Page 117 of The Beta's Heart

So much different than her sister, Ty chuckled in the link.

Yep. How do you think they got here?

I’m sure she’ll tell us given enough time since she seems like a chatterbox.

The complete opposite of Gamma Adam,I snickered.That’s going to be interesting!

Well, Nick’s a lot more talkative than Adam, but he’s far from a chatterbox,Ty pointed out, and here he is mated to a little mouse. Bet their meals are going to be quiet ones!

The Goddess knows best,I said with a shrug.And they all look so happy.

They do, and I’m happy for them.

“Did you just move to the area?” I asked, digging without trying to make it look like I was digging.

“Yes. We opened a new cake shop in Greenville, and Adam came in this morning to order his parents’ anniversary cake! That’s how we met!”

“I tagged along, thank the Goddess,” Nick added, “and met my Reggie.”

“This is our cousin, Delilah Evergreen.” Georgie pointed to the blue-haired girl. “She’s going to be a senior in high school this year.”

“Oh, you’ll be with us!” I enthused as I shook Delilah’s hand. “That’s great! I’ll introduce you to all our friends! Fair warning, though: They’re going to be so interested in learning about you and your culture. I hope that doesn’t put you off meeting them.”

“I’m always happy to talk,” Delilah giggled. “Probably a little too much. Makes up for this one here.”

She nudged Reggie with her elbow and burst out laughing, but that only made the poor thing grab the hem of Gamma Nick’s t-shirt, pull it up as she pressed her front against his back, and pull it down over her.

“Oh, my Goddess. These mate sparks are going to kill me!” Gamma Nick hissed as the fabric of his shirt rippled with the shape of two arms coming around to encircle his waist, and he gently rubbed his hands over his shirt where two littler ones were outlined.

“Did I scare her?” I asked with worried eyes. “I didn’t mean to.”

“She’s done that three times since we’ve been here,” Gamma Adam worked up the nerve to tell me, even if it was with a stammer and pink cheeks. “I thinkeverythingscares her.”

“Our Reggie’s shy and awkward. Always has been.” Georgie stretched out a hand and rubbed it up and down her twin’s back through Gamma Nick’s shirt. “Not like me! Right, Adam?”

“Uh, right.” Gamma Adam blushed furiously, rubbing the back of his neck. “Anything you say, my love.”

“Well, you’re certainly starting off right,” Tyler chuckled, clapping him on the back. “Congratulations to all of you!”

“Thanks, beta.” Gamma Nick nodded, a rare smile breaking through his somber demeanor.

“Everyone, could I have your attention, please?” Emmeline called out with a cheerful clap. “Rio and I have something to share.”

All eyes turned to the couple, and a hush fell over the crowd. Gamma Rio wrapped an arm around Emmeline, his smile broadening as he looked down at his mate.

“We’re having a pup!” he announced, his voice filled with pride.

Regina came out of her hiding spot to clap with me and the other fairies as well as the other gammas’ and betas’ mates, but most ofthe boys had fallen as silent as the grave, their eyes silently warning Gamma Rio that they were about to kick his ass—and I knew why.

Like me, Emmeline was eighteen and about to start her senior year of high school. How would she handle the inevitable snide comments from the humans at school?

Then again, it’s Emmeline we’re talking about, I thought with a snort.Anyone who tests her waters better know how to swim!

I remembered her having it out with the queen bees at school last fall. She used to be friendly with Korine, Heidia, and Olivia, but after she became mates with Gamma Rio, they turned on her.

Didn’t help that Gamma Rio and Heidia were together at the time. Emmeline turned eighteen the day Gamma Rio graduated, and he immediately broke it off with Heidia and started to woo his mate, who was pure human and knew nothing of shifters. It took him all summer to convince Emmeline that he was sincere and hadn’t dumped her friend for her. He also had to explain about our world and his place in the pack.

Although she couldn’t smell his special mate scent, the mate sparks helped his cause, and the bond growing between them was undeniable, even for a human. Once she was positive of his intentions and got to meet his family and his wolf, she demanded a small wedding in his parents’ backyard complete with wedding rings, saying that if she was going to wear his mark, he was going to wear hers.

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