Page 150 of Luna: Posy 2

Don't get me wrong. When rogues attack, a whirlwind of fangs and claws is good to have on your side. It's damn disturbing, though, to watch that same berserker burst into tears when he realizes he ate all of his strawberry ice cream.

"Luna." Alpha Bellamy finally decided to get to the purpose of his visit. "This belongs to Emerson. I leave it with you to return to him."

He looked over his shoulder at his wolves and snapped his fingers. They went to the tailgate of the truck, dropped it, and dragged out a large travel crate like the humans used for their dogs. The men carried it over and set it on the grass about ten feet in front of me, then stepped back to flank their alpha.

Smells like a shifter, but I sense no wolf.Al’s interest was piqued. And why a crate like that? A violent shifter would tear that apart in seconds, and why else would you need to contain one?

"Emerson made his mother promise we wouldn't kill the thing," Alpha Bellamy said, "or I would have done so long ago. Tell Emerson it is now his responsibility and he may keep or dispose of it as he wishes. I will bear this burden no longer and wash my hands of it."

With that, he and his men crawled back into the pickup and left as suddenly as they'd arrived.

"Mr. Price?" Posy's voice quavered. "Is there a shifter in there? I smell one, but neither Lark nor I can sense a wolf."

"Same," Tyler added.

"Wait there until I look," I told them.

I made sure they were both going to stay put, then cautiously approached the crate. I could hear soft whimpers, erratic breathing, and a racing heartbeat.

Hunkering down, I peered through the door grid and my eyes widened at what I saw.

"Oh."

"What is it?" Tyler demanded.

"A boy. He looks the same age as Archer and Wayne."

"Fifteen," I heard him tell Posy.

As they talked in hushed tones, I focused on the stone-colored eyes staring back at me through a tangle of dark matted curls. The child, trembling in fear, curled into a ball and pressed himself in the far corner.

"Hey, there, little buddy." Getting on my knees, I tried to make myself smaller and less intimidating, but there was only so much I could do. "My name's Royal Price. What's yours?"

He shook harder and stayed silent. Raising one hand slowly, I saw his eyes follow my every move as I lifted the latch and let the door swing open.

"It's okay," I told him. "You don't have to talk to me if you don't want to. Why don't you come out of there? We can get you something to eat. Would you like that?"

When he only huddled into a tighter ball, I started to crawl into the crate, intending to sit down next to him, but Posy's shout stopped me.

"No, don't do that!"

Popping my head up, I saw her running over with Tyler on her heels.

"It will make him feel crowded and trapped if you go in there with him," she explained when she reached me. "Let's sit on the grass and coax him to come out."

She wants to know if he looks like he's hurt, Tyler linked me as we all sat down a couple of feet away from the crate.

He's got bruises, and he's far too thin.I frowned.I'm going to report this to the king when he returns from Tall Pines. Alpha Bellamy has a lot to answer for. No child should be beaten and starved, even if he's violent or did something wrong.

Agreed, Tyler growled.

"Why did the alpha keep calling him an 'it'?" Posy whispered.

"Another way to torment, humiliate, demean," Tyler answered before I could, and River laced his voice.

"River, don't scare the luna," I murmured.

"Me sorry, luna," River said from Tyler's mouth, lighting the kid's eyes up like sunshine as he ascended.

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