Page 147 of Mates: Posy

"I think that sentence contributed more evidence to my argument than yours, dear brother."

"We aren't doing anything wrong, are we?" My wide eyes bounced between the two. "It won't hurt anything for them to become friends, regardless of whether or not they're destined to be mates. Your mate should be your friend, too, right?"

"Yes, luna," Luke said, his voice gentler than usual and calming my worry. "Your mate should be your friend, too."

"When's Peri's birthday?" the queen asked.

I knew she was really asking when we would know if theyweremates.

"Cole said it's next week. Hey, Emerson?"

He broke away from his conversation with Matthew to grin at me.

"Yes, little luna bunny? More ice pops?"

"Sure. That would be great. Would you please bring some for everyone? And do you know Peri's birthday?"

"June thirtieth. Next Wednesday," he said as he jogged over to the freezer in the outdoor kitchen.

"Do you know when Tyler's is?"

"July eighth."

"We should throw big parties for both of them!" I clasped my hands together under my chin, my eyes already sparkling as ideas came to me.

"Peri's parents already have that in the works," Crew told me. "They always have big celebrations for all their kids' birthdays, your mates included. I think it's a pool party for her this year."

"And what about Tyler?" I asked him. "Do his parents plan a big party?"

All three betas froze, Emerson in the act of handing the queen her ice pop. My eyes darted from one of them to the other, wondering what I'd said.

"He doesn't have any family." Crew gave me a small smile. "He lives at the O."

"The O?" My brow furrowed.

"The orphanage," Matthew muttered.

Two words and my heart broke.

"For— For how long?" My voice wavered, my eyes stung, and my ice pop fell to the concrete floor.

"Since he was twelve or so." Crew began to look a little panicky. "Are you okay, luna?"

"What happened to his parents?" I whispered.

"Well, you see, Alpha Jay—"

"That part is not our story to tell," Emerson cut Crew off. "They died, luna. Violently and in front of him. That's common information in the pack, and if Ty wants you to know more than that, he'll tell you himself."

Holding back the tears was a lost cause now. I cupped my hands over my nose and mouth and let them flow. Handing her ice pop to Luke, Lilah got out of her lounger, sat on the side of mine, and hugged me.

"Why did you tell her that?" Matthew hissed. "The alphas are going to kill us for upsetting her!"

"You're the only one who needs to worry," Crew snickered. "You pissed Alpha Mason off twice in as many days and over the same issue. You know he's going to tear you a new one as soon as he gets a chance. What's one more offense at this point?"

"Shut it, Crew."

Ignoring them, I hugged Lilah back and cried a little bit. Tyler was as sweet as pie; I'd imagined him surrounded by a happy, loving family.

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