21 Mate!

Posy

After school on Friday, Peri, Grace, and I hung around outside the gym as we waited for the guys to be done showering after football practice.

"Grace, you're only taking a couple of classes in the morning, right?" Peri asked.

"Yeah, I just needed a math, a science, and a year of Spanish to graduate."

"What do you do the rest of the day while you wait for Landry?" I tilted my head, curious as to how she filled the hours.

"I signed up for a few AP classes." She shrugged. "I'm not too sure about going to college, so I thought this was a way to see if I'd like it."

As we chatted, Yolanda, Bram, and Sophia joined us with Delilah Evergreen in tow.

"It's unusual to see you all here this late," I said as we greeted each other. "Is everything okay? Do you need rides?"

"Dellie and I are waiting for Adam to pick us up," Sophia explained. "We"re going to drop her off at the cake shop, and I"m going to pick up our order for the party."

"And Yoyo and I are hitching a ride with the Halls today," Bram added.

"Oh, do they live close to you?" I asked.

"No, but they are going out of town after this, and they"ll be driving right past Yoyo"s place."

"You"re staying at hers?" Grace asked, her eyes alight with curiosity and speculation.

Of course, since Bram had turned eighteen today, everyone was match-making, wondering who his mate was going to be, but I knew it wasn't Yolanda. Even if Bram wasn't gay, there was zero chemistry between them. Plus, I had the feeling there was someone else for each of them.

"Yeah. I"m kind of avoiding my mom at the moment." Bram scrubbed one hand over the back of his neck.

"But it"s your birthday. Don"t you want to spend it with her?"

"More like, she doesn"t want to spend it with me." His face burned red and he dropped his eyes. "She"s always been embarrassed to have an omega for a son."

"Oh, Bram, I"m so sorry!" Grace apologized. "I didn"t mean to hurt you by sticking my nose in your business."

"It"s common knowledge, Gracie. Don"t worry about it." He gave her a washed-out smile. "But now that I"m legally an adult, I can start looking for my own place."

"You should start working with me at Roger's on the weekends," Peri teased. "Apartments aren"t cheap, you know!"

"Tell me about it. I"ve been talking to Mr. Ramirez about renting a room." He slung an affectionate arm around Yolanda"s shoulders. "He loves me and said, since I"m there all the time anyway, I might as well move in."

"Good thing I love you like a brother," Yolanda murmured, then ducked her head shyly under all our attention.

The bigger the crowd around her, the quieter Yolanda became, so I was happy that she was comfortable enough to speak even a little bit with so many of us standing there.

"Besides, I'll be off to college soon anyway," Bram tried to put a positive spin on it, but I could see the sadness in his eyes. "I don't know how I'll afford it, but I want to be a librarian someday, and you have to have a master's degree for that."

My antennae shot up at the word librarian, and "alpha library" flashed in bright red letters across my brain. I would have to talk to Jayden first, of course, but I didn't see why we couldn't interview Bram for the job.

"You know you'll get at least one academic scholarship," Sophia told him.

"Still, there are books and fees and—"

"You're going to college," I said with a little frown. "Don't even worry about the money. We'll figure that part out."

"Does Greenville State offer what you need?" Grace asked him, and he nodded. "That"s where I"ll go, too, if I decide to get a degree. I can"t be away from Landry to go elsewhere."

"Very few pack members go anywhere other than GSU," Peri pointed out. "It's a Division I school, which means lots of athletic scholarships. That's where Coach Hall went, and he got drafted into the NFL."

"I knew he played pro ball." Sophia tilted her head. "How long was he in the NFL?"

"Four years before he missed the pack too much and quit." Peri shrugged. "Everyone in the world of football was shocked. I mean, he did lead the league in sacks the last two years of his career."

"That"s when he came to work here?" I clarified.

"Yep. Last year. He"s also one of our part-time warriors—"

A shout cut Peri off.

"Luuunnnaaa!"

With Spring trotting after him, Thoreau raced up to me with bright eyes as if he hadn"t seen me a couple of hours ago.

"Guess what, luna? Guess what?!"

