew closer
that they fully pulled Jeremiah into their world. Once they revealed
their feral forms and all their secrets, changing Jeremiah would just be
a formality.

“Abel?” Jeremiah asked.
“What is it, sweet lamb?” Abel asked. He leaned back in his chair,

full and content.

“Will you shift for me now? I want to see you.”
He bustled with pride over the idea. Jeremiah had asked for him

first. “Yeah. I’d be happy to. Master?”

Cian nodded. “Yes, of course. Let’s head to the back patio.”
They pushed their chairs out and stood. Abel felt nothing but

anticipation as they moved en mass toward the back of the house. He
stole a glance at Jeremiah, who was bumping shoulders with Kane,
and Cian, who was looking at the three of him like he was the
proudest Master in the world. He wondered if Jeremiah would ever
concede to another session. From what he’d garnered from their
conversations, Jeremiah was determined to never live in the lifestyle
again because of his ex. But in their culture, among the wolves, pack
structure was absolute. There was no one who lived in it who wasn’t a
part of it. How would that work with them?

Their house had always been beautiful. Cian, as a lawyer, could

afford nice things, and his house was a reflection of that. The floors
were cherry-stained oak imported from Hawaii, the tiles in the
bathroom were Venetian, and every light in the house had been put up
by a lighting designer flown in from LA. The house was nothing if
not the epitome of comfort, and Cian had deliberately made it that

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way. However, it had never been a home until Jeremiah stepped into
it. Abel had just never realized it before.

The wraparound back patio was partially enclosed, screened in so

that the bugs would be kept off them in the summer time. The four-
person glass table that was pushed off to one side was something that
Abel had picked out of a garden magazine last summer, and the chairs
were Kane’s choice. They were gaudy in Abel’s opinion, large floral-
printed outdoor chairs that were a little uncomfortable and more
fitting for an old lady’s backyard than a swanky lawyer’s house. But,
Kane loved the colors, so he couldn’t complain.

“Sit down for this, Jeremiah,” Cian instructed, motioning toward

those chairs.

“I’m good. I get it. It’s not going to blow my mind. I saw Kane

before.” Jeremiah was grinning like a little kid let into a PG-13
movie. Abel couldn’t remember seeing him so excited about
something. Kane was usually the one to get that childlike enthusiasm.

Cian raised his eyebrow. “I didn’t ask if you were okay, boy. Sit

down. I don’t want you falling on your ass in shock. Seeing
something once doesn’t mean you’re immune to the event thereafter.
It’s a precaution. So sit down at the table, and we’ll show you our
shifts. You can even touch us after. Okay?”

“Okay, okay, Master. Jeez,” Jeremiah said, pulling out the ugly

deck chair. He called Cian “Master” so causally. Abel imagined it was
partially out of habit and partially out of the instinctual need to submit
to their Master.

“Abel, shift please,” Cian commanded, backing up a few feet to

give them space to change.

Abel’s eyes met Jeremiah’s, and he offered the human a small

smile of encouragement. This was all right. This was good. His wolf
pushed against the boundaries of his mind until his skin rubbed
ghostlike fur and his nose was filled with the scent of wolf. They
called the inner beast a shadow for a reason. It was always with them,
whether obvious or not.

Acquired in Time

“Is it happening yet?” Jeremiah asked impatiently. Abel wondered

if he was worried that they were all just stalling for time. He almost
reassured him but then reconsidered. The best way to dispel his doubt
was to shift. So he did.

He reached in himself and pulled his wolf to the surface. Invisible

fur flowed over his skin like water over stones in a stream, and the
world flashed before the perspective shifted and he was looking up at
Jeremiah with canine eyes. He shook out his coat and stretched his
long front legs. As a wolf he was still lanky.

“Holy shit!” Jeremiah yelped. Had he really not expected it? Abel

gave him a wolfish grin and rumbled out a playful sound. Jeremiah
stiffened at the sound, and Abel smelled fear coming off of him.

“Where is that bravado from before, lamb?” Cian asked, rubbing

Jeremiah’s shoulders. His voice was half teasing.

Jeremiah swallowed. “No. Not at all. It’s just, well, no one

expects one of their boyfriends to turn into something furry. No
matter how many times one sees it.”

Kane smiled. “We did warn you.”
Abel tilted his head to the side and watched Jeremiah as he

calmed himself. It was a conscious effort, one that didn’t fully dispel
the smell of nervousness in the air. Abel lowered his front half with
his back half up in the air, wagging his tail like a dog wanting to play.
He whined happily, giving Jeremiah a toothy grin.

Jeremiah laughed. “He’s like a puppy.” With a deep breath, he

pushed out of his chair and took a tentative step forward. Abel didn’t
move, wanting Jeremiah to look his fill before he decided to touch
him. “Abel?” he asked, nervousness in his voice.

Abel nodded his head, lifting his muzzle to nose Jeremiah’s

outstretched finger tips. The human jumped but then almost instantly
relaxed. Abel nuzzled him harder, lapping Jeremiah’s hand to taste
him. He tasted like nerves and excitement. Abel made a very doglike
sound of happiness.

“Touch him, Jeremiah. He’s still Abel,” Cian encouraged.

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Jeremiah buried his hands in the scruff of Abel’s neck, kneading

the fur where it was thickest. Abel tilted his head as the human
worked his happy spots just behind his ears just like he had to Kane
when he’d shifted.

Kane giggled. “Nice. You’ll make him a lapdog yet.”
Abel made a sound of indignation. He was no one’s dog. He

nosed Jeremiah’s thigh, and the human knelt on the ground for him.
He immediately lay down in Jeremiah’s lap as the human started
laughing. Okay, maybe I’m a lap-wolf. But not a dog.

“This is so freaking cool,” Jeremiah whispered. Abel’s attention

turned to the others as they stripped and shifted into their feral forms.
Jeremiah laughed in delight as the other two wolves surrounded him
before rubbing against him and whining for his attention. Abel could
smell their Master’s pleasure as the Dominant playfully nipped
Kane’s flank so that he too could crawl in Jeremiah’s lap.

