Page 18 of Pack: Posy 3

"Aw, you look good, kid," Mr. Barlow said with a laugh.

As we walked out of the garage and into the sunlight, my nose quivered as I caught the faintest whiff of butterscotch.

Mate, River breathed, understanding before I did.

It can't be. It's probably something luna is making with lunch, I told him.Pudding or—

No, Ty-Ty. Me smell mate.

Then the breeze shifted and slapped me full-force in the face with the scent, confirming River's words. I staggered and almost fell on my butt, and Alpha Wyatt grabbed my arm to keep me on my feet.

"Whoa! Okay there, buddy?"

Words dried up and died in my throat at the wondrous realization that I had a mate.

"Go around to the pool, Ty," said a voice from far away. "She's waiting for you."

My feet taking over, I raced across the yard and around the house and skidded to a stop because there she was.

My brown-eyed goddess haloed in sunshine.

My beautiful mate.

My Peri.

In the background, I heard voices shout, "Happy birthday!" but all my focus had narrowed to the girl standing before me.

I held out my arms and she fell in them and nothing could have been more perfect than that one crystalline moment.

"I'm so, so happy it's you," I breathed as I held her tight against me and savored the sparks dancing between us.

"Me, too!" she whispered. "I didn't dare to evenwishfor this in case I jinxed it."

"Same." I nuzzled my nose into her hair, smelling Miss Dior mixed with butterscotch and falling more and more in love with each inhale.

"Tyler?" The luna's voice brought me back to reality. "Why don't you take Peri for a walk while we finish up with the grilling?"

I tore my eyes away from my mate to look at the luna and saw nothing but kindness in her eyes. I gulped and nodded, then looked down at my mate -my mate!- and her sunshine smile made my heart stall in my chest.

As I led Peri away, we heard the luna tell her mates, "And bywe,I mean,you."

My mate and I looked at each other and traded grins.

We were about halfway down the driveway before I could speak again.

"Sorry," I murmured. "I'm still in shock."

"Trust me, I am, too," she giggled. "I wish I would have talked to you more at school. I wanted to, but I had to appease the mean girls."

"Wait. What? Youwantedto talk to me at school?"

"Of course, but if I did, the mean girls would target me." She must have seen my confusion because she went on to explain. "You're gorgeous and mysterious, and they've marked you as off limits to the rest of us peasants. Haven't you noticed how no girls approach you other than Korine, Heidia, and Olivia?"

I blinked. Those three were absolute pests. I was always dodging them and going out of my way to avoid them. Then my brain processed more of her words.

"What do you mean gorgeous and mysterious? Are you sure they're talking aboutme?"

"Um, one-hundred percent. And you are both of those things." Nowherface turned red. "Gorgeous speaks for itself, and you're mysterious because you don't interact with girls or let them get close to you."

---