Page 66 of Mates: Posy

It didn't take long to set up, and everyone joined us, even Luke. That surprised me. Since he was the oldest of us at twenty-four, I didn’t think he’d be interested in something like a sleepover, but he borrowed a pair of joggers from Cole and bunked on one of the couches like the rest of the guys.

Lilah looked as nervous as I felt. What if I had a nightmare in front of everyone?

"What movie do you want, princess?" Ash distracted me as he turned on the enormous TV.

"I’m open to suggestions." I thought that was better than saying I had no idea.

He and Peri wanted to watch a comedy, Jayden recommended an adventure, and Cole argued for a recently released superhero movie. Wyatt said he didn’t care, and Mason, of course, remained silent.

"What about you, Lilah? Any favorites?" Peri asked as we three girls piled up on the pillows and blankets on the floor.

She shook her head, and I figured she was in the same boat I was with not knowing anything current.

"A Bug’s Life," Luke called out, "orFinding Nemo."

"Those are kids’ movies," Wyatt complained.

"Perfect for you, then, pup," Cole teased him.

I traded a look with the girls and we giggled.

"I’m not the pup here. Peri’s the youngest," Wyatt sneered back.

"Well, as the resident pup, I like both of them, so either is fine with me!" Peri rolled herself up like a burrito in a fuzzy blanket.

"Have you watched either of those, Posy?" Ash asked, and I shook my head. "How aboutA Bug’s Lifefirst, thenFinding Nemoif we want a second one?"

I smiled up at him, and he took that as his cue to find and start the movie.

The story was colorful and interesting, and I really enjoyed it until close to the ending when the big grasshopper picked up the littlest ant by her head. My heart started to race and my breathing became shallow.

"Posy?" came a familiar voice, but I couldn’t respond.

When the main character ant confronted the grasshopper, a high-pitched buzz filled my ears and drowned out everything else. The crazy grasshopper started to beat up the ant, kicking him and tossing his body around, and I had to press my shaking hands against my mouth to muffle my whimpers.

"Posy, look at me."

Then the big grasshopper knocked the ant over and went to stomp on his head - and I was back in my father’s house.

16: Waking Nightmare

Posy

I woke up on my eighteenth birthday with my father standing over me. Backlit by the open door, he seemed even larger and more menacing than ever. Seeing him, I woke up quickly and wondered why I was going to be punished so early in the day.

"Since you are now eighteen and haven’t found your mate," he said as I scrambled to my feet, "I will make you my chosen mate. No wolf will ever want you, anyway. Your mate would reject you in a second. I might as well get some use out of your disgusting body."

My sleepy brain scrambled to understand, and when it did, panic and horror made me lose my temper for the first time ever.

"You’re myfather!" I screamed. "Fathers don’t mate their daughters! And how could I evenfinda mate when you keep me imprisoned here?"

"You pathetic runt! How dare you raise your voice to me!" he roared.

He backhanded me, and I fell to the floor.

"How many times do I have to tell you? Never call me Father!"

Digging his fingers into my arms, he dragged me up and flung me into the wall so hard, my teeth rattled. Gasping, I slid to the floor in a boneless sprawl, too weak to even curl up to protect myself. He reached down, grabbed a hunk of my hair, and wrapped it around his fist twice. Tears of pain sprang to my eyes. He knew my scalp was sensitive and always took full advantage of that to control me.

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