Page 4 of Mates: Posy

The word bloomed in my heart like a flower.

"To whom? Not … not allfiveof you?" Aiden faltered.

I forced my eyelids up half way and stared blearily at the faces surrounding me. Only two were familiar.

I have … mates?

That’s when I gave up and faded into the darkness.

2: By Father’s Command

Posy

I woke up in a bed. A real one, not a yoga mat with a thin blanket.

Sunlight streamed through the curtains, and I turned my face toward it, loving the feel of it on my skin.

I didn’t know where I was or how I’d gotten here, but I was going to enjoy the sun for as long as I was allowed to.

I wish I could bottle it,I thought wistfully,and take it with me when I’m forced back into the dark room.

"Posy? You awake, little girl?"

Beta Roy? What was he doing here, wherever here was?

I nodded, despite my confusion, and turned my head to see him getting up from the chair in the corner.

"Thank the Goddess," he muttered. "I linked your brothers that you’re up. They’re so worried about you. We've been walking on eggshells around here. Dealing with so many agitated alphas hasn’t been fun."

I nodded again. I wondered who he meant byalphas, plural, but couldn’t ask since he didn’t give me permission to speak.

And, truthfully, I was in too much pain to care. My aching jaw had a deep thrumming solo in the symphony of aches, and my ribs hit all the high notes anytime I moved. If only Lark would wake up, she could help. Without her, I healed as slow as a human.

Lost in my thoughts, I nearly jumped out of my skin when the door burst open and people poured into the room. I scrambled to sit up against the headboard and bared my neck in submission, being very careful to keep my eyes down.

I recognized two of the scents as my brothers. The other five were the same scents as the delectable ones I’d smelled earlier in the kitchen.

Mates?my heart whispered.We have mates?

As with the sunshine, I knew it wouldn’t last. All I could do was savor the gift for as long as possible.

My brother James came over and sat on the edge of the bed. I drew my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them, trying to be as small as possible.

"How are you feeling, Posy? You’ve been asleep a long time. Are you in pain?"

Scared of him and all his questions, I curled up in a tighter ball to hide how I was shaking.

I know this trick. Father does it all the time. If I say no, he’ll punish me for lying. If I say yes, he’ll punish me for being weak.

Staying silent was always my best option. Sometimes, Father would still punish me for being insolent, but other times he saw it as submission and let me go with only a few slaps or kicks.

"Hey, it’s okay. We won’t hurt you. You can talk to us," James sounded like he was pleading. "You don’t need to follow Father’s stupid rules anymore. He’s gone."

My head flew up and my eyes went right to James’ dark blue ones.

"He’s dead, Posy," James said and waved a hand at the five men standing behind him. "These alphas put him down this morning."

Five alphas? AndI’mtheir mate? Oh, Moon Goddess, what were you thinking?

---