Page 83 of Mates: Posy

Kestrel? Could really use a helping hand right about now.

Still no answer, and I understood. The day we left Tall Pines, Alpha Halder had beaten me to the brink of death. Kestrel had healed the life-threatening injuries and dozens of broken bones, then passed out and had remained asleep since.

Moon Goddess, a little mercy?I begged.

While I was praying, I asked her to spare my new friends. Especially Posy because Callie was right. Those boys would destroy half the world if it saved her, and the other half in their grief if it didn't.

My pain-addled brain stopped working so hard as weariness consumed me.

I'll close my eyes for a minute. Just a minute. That won't hurt anything, will it? Either I'll live or I'll die, and the others are either safe or they're not. I know it's not over until you're underground, but maybe it can pause while you're layingonthe ground.

My rambling thoughts froze as an amazing smell wafted past my nostrils and jolted me into wakefulness.

Freshly ground coffee. The good kind, too. Dark roast with chocolate notes. Rich, deep, complex, and almost a sin to drink.

Mate?My nose quivered. I have a mate? And he's here?

A mighty roar flattened the grass.

"WHERE IS SHE?"

Wolves knelt and bared their necks until only a tall, broad-shouldered man stood silhouetted against the noon sun. Even with the distance between us, I felt the power of the moon radiating off of him and realized he had to be part of the royal pack.

Oh, Moon Goddess, what are you thinking?

Although his long strides ate up the ground quickly, I still had time to study his face, and he was beautiful. Brown hair with blond streaks pulled back into a messy bun. Well-groomed beard that was neither too long nor too short. High cheekbones, straight nose, dark arching brows, and soft pink lips.

Then I met his eyes, pure sky blue ringed with darker blue, and the whole world faded to white noise.

When he reached me, he dropped to his knees and held out one fist. I sniffed it cautiously, then licked his knuckles. A smile lit up his face and eyes.

"My beautiful wolf," he murmured. "YouareLilah, right?"

I nodded, wondering how he knew that.

"I was at the five alphas' house when I smelled the same lovely almond perfume I smell now," he explained.

I moved a little, trying to find a better position, and let out an involuntary whimper when fire tore through my ribs.

"You're injured?"

His voice rose, and he looked at me, reallylookedat me, and saw the blood and broken bones. His eyes glinting with wolf-light, fury scored his face before he composed himself and stroked my head.

"Lilah, my darling mate, I'm so sorry I didn't get here quicker. May I carry you to a safer place where we can get you some help?"

What's the worst that could happen?I asked myself.He drops me?

I was already prepared for him to reject me as soon as I shifted back. Whoever my mate was, he was powerful enough to make all the wolves in the field, including Posy's alphas, submit to him. He had to be very high-ranking in the royal pack; I would have said beta if Luke hadn't told me the new one was a female.

Gamma, maybe?

Regardless, such a dominant wolf would never want a misfit like me for his mate. As hard as it was to accept, I was realistic about it. If he had been a simple, normal wolf, I might have held out some hope, but this gorgeous man would only be embarrassed every time we went out in public together.

And what would the king think to see one of the wolves in his service with a girl like me?

The Moon Goddess likes a laugh, I guess,I thought with unusual acid.

Tears stung my eyes. To have my mate so close and acting so kind was torture when I knew what was coming.

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