Page 63 of Home: Posy 5

"Liam said they met at your luna ceremony."

"Yep!" I grinned as I remembered I'd be seeing them tomorrow. "Callie and Keeley are my friends and identical twins. They're impossible to tell apart, especially when they wear the same clothes, which they do a lot. They're very nice. I hope you'll like them."

"It's so sweet that your brothers are mated to your friends."

"It is. The twins were also worried about finding their mates. They are the last of their family and feared their mates would be from different packs and they'd have to separate, but it all worked out." Curious again, I asked, "What aboutyourbrother? How did the alpha and luna of Crystal Caverns meet?"

"Oh, they've known each other forever." Camille waved a hand and rolled her eyes. "And call them Liam and Leyly. They don't stand on ceremony with family. While they were growing up, everyone suspected they'd be mates. They were always together, even as pups."

"Aw! And now they have a little baby of their own!" I clasped my hands under my chin and bounced a little on my toes. "I can't wait to see him. What's his name? How old is he?"

"Gage Alejandro, and he's 6 months old. He's so cute!" Camille squealed. "He can sit up on his own now and roll onto his stomach. Sometimes, he gets up on his knees and hands, too, and Leyly says it won't be long before he's crawling. He also putseverythingin his mouth, so you have to watch him like a hawk."

"I can't wait to hold him and play with him! What did you say his middle name was?"

"Alejandro. Leyly's from Mexico, and she wanted to honor his Latino heritage. He has the biggest brown eyes and fluffy black hair and chubby cheeks!"

"I can tell Aunt Millie loves him so, so much!" I laughed.

"You will, too. You can't help yourself but love a baby as sweet as he is." She paused and made a face. "Which is funny because his dad is super strict and serious half the time."

"Wait. Was he mean to you? Did he hurt you? Did hebeatyou?" I asked, feeling a tiny bubble of distress form in my chest.

"No, of course not. I didn't mean it that way. After our parents died, he stepped into the dad role, even though Grandpa was there. It was all, "Eat your vegetables" and "Do your homework" and "Bedtime at ten," even though he was just a teenager himself."

I blew out a breath as I relaxed again.

"That was just the alpha in him coming out," I told her with a smile.

"As well as his overprotective, older brother instincts kicking in," she agreed, rolling her eyes.

"Alphas have a lot of pressure on them. When I introduce you to my mates, you'll probably think that they're serious and strict, too, but they're really not." I stopped and reconsidered that statement. "Well, no. Ash and Wyatt will probablynevercome across as strict or serious."

"Which one has all the tattoos?" she leaned closer to whisper, as if Mason would overhear her. "And the one with the black hair pulled up in a ponytail? They both look so dangerous!"

"Theyaredangerous." I raised my eyebrows as I looked at her. "All of my mates are dangerous, just as I'm sure your brother is. Alphas come with that as a factory setting, and that's before taking their wolves into account. However, none of them are a threat to you or me or anyone here. They're only dangerous when they need to be."

"I didn't mean to offend you—"

"You didn't," I assured her with a smile. "I know what they look like when they flex their muscles and push out their alpha charisma. They're overwhelming and intimidating, but, like everyone else, they have their public selves and their private ones."

"Do they each have a different personality, or do they mostly act the same?"

"Oh, they areverydifferent. Mason is stern, super responsible, and keeps everyone on the straight and narrow. Cole has a temper, but is utterly dependable and funny in a grouchy sort of way. Jayden is soft and sweet and plays the guitar and sings for me. Ash, who is actually Jayden's cousin, is crazy energetic and athletic and always needs something to keep him busy. And then there's Wyatt." I giggled as I thought of my fifth star. "I don't really know how to sum that boy up. There's too much to boil down to a single sentence."

"Oh, Posy," Camille said with a warm smile, "I can see in your eyes how much you love them.Eachone of them. You see them as the unique individuals they are and not a collective group. If it were me, I think I would have trouble doing that. I bet they're utterly devoted to you."

I blushed as my eyes dropped to the floor.

"Your cute expression tells me all I need to know." She giggled, then her eyes fogged over. "Oh! Come on. Liam says they're almost here."

"Oh, boy!" As excited as I was to meet my cousin and his wife, the thought of holding a little baby made me feel all fuzzy inside.

"He said the Everleighs will be arriving soon, too," she relayed. "They're coming here first so they can meet me and Grandpa, then follow Liam back to the alpha house."

"Good. I can't wait to introduce you to Eden!" I grinned. "She's very funny and full of energy!"

"Is she your only cousin on that side?" she asked as we walked toward the stairs.

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