“Good God, you guys,” he said, kissing the top of Cian’s head.

“You’re all so beautiful. Thank you, Master.” They stayed where they
were for long minutes, snuggled up like a pile of pups. It was nice,
and Jeremiah seemed fully comfortable in their nest. He would make
a natural wolf. He already had some of the instincts for it.

The air shifted suddenly and Jeremiah’s scent revealed that he was

not only content right where he was but he was starting to become
aware of the three of them as more than just animals. He was
beginning to see the men underneath, the duality of their natures.
They weren’t men and then wolves separately, they were both. Even
in the presence of their wolf states, Jeremiah was lusting for the men.

Abel shifted back then in a flash of light and was delighted when

Jeremiah kissed him thoroughly. Who knew that a human could be so
accepting of their kind? He’d been warned his whole life that humans
would turn on a wolf and his pack given the chance and opportunity.
Even turned wolves weren’t to be trusted. Times are changing, I
suppose. The thought made him incredibly happy. Cian and Kane
shifted beside him back to their human form.

Acquired in Time

“My boyfriends are awesome,” Jeremiah gasped against his lips.
Abel looked at their Master, pride rippling through him like a tidal

wave. “When can we turn him?”

Cian’s smile was the widest Abel had ever seen it. “After our

luncheon with the Alpha and Alpha Mate.”

Abel couldn’t wait.

Jana Downs

Chapter Eight

“We’ll pick you up tomorrow morning, lamb. You sure you won’t

stay with us? I can pick you up after your shift,” Cian said as
Jeremiah got his bag out of the back of the car and fished his keys
from his pocket. He’d run out of clothes to change into and figured
he’d change them out while he was home. It had been a few days
since he’d seen them shift into a wolves right in front of him, and
they’d talked extensively about what it meant to be a part of the pack.
The idea of rejoining the lifestyle in such a permanent way was still
daunting, but Cian had said if he really wasn’t comfortable sinking
into the world of Dominant and submissive just yet, Cian would be all
right if all displays of submission be confined to public events, and he
would never make him do a scene until he was ready. Jeremiah could
live with that.

“You’ve had a long week at work, and I don’t want you to have to

drive all the way back out here so that I can ride back and sleep with
you for a couple of hours before we have to wake up. It’s better this
way. We both need sleep, and you know we won’t sleep if I come
home with you.”

If he stayed the night, there would be another night of debauchery,

which led to the boutique opening late, Abel sleeping the day away,
Cian late to his morning staff meeting, and Jeremiah dragging into
work disheveled. They would have to work on that when Jeremiah
moved in permanently. He blushed at the thought. He was putting in
his two-week’s notice today. After that, he’d turn in his key to his
landlord and say good-bye to the half-life he’d lived here. Embracing
destiny had never seemed so sweet.

Acquired in Time

Cian sighed. “I know, I know. I just like having all my men under

one roof. It makes me nervous to know you’re out here by yourself.”
He paused. “Have you heard from that ex-boyfriend of yours?” The
word “ex-boyfriend” was all but spat.

Jeremiah hesitated. Did a bunch of phone messages count? He had

changed his cell number, but the house phone still received all of
Charles’s message. He internally chastised himself. There was no
reason for him to go there. He was leaving soon anyway. “Not really.
Don’t worry, Master. I’ll be okay for a few hours by myself.”

“All right.” Cian nodded and put the car in gear. “I’ll pick you up

at nine a.m. Have a good day at work, lamb.”

He winked at his lover. “You do your lawyer thing, Master, and

be careful. You’re more liable to get into trouble than I am. The worse
thing that can happen to me is a pile of unfolded jeans.”

“Don’t demean your job, Jeremiah. Your work is no less

important,” Cian chastised. “Call me when you get off work.”

Jeremiah saluted. “Okay. Talk to you soon. Bye!” He waved and

turned toward the house as Cian backed out of the driveway. He took
the steps two at a time and unlocked the door, his mind on the
luncheon tomorrow and the fact that at this time next week he would
be a part of a pack of werewolves, wolf-shifters, whatever. The door
swung inward, and he wasted no time going inside and tossing his
keys on the counter. He probably needed to clean out his fridge before
he left…

“Well, well, well, look who is back from whoring,” a voice

drawled from his kitchen table.

Jeremiah jumped. “C–Charles, what are you doing here?”
“Waiting on you of course.” He was as handsome as ever, but the

normally relaxed lines of his face were drawn tight in anger. “As your
Master, I can’t have you running off by yourself like that.”

Scalding fear and resentment welled up inside him like a geyser.

“I said it was over, you psycho. Get out of my house or I am calling
the police. I mean it!”

100

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“I’m sure you do. But I haven’t released you yet, and I’m not sure

you’re ready to deal with the outside world.” He looked at Jeremiah
with pity on his face. “You were so fragile when I met you, so easy to
train.” Manipulate more like, asshole. “I don’t think I’m ready to turn
you over to a new Dom.”

“I’m dialing now. I suggest you leave.” He flipped up his menu

screen and dialed 911.

“Jeremiah, put the phone down. Now. I won’t ask you again.”
“Hello? There is an intruder in my house, and I need you to send

dispatch. I don’t know if he’ll hurt me, but he’s being a wack job.”
Jeremiah was proud of the steadiness of his voice. I ought to get my
wolf-shifter boyfriends to kick your ass. He nearly smirked at the
mental image. He could just imagine the look on Charles’s face when
he was surrounded by three wolves. His heart stuttered as Charles
took out a gun and laid it on his kitchen table.

“Sir, what is your street address?” the dispatcher asked, concern

lacing her voice. His mouth went dry as Charles calmly tapped the
muzzle on the wooden surface.

“Hang up the phone, pet. Now.”
Jeremiah swallowed and clicked the off button. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

This cannot be happening! Why hadn’t he just accepted Cian’s offer
to stay? “Charles—”

“You know better, boy. You call me Master like you were

taught.”

Everything in him rebelled at the idea, but self-preservation won

out. “Master, this is crazy. Don’t you think this is crazy?” Maybe he
could logic the man down.

“Do you know wolves mate for life, boy?” Charles asked,

completely ignoring Jeremiah’s question.

