Page 59 of Home: Posy 5

"And kill the hunters," Ash added.

"And kill the hunters."

"Why did they want hostages?" I asked, confused.

Even I knew that hunters usually only wanted to destroy every shifter they encountered. When enough of them got together, you had incidents like the one Jayden was describing - and like the one that nearly wiped out Dark Woods.

"I left two hunters alive for interrogation," Jayden said calmly. "According to them, they didn't have enough strength to take on the whole pack, so they planned to use the hostages as leverage and negotiate a deal with Alpha Liam. They wanted the pack lands to turn the caves into a commercial venture for tourists. A get-rich-quick scheme. Stupid reason for so many wolves to die."

I agreed. Itwasa stupid reason.

"Why are humans so greedy?" I wondered out loud when he didn't say anything else. I wasn't getting the whole story today, but I was okay with that. I'd already pieced most of it together, anyway, and I only wanted him to tell me to get it off his chest. "Why do they think we don't matter? That we're so beneath them?"

"Who knows, baby?" Wyatt shrugged and kissed my fingers. "But look how they treat each other. Is it really so strange they think of another species as inferior?"

"I don't know. I don't have a whole lot of experience with humans. Or with any species other than shifters," I admitted. "I'm glad that's changing, though. I'm proud that our pack has welcomed a fox and a dragon and now fairies. I can't wait to meet them! They're so cute in the images the betas and gammas have shared!"

"Their younger cousin, Delilah, will be at school with you this year." Cole turned around to smile at me. "That will give you a good opportunity to get to know her."

"Yay!" I beamed. "Iama little nervous about being around so many new people, but I'll have a lot of friends there with me."

"That's right," Ash chimed in. "And Peri's going to introduce you to her friends who can tutor you before and after school or whatever. Yolanda Ramirez, Abraham Merriweather, and Sophie Bishop. I think you'll like them. Yola is super smart, especially in math, and she speaks fluent Spanish. Abraham, who everyone calls Bram, is best at English and history, and Sophie, or Fifi, is good at science."

"They sound nice, and having smart friends will definitely help me." I was grateful to Peri for thinking of that; I was going to need it if I wanted to feel successful with school.

“They won’t overwhelm you, at least,” Mason chuckled. “They’re all very quiet and shy.”

"In fact, Bram’s an omega," Cole pointed out. "He lives with his mom, who isnotan omega, and their relationship isn't the best. That doesn't help his shyness."

“And Sophie is Gamma Adam’s younger sister,” Jayden told me. “They’re a lot of like, but I don’t think she’s quite as shy as he is. Very sheltered, though. Her parents hardly let her go anywhere other than school.”

“That’s probably why she’s shy,” I said with a nod. "And Yo— Yo-what?"

"Yolanda, but we all call her Yola. She tutored me in math last year, and she was a grade below me!" Wyatt grinned. "Anyway, she lives with her dad, who loves her more than anything in this world."

"Aww!" I cooed. "He sounds like a good man!"

"He's a great guy," all my mates agreed, and Jayden added, "Friendly, hard-working, and dependable. He was my dad's delta before he retired when Mase became first alpha."

This was the second time today Jayden had freely mentioned one of his family members in casual conversation, and I squealed inside, recognizing it as progress. It was a small step - okay, more like teeny tiny one - but I'd take it.

We chatted about school and other pack members as Ash drove, and we crossed into Crystal Caverns territory before I knew it. Mason told us we were going right to my grandfather's house, where the reunion would be held, and Alpha Liam and his family would meet us there.

I jogged my legs up and down, a mix of excitement and anxiety building in my stomach with each passing mile.

"We're with you," Jayden said as he leaned up from the back seat and kissed the side of my neck. "Even when we're not standing next to you, we're always with you."

"I know, my dragon," I whispered as I looked at his dear face over my shoulder. "And it's the same for me. I will forever support each and every one of you."

"Thank you, Posy. You don't know how much it means to hear you say that and know we'll always have you in our corner."

"You two are such lovey-dovey gushy mushies!" Ash giggled.

"What are you talking about?" Jayden draped his arms across my collarbones and cupped my shoulders in his hands. "What the heck's a lovey-dovey gushy muppy?"

"Not gushymuppy!Gushymushy!Get it right, dude!"

"Don't be acting like it's a real term. You just made it up."

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