Page 2 of The Beta’s Heart (Five Fangs #5)

Peri Barlow

“Dammit.”

I sighed, staring at the red spot on my underwear. Even though it was as regular as clockwork, I’d hoped my period wouldn’t start today. Not only did I have to give a presentation in my least favorite class, protect my besties from their bullies during gym, and retake my test in English, I had to do it all while checking the back of my pants every five minutes!

“What a great Monday,” I grumbled as I searched my bathroom cupboard for pads, then folded toilet paper into a thick wad when I couldn’t find any. “I know I bought some yesterday! What the hell could have happened to them?!”

With my makeshift pad in place, I headed to Mom and Dad’s room, hoping she had extras and that I wouldn’t bleed through before I got there.

I was almost twelve when my real mom, Kelly, died. About nine months later, Dad and Alpha Shawn Black’s widow, Genevieve, decided the best way to keep their kids, their packs, and their sanity intact was to take each other as chosen mates.

It was a rough transition. The Great Rocks and River Rapids packs combining was hard enough, but merging the Black and Barlow households was even tougher. Lots of arguing and crying marked the first few weeks, but everything slowly settled into place. The boys sorted out their pecking order and room arrangements, and thankfully, I didn’t have to share a room with any of them.

Perks of being the only girl.

As for Dad and Evie, they treated each other like roommates until one day—seemingly out of the blue—they realized they were in love. I didn’t know what took them so long. I knew there was something up with Dad the day Evie’s monthly cycle restarted, causing the last of her mate mark to fade. There was just something in his face as he held her while she sobbed. As for Evie, I’d caught her staring at Dad one day with this look in her silvery blue eyes and I could tell her heart was gone.

Why all of my knucklehead brothers were surprised when Mom and Dad announced they were expecting a pup, I didn’t know. While the boys rubbed their heads, I danced around, happy for them and excited to have a baby in the family.

In hindsight, if I had known what William—and later Winston—would be like, I would have run away. They were as mischievous as a pair of leprechauns, point proven when I found them in the hallway, plastering my new pads all over Wesley’s bedroom door.

“What are you doing?” I demanded, planting my fists on my hips.

“Put pane stickahs up fo’ Wes,” Winnie said, smiling at me.

“Because he likes airplanes so much,” William added, also smiling.

“Those are not airplane stickers!” I hissed, marching over to see if there was anything worth salvaging. “How many times have I told you two not to go into my room without permission?”

Wesley’s door opened, and he stepped into the hallway, took in the scene with a grave face, and then tsked at me.

The little fucker tsked !

At me !

“You should lock your door like I do, Sissy,” he said, shaking his head. “Thank you for thinking of me, heathens, but ask permission before taking something, especially from Sissy’s room.”

Carefully stepping around the mess, Wes pulled his door closed and locked it, patted his baby brothers on the head, and trotted off.

“Argh!” I grabbed my hair in frustration.

“What a mattah, Sissy?” Winston asked, hugging my leg. “You sad we stole stickahs? William telled me to!”

“I did not!” William argued, hugging my other leg. “We decided together!”

“Boys, it’s not important.” I rubbed my forehead where a headache was forming. “Listen, don’t take my things without permission. Those aren’t stickers. They’re … girl stuff, and I need them and now I don’t have them.”

“Sorry, Sissy. We wanted to surprise Wes,” William said. “We’ll ask Daddy to stop at the store and get you some more.”

“Sowwy, Sissy. We ask Daddy get you mo’,” Winnie copied.

Their puppy dog eyes and pouty lips never let me stay mad at them for long. Sighing, I leaned down and hugged them, then told them that their punishment was to clean up their mess all by themselves. They nodded without arguing, and I hurried to Mom’s bathroom because bending over like that had been a really bad idea.

“Sissy! You has wed on you butt!” Winnie squealed as I disappeared into our parents’ bedroom.

“Did you sit in paint?” William yelled. “I can get Mom!”

“No, I’m fine, babies. Don’t worry about it. You two just clean up,” I called back, then muttered, “while I do the same.”

Opening Mom’s closet and finding it as empty of pads as mine had been, I banged my forehead against the cold tile wall.

“Mother. Fucking . Mondays!”

“Peri Louise Barlow!” Mom’s English accent couldn’t soften her outrage. “That’s a tenner in the swear bear! Here, I found a few in my purse.”

She handed me three pads.

“How did you—”

“Wesley, of course. I’ll run to the shops after getting the lads dressed. Will these be enough until I can meet you at school with more?”

“Yeah, and I can always go to the nurse’s office if not.” Taking the pads, I hugged her. “You’re a lifesaver, Mom. What would I do without you?”

“Drown in a sea of testosterone,” she said drolly, patting my back.

“You and Dad made sure of that!”

“I suppose we did,” Mom chuckled.

Even though my oldest brother, Cole, and oldest step-brother, Wyatt, had moved out two years ago, I still had plenty of younger ones to deal with. My brother Archer turned fifteen a few days ago, and my step-brothers Wayne, Wade, and Wesley had birthdays coming up next. Wayne would be fifteen, Wade twelve, and Wesley nine. Wade was especially excited because he’d get his wolf this year.

And then there were the babies. The wild animals known as my half-brothers. William and Winnie were born exactly two years apart on April 29, and we always had one party for the two of them. This year, though, Mom thought that since William would be five and Winnie three, it was time to celebrate each boy individually and asked if I wanted to be in charge of party planning.

Of course I said yes! But when I asked the little heathens what they’d each like for their party, they were shocked and then confused.

“We tins, Sissy. We always togettah.” Winnie’s eyes welled up with fat tears as he gripped William’s hand.

“It’s together .” Crouching down next to him, I ran my hand up and down his back. “And you’re not twins . You were born on the same day , but not the same year . You weren’t inside Mom together at the same time—”

“Doesn’t matter, Sissy.” William wrapped his little arms around Winnie, who hid his face in his brother’s throat. “We’re like twins. We do everything together, and we always will.”

Seeing them clinging to each other, I forgot all about them eating my chocolate-scented lip gloss the day before and hugged them both, admitting that William was right. These two were twinnier than my friends Callie and Keeley Breckenridge, and they were identical twins!

“All right, babies, we’ll have one party like always, but only if you’re sure you’re not going to get jealous or resent each other.” After I explained what I meant, they nodded their bright blond heads and happy grins lifted their chubby cheeks. “Now we need to pick a theme. I was thinking dinosaurs or building blocks, since you both like either of them—”

“Race cars!”

“Wace caws!”

They shouted at the same time, proving how in tune they were, although their choice was hardly a shock. Like most of the males in the family, they were obsessed with anything that went vroom .

“All right, then, poppet, hop into my shower while I fetch your clothes,” Mom said now, bringing me back to the moment. “Did you pick an outfit, or shall I?”

“I did, but my white dress isn’t an option anymore. Just grab any top you think is cute and my pair of stretchy black pants. Ugh! I hate this!”

“Look on the bright side, love. It’s only three more months until you turn eighteen and find your mate. Then your cycle will switch to yearly heats. Isn’t that a lovely little benefit?”

“Definitely,” I agreed as she walked away. “Thanks, Mom! I love you!”

“My pleasure,” she called back, “and I love you, too!”