He swallowed. “Yes.”
Charles nodded and continued. “They’re very loyal creatures. It’s

why they distrust humans so much, why they don’t bond with them.
Humans always disappoint.” He clicked the hammer back. “Once

Acquired in Time

101

upon a time, wolf packs kept the lines pure by using humans only for
what they are good for, food and sex. So long as a wolf produced
pups for his pack, he could even be a faggot in secret if he wanted to.”

What the hell is he talking about? He certainly wasn’t talking

about normal wolves. A chill went through him. Oh my God, he
knows about my mates.

Charles sighed heavily. “Those were the good times. The times

our kind thrived. Mustang used to know that. My pack has kept an eye
on him since he took over and made sure that he didn’t do anything
stupid. We were even willing to overlook him accidently turning his
abomination of a mate since the Circle approved it, but this…” He
sneered at Jeremiah. “This is too much. To let one male confiscate
two other submissive males for himself and then let that same male
turn a human? Out-fucking-rageous!”

“You’re one of them?” Jeremiah asked, shock and trembling

settling into his limbs.

“I knew you were one of the unmarked Availables the first time I

saw you, Jeremiah. You had that wolf’s stink all over you, and I knew
you’d be a fine little whore. I’d always wanted a human pet, and you
were perfect for that role. It only made sense that my Alpha would
approve my owning you.” Charles said it all in the same nonchalant
fashion that he had the rest of it, except the last sentence was smug.
Jeremiah shivered. This is so fucked up.

“You don’t own me!” Jeremiah protested, but it sounded weak to

his own ears. Fear was becoming a living, breathing entity inside him.
Charles didn’t sound out-of-control frightening. He sounded like he
was about to shoot up a super market with the same attitude that he
read the paper with. It was infinitely worse.

“My pack law says I do. Now get your shit and let’s go.” He

waved the gun toward Jeremiah’s bedroom.

“Where?”
Charles growled impatiently. “Home, of course. My Alpha is

waiting for us there. I’m his beta, so he has to approve of your status

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as my pet before I can officially take you into pack territory. It
shouldn’t take long. You’ll feel better once I have you back in the
proper mindset. Mustang’s pack is a bunch of lunatics who have put
some strange ideas into your head. Don’t worry. I’ll fix that. Now
hurry up. I imagine that phone call of yours cut your packing time in
half.”

Jeremiah swallowed and shuffled to the back bedroom, Charles

pushing back from the table and following behind him. Think,
Jeremiah. Think! You have to stall him. He knew from his crime
shows that if he let his kidnapper get him in the car, his chances of
surviving were cut in half and his chances for escape were cut down
even further.

“I thought I smelled a wolf, but I really hoped I hadn’t,” a rough

voice growled from behind them. Relief washed over Jeremiah. Cian.

Jeremiah turned around in time to see a look of rage come over

Charles’s face before he turned to face Cian as well. “You’re the one
who has been fucking my boy.” His hands clenched into fists at his
side.

Cian looked regal and somehow more dangerous in his suit and tie

than Charles did, with the anger and barely contained violence written
on his face. Jeremiah didn’t know what the word for that was, but he
was pretty sure he knew who the more dominant wolf was. Even if
Cian said he was a third in the pack, a gamma, and therefore he didn’t
rate as high as the beta that Charles claimed to be, he had a
confidence and a deadliness that Charles couldn’t match. How had I
ever dreamed to substitute him for Cian? The idea disgusted him
now. He belonged with Kane, Abel, and Cian, and there were no
substitutes. Wolves mate for life, and so do I. The realization settled
him somewhat. No one could take him away from his lovers.

Cian snorted. “That is my fucking boy, dumb shit. I suggest you

step away from him.” The cadence of his voice said that he would do
a whole lot of violence otherwise.

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Jeremiah gasped as Charles flicked the safety off his weapon.

“These are wolfsbane bullets, motherfucker. Do you really want to
piss me off?”

“No! Charles, please.” Jeremiah’s eyes were glued to the gun. He

was terrified Cian would push and that would be all she wrote. Cian
wasn’t afraid of anything, and that was a trait that would get him
killed. Charles would do it. There was a murderer in him, Jeremiah
just knew it.

“What did I say to call me?” Charles barked, his grip tightening

on the stock.

“Master! Master, dammit! Please, don’t hurt him!” Jeremiah was

not too proud to beg. He had to protect Cian. If Cian was gone, who
would look after Kane and Abel? Jeremiah had already proven he
could live away from them, and he would suffer with Charles if it
meant that he was keeping his family safe.

“Jeremiah, hush,” Cian commanded in his Master voice. Jeremiah

felt the shift within himself as his more submissive nature pushed him
to obey and struggled against the equally strong impulse to rebel. He
had to protect—“Jeremiah, obey your Master. Be my lamb.” The
force of Cian’s will made his mouth shut instantly. There was his
Master. In the time they’d spent together since their reunion, Cian
hadn’t really taken control of him in any way other than in the
bedroom. Even the thin silver chain that acted as a collar he wore
around his neck hadn’t made him feel like he was Cian’s submissive
again. But this did. Jeremiah’s heart twisted. He’d missed this.

“He was granted to me by my Alpha, Cian. You have no claim.”

Charles emphasized the point by slamming a fist into the hall wall.
“Get out of the way. Jeremiah, let’s go.”

“He’s my mate, Charles. If you lay a hand on him, by Circle law, I

have the right to rip your ass apart.” Cian took a menacing step
forward, and Jeremiah whimpered.

“No, Master,” he whispered, begging him to wait and be careful.

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“Move, boy. I won’t tell you again.” Charles shoved him roughly

forward, and Cian growled. Jeremiah held up his hand to stop Cian.

“It’s against your laws right? Go do the lawyer thing, Master. I

don’t want to risk you,” Jeremiah said. Cian needed more than his
badassness to take on Charles and his loaded gun.

Cian growled again, his lips curling off his top teeth.

“Jeremiah…”

“Please, Master.”
Charles cuffed the back of his head at his whispered plea. “I am

your only Master, Jeremiah. Move aside, Cian.”

