Page 109 of Home: Posy 5

Smoke isn't the only shy one, Larch chuckled, and I smirked.

"Is that a good smell?" I asked him.

"The best. My favorite."

"I adore you already, my little omega." A thought occurred to me, and I tilted my head to the side. "How did I not know before now that you were my mate? I mean, I saw you just yesterday when I picked Elijah up. Why didn't I smell you then? Or you me?"

"It's my birthday today." With a light blush, he ducked his head to press his chin to his shoulder, and my heart nearly exploded at how cute he was.

"Well, birthday boy," I purred, "let's get out of here and go celebrate. What do you say?"

"I'd like that very much." His smile was impish and his eyes lit with laughter. "Reuben?"

"Yes, my little omega?"

"I adore you already, too, even if you do look scary!"

"Thank you." I leaned down and pressed my forehead to his. My voice grew huskier as emotion almost choked me. "I'm yours, Bram. I want you to mark me, and I want to mark you. I never, ever want to spend even a single day away from you."

"Aw!" he squealed.

Pulling his hands out from under mine, he threw his arms around my waist and laid his head in the center of my chest as he squeezed me. I might not have understoodwhyhe was suddenly so happy, but I wasn't going to miss hugging him back. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and found that he fit into me like a perfect puzzle piece.

"You know," his voice was muffled by my shirt, "for a big, strong, tough, scary gamma covered in tattoos and cut like a bodybuilder, you're awfully sweet."

"For you," I told him as I smiled into his messy brown hair. "Only ever for you, my dear little omega."

23: Bonfire of Birthdays

Jared Hall

Our wolves had so much fun tearing around in the mountains over the weekend that we lost track of time. Before we knew it, it was Sunday night and the sun was starting to set.

"Dude! Drive faster!" Beckham yelled as he pounded on the back of my seat.

"Boy, you better stop or you're walking from here," I threatened him. "You'll get there when you get there."

"We're going to miss them lighting the bonfire!" Bowie joined the loud yammering now, too.

"Oh. The horror. How will you live?" I deadpanned.

"You're just jealous you weren't invited!" the twinadoes said in unison, which was how they often spoke.

"Bram said I was welcome to come."

"Only out of pity!" Beckham snickered.

"Yeah, no one wants an old man like you at their birthday party!" Bowie hooted.

Thank the Goddess, we arrived before I hurt one of them, and I put the truck into park a few hundred feet from where I could see the fire roaring in the darkness.

"We're here!" Bert and Ernie needlessly pointed out by - guess what? - shouting together.

Then they threw open their doors, and we all froze in place.

"Mates!" the twinjas shouted at the exact same time I did.

Their heads swiveled to me with huge grins as I sat there in shock.

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