Page 29 of The Beta's Heart

“Sorry, Posy,” I apologized. “I was only trying to lighten the mood. I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

“It’s okay.” She shook her head, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “I’m just not... ready for that.”

“I understand,” I replied gently. “We’ll find something else, all right?”

When she nodded, her relief palpable, I took her gently by the elbow and steered her towards more comfortable choices.

The more we shopped, the more I knew I was right about her. She shrunk back from the noise and commotion around us, her eyes darted around constantly, and her whole body jerked if someone moved too quickly or spoke too loudly.

“You’re fine,” I reassured her after she nearly jumped out of her skin when someone nearby screamed with laughter. “We’re all here. You’re safe.”

Yeah, it took me too long, but I had finally figured her out.

She was scared.

Scared out of her mind.

Scared of everything and everyone.

Whatever had happened to her before my brothers found her, Posy was fragile, like delicate glass on the verge of shattering, and I knew we all had to tread carefully.

It tugged at my heartstrings, but I didn’t know what to do to help her because I didn’t know why she was so afraid or of what.

What Ididknow was that my new sister-in-law was one brave ass bitch.

Not once did she ask to go back home or give up. She might have been shaking like a leaf inside—and sometimes on the outside—but she kept trying to be a normal girl out shopping with a friend.

It was the kind of courage that broke your heart and buoyed it up at the same time.

Our last stop was the beauty supply shop, its shelves lined with colorful bottles and jars promising transformative beauty.

“Pfft! As if either of us needthat!” I made a silly face, which earned one of her nearly silent giggles, and I patted myself on the back.

Ash, who fancied himself a stylist, immediately launched into a spirited debate with me about hair care products. I was so engrossed in defending my favorite brand that I completely missed Posy’s soft voice chiming in from behind us.

Who knows how long we would have continued our debate since both of us were passionate about hair care, and neither of us waswilling to back down, but a low, guttural growl erupted from the center of the store, cutting through our argument like a knife.

Together, we ran toward the sound and found Lark ascendant in Posy’s body as she glared at Wyatt and Cole.

Uh-oh! What happened here?

Looking into my brothers’ eyes, I realized their wolves were also running their bodies, and neither Granite nor Topaz would be my first choice to calm down a fragile, agitated girl.

“What did you two do to upset our mate?” Ash demanded.

With a fierce frown, Lark jabbed a finger in his chest, and my eyes flew wide open. This little wolf was nothing like her timid human counterpart, it seemed!

“And you! How you not even see the only thing in here my girl like? She try to show you, but you too busy deciding everything for her. You nolistento her!”

“What? No! I...” Ash’s voice trailed off, his eyes flaring neon green as his wolf surfaced, and Sid was in charge seconds later.

“My darling, I sorry. Ashy get excited sometimes and lost in his head. He not mean to ignore—”

“How none of your boys know they hurting Posy?” Lark spat, her frustration visibly boiling over, and I wondered what the hell Wyatt and Cole did to cause this disaster.

Thankfully, Mase and Jay came back from dropping our purchases at the car and tried to calm everyone down, but when Lark admitted that Posy was hurt and frightened, Granite, Topaz, and Sid let my brothers know just how unhappy they were while Mase’s wolf snarled his rage at them.

Unfortunately, Lark seemed to take Garnet’s anger as directed toward her and began stuttering apologies, covering her face with her hands and curling her shoulders in as if to physically protect herself.

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