Cian did, but he looked like he was made of stone as he did it.

Jeremiah tried to calm his heartbeat with the knowledge that no matter
where Charles took him, his mates would come for him. It was only a
mild reassurance when the cold barrel pressed against his lower back,
and he was maneuvered like a marionette doll out of his kitchen and
down to Charles’s car.

He was numb as he sat in the passenger seat and Charles backed

up into the street. His ex gave him a smile as he put the car in drive.
“Buckle your seat belt, Jeremiah. I don’t want you getting hurt.”

God, get me away from this psycho… He leaned his forehead

against the glass and tried to remember how to breathe.

* * * *

Cian’s animal was shifting against his skin, demanding out to go

after his mate. Convincing himself that it wasn’t a good idea just yet
had all the effectiveness of a bucket with holes in it. His animal knew
that one of his mates was elsewhere, and it saw no other option but to
go after the ass who took him and hunt him down.

No one had said anything about Jeremiah’s ex-boyfriend being a

wolf. Dean was one of the best private investigators in Colorado. How
had he missed the fact that Jeremiah had been involved with a
territorial wolf-shifter? If something happened to him, Cian would

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105

never forgive himself. If it hadn’t been for Jeremiah’s pleas for Cian
to stand down, he probably would’ve done something beyond stupid.

He reached his hands into his pocket and withdrew his cell. He

dialed.

“Hello?” Mustang’s voice on the other line made everything real.
“Alpha, it’s Cian. I need help.” He didn’t have time for a

breakdown, though that was all he wanted to do at this point. He
wanted to rage and cry and act like the animal he was.

“What’s wrong?”
“Jeremiah’s ex-boyfriend is a wolf from another pack. I don’t

know what the hell is going on, but his Alpha apparently approved of
him claiming Jeremiah. Please, Alpha, he’s my mate. I have to save
him.” He couldn’t lose Jeremiah again. They were finally good
together. Finally.

Mustang growled on the other line. “I know the Alpha of the

territory you’re in. The fucker still practices enslaving humans to
make them Availables. Stupid fuck. It’s barbaric. I’ll contact the
Alpha and have my mate go pick yours up from their jobs and call
into work for you. I’ll gather my betas and head over there. Cian,
don’t do anything stupid and wait for me there.”

“Define ‘stupid,’ Alpha.” He was about three seconds away from

shifting.

“Stay in human form and wait for us. I’ll have Dean get the

addresses we need and come along as back up. We can’t technically
move as a pack against him because Jeremiah isn’t a pack member,
but we can put on a display. In fact, while I do this, contact the Circle
Enforcers. They are still hanging out in pack territory for whatever
reason. Explain the situation. They may be able to offer greater advice
on Circle law that will help us.” Mustang sounded so damn sure of
everything. Cian supposed that was what Alphas were supposed to
sound like, but damn all if he wasn’t plain terrified of the prospect.

“What’s the number?” Cian scoured the place for a pen while

Mustang pulled it up in his call log before rattling the numbers off.

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“Every second counts, Cian. Make me and your mates proud.” A

click let him know that his Alpha had hung up the phone. How had
everything gone so wrong when it had been going so right?

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Chapter Nine

“Alpha, thank you for coming over,” Charles said as he got out of

the car and motioned for Jeremiah to do the same. Charles lived in a
secluded cove just out of town. Jeremiah had thought that the space
romantic with the clusters of trees around the small house and the
open prairie on either side for at least three or four miles. Now it
seemed like the perfect place for a psycho to live. Every serial killer
show he’d ever seen flashed through his head. Cian, please hurry.

The Alpha of Charles’s pack didn’t look half as intimidating as

Mustang had standing in the graveled driveway. He was as tall as
Charles and looked like every other business man Jeremiah had seen
walking around the mall after five, sandy hair, brown eyes, not an
extraordinary build, but it was decent. There was nothing particularly
distinguishing or special. Jeremiah raised his eyes, met the wolf’s
deep brown eyes, and shivered. There was a coldness there, like he
considered Jeremiah less than subhuman and a little disgusting.

“You’re welcome, Charles. I see you’ve brought the boy you told

me about. Explain to me why I have another Alpha blowing up my
phone about this human?” The word was sneered.

Charles reached out and took Jeremiah’s arm, squeezing the bicep

hard enough the Jeremiah was sure he’d be bruised in the morning.
“My boy was involved with another wolf in another pack. Since I
gave my boy his freedom, he played the whore for the wolf and his
two mates. I knew then I had to step in and train him more
thoroughly. I would like if you marked him as my Available and
allowed me to take him into the depths of our territory to train him.”

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The Alpha nodded without hesitation. “That would be most

proper. You need to teach him his place. Look how he keeps looking
me in the eye. Disgraceful.”

The hand on his arm tightened, and Jeremiah had to bite his

tongue to keep from crying out. “I agree. Shall we go inside and get
his mark?”

“I am already marked!” Jeremiah blurted out. The idea of

someone else’s name or symbol on him made him sick.

The Alpha gave him the full weight of his attention. “Oh?”
Hope blossomed in his chest. “Yes! Master gave me my first

marks the other day. He was going to turn me this weekend.”

“I hate doing cover-ups,” the Alpha rumbled. “But I will for you,

Charles. Is he worth it?” Jeremiah’s stomach plummeted.

Charles nodded. “He’s a good submissive when he’s in headspace.

He’ll make an excellent Available.”

“All right, bring him in.”
“No!” Jeremiah jerked his arm out of Charles’s grip and turned to

run. He got three feet before someone tackled him to the gravel. He
screamed, the noise echoing out into the open space. His front was
scraped up. His palms, knees, and stomach were throbbing. The low,
rumbled inhuman growl just made him struggle harder. A bite to the
back of his neck didn’t deter him, and it wasn’t until hot blood soaked
the top of his shirt that he finally stilled.

“Get up, boy,” Charles snapped from behind him. “You’re lucky

Alpha didn’t snap your damn neck. Stupid idiot, you’re a better
submissive than this!”

