The Beta's Heart

Bonus Story - Posy's Babies - Bunny Time

Author's note: By reader request, now you can read about Lady Fluffington's entry into the Everleigh family. This is the last short story for a while - I want to get started on my next project. Enjoy!

This vignette takes place twenty-two years after Posy becomes luna of Five Fangs. (Ambrose, Bastian and Caspian are 16; Darius and Evander are 14; Felix, Gryphon, and Hadrian are 12; and Ivo and Jericho are 10.)

The five alphas sat around the large mahogany table in their office, papers and laptops scattered between them, though the conversation had drifted away from anything work-related.

Mason leaned back in his chair, arms crossed and brow furrowed as he shared a topic that had been on his mind lately.

"I'd like to do something for Posy," he stated in his typical no-nonsense tone. "I think she might be struggling with empty nest syndrome."

Up until their youngest twins, Ivo and Jericho, started kindergarten, the alphas had arranged their schedule so that at least one of them was home to help Posy with their pups and household chores, especially laundry and grocery runs. That was five years ago, though. Now they were all back to work full-time, and their sons had hectic after-school schedules with clubs and sports and hanging out with friends, not to mention workouts at the pack training center and fighter practice. Mealtimes and weekends were about the only guaranteed family time, and Mase had noticed Posy seemed a little lonely and lost lately.

"Yeah," Cole grunted in agreement, not bothering to look up from the chess game he was playing on his phone. "The first few years, she seemed glad to have the free time, but it's obvious that she volunteers for everything now just to keep herself occupied and fill up the hours until we all get home."

"Did you have something in mind, Mase?" Wyatt asked.

"Not specifically. Was thinking of seeing if she wanted to try a new hobby maybe."

"How about a pet? She's always loved animals." Jayden smiled softly. "Remember how she held that rabbit the first time we took her to the county fair? I think this might be the perfect time to get her one."

"Oh, hell, yes!" Wyatt's eyes lit up, mischief dancing behind them. He slouched in his chair, one arm thrown over the back, as he chimed in. "A rabbit sounds adorable. We can get one of those fluffy ones. You know, with the floppy ears and the fat little bodies— Ha! We should name it something ridiculous like Sir Wigglebottom."

"We're not naming it Sir Wigglebottom," Cole stated flatly, shooting a scowl at him.

"Why not?" Wyatt grinned, completely unbothered. "I bet Posy would love it."

"Wyatt, focus." Mason pinched the bridge of his nose. "Posy will name it, anyway, not us."

"I'm fine with a pet, Jay, but I don't know about rabbit," Cole rumbled. "She'll just get attached to it and someone's wolf will eat it."

"We'll explain it to them," he replied, waving a hand. "I'm sure we can make them understand the concept of a pet rabbit."

Ash, who had been staring at something out the window, suddenly snapped back to attention.

"Oh! Oh! I can build a rabbit run in the backyard. We can get some little ramps! And I'll buy it a hat!"

"A... hat?" Mase blinked at him, struggling to keep up after a long, tedious day. "What does a rabbit need a hat for?"

"Obviously, it needs hats." Ash nodded furiously, now laser-focused. "Frilly dresses, too."

"A whole wardrobe?" Wyatt laughed, shaking his head. "Well, if Ash is going all out, I'll grab some toys. Rabbits like toys, right? I'll get some, uh, rabbitty things."