Page 94 of Luna: Posy 2

Touching Emerson was exactly like standing under that fretting phoenix, only minus the pain. Warm flares tingled everywhere our skin made contact, and I wanted more. I wanted that sensationallover me.

When our lips met, nothing in my adventurous life could have prepared me for the feeling of utterrightnessthat settled in my soul.

"Wow," he gasped when he drew back.

"Yeah," I agreed.

Struggling to get my breathing back to normal, I looked around. We were alone out here and, except for the stars overhead, it was pitch dark.

"Want to go inside? You can share my room if you want. I'd like that, but no pressure. If nothing else, we can talk and get to know each other until we fall asleep."

"You're okay with everyone, with your flock, knowing about us?" he asked.

"Of course. They won't judge, and they probably know, anyway. You'll find out that there are few secrets when living with witches."

We started walking toward the alpha house as we talked.

"I'm excited to meet your family and introduce you to mine."

"Tomorrow," I said. "I want you all to myself tonight. Besides, Sara and Maria found their mates today, too. There'll be no separating them for a while."

His fingers brushed mine, and I wondered if he wanted to hold my hand. Taking the initiative, I slid my palm in his. He froze for a second, then threaded his fingers through mine.

"I've been tuning everyone out since I got here." He looked down at me with raised eyebrows. "Who's matched with whom?"

"Sara with Crew and Maria with Matthew. Oh, and yesterday, Beatrix with the Maxwell twins."

"Hmm. That's all my beta brothers now except Tyler, and he turns eighteen on the eighth." He smiled. "Garnet, who is Alpha Mase's wolf, believes the pack and the flock were always destined to entwine. Based on all these mate-matches, I think he's right."

"The Goddess works in mysterious ways," I agreed.

"There's something important I need to explain." He began to swing our linked hands between us. "I don't know how a flock is structured—"

"Loosely," I snorted. "There's no one leader. Everyone pitches in as needed. It's messy and leaves a flock ripe for attack, but bird shifters can't fight their avian nature, which is why I appointed myself as our flock's protector."

"Oh. Well, do you understand how a wolf pack is structured?"

"Yep. I've been Julian's friend and ally for several years now, and I've spent a lot of time with the royal pack. I know Five Fangs is a little different with five alphas, five betas, and five gammas, but it's basically the same hierarchy, right? Who are you beta for?"

"Yes, and Alpha Cole. Do you know that a beta's primary duty is to his luna? Even the alphas can't override that. I know this isn't what a mate wants to hear, but protecting Luna Posy will always come first. Even above myself. Even above you."

I breathed a sigh of relief. Heunderstood, thank the Goddess.

"It's the same for me. Even now that they have mates, I am dedicated to the girls' safety, and that won't change. They are the last of our flock, and some of the few bird shifters left in the whole world. The sickness hit our kind especially hard, nearly to the point of extinction. Only the foxes had it worse."

"Yeah, we heard that. Very few foxes left." He stopped walking to stare down at me. "After the royal pack, Five Fangs is the largest, most powerful one in the U.S. You and your flock will be well protected with us."

"I can do my own protecting," I snorted, "but yeah, it does make it easier for me to accept that all mypiccoli uccelli(little birds) have flown the nest. They sometimes worried about being separated when they found their mates. Now none of us have to be."

We started walking again, and I heard him muttering to himself. Was he getting nervous about staying in the same room with me?

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Fireflies." He pointed toward the treeline behind the alpha house. "Cove wants to chase them, but don't worry. I told him you wouldn't want to do something like that. He's ... pouting a bit."

"Why wouldn't I?" I tilted my head. "I want to meet Cove, and chasing fireflies with him sounds like fun. Besides, I've hardly had any exercise today and could stand to burn off some energy."

Since I don't want to assume we'll burn it off in bed tonight, I thought and bit back a wicked grin.

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