“Not your submissive. Never yours.” He had a family, a

wonderful family. Kane was his sweetheart fellow submissive, always
supportive and cuddly. Abel was his switch, Dominant and
submissive all at once, allowing a flexibility in his relationship with
him that he achieved nowhere else. Cian was his Master, the man who
looked after them all, the one they supported and loved in a way only

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109

submissives could. They were his family. The tattoo he’d put on his
skin declared as much. He blinked as spots danced in his vision.

The wolf on his back suddenly flashed white light, and then there

was a very naked man on his back. “Let’s get him into the house,
bandaged, and tattooed up. I hope the next time I see him he will act
appropriately.”

“Of course, Alpha.”
Jeremiah let his eyes slide shut. He didn’t want to be awake for

this. So he let himself drift and descend into dreams.

* * * *

Abel wanted to beat someone into a pulp. His animal side flashed

a rare display of dominance, demanding that he find Jeremiah now.
Grayson sat on one side of him in the SUV, petting both Abel and
Kane in soothing motions. The Alpha Mate was doing his best and his
duty to comfort them. Unfortunately, Abel didn’t think there would be
any comfort to be had until Jeremiah was back in their arms.

“We’re a minute out. Almost there,” Cian said from the front seat.

One of the twin betas drove, his eyes on the road. The other beta was
driving the Circle Enforcers in the other car. Cian had called them,
and they’d offered to act as mediators and weigh in on the situation.
Abel was confident that the Enforcers would weigh in their favor once
they talked to Jeremiah.

They were essentially peacekeepers along with judge, jury, and

executioner when it came to enforcing the international laws passed
down by the council composed of elders of the biggest packs in the
world. The Circle was the final law on any issue in their world, and
the law was clear. A human marked by a wolf and set up to join a
pack was off-limits for all other wolves. If Abel recalled his traditions
correctly, the Circle had even outlawed packs making unwilling
humans into Availables. He wasn’t sure if that was the case how this
new pack Alpha was approving such a thing.

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They turned into a little wooded cove where a beautiful little

house sat deceptively cheery between two tall, thin trees.

“That’s the bastard’s vehicle,” Cian growled. The Alpha’s car was

parked out front as well and the other SUV carrying the Enforcers
pulled in behind them. “He pulls a weapon on me again, I swear to
God, I am going to kill him.”

That was what was dangerous about the situation. The fact that the

crazy fucktard pulled a weapon on their Master was just plain
insanity. Most wolves were accustomed to using teeth and wits to
fight out their conflicts. A gun was just seen as something of poor
taste.

“I’ll help,” the Alpha Mate rumbled, petting Kane, who shuddered

slightly. He’d been green since he they’d received the news earlier. “I
think I’m going to break some bones just for getting Mustang so
pissed. He gets really snappy when he’s stressed.”

“Will the collar hold up, given the fact that we haven’t officially

introduced you guys yet?” Cian asked as the vehicle slowed, stopped,
and they opened their car doors.

“Should. He was marked as yours by your Alpha. We were

supposed to give formal approval tomorrow. You guys have the law
on your side,” the beta said calmly.

Abel crawled out of the car and waited for everyone else to do the

same. As they gathered in en masse outside and moved as one toward
the door, a shot rang out.

“Where’s Mustang?” Gray shouted, his massive form barreling

toward the door. One of the Enforcers grabbed his arm. “Simeon, let
me go!”

“Calm down, Grayson. I’m not letting you run in there and get

shot. I imagine the Alpha is already inside, and I doubt you’ll help
matters by going in and playing hero,” the Enforcer rumbled.

“That’s my mate in there!”
“And he is also your Alpha. You’ll support him best by not

getting shot,” Simeon said calmly.

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111

“Abel, come on. We’re going around back and coming in from

behind,” Cian commanded. “I’m not waiting.”

“As an Enforcer, I cannot recommend doing that,” Simeon said.

He glanced at the other Enforcer. “Recommendations, Master?”

The larger Enforcer nodded as another shot sounded. “It has

become hostile. Take Kane into the car and call for reinforcements. If
things turn south, take him back to Pack lands and contact the Circle.
This situation is out of control.”

“No! I want to come!” Kane snapped.
“Kane, I can’t worry about you and Jeremiah right now. Go.”
“But, Master!”
“No ‘buts,’ Kane. You will obey me. Go with the Enforcer to the

car. Now.” Cian was deadly serious as he spoke. His eyes focused on
him, and Abel knew what was coming. “Abel, take care of Kane.”

“Master, I need to protect you,” Abel said, needing to go with him

into the house. He needed to help rescue their human mate.

“I need you to protect Kane. We can’t leave him alone. Do you

really want to risk that?” Cian’s voice was all Master.

Abel shook his head. “Go get our human, Master. Bring him back

to us.”

“Done.” He took off toward the back of the house, the more

dominant Enforcer trailing along behind him.

Abel turned back to Kane and opened his arms. The smaller man

immediately came into the circle of his arms, and they stood there
holding on another for a good five seconds. “Let’s obey our Master,
Kane.”

Kane grumbled. “I hate being left out.”
“We’re not left out, babe. We’re reinforcements and caretakers in

the aftermath.” He gave Kane a squeeze before pulling him back to
the car where the Enforcer had gone. Their role was just as important,
but they weren’t the cavalry. Not today.

* * * *

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“Put the damn gun down!” Mustang snapped, his eyes flicking to

the man already on the floor. The unmoving Alpha of the other pack
disturbed him if the tick of his jaw was any indication. Jeremiah tried
to make himself as invisible as possible against the wall. When
Mustang had come in and talked to the other Alpha, the man had
agreed that “the human” was not worth strife between Mustang’s pack
and his own. Then Charles had shot him, and the world had gone to
hell.

He didn’t know if the man was alive or dead, and the latter

possibility made his stomach churn. He wanted to vomit, badly.
“You’re a worthless piece of shit! Look what you made me do!”
Charles shouted, taking aim at Mustang. “That human is mine. Mine,
dammit.”

“I’m not your mate, Charles. Why don’t you just let us go?”

Jeremiah whispered.

The gun leveled on him. “You want me to let you go?” Fear

trickled down Jeremiah’s spine.

