Page 106 of Mates: Posy

"I'm sorry. Did we wake you?"

"No, I've been up for a bit." He reached over and stroked his index finger down my cheek. "Good morning. Now, tell us. How should we not wake you up?"

"Don't throw ice-cold water on me." I hid my face in Ash's neck. "Or boiling hot water."

Ash's whole body stiffened, and Jayden muttered something under his breath that I couldn't quite hear.

"You're right." Ash sounded like he was talking through gritted teeth. "We would never do either of those even by accident, so I think we're safe there."

Needing a change of topic, I sat up on Ash's stomach and looked at each of my mates. Cole had rolled on his side at some point in the night and now has his arm wrapped around Jayden's waist. Ash and Jayden's messy bed-heads were clunked together. Mason lay flat on his back with one elbow laying on Ash's abdomen and his other arm wrapped around Wyatt's head where it rested on his shoulder.

They look so cute, like a pile of puppies!

I giggled.

"What is it, pretty girl?" Ash smiled at me.

I shook my head, wanting to keep the precious image to myself.

"So I thought about marking you," I said instead, "and decided I would like to do that. I'm anxious, though, because I don't know what I'm doing. What if I hurt you? Or do it wrong?"

"You won't do either," Jayden said. "All you do is give Lark the reins and she'll take it from there."

"So your wolves will do the same when it's my turn to be marked?"

"Yep."

"Does it hurt?"

"Mom and Mama said it does a little at first," Ash said, "but then it turns to pleasure."

"Okay." I nodded. "Let's wake the others and do this."

"What? Right now?" Ash squeaked as Jayden's jaw dropped.

"Why not?" I shrugged.

Ash and Jayden looked at each other, then turned back to me with matching grins. Taking that as a sign of approval, I reached over and shook Mason's shoulder, which woke Wyatt, who grumbled a bit and tried to roll over and go back to sleep. As soon as I explained what I wanted to do, though, he woke up quickly. I turned to Cole and saw Jayden had woken him up.

Lark, are you ready to do this?

Yes! Who I start with?

Thinking for a second, I decided to go with who was closest.

"Ash, do you mind sitting up?" I asked with a shy smile.

"Not at all."

He scooched me down to sit on his thighs, then sat up with his hands on my waist. Giving me a grin, he bared his neck to me.

"Ready when you are, cupcake."

Swallowing hard, I braced my hands on his shoulders and let Lark take the lead. She lowered my lips to his throat, and his sweet scent engulfed me, so rich that it made me a little dizzy. Lark kissed around a bit until she found a spot that made his body shudder under us.

There! she crowed and dropped my canines.

Ash grunted when they sank into his skin, then his whole body relaxed and a little moan vibrated through his chest. Lark hummed happily as she pulled back and licked up the tiny trickle of blood.