Page 12 of Mates: Posy

"Hello, cutie. I’m Wyatt Black and my wolf is Granite. I’m eighteen. All of us are into sports and video games, but I also like working on cars."

Granite say Wyatt full of mischief, Lark informed me with a snicker.Oh, Posy, you going to have fun with this one!

Ignoring her, I studied Wyatt. His white t-shirt stretched across his broad shoulders and drew my eye to his defined biceps. His short blond hair gleamed in the sunlight and his blue eyes glittered with silver threads. He was so gorgeous, it made my breath catch.

Knowing I had other mates to meet, I turned my attention to the next boy. He bounced on his toes and excitement lit his dark brown eyes, which made a smile bloom on my face.

"Your dimples are so precious!" Maple Syrup covered his mouth with both hands for a second, then launched into his introduction. "I’m Ash Mitchell, and my wolf is Obsidian, but everyone calls him Sid. I’m also eighteen. I don’t really have hobbies other than what Wyatt already said. I’m going to call you princess, and also cupcake when you’re being cute!"

I held back a giggle as I took in his mess of brown curls and easy grin. Lark thought he was adorable, and I agreed. The more I watched him, the more I saw he never really stopped moving. He had a lean, athletic build and was the tallest of my mates, almost freakishly so. He stood almost a full head above Wyatt, who was the shortest of the five, although evenhewas at least six foot.

I’m going to look like a dwarf next to him,I thought anxiously.

He no care.Lark was having a great time sharing her wolves’ insights with me.Sid say Ash want to tuck you in pocket and carry you around.

As if he knew what Lark was saying, Ash winked at me, and I blushed.

"What’s your bunny’s name?" he asked.

"Mr. Nibbles," I mumbled.

"Aw. That’s such a great name for a bun. And he’salmostas cute as you are, cupcake."

Of course that made my face burn red again.

"Stop teasing her," said Campfire as he came over and stood next to Ash. "I’m Mason Price, little flower. My wolf is Garnet. I’m twenty-one. I enjoy all the things already mentioned."

Short and to the point. Okay.

Mason was easily the most dominant of all five boys. He had dark brown hair, gray eyes, and a blank expression on his handsome face. Several tattoos ran up and down his muscular arms, and there was one behind his ear. I couldn’t see it clearly, but thought it was a luna moth. They made him look dangerous, which Lark liked, but it intimidated me. He radiated power and intensity, which didn’t help.

I liked the way his gray eyes crinkled up at the corners when he smiled at us, though.

Lark?I questioned when she stayed silent.

Garnet say Mason grieving,she said at last.His heart hurt. His thoughts sometimes go to dark place.

My eyes burned and my chest seized up to know that one of my mates was in pain.

Is this how they felt when they saw my father hit me?

Wolves say yes, Lark answered, although I’d been talking to myself.Only a thousand times worse.

I didn’t know the root of his grief, but I decided then and there that I would do everything I could to help Mason.

Even if he does kind of scare me.

I looked over at my last mate. He hadn’t moved from where Mason had put him.

"My name is Cole Barlow, honey." His voice was calm and quiet again. "Topaz is my wolf. I’m twenty. I like playing chess and cards and shooting pool."

The top of Cole’s straight, midnight-black hair was pulled back into a man bun. His pretty eyes glowed in sharp contrast to his tan skin. Like most shifter males, all my mates were muscular, but Cole looked as if he could snap my spine without any real effort if he wanted to. He’d already shown me that he had a temper, and I shrunk into myself and hunched my shoulders.

His eyes dimmed when he saw that, and a spike of pain stabbed my heart. I wished I could find enough courage to speak to him.

Trust him, Lark encouraged me.Yes, he has temper, but Topaz say he never, ever hurt you.

Taking a deep breath, I decided I could take one small risk. I raised my hand and held it out to him. His eyes widening, he slowly walked over and laid his hand in mine. Gentle sparks danced over my skin where our palms connected.