“Don’t look at him. You watch me, Charles,” Mustang

commanded, drawing the other male’s attention away from Jeremiah.
“This is a wolf matter. Don’t pay the human any mind.”

The gun swung over to Mustang, and an ugly sneer came over his

face. “You’re right.” Jeremiah watched in slow motion as Charles’s
finger tightened on the weapon. He moved without thinking, putting
himself in front of the Alpha wolf as the gun went off.

Searing pain licked his shoulder, and he fell backward into the

other man. He groaned, his head spinning and his stomach revolting
against what had just happened. He shot me. The stupid motherfucker
shot me. It was a dim realization. Mustang wrapped his arms around
him and cradled him, whispering not to worry, that everything was
going to be all right. That was always what they told people who had
been shot. But, Jeremiah had seen Grey’s Anatomy. He knew better.

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The world exploded in a flurry of sound as the sliding glass doors

that led to the back patio shattered. Cian and another man Jeremiah
had never met before crashed into the room, tackling Charles to the
ground a split second later. The gun went off again and another
painful stab shot through his thigh. Jeremiah’s vision started getting
fuzzy around the edges.

“Cian?” he breathed, his eyes drifting shut.
“It’s all right, little one. We’ve got you. You’ve got to try and stay

awake though.” Mustang sure sounded scared. Jeremiah hadn’t
thought he was capable of the emotion. Another shot made Jeremiah
flinch, sure it was going to hit him again.

The sounds of struggling ceased. “I’m calling ahead to our doctor

in town to let him know we’ll be at the hospital. Cian, you’re going to
have to call your pack and get them to get a cleanup crew here.”

“Why can’t we dial 911?” Cian demanded, kneeling beside

Jeremiah. Jeremiah looked up at him. He knew he would come. He’d
always known he would come for him.

“Kane? Abel?” It took a lot to say those words.
“They’re waiting in the car, lamb. No worries,” Cian reassured,

tears glittering in the big Dominant’s eyes.

“Goin…soft…on…me…Master,” Jeremiah joked, wheezing. It

was getting harder to stay awake and to breathe. Something dragged
him toward darkness, forcing him into unconsciousness. He tried to
say “I love you,” but he wasn’t entirely sure that Cian heard him
before he was carried into a sea of black and unfeeling.

* * * *

Jeremiah woke up in a hospital. The pristine white walls and

really annoying beeping of the machine told him as much.

“He’s awake,” Kane announced from his position in the armchair

next to his bed.

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“Thank God,” Abel echoed, squeezing his hand from the other

side. Cian was leaning against the cabinetry by the sink and looking
pale and frailer than Jeremiah had ever seen him. Mustang and
Grayson were standing at the foot of his bed with the two other men
that Jeremiah didn’t know at his rescue, and a bunch of people he had
never met were crammed in behind him.

“We made it?” he asked groggily, his voice scratchy for some

reason.

“We sure did, baby,” Kane said, smiling at him. Jeremiah tried to

stretch up and pain shot up his leg, causing him to cry out. “Easy,
Jeremiah. Jeez. You were only shot sixteen hours ago. Don’t be too
ambitious.”

“Okay,” Jeremiah managed, raising his hand to rub his eyes.

“Everyone all right?”

“Thanks to you,” Grayson said, beaming at him. “You saved our

Alpha, Jeremiah.”

He laughed, the sound hollow. “I caused your Alpha to almost get

shot by my crazed ex.”

“As far as the pack is concerned, you’re their hero,” Mustang said,

looking at him with something like pride on his face. “To put yourself
in harm’s way for another pack member is heroic no matter if you
think it’s your fault or not. A pack without an Alpha is thrown into
chaos. You saved us wittingly or unwittingly, Jeremiah. You’ll be a
great addition to the pack.”

Jeremiah’s heart tried to speed up, and he watched in fascination

as it did so on his heart monitor. “When?”

“Whenever you get home from the hospital. You’ll be officially

be made into one of us.” Mustang looked around the room at the
assembled crowd. “As you can see, our pack has been gathering the
past few hours in order to meet you. They’re expediting the process so
to speak. Don’t worry about being nice. They’ll come up in pairings
and say hi. Then we’ll leave you with your mates.” He motioned the
first few people forward, the two men who had been at his rescue.

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The bigger of the two with the darker hair began to speak. “We’re

not technically pack, but we are Circle Enforcers. Think of us as
world police or something. I’m Waldemar, and this is Simeon, my
mate and submissive. We wanted to let you know that Charles and his
Alpha have been taken care of and the rest of the pack is now under
Circle investigation for violating international law. We’ll be traveling
there tomorrow to oversee it. We’re glad you made it.”

“Thanks,” Jeremiah managed, his head trying to cling to details,

but they just seemed to drift away. They nodded and then wandered
off to leave the next set of people to step forward.

Names blurred together, faces quickly forgotten under the strain

of his injury and the medication that was no doubt filling his IV drip.
However, he did get the impression that they were all quite impressed
with him, and the welcoming attitude that they displayed made him
feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Of course it could’ve been the
morphine. He chuckled at his internal joke, grinning like an idiot.

It took over forty minutes to greet everyone, and it was a relief

when the last pack member excused themselves, leaving Jeremiah
alone at last with his three lovers. He looked on each of them fondly.

“I’m all in,” he said.
Cian looked at him strangely. “Huh?”
“I mean I’m all in. I want to be your submissive full-time and

move in with you guys and be a werewolf with you guys and live
until we’re old and can’t get it up anymore. I just wanted to say it out
loud.” It was important he claimed them and told them that he was in
this for the long haul. He wouldn’t be holding them at arm’s length
anymore.

Kane giggled. “Yeah, well, you see the thing is, we already knew

that, Jeremiah. We’re mates. There is no other option.”

“You’ve always been ours. You just had to see it,” Abel added,

smiling softly. “And we’ve always been yours.”

