Filed To Story: Secret with Betas Daughter: Skylar Story Series
Cam grabs my hand this time and drags me out back. Luna Ava and Delta Gwen are on lounge chairs each with a glass of wine. Alpha Lucas is manning the grill where I can smell burgers. My mouth starts to water. Delta Kyle and
Gamma Brett come walking out with coolers. “Underage cooler on the right, Legal’s on the Left.”
Gamma Brett shouts out to everyone “Seriously?” Oliver looks at his dad. “You aren’t going to share? “Nope, what you do when not in my presence is what you do and I don’t care as long as you don’t do anything stupid that harms someone or makes me a grandpa before you find your mate. But in my presence you are an underage teenager with rules that apply.”
We all laugh and I think that is the first time I have seen Oliver blush. That’s three whole emotions out of him today. “l hope you like burgers, sweetheart.”
Alpha Lucas calls over to me as I am getting a soda out of the underage’ cooler. miey are actually my favorite, how did you know?” I walked over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He just stared at me for a minute with a goofy smile on his face before he cleared his throat, %rriors tend to be burger fans, and from what I’ve heard and seen you are one of our best.”
I smiled again and I turned to walk away. “Wait, are you blushing Dad?” Dakota laughs. That makes me smile a bit more, but I try to hide it. The Alpha is cute when he is in dad mode. “l don’t know what you’re talking about If my face is red, its due to the heat from the grill.”
Alpha Lucas clears his throat again. Cam walked over and both twins were laughing at him and talking too low for me to hear. “Skylar, did you find a dress?” Luna Ava asked, diverting my attention from the alphas. And that was all the invitation Sierra needed to launch into descriptions of every dress I put on and showing her and Delta Gwen the carousel of photos she has. I didn’t realize how many she actually took. She finally got to the one of the dress we finally chose. “So this is the one and you will be able to see we all agreed unanimously.”
She slid to the next picture, only it wasn’t a picture it was a video of me walking out. I don’t even recognize myself. I look happy and healthy. My high curled ponytail and crescent necklace and even my shoes complete the look in the corseted dress. You can hear the guys’ exclamations, but I only just noticed their faces in the mirror. Eyes wide, mouths open, just in shock. Another warm feeling washes over me, their looks are of appreciation not scandal or even fake interest. don’t think I have ever seen them look at me like that before and we have been hanging out for months. She even caught the exchange between my brother and Sam and the four of us had a good laugh. “l am going to need a copy of that video, the boys reactions are priceless.”
Luna Ava said and Delta Gwen agreed.
“Alright, burgers are all done, everyone go and fill a plate.”
Alpha Lucas calls and ushers everyone into the kitchen with the large platter of grilled meat. We all filled up plates and went back out to take seats at an oversized table off to one side of the pool. Everything was so delicious. We were all laughing and eating at the large patio table, conversation was effortless. The guys were talking about birthdays in the past and regaling Sierra and I with some of their antics. The adults filled in some more embarrassing details the guys ‘forgot.’ knew my stomach was going to hurt tomorrow from laughing so hard. We sat there until the sun started to go down. As we all finished up and plates were all but licked clean, Mateo got up and grabbed my empty plate. Sam did the same for Sierra. The rest of the boys got up and took plates from all the adults wordlessly. That was strange. The confusion must have shown on Sierra’s and my face. mlese boys eat well and have it easy when they are in the house, so it’s their job to clean up dinner when we all get together like this.”
Luna Ava explains. “They have done it their whole lives. They aren’t too important to help out with basic things around the house.”
Sierra and I look back over into the full glass windows showing the whole of the kitchen. Again, I think of a well oiled machine. They just move in sync with each other, all communicating without saying words, getting the job done quickly. The whole kitchen is cleaned and put back to normal in less than thirty minutes. It really is a sight to see and I cant help the big smile that crosses my face. has you looking ike that?’ Sierra bumps me in the ribs and whispers to me. The way the boys move together, Ys fun to watch. I noticed it at the mall today too. They don’t even have to look at each other or say anything, like all the cogs in a well tuned machine.”
I shrugged like It was no big deal. A large cake was set in front of me with fifteen burning candles. Where did that come from? I really had to get better at reading Sierra’s distraction techniques. I didn’t even notice them bringing it out. Singing starts as I look at the beautiful round cake with light blue frosting and dark blue piping spelling out ‘Happy 15th Skylar.’ I blew out the candles and everyone clapped and cheered. The beautiful moment set me off and tears I have been holding back since this morning just spilled over. A warm arm wraps around the back of my shoulders and pulls me sideways into a tight hug. wrap my arms under his and bury my head into his neck and breathe in the familiar calming scent and just let my tears go. Mateo shifts and pulls me onto his lap and snuggles me closer. mlis is how it will always be from now on, baby sis. This is how it should have always been. Can you forgive me? ” He’s whispering in my ear. ‘l didn’t know, or really didn’t pay enough attention to notice that you never got anything on your birthday. No party, no presents, we didn’t even acknowledge it. I can’t imagine what that must have been like. am so sorry.”
Mateo pulls back and looks in my eyes, his are filled with unshed tears. I just nod, don’t even know if I could speak without crylng again. “l dont know if dad will ever be able to be around, since he also lost his mate today and that breaks something inside of you, but I have made my choice and I choose to spend it with the person still here, alive and kicking. Instead of spending it six feet above a person I don’t even remember.”
