Page 58 of Mates: Posy

"Posy," he breathed, "I love you, too."

Then the doorbell sounded, announcing that the guests had arrived.

"Oh, my gosh, I need to comb my hair and get dressed!" I fussed.

Pushing on his back with both hands, I tried to hurry him out of the room. It was like trying to move a mountain.

"All right, all right, I'm going," he laughed. "Put on something pretty and wear one of your new hair flower things."

"Now who's being a bossy pants?" I mumbled.

He laughed again, but left the room, and I reached for the brush to do something with my hair.

14: Dinner with Friends

Posy

Thanks to my conversation with Quartz, I was better prepared than the others for Lilah MacGregor’s ‘unique’ appearance. What none of us was prepared for, however, were the dark bruises ringing her neck and dotting her arms and legs.

Her wolf must be too exhausted or injured to heal her.

I decided I’d get her alone later and ask if she needed anything. In the meantime, I slipped past my gawking mates to welcome her and her brother.

"Hello." I smiled and held out my hand. "I’m Posy Briggs."

Lilah shook my hand, and I felt the fine tremors racing through her. The poor thing was terrified, probably because of the five giants looming behind me.

"I’m Luke MacGregor," said the giant looming behindher. "It’s nice to meet you, luna. This is my sister, Lilah."

He nodded, but didn’t hold out his hand, for which I was grateful. I was wary of touching any male other than my mates, but I didn’t want to appear rude, either.

I turned to the boys. Mason’s expression gave nothing away, as usual, and Jayden had already seen Lilah’s condition. The others’ faces, however, were twisted with anger and their wolves flickered in their eyes.

Calm them down, Lark advised.

"Guys, would you please take Luke into the living room and introduce yourselves?" I asked. "Lilah and I are going to finish up with Peri in the kitchen."

"Oh, please get Peri out of the kitchen!" Jayden pretended to beg. "We want dinner to be edible."

And the simple comment broke the tension, allowing my mates to compose themselves.

"Mason, Wyatt and I made it, so it will be," I assured him. "We’re just setting up drinks and stuff. We’ll call you when it’s ready."

As the guys shuffled off, I blew out a breath.

"Whew!" It’s overpowering with all of them, isn’t it?" I smiled up at Lilah. She was a tall girl, almost as tall as Wyatt. "I’ll introduce you to them one by one over dinner."

"Thank you." She nodded her head a little awkwardly.

"Come on. You can meet my new sister-in-law."

As she walked beside me, I watched her out of the corner of my eye. I recognized that gait. I’d moved that way myself quite a few times in the past. It was how you walked when every fiber of your being hurt, but you were trying not to show it.

"Lilah, I don’t know what you may have heard about me," I said in a soft voice, "but my life wasn’t so great before I came to live here. My father kept me a prisoner in our house for six years. He also routinely knocked my wolf out with wolfsbane so she couldn’t help me while he beat me. Is that what's wrong with your wolf? If so, I’m sure we can get you some nightshade or foxglove."

She shook her head.

"Kestrel is exhausted. I’ve had a lot of beatings lately, and she was just barely keeping me going. When Alpha Halder attacked me two days ago, she couldn’t even wake up enough to know what was going on."

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