And Mason?I asked.
Same. Worried about Papa, though.
Mason suffers so much for no reason. I wish you would take control and end that problem one day.
You think I could?Garnet's laugh was a harsh bark.Not even on my best day and Mase's worst.
That was probably true. Mason Price was one of the most dominant, powerful shifters I'd ever met, nearly on par with the king.
Likemyhuman half, he kept too much inside. Both he and Jayden were landmines rigged to detonate under a feather's weight. If they ever exploded, they would smash the world.
And Jayden thoughtIwas dangerous.
Our mate was slowly helping them, for which all of us were grateful. The others tried, too, but our boys were stubborn. Mine because he didn't want to be a burden, and Garnet's because of his father.
Cuddled with our mate, Q?
Deep satisfaction made me grin.
Mm-hmm. She rubbed my ears and petted my coat. She prattled on about so many things, and her voice was as sweet as honey. She would cuddle with you, too. With any of our brothers. She loves us all equally.
I know. Someday soon.He nodded.
She is worried about the young beta.
A little brother,Garnet agreed, and I knew what he meant.
I had a feeling we would see River and his boy a lot more often now that our mate had taken him under her wing. Not that I minded. River was a baby in many ways, and Sid, who had a soft spot for pups, loved him like no other. We all did in our own way and were proud of the man Tyler was becoming in spite of everything his father did to him.
Seymour James was my first kill. When Jayden was only twelve years old, I took control and ripped that bastard to pieces. My only regret was that I did it in front of Tyler.
What can I say? I lost my temper.
After the dust settled, the alphas called a meeting and discussed what steps might have to be taken in the future to 'contain' me.
The wolves of the pack, however, looked at me with new respect. Nathan always tried to give a shifter a second chance, and Royal demanded a ton of evidence before an execution was carried out. I, on the other hand, had killed one who needed killing, and the wolves of Five Fangs appreciated the fact that at least one of the future alphas would dole out swift justice to those who deserved it.
Afterward, Jayden put me in a cage and kept me there, and it was only once we found Posy that I was able to break free of it. Thinking back, I was half-convinced that he subconsciouslywantedme to. Before, I'd only ever been able to flicker in his eyes or underscore his voice without his consent. Since we found our mate, though, I'd fully taken the reins several times before he knew what was happening.
Hate to leave her tomorrow, Q. Hurts my heart.Garnet's words brought me out of my thoughts.
Yes. Mine, too. The babies will cry,I said of Sid, Topaz, and Granite.
Just because you and I won't doesn't mean we feel it any less.
I nodded and began to quiet my mind before sleeping. Then a touch of anxiety trickled into our bond, startling me. Like Mason, Garnet rarely shared his emotions.
What's worrying you, brother?I asked him.
Never be able to mate with Lark.
I winced. I'd realized that, too, the second I saw her. She was far too small. Even if one of our boys stayed human to help, which would be awkward and embarrassing to say the least, we could hurt her.
Or worse.
I remembered what happened in a California pack three years ago. The alpha had just found his mate, who was also a runt, and his wolf accidentally broke her neck while trying to mate her. He'd killed himself shortly afterward. None of the pack with alpha blood was old enough to step up, so the king had to get involved. Nyx told me all about it the next time they visited.
So, no mating Lark. No matter how small the risk might be, we would never chance it.