Aster
One moment I was flirting my generous ass off with my mate, already headed to his house, and then the next thing I knew he was screaming. Not some shocked shout or quick thing but a long winded, pain filled, heart stopping death shriek, and then it sounded like he’d dropped me, the phone, that is, and then everything was muffled. I could make out his frantic pleas and odd noises, which had me stepping on the gas and hauling ass to his place as my skin instantly started to ripple.
My mate was in trouble. Something was seriously wrong. And then, as I pulled up to his place, shot out of my car and charged up the lawn, shifting as I went, tearing through his house, I found him staring down some angry little blond woman, surrounded by all these other females I was too far gone to see, and he was clutching our love blossom protectively, shouting from the top of his lungs.
Scenting little ones near, reacting, my vines shot out, clapping to small ears, and I let out a roar to shut them all up.
Once everyone was literally gaping at me, I released all the little ones and rushed for my Greniv. He gathered me to him, wrapping an arm around me protectively like he didn’t barely reach my shoulder with me shifted almost fully and him barely partially shifted.
Still clutching our love blossom to him with one hand, his arm banding it to him, his other arm wrapping around me, his hand stroking my back as if he wished to calm me down. Both hands busy at the moment, he pressed the side of his face to my chest.
“Mine,” the words were barely that as they tumbled, a soft but deep, garbled mumble, from my lips.
“She says I’m hers.” Gren shifted his head so he could beam at me, then at the ladies. “I’m hers,” he said again, pride in his voice. “This is our love blossom,” he informed the women, without an ounce of hesitation. It did strange, funny things to me when he talked like that.
A collective, “Oooooh,” left the couch brigade.
The woman that smelled like a dog in the wind blinked, glanced from her daughters to me, and then smiled. “What a neat trick.”
My gaze moved along, finding Penelope seated amongst the group. “Hello, Aster,” Penelope greeted sheepishly. Her hand lifted in a wave as she bit her lip. The twins popped up upon hearing my name. “Abster! My plant lady!” They both shouted, then came racing around the couch to hug my legs like they did at the nursery.
“She’s my plant lady,” I thought I heard my Gren murmur between fake coughing fits.
Warmth unfurled in my chest, until tight little buds of blossoms were sprouting along my shoulders, neck, and back.
“I love your bloomy thingy,” the blond next to Penelope offered, grimacing as she tried to smile and it looked forced. “I’m Viv, Pen’s sister, and this is Violet.” She brushed the strawberry blond wavy tresses of her daughter’s hair out of her face, grinning when her little one, roughly the size of a nine or ten year old if I was guessing right, blew a loud raspberry. “And this chill dude is Dresig,” she announced, ruffling the wild puff of blood red hair on her squat, thickly built little boy. Trolls.
My head dipped in acknowledgment.
“She can’t answer you until she shifts back,” Gren explained. His hand at my back had yet to loosen. When I looked to the ladies, then back at Gren questioningly, he nodded. “They broke into the house and stole our love blossom-”
When my nostrils flared and a rumble started up in my chest, the women present stiffening, clearing his throat, he quickly corrected, “They, uh, relocated it to the living room, I mean. See? It’s here. No need to maim or otherwise bury my friends in the swamp. They meant well.” His brow furrowed, face squinting adorably. “I think.”
“Wow, Green be- I mean, Gren. Thanks, buddy,” Viv murmured dryly.
“We meant well.” Penelope’s head bobbed like her head was loose on her neck.
“He was trying to tell us he had a mate, weren’t you, Green? But we weren’t listening,” Kat said softly.
Viv scowled but quietly murmured, “Now that that’s all out, I’m sorry I yelled at you.”
“I’m sorry you yelled at me, too, Vivienne,” Gren said quickly, then gave the woman a goofy, lopsided grin when she looked at him sharply and snorted out a laugh. When he glanced up to find me watching the byplay curiously, he curled his hand more firmly around my thick waist and cuddled into me.
His eyes met mine and we stared for what could have been moments but felt like an eternity. My heart was pounding so hard I felt dizzy. It was broken up when a soft round of sighs pricked my ears.
“That is too cute.” Kat fanned her face then, blinking rapidly. “Hormones,” she told no one in particular.
Viv raised her hand. “I cried at an ad for two for one burritos last week.” When her sister looked to her curiously, Viv explained, “Heartburn. Can’t eat the blasted things with this one brewing.”
Pen laughed and leaned over to tap her on the knee. “That sounds like you, Vivi divvy.” Shaking her head, her gaze fell on us. “You two make a very cute couple. I’m glad Ben’s meddling, a rarity, I might add,” she said with a proud smile, “has ended up being your true match. I’d thought when Gren, uh… I’d thought… erm.” Penelope’s face suddenly turned three shades of red and she clapped her trap shut, but I could guess where her comments were headed.
“We’re glad it all worked out,” Viv finished for her.
“Can I have sket-e-toes?” Jules tugged at one of the vines wrapped around my leg to ask.
“Unca Green Beans keeps the skettied-toads for us,” Giles said with a nod.
Gren blushed at the reminder of that disastrous first date. Looking down at my mate, I cocked my head, then slowly slid my gaze to the boys. It took him a moment to realize I wanted him to answer them.