“I couldn’t have said it better myself,” Cian agreed, pushing off

the cabinet and leaning down so that he could press a kiss to

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Jeremiah’s lips. Jeremiah sighed into it, happy to have his lover’s
taste again. Once he pulled back, the other two did the same, and
despite the drugs and the pain, he felt a pang of longing go through
him. He wanted to solidify their relationship. He needed to be
absolutely ravished and ravish someone else in return.

The three sniffed the air. “Hey, no fair! Chemical warfare!” Kane

groaned, pressing the heel of his hand to the sudden bulge in his jeans.
“You can’t act on it. Don’t tease.” Even though the words were
groaned and half-serious, there was an undercurrent of laughter to
them.

“I love you guys,” he said, warmth curling through him and

making him feel like butter.

“We love you, too,” they said in unison. They all put their hands

on him, not doing anything sexual but in the same reassuring fashion
that meant that they were there for him and would always be there for
him.

Tomorrow would be a better day, and he imagined he would learn

a lot in the weeks to come. He was finally a part of the family he
belonged with, and he couldn’t be happier, couldn’t wait to introduce
them to his family, couldn’t wait to live his life with them. He
couldn’t wait to turn furry with them either. He smiled at the thought.
Yeah, being a werewolf is going to be awesome. It was the last
thought he had before his tired body pulled him back down into
dreams. He didn’t fight it. He knew his mates would be there when he
woke up.

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Epilogue

Jeremiah knelt on the ground, his head bowed with a phallic-

shaped gag in his mouth and his hands roped behind his back. His
eyes slid shut of their own accord as the minutes ticked by. How long
he’d been in the position, he wasn’t sure. All he knew was that after
their group therapy session with Dr. Daniels, Cian had decided that
they would finally venture into the bottom playroom.

He’d been working on getting Jeremiah to the point where he

could accept a full-on session with them for months now. Most of the
time it involved an element of play, being tied and gagged or
something similar. Jeremiah had actually gotten pretty good at not
panicking about giving up his power to Cian. Coupled with the new
and improved therapy sessions that involved the entire family,
Jeremiah was in the best place mentally he’d been in a long time.

The former human had mistakenly assumed that dealing with the

fear of his abusive ex by himself had been the best course of action,
but in the months that followed his healing and turning, Cian had
changed his mind in slow degrees. Now they went to see Dr. Daniels
once a week and had learned how to communicate with one another
more effectively, and hearing about the traumas in Kane and Abel’s
lives had actually helped Jeremiah deal better with his own.

Kane had shared his loneliness as a young male submissive and

his need to submit to other members of the pack. His anxiety had
started at that time and other people’s perceptions of him could still
send him into a panic. Instead of loving acceptance, he’d gotten the
cold shoulder from his family and chastisements about being a burden
on those around him. He had to deal with the feelings of guilt that had

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surfaced afterward when he’d come into Cian’s household when it
came to relying on his more dominant lovers. However, he was
getting better at it and had learned to express his submissive needs in
order to get what he needed out of a relationship.

Abel talked in hushed tones about the beatings he’d received from

his father over his submissive personality and the crushing fear of
rejection that accompanied them. Jeremiah had been particularly
struck by the fact that Abel worried about being seen as less than a
man because of his inclinations. Over time he’d accepted that asking
for help didn’t emasculate him in any way.

Even their Master had shared his fears of failure with them, and

now Jeremiah felt closer to his three mates than he’d felt to anyone
else in his entire life.

“You’ve done well, lamb. You made it nearly an hour this time

without even a hint of panic,” Master rumbled from somewhere
behind him. Jeremiah felt a brief brush of fingertips against the tops
of his shoulders, tracing the mark there. Unity, Faith, and Family. The
words that he had chosen to honor his mates with had become his
mantra for how he wanted to live his life. Ever since he’d shown his
mates his tattoo after they’d come home from the hospital, they
couldn’t stop touching it. Cian in particular had been thrilled. Cian
unbuckled the gag and removed it from his mouth.

“Thank you, Master,” Jeremiah said, warmth filling him. He loved

when Cian developed that deep rumble of approval when he talked.

Cian growled as Jeremiah leaned back into the touch. “I think that

you’re ready for a full session. How do you feel about it?”

Jeremiah considered it. They’d been playing around the edges,

testing and teasing the possibility. He felt ready. “I want to submit to
you, Master.” His heart pounded at the thought, and his cock swelled
against his thigh. He hadn’t realized how much he wanted it until that
moment.

“Good boy. Kane and Abel have been waiting for you. Shall I call

them?” Cian asked. Neither Kane nor Abel had had a session since

Acquired in Time

119

Jeremiah joined the fold, and both of them had been craving it in the
months since. They’d wanted to wait for Jeremiah to join them. It was
time.

“Please do, Master. I want all my mates with me,” the former

human said. Saying what he needed had become so easy under Cian.
The weight of his collar on his neck was all he needed to ground him.

Cian’s voice took on a hungry tone. “Then you will have them.

Kane, Abel, in position like I instructed you.”

Jeremiah watched as his other two mates came down the stairs and

entered into the large carpeted room that acted as their play space.
Various implements lined the walls, but Cian was a rope man at heart,
and those were the most numerous objects. He liked to tie his lovers
in elaborate designs. He’d shown Jeremiah pictures of Kane tied up in
ropes that had made him look like a butterfly on a St. Andrew’s cross
one night as they lay in bed. The image had been burned into
Jeremiah’s mind ever since.

Kane went down on all fours in front of Jeremiah and sucked his

dick right into the back of his throat. Jeremiah groaned and twisted his
arms in his restraints. Damn. So good. However, instead of moving
like he normally did, Kane just held Jeremiah in his mouth. What is
going on?

Cian circled to his front and took a length of rope and crossed it

on the back of Kane’s neck. Jeremiah watched the movements of
Cian’s hands as he created a collar of red rope with two long tails that
dropped off on either side of Kane’s neck. He then took those two
long pieces and tucked them between Jeremiah’s spread thighs before
pulling them around behind Jeremiah and wrapping them around his
legs. Jeremiah swallowed back a moan. The way they were secured,
Kane couldn’t get Jeremiah’s cock out of his mouth without being
released from the restraints.

Apparently their Master had spent a lot of time contemplating

their first session together. “Go on, Abel. Your turn,” Master said,
waving a hand.

