Page 122 of Mates: Posy

I tuned out the rest of his whining as I looked down at my queen's sleepy, flushed face. She would need something to eat, and I was pretty hungry, too. Making up my mind, I gave Ranger new orders.

Go to Roger's Diner and get breakfast for the three of us. I don't care what you pick, but get a variety so there's something Lilah will like. We can eat here before we leave.

Great! Roger's food is the best in the territory,he said happily.Be right back, bro.

Closing the link with a solid slam, I stroked the back of my fingers down my lady's cheek. Her face followed my touch like a flower following the sun.

"Darling, we need to clean up. Ranger's bringing us breakfast, then we need to go over to the five alphas."

I thought my wording was generic enough, but something in my tone must have alerted her.

"What happened?" She narrowed her eyes at me.

"I'll tell you after we get showered. Ranger will need to give me more details while we eat, anyway."

She nodded and petted my beard with both hands before holding my face and kissing me. When she pulled back, her eyes sparkled with tears.

"Lilah?"

"I always thought I wouldn't have a mate or, if I did, he wouldn't want me because of how I look. I was resigned to being alone and lonely. Then you came. You called me your lovely and precious mate and you want to keep me." Her cheeks glowed pink and her smile was huge. "I'm happier than I've ever been in my life. I love you, Julian Hemming."

"And I love you, my beautiful darling. Heart and soul, for the rest of my life, I'm yours and yours alone."

28: Learning Curve

Ash

It took nearly an hour to clear the situation on the northern border.

Quartz, his muzzle dripping with blood and gore, demanded we take Lark home the second the fighting was over. Cole suggested that he go wash up in the nearby river, saying our mate shouldn't see him like that. He didn't snap or even argue, which shocked us all.

Like the rest of us, he was completely wrapped around our girl's little finger.

While he was gone, Mase contacted a patrol to bring a clean-up crew, Wyatt linked the clinic to send a rescue team, and Cole and Arroyo stood guard over the wolves who'd surrendered. Tristan shifted and tended to his mate as best he could with what few medical supplies were in the saddlebags.

I shifted, too, pulled on some shorts, and crouched next to Lark where she still hid under River.

"Hey, baby. Everything's okay. You're safe, all right? We're going to be here a little longer, though. Do you want to play with River for a bit while we wait?"

She yipped at me and wagged her tail, and I took that as a yes.

Not wanting her to see all the dead bodies, I told River to take her over to the small clearing that was within view, then sent Bay and Cove, Emerson's wolf, with them. I watched as they distracted her by chasing butterflies, and she happily pounced and raced around the field. I grinned and shared the sight with my brothers through the mind link.

Even Quartz smiled when I showed him, which shocked me again, but also made me happy. She was helping Jay with him already, and the Goddess knew Jay needed that.

Eventually, we got the prisoners transported to the cells, the injured to the clinic with Tristan accompanying his mate, and the rest of us back to our house. Quartz relinquished control to Jay as soon as our mate was safe in our room, another good sign. We left her alone to shift as we gathered with the remaining betas in the living room.

"Go support Tristan," Mase told them. "Link us when you get word on her condition and let us know as soon as those twins wake up enough to talk."

They nodded their heads and trooped out, and I looked at Mase.

"We all know the beta dudes are Luke and the queen's relatives."

"I ain't looking forward to telling them." Wyatt grimaced and scrubbed a hand through his hair. "The queen is already going to be upset to know that Alpha Halder is still after her, never mind that her family has been hurt."

"Thequeenis going to beupset?" Cole scoffed. "The king is going to freaking explode!"

"Yeah, but that's only blood and damage if he loses his temper. Queen Lilah mightcry, and that's a thousand times harder to take."

---