Kai has been alone for years, ever since the death of his father. He has finally worked up the courage to approach a den, tired of a life of struggle and loneliness. Before he even reaches his destination, he meets Joe, a friendly beta who takes him under his wing. Kai is disappointed to learn Joe already has a mate but happy to have him as a friend. But when they’re abducted by shifters who plan … plan to sell them to the highest bidder, they find themselves drawn ever closer as they wait for rescue.
When Joe meets Kai, he feels an unexpected spark of interest. He can’t deny his growing feelings for the omega and is excited for Axel to meet him, hoping his alpha mate will feel the same way. All his plans are thrown into chaos when he and Kai are abducted, survival becoming their only priority. Joe knows Axel is coming for him and that nothing will stand in the alpha’s way. But can he get there in time, before it’s too late?
Axel made Joe a promise that nothing would come between them ever again. When an alliance between the hyenas and the lions threatens to break that promise, he’s determined to do everything he can to get Joe back. And to rescue Kai, the omega he’s heard so much about but has yet to meet. Could Kai be their third, the one they’ve been waiting for? And, if he is, will Axel’s pack and family ever accept him?
Bound is a novel-length read. Beware mpreg, angst, litters, board games, scenes not suitable for readers under the age of eighteen, and polyamory (m/m/m). If that’s not your cup of tea, you can safely skip to book five in the series.
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**********Contains Spoilers**********
Man, Claire Cullen has done it again. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved how Joe and Axel and that they’ve had to fight to be together since Axel is an alpha and Joe is a male beta so they can’t have kids and since Axel lost his brother Dex who was m*rdered by Nevan and his lions so Axel is now alpha heir to his pack. His parents still aren’t happy with his mating and try to get Axel to leave Joe since it would be best for the pack if he found a mate that he could have kids with but Axel is completely over doing what’s best for the pack and wants to finally live his life the way that makes him happy and Joe does that for him. Joe meets Kai a lone omega shifter on the road outside Hidden Den and takes him under his wing, Joe wants to help Kai since he’s been alone so long since his dad passed away and omegas especially don’t deal with being alone and start to get sick. Joe tells him stories about River Den, the Weir and his mate Axel and he asks Axel permission to help Kai by hugging him as that will help Kai get better, Axel is totally fine with it and can’t wait to meet Kai after everything Joe has told him as he maybe their third. On the way back to the Den both Joe and Kai are kidnapped by lions and hyenas and have been injected with something so they can’t shift and they find out that they’re to be auctioned to be sold. Joe reassures Kai that Axel and the others will find them even if they get separated Joe won’t give up until they find Kai. Joe stops the auction by telling the buyers that him and Kai are mated and Kai tells them more about who Axel is so the buyers don’t want anything to do with them. Axel ends up finding out what happened to them and finds them and with the help of Hunter, Jensen and Max they rescue them and the other captive shifters.
When they get back to the Den Kai is separated from Axel and Joe so he starts to get cold again until Axel comes and gets him and brings him into the clinic to cuddle with him next to Joe’s bed as he knows that this is how Joe helped him when he was sick last time. Ollie shows Kai around the Den since he’s going to stay there but when he gets back to the clinic he overhears Axel and Joe talking that they’re going back to the Weir so Kai feels utterly alone and starts walking towards the bridge but Cade and Ollie stop him to see what’s wrong and then take him back to the clinic and tell him that he’s not getting in between Axel and Joe but he completes them since both Cade and Ollie can see the connection between all three of them. I love the connection between all three of them and I think it’s great that they all got to know each other being completing their mating. Joe struggled when Kai got pregnant with their litter, he was ecstatic but also had feelings of usefulness that he needed to work through. I loved that when both Kai and Joe overheard Axel and his mum arguing about Joe, since Axel mum was treating Joe just as Kai’s midwife and not his and Axel’s mate and tried to tell Axel that they don’t need Joe so he can go back to the Den and come back as Kai’s midwife when it’s time for Kai to deliver their babies. Kai found Joe in his car trying to leave but Kai told him not too and then Axel came out with a bag, put the bag and Kai in the back and hopped in the car to leave and go to the Den so they could work on their relationship and not have to deal with negativity. Axel felt horrible as he didn’t realise how bad Joe was suffering. They talked about everything and worked on their family coming first and to alleviate Joe’s doubts. Man, their babies were the cutest bundles of joy. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next for this series. I’d recommend this book, series and author to everyone.