Page 84 of Mates: Posy

"Lilah?"

Remembering his question, I nodded, and he slid his arms under me. Unfortunately, he jostled too many broken bones, and I couldn't hold out against the agony any longer.

With a nearly soundless whine, I flopped bonelessly into darkness.

20: Aftermath

Cole

Sliding into the parking lot sideways, Ash slammed the SUV into park, jostling Quartz and Topaz around in the cargo area. As soon as Mase and Wyatt threw open the doors, we leapt out and found our five betas holding the line against twenty or so wolves who were trying to get into the diner.

Gisela and Luke’s wolves streaked past us, and Ranger ran with them, nearly as fast on two legs as they were on four. The trio zipped around the side of the building, and I wondered what they knew that we didn't.

Meanwhile, Quartz dove into the fray with a thunderous growl that caused three of the Tall Pines wolves to instantly submit and drop to their bellies. He tore out their throats without a second’s hesitation.

The king will want prisoners, Topaz tried to remind him, but there was no reasoning with him now.

We went out through the kitchen,Peri called through the link. Heading for the treeline!

What? No, no, no! Go back inside!I screamed. We’re here now.

Too late, big bro. We’re halfway across the f—

Her thoughts cut off, and I hardly needed to hear the king’s shout to know what had happened.

"More enemies coming in from the west!"

"The girls are in the field out back!" Crew yelled as he fought off two wolves.

"Topaz, with me," King Julian ordered and took off.

I followed him without question, knowing Quartz alone could finish the wolves attacking the betas.

As we rounded the corner of the building, I saw Ranger had a group of about six wolves on their bellies in submission. Three dozen other wolves - our border patrol and the Tall Pines wolves - were locked in combat. The battle centered around a bloody, light-colored wolf who lay on her side and panted. I would have guessed she was an alpha based on her size alone. Luke’s wolf, whose name I still didn’t know, killed wolf after wolf in a widening circle around her.

The king was following his nose and headed in the direction of his mate, and I looked around for mine. About thirty feet away, Gisela’s wolf stood over a lump half-hidden in the tall grass.

Posy!

Topaz shot off like a low-flying bullet and we were by her side in seconds. Gisela’s wolf moved back a step, and Topaz dipped his head in thanks. After he sniffed our girl all over, he found a thin trickle of blood from a goose egg on her forehead, which told the story of what happened clearly enough.

Lark is asleep, too,he told me.

Ash, Wyatt, Mase!I linked my brothers.Any of you still have hands, or did you all shift?

We didn’t shift,Ash replied. Mase is trying to rein Quartz back in before he kills them all.

Leave him and come here now! Posy's unconscious and needs to be carried.

Unconscious?!he screeched. What happened?

She's hurt? How bad is it?Wyatt demanded.

Wyatt, Ash, go. I’ve got this.

Mase's even tone didn't waver. He could have been discussing the weather. I knew better, though. The calmer, quieter he got, the more emotional he was. The younger two were only now starting to pick up on the fact that he wasn't the iceman that he showed the world.

Posy knows, Topaz murmured as he licked the blood from her forehead.She made sure Ash and Wyatt understand now, too.

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