Page 57 of Mates: Posy

"No, no. I wasn't mad at you, sweetheart. I don't think Icanbe mad at you. Mase ticked me off, that's all."

I looked around the room, but we were alone.

"He took the kabobs to grill." Wyatt framed my face with his palms. "Can I carry you to the bathroom so I can wash your face?"

I nodded as shame washed over me. I'd made a fool out of myself by having a panic attack over nothing.

Wyatt stood and cradled me in his arms, and I tucked my face in his throat.

"Cole pokes at me all the time, and Ash and Jay tease, but Mase knows exactly what to say and do to make me lose my temper," he said as he walked. "I don't think he means to do it, but he does it very well."

"Why do you think that is?"

I didn't know if he was talking like this to distract me or because he needed someone to vent to, but I was happy with either reason.

"He thinks I'm just a kid, but I'm 18 now. I've graduated school and I'm an alpha not just of Five Fangs, but also River Rapids, my dad's pack. I do my share and volunteer for more because I know I'm the youngest and had more time than the others to goof off before assuming the alphaship."

We reached our bedroom and he carried me into my bathroom. Sitting me on the counter, he went to the closet and found a washcloth. As he turned on the hot water, he continued to talk.

"I want him to acknowledge that I have good qualities, but he only sees everything I do wrong. I don't remember my own dad being as hard on me as Mase is. He's harder on me than his dad is with him!"

"Mason's dad is hard on him?"

"Yeah. Dad, Mom, and Mama have all warned Papa to lighten up, but he doesn't listen. I don't get why he treats Mase that way, either. The dude never lose his temper, and I can count on one hand the number of times I've heard him raise his voice in anger since he became an alpha."

He paused to put the washcloth under the steaming water, then very gently began to wipe my face with it.

"I mean, I'll be the first to admit that I screw up and get off course sometimes and, yeah, my dad and, later, Cole's dad probably should have been harder on me, but Mase doesn't need someone standing on him all the time. He does that too much to himself. Sometimes, I think he feels he can't even breathe too deeply for fear his father will tell him he's doing it wrong."

Oh, my poor mate.

"Still," I said, "he shouldn't treat you like that. He wants the best for you, I'm sure, but that doesn't make it okay to constantly criticize you."

"I know I egg him on sometimes." He lowered the washcloth and turned the cold water on. "I can't help myself. It's like there's a devil inside me telling me to live down to his expectations."

"Well, that's not okay, either," I told him, "but at least you're able to see what you're doing to sabotage yourself. A lot of people can't do that."

He soaked the washcloth with cold water and wrung it out.

"Tilt your head back, cutie."

I did, and he laid it across my eyes. I sighed at the blissful sensation. Hopefully, that would help the redness go away before dinner. No one else needed to know about my little breakdown.

"Anyway, this isn't your problem, Posy. I'm sorry you got caught up in it."

"Itismy problem," I argued. "I want my mates to be happy with each other, too, and I'm going to make that happen. You just watch and see, Wyatt Black."

"Okay, little bossy pants." He took off the washcloth and picked up one of my hands. "I believe you."

"Am I being bossy?" Worried I'd stepped too far, I fidgeted with his rings.

"Of course, you are, baby. That's what a luna does. She holds the alpha together so he can hold the pack together." With a chuckle, he raised our joined hands to his lips and kissed my knuckles. "Sucks to have five of us, but I know you're going to excel at it, cutie."

I stared into his silvery blue eyes and saw he meant everything he said. A small smile curled my lips, and I decided to do one brave thing.

"I love you, Wyatt."

It was the first time I'd said it out loud to any of my mates. Seeing his shell-shocked expression, I knew I'd chosen the right one to start with.

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