We both start crying and embrace again. I just let it all out and squeeze him as hard as I can, hope I don’t hurt him. I don’t know how long we sat like that, but the rest of our friends just eft us in peace. When we pulled back he rubbed his thumbs under my eyes, drying the tears and wiping away the smudged racoon eyes that I’m sure are there. “Did you tell them? The guys and Sierra, do they know this is a first for me?” “Yes, I had to explain a bit _ They know you’ve never had a party before and that I think you usually spend it alone because dad takes me with him to visit mom. I don’t think the Luna knew about that part, | have never seen her so pissed before. She had some choice words to say about dad’s and my behavior, straight to our faces. | thought
Alpha Lucas was going to have to step in to calm her down.”
He grimaced at the memory.
“But what about dad, and his reputation? I tense up in Mateo’s hold. “He’s going to be so angry at me when he finds out people know he doesn’t really want me and he blames me for mom’s death. He’s going to lock me in my room for a week after this. Maybe worse if the Luna yelled at him.”
can feel my panic rise, shallow breaths coming in fast but providing no oxygen, and I start to try and get off my brothers lap to go back to the house and hide, waiting for the storm to hit. “Don’t you dare try and leave and he won’t be mad at you. He already knows what we have been doing all day. Luna Ava set him straight pretty fast, I have actually never seen her use her Luna aura before, but it was impressive. I am actually more scared of her than of the Alpha think. He was told if he couldn’t behave like a parent grateful for an amazing child, then he could make himself scarce for the day.”
“But” He got in trouble with the Luna and she used her aura on him. I was going to be in really big trouble, he might actually harm me this time. “No buts, this knowledge changes nothing. He has known for three days that we were going to do this. I thought Sierra was going to rip my arms off when I told her today was your birthday and we had nothing planned. She is also very scary, you have some fierce women who care about you.”
He gave me a little sideways smile, that I’m sure gets his way with any girl he wants. “You are going to enjoy the rest of the night with us. Like we told you, it’s tradition and you are a part of the crew now.”
you guys really do breakfast, shopping and a barbeque for all of your birthdays? I ask skeptically. There is no way they do this with just each other. They are all attention whres_ They probably have raging parties that they invite the whole school to. I wouldn’t actually know, I’ve never been included in Mateo’s birthday before. “On our actual birthdays, yes, this is what we do. We don’t get up nearly as early as we did for you, that was brutal by the way. But, with your training schedule it was hard to beat you out of the house this morning. I am going to sleep the whole day tomorrow to make up for the lack of sleep last night.”
“Don’t act like you don’t stay up all night with your extra curricular females and get up and function the next day.”
scoff at him playfully. “They don’t stay all night, we take care of needs and they leave.”
“AH! La La La La La! I don’t need details.”
I cover my ears. He pulls my hands down laughing. “But I still get more sleep having than I did planning and executing your party with that crazy friend of yours and the Luna.”
I scrunch my nose, but at least he said his conquests leave when he’s done with them. I don’t know if I could handle facing any of his bed buddies the morning after. “Okay, enough is enough. You are done with sibling bonding. He’s a d*ck and he’s sorry. The rest of us are stupid and didn’t pay any attention to what was going on around us and we are sorry. You, being the gracious person you are, forgive us wholeheartedly. Now eat your damn cake, I slaved for minutes choosing it at the bakery and getting the icing to match your eyes just right.”
Sam saunters through the back door with the largest slice of cake I have ever seen and sets it in front of me. les a two layered cake with chocolate on the bottom and vanilla on the top and some kind of caramel in between the two. I took a small bite, it was heaven on a fork. I close my eyes and moan a little bit as the flavor explodes on my tongue. “If that’s all takes, Little Bit, we can continue this “Don’t you finish that sentence or you will be searching for missing teeth.”
Mateo growls out. I try to hide a laugh, but Sierra and the rest of the guys just roll their eyes and laugh along with Sam’s antics as they join us. shift to sit next to Mateo on the bench and finish my cake.
The parents must have decided to leave us alone after my emotional display. So it’s just Sierra, the guys and sitting at the patio table now enjoying dessert. I can still hear the adults talking somewhere inside the house though. “So, you get to pick my birthday cake every year Sam! This was great!” laughed at his smug expression as he started to preen himself like the male peacock he is. “Okay, one more tradition before the night is over.”
Cam says standing up and taking his shirt off. I immediately look away, but I am met with the rest of the guys taking off their clothes too. What the hell is going on? am surrounded by the sexiest guys know, who are now down to their boxer briefs. There is nowhere safe to look. can feel my face burn with embarrassment at the idea of being caught ogling them. They don’t need that ego boost, but damn it was hard to look away. They are all 16 year old gods chiseled from head to toe. Every muscle was defined, no area receives more attention than another. Arms corded and ripped, moving with every small twist of the wrist of fingers. Biceps and shoulders taught, abs flexing as they pull the shirts over their heads and those devilish ‘V’ muscles dipping into their barely hanging on shorts. Oh boy, did the temperature just
“Like what you see Tiny?’ My eyes go wide at Cam catching me staring at all of them. “Umm..”
I have literally been rendered stupid and speechless while also wanting the ground to swallow me “It’s okay, you can always share too, if it would make you feel more comfortable.”
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.