Page 46 of Mates: Posy

"Her name’s Lilah. She is nineteen."

"Why did they bully her?"

"Halder wanted her for his chosen mate. She refused because she is waiting for her Goddess-given mate. Her true mate. For spite, Halder used her unique appearance to have the pack humiliate and hurt her."

"What do you mean, unique?" I asked. "Does she have one of those port wine birthmarks on her face or something?"

"I don’t know what that is. Wait. Jayden does, and he is showing— No. Not that. She has one blue and one brown eye and many freckles. What? Oh. Jayden says to tell you she has red hair, but I do not understand why that is a bad thing."

"People are cruel over the stupidest things. Can I meet her?"

"Yes. She and her brother are coming to dinner this evening." Quartz stopped petting my hair. "Little mate, Jayden wants control back very badly, and I doubt I will be able to resist much longer."

"All right, Quartz. Thank you for staying with me. For being there for me."

"I will always be there for you." He took a deep breath before continuing. "I have done terrible things, Posy, and someday you may see a side of me that you cannot love. I'll understand that, but never doubt that my heart beats only for you and Lark. The same for Jayden and all our brothers. If we can’t have the two of you, we don’t want anyone."

My eyes stung, and I sniffed.

"Don’t cry anymore, sweetness. It breaks my heart."

Sitting up quickly, I looked into his face and saw Jayden’s beautiful dragon eyes.

"You’re back." I smiled.

"You know we never really leave you when our wolves are in control." He reached up and tucked a chunk of my hair behind my ear. "But yes, I’m back, precious girl."

"Thank you for letting Quartz be with me for so long."

"Not that I had much choice," he grumped, "but you’re welcome. It was good for him. Keeps him calm and forces him to be gentle, which he has little experience with."

"Both of you have warned me that he’s violent, but he was so tender and sweet that it's hard for me to believe."

"He's only that way with you, baby." One side of his mouth kicked up. "Trust me."

I looked down at my tangled fingers.

"Jayden, I’m sorry for ruining the shopping trip and making everyone feel bad."

"You did nothing wrong, sweetness, so no more apologies." He sat up beside me. "The others have a surprise for you before dinner. Are you ready to see them?"

I hesitated. I’d made a fool of myself, and after they'd spent so much money on me, too. I was turning out to be a terrible, ungrateful mate.

"They're very sorry, Posy. If it helps, their wolves are punishing them."

"Oh! No, I don’t want that." Tears pricked my eyes. No one should be hurt because of me. "Please ask them to stop."

"You're too soft-hearted. Their egos need a little deflating from time to time. Try to remember that," he grumbled. "And you are not a terrible, ungrateful mate, nor were you acting foolish. Stop thinking things like that."

"Lark!" I hissed. "I hardly need the mindlink with her spilling all my secrets!"

He chuckled, then leaned down and kissed my forehead.

"Come on, Posy. You have some mates to make grovel."

12: Apologies

Posy

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