My Secret, My Bully, My Mates

"Yes, Happy Birthday Mateo. I hope your mate is strong enough to put up with you and smart enough to team up with your sister against you." Mina laughs and Mateo smiles, then she looks back at me. "So what is this I hear about Robbie dropping off random people?"

I groan a little at her. "That is it, literally. He got our attention, by carrying Gentry in like a dead body and then he told me to keep her and the dozen extra people he brought. He told us to figure out how to free them from the binding spell, then just left."

"That is not all he did." Dakota growls. "He was way too comfortable with you, and if he ever gets in your face like that again, I will rip his head off."

"Stop, he wasn't in my face. He just got close enough to tell me something he didn't want anyone else to hear."

"What did he say to you?" Mina asks suspiciously. "He wasn't overly talkative."

"Nothing relevant to this situation." I know this conversation is not over by a long shot.

"What I want to know is why did he bring those captives to you? How did he know you wouldtake them in?" Mateo asks.

"Once they had me with Jena, they spent a lot of time figuring out who and how powerful we were. They found out I was a Beta's kid, so Robbie probably thought I had some pull in the pack to bring in outsiders. He helped get us out and as a former captive, he probably assumed I would help others." I shrug.

"So it's safe to assume he'll be coming back then?" Oliver sounds irritated now. I need these boys to find their mates and give me a break already.

"Nope, we are not doing the pissing match thing again. There is no interest there and yes if he asks for my help and we know the request is legit, I will help. I'm not dumb enough to think this is one hundred percent innocent, but like so many times before, you guys weren't there, so you don't get to be angry on my behalf for the situation now."

"This is not about you being weak and not being able to handle hard situations. Clearly you can, you've apparently

catching his misogynistic comment. I am tired and

stands next to me, "I'm going to grab one more, do you want one?" She looks at me

says as I shake my head. I

grabs both of our bottles and starts to head between Mateo and Oliver's chairs. Somehow she manages to trip, toss the bottles onto the grass behind them and land with a hand on each

growl rips through the backyard. "DO NOT TOUCH MY

her arm. "SKYLAR! IT BURNS!" She turns to me,

off." I run for Jena and kind of throw

an arm around her waist and the other is tilting

to Mina when she felt her bond to Xander

but I passed out." That

least Mina was right," I try to

and she tries to get up, but

a mate. I can't be someone's mate. You know I can't, this isn't fair to him." She's looking at me, pleading, like we are the only two people here. I know what she's talking about, we have had this conversation so many times. It's her biggest fear after everything she

you can, breathe." She takes a deep breath in and I know my brother's scent is helping her as Elena walks