"Oh, my goodness! What, Reau?" I grinned as he came to a sudden stop right in front of me.

"Mama and Papa said Chi-Chi and Way-Way can stay overnight tonight! We're going to work on the secret fort tomorrow!"

"Did you think they'd say no?" Peri chuckled. "You guys are always at each other's houses."

"And then on Sunday, we"re going to a party!" Ignoring her, he turned toward our new friends. "Are you sure you want me there? You can invite Wayne and Arch without me, you know."

"Of course we want you there," Sophia said with a kind smile. "Why wouldn"t we? You"re sweet and funny and kind."

"I am?" He tilted his head to the left as his eyes widened, and Spring huffed out a laugh.

"Yes," we all said together, making him grin.

"So you are my friend, too?" His pretty eyes grew even wider.

"Yes, Thoreau, we are your friends." Bram smiled at him.

"Woo-hoo!" he howled and sprinted off toward the football field.

"Where"s he going now?" Archer grumbled as he and Wayne came over with the Hall twins. "I asked him not to wander off."

"Dude, he"s fine." Wayne"s laughing eyes followed Thoreau as he ran full speed around the track. "Might need another shower after running around in this heat and humidity, but he"s fine."

"How that little guy has energy left is beyond me," said one of the twins. "Big brother was trying to kill us or something today!"

"Quit your bellyaching, or Monday will be worse," said a deep, gruff voice.

I turned my head to see Jared Hall looming behind his younger brothers. He surely was a big man - on par with Emerson, Mason, and Cole - and I could definitely see him being a leader in the world of professional football.

Although I wonder what a sack is.

"Where are you guys off to?" Grace asked.

"Camping in the mountains," the twins said together.

"But you"ll be back in time for the party, right?" Bram's face grew anxious.

"Of course!"

I grinned. Did these two say everything together?

Then Thoreau pounded up to us, his chest heaving and his shirt soaked in sweat.

"Did you get all of the ants out of your pants?" Delilah teased him.

Knowing what was coming, I put my hand over my mouth to stifle my giggles.

"Ants? What ants? I do not have any ants, and I am not wearing pants, Dellie! These are called shorts!"

Even Jared cracked a smile at that one.

"Mate!" shouted an unfamiliar voice, and we all turned to see a large, handsome man running towards us.

"Oo, Bram! Is he here for you?" Sophia squealed. "You said Smoke is restless today!"

"I don"t think so. I don't smell anything unusual, but Smoke is wiggling around even more than before."

Then Delilah gasped, and we all turned toward her.

"Mmm! A nice, thick Daddy for Dellie," she purred with love-struck eyes.

Most of us flushed red, but Thoreau asked why Delilah"s father was here, and Wayne and Archer shushed him by promising they"d explain later

The stranger was closing in fast, and I could smell his alpha blood. I didn't get to see him, though. My nose was suddenly squashed in Jared Hall"s back as he, the twins, Archer, and Wayne formed a square around me.

"He just wants his mate, guys," I mumbled, overwhelmed that they were so willing to protect me like this without even being told to.

"I prefer an abundance of caution in this situation, luna," Jared rumbled.

"But I want to see!" I poked his shoulder with my index finger. "Can you please step aside?"

"Sorry, luna, but he's not pack. Unless or until I get the all-clear from an alpha, beta, or gamma, you're staying put."

"Then at least tell me what's happening!" I hissed with frustrated impatience.

"An unknown alpha is mates with Delilah. What's to tell?"

Goddess! I rolled my eyes. Men!

"Are they kiss—" I started to ask, but a high-pitched squeal made me snap my mouth closed so I could listen.

"Bram? What is it?" Yolanda asked in her soft voice. "Are you okay?"

"I smell old books and— Oh! Oh, my! He's coming over here! What should I do? What should I do?!"

Since I couldn"t see around Jared, I jumped up and down to peek over him, but that was just a waste of energy. I gave up and crossed my arms over my chest with a pout.

"Who"s coming?" I demanded. "Who is it?"

Then the last voice I expected murmured, "Mate?"