Page 18 of Home: Posy 5

"Dammit!" she giggled. "How are you always so chill, babe?"

"I don't know." Bending down, I kissed her lips. "People get so worked up over the smallest things. I never saw the point. Takes too much energy that I can put to good use elsewhere."

Her cheeks flushed bright pink under my heated stare, and I wished we were at home.

"We just got here. Behave yourself, Mr. Myers!" She punched my bicep, then grabbed my hand. "Come on. Let's go meet Adam and Nick's mates."

She wouldn't admit it, because someone might accuse her of being weak, but she thought the fairies were the cutest things ever, especially the blue-haired one wearing a Sweet Lolita outfit.

Mate is going to dress our pups in ribbons and bows, Bay giggled.

Because she's too afraid to dress that way herself, I sighed.

That sobered my wolf up, and I apologized to him for raining on his parade.

I understand, he said.You're worried about mate.

Not worried. Just ... sad ... that she feels like she can't be who she wants to be.

I got why. She'd grown up with Angelo, who'd become her guardian after their parents' death. He was a cool dude, and I knew Sara and her cousins never had cause to fear him, but he was the freaking Angel of Death. His legend was a lot for a little sister to live up to.

I just wished she realized she never had to live up to anything other than her own expectations. Instead, she'd locked all her softness up inside herself and only let the mercurial harshness show.

She's soft with us, my wolf reminded me.She's getting better. We're helping her.

She is,I agreed with a smile.And maybe a little she-wolf pup will make her even softer.

If nothing else, she'd be able to dress her up to her heart's content, which would make her happy.

Bay giggled again as he projected the memory of me and Topaz in cute costumes at the pet shop. Sara had loved doing that. Of course, she told everyone that it was to embarrass us, but Bay and I knew the truth.

Under that stormy exterior, a soft little girl hid, afraid others would call her weak if she let them see her.

A burst of loud laughing and guffaws brought me out of my thoughts, and I looked up to see a red-faced Matthew with donkey ears and a tail.

"Hmm. Cool." I leaned down to whisper in Sara's ear. "What'd I miss?"

"He wouldn't stop teasing the green fairy, so she gave him what he deserved."

"And she'sAdam'smate?" My eyebrows crawled up my forehead, more concerned about that than Matthew's current predicament. "Shy, awkwardAdam? How is that going to work?"

"The same way we do, I imagine." Sara squeezed my hand and sent me a jolt of love through our bond. "Soulmates are perfectcomplements, not perfectly the same."

"You know what, dewdrop?"

"What, babe?"

I stopped walking and twirled her into my arms, then dipped her down low.

"You'remysoulmate,myperfect complement," I whispered against her lips, "and I am insanely in love with you."

Then I kissed the soul out of her.

#

Beta Tristan Harrington

We decided to play football while we waited for the meat to grill. Since Emerson and Angelo brought Konstantin along, we could make two even teams of six: the betas and Konstantin against the gammas and Angelo.

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