Page 8 of Mates: Posy

"Please say something to us, little mate," Roses said. "We want to hear your sweet voice again."

Since he’d given me permission to speak, I took it and asked for the only thing my heart desired.

"Can I have one more minute, please, before you do it?"

"Do what?" Vanilla sounded confused.

Closing my eyes, I twisted my fingers together and inhaled their scents one last time.

"All right. I’m ready." I nodded.

"Ready for what, honey?" Pine asked.

"For you to reject me."

"Why would we do that?" Vanilla made it sound like a ridiculous idea. "We would never reject you or leave you."

"We love you already, princess," Maple Syrup said.

My eyes flew open and zipped from one face to the next.

I didn’t dare to believe it. I couldn’t. This was all a cruel trick. It had to be.

Is Father even dead? Did he set this up as a new kind of torture to make me pay for sins I never committed? Was every word out of my brothers' mouths a lie?

"What?" I whispered.

"You’re stuck with us, sweetness, until we draw our last breath." Roses grinned down at me.

"You are the perfect mate for us." Pine sat on the bed next to me, but didn’t try to touch me.

I stared into his pale green eyes and allowed myself to hope.

"Your future is going to be a happy and bright one with us," he murmured. "For now, though, you need to rest. Close your eyes. We’ll be here when you wake up."

Is this true? Could it be possible? Maybe.

Feeling like I was in a dream, I curled into my nest of blankets and pillows. My broken jaw ached like mad, and I raised one hand to it.

"No, sweetness. Don’t touch."

A hand grabbed mine and pulled it away. Sparks danced up and down my skin where Roses’ fingers touched it. I didn’t know how I felt about that, but I was too weak and tired to react.

"The pain meds will kick in soon."

Then he surprised me by tucking Mr. Nibbles into my arms. I squeezed my bunny against my chest and hid my face in his soft fur.

The rest of my injuries combined with the exhaustion to rob me of what little strength I had. My eyelids fell down and I couldn’t lift them again.

"Go to sleep," he whispered.

So I did.

3: Introductions

Posy

When I opened my eyes again, I knew right away something was different.

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