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Jana Downs

“Yes, Master,” Abel murmured, kneeling behind Kane before

slowly pressing his already leaking prick inside Kane’s ass. Jeremiah
groaned as Kane whimpered around his cock, sucking his length as a
focal point.

Abel groaned something that sounded like “oh God” before

stilling. He was buried to the hilt inside Kane, and Jeremiah didn’t
know how he was standing the restraint it took to not fuck himself to
oblivion in Kane’s tight depths.

Cian went over to the wall and retrieved a length of purple rope

before returning to the threesome. He took his time winding the cord
around Abel’s waist and connecting his thighs to Kane’s so that Abel
couldn’t pull out but instead could only move in and out an inch or
two at most. It would be excruciating torture. Jeremiah swallowed. It
also looked sexy as hell.

“What are your safe words?” Cian asked, all business. His tone

might’ve been nonchalant, but his scent was all lusting male.

“Apple,” Jeremiah gasped as Kane sucked harder as Abel started

squirming.

“Airplane,” Abel gasped, writhing. Kane’s eyes went to their

Master and raised his right hand to signal his safe gesture.

Cian nodded. “Good boys.”
Jeremiah held his breath as Cian stripped out of his clothes, the

sight something directly out of Jeremiah’s every fantasy. Cian looked
at them with all the pride and possessiveness that Jeremiah had grown
to expect from the Dominant.

“Don’t move until I give the command,” Cian instructed, walking

behind Jeremiah and kneeling there. Jeremiah could feel his heat and
smell the pungent mix of desire and possession. He wanted to be
fucked so badly that he was seconds away from begging. Kane’s
mouth was driving him crazy and the visual show of a very restrained
Abel sweating in an effort to stay still was almost too much.

Cian fingered Jeremiah’s ass, rubbing slick into the passageway as

quickly as he could to prepare him. “Please, Master, want,” Jeremiah

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121

gasped, trying desperately not to squirm as his world narrowed down
to nothing but his three lovers.

“Wait, lamb,” Cian commanded, pushing three fingers inside him.

Please, Master, hurry!

Master withdrew his fingers a second later and spread his ass

cheeks. Yes. Yes. Yes. Please. The thick length of his Master’s cock
speared him.

“Master!” Jeremiah shouted, hips jerking and pleasure bathing his

insides.

“So beautiful,” Cian growled, nipping and licking down the back

of Jeremiah’s neck. “All of my boys are so beautiful.”

“Yours,” Abel groaned, his hips moving on their own accord now.

Jeremiah knew he wouldn’t willingly disobey their Master’s orders,
but he probably couldn’t help himself.

“You are all to come with me and not a second before or after,”

Cian rumbled, pulling almost all the way out of Jeremiah’s body
before slamming forward again. Jeremiah keened his pleasure. Yes!
Again. “What do you say to me, boys?”

“Yes, Master,” they said in unison. The muffled response around

Jeremiah’s dick nearly sent him into orgasm.

“Careful, Kane!” Jeremiah hissed. His eyes crossed. God, but it

felt fantastic. Cian’s hand came down on his unguarded backside in
time with his thrusts. Jeremiah was grateful, he knew without the
rougher touch that he would come and disobey his lover.

“Mine!” Cian snarled, spanking him hard enough that Jeremiah

knew he would feel it hours from now.

“Yours, Master, yours and Kane and Abel’s,” Jeremiah promised,

gasping as Cian nailed his prostate. Abel was fucking against Kane
like a madman, obviously frustrated and incredibly turned on by the
ability to move so minutely.

They continued to dance along the edge of pleasure for what

seemed like eternity as they strained and stretched toward the finish.
Everything hinged on Cian’s command, and Jeremiah trembled with

122

Jana Downs

the effort to restrain himself. He was floating in a world of sensation,
loving every second of their loving and praying that the torture would
end but the moment never would.

“Now!” Cian barked, burying himself one last time deep within

the confines of Jeremiah’s backside and emptying his pleasure there.
Without conscious decision or effort, Jeremiah came, screaming his
release as he was blinded by orgasm. The other two men followed
them over the edge, crying out their own releases at Cian’s order.

Jeremiah sagged and blinked as the ropes bit into his skin. He was

afloat, swimming in headspace. He felt downright high from the
experience. Distantly he was aware of Cian pulling out as his knot
disappeared and his Master moving around the room to untie
everyone, but it was all a distant perception. Nothing mattered by the
fact that he had reached heaven and he never wanted to experience
another second of life that wasn’t on Cian’s command.

He blinked as he was laid back against a soft blanket on the floor,

his lovers surrounding him. A big goofy grin made its way onto his
face. Had life ever been so good?

“I love you,” Jeremiah whispered, burying his face in Cian’s neck

as his other lovers kissed and licked at the former human’s bare skin.
His first session back into the lifestyle had been everything he had
hoped and longed for. His Master and his lovers had really treated
him right.

“We love you, too,” they said. Their scents surrounded him,

comforting him and giving him the connection he needed in those
critical moments of after bliss when he needed the comfort of their
love. I’m the luckiest werewolf on the planet.

He knew then that no matter what the future held for them that he

could rely on his lovers to take care of him and in turn he would do
the same. Being mated to the three most beautiful men on the planet
had its perks, and one of them was that he could keep them forever.

“Soon it’ll be time for another mark,” Cian rumbled, sleep in his

voice. Jeremiah agreed. This time they’d go together as a family. He

Acquired in Time

123

meant to say so but he just couldn’t summon the energy. Without
meaning to, he slipped into a dream.

THE END

JANADOWNS.BLOGSPOT.COM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jana Downs lives in the beautiful mountains of western North

Carolina with three cats, one dog, several dozen fish, and a very
understanding partner in crime who hates to read but makes
exceptions for her stories.

You can usually find her either watching bad reality TV, buying

way too many books on Amazon, or dreaming up another man or two
to occupy her time because life is good, but several drop-dead
gorgeous nonexistent men is just better.

For all titles by Jana Downs, please visit

www.bookstrand.com/jana-downs

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

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