Page 149 of Luna: Posy 2

I'm aware.

When the shifter came to a stop in front of me, I focused my attention on him.

"Alpha Bellamy Jones." I gave him a curt nod.

"Royal Price. It's been a while."

Neither of us held out our hands to shake.

"I take it this is a personal visit, since you didn't make an appointment?" Scowling, I crossed my arms over my chest.

He knew better than to just show up at an alpha's house. It was bad manners and could turn fatal in a heartbeat, especially if the alpha felt the stranger was a threat toward his mate or pups or both.

"It is," he said. "I heard your boys took Emerson in. Even made him one of their betas. I didn't take Five Fangs for a pack of bleeding hearts and rainbow lovers, but—"

"Whatever Five Fangs is, it's not an enemy Gray Shadows can afford to make," I bit out. "Now, get to the point so you can get out of here."

"I have something that belongs to Emerson." He raised his hands, palms facing me. "I'm only here to deliver it."

"Emerson is more than an hour away. Do you want to wait or leave it with me?"

"Rumor is that your boys found their luna. Is she available? I'll only entrust it to an official pack leader. Then I can say with a clear conscience that I did my duty."

Between Tyler and I, we could handle these four shifters if this was a trap, although it was a pretty dumb set-up for an ambush. Besides, Alpha Bellamy knew as well as I did that a war between our packs would end in the decimation of his.

Ty, I linked,bring Posy out, but don't leave the porch. If things look like they're about to go sideways, get her back in the house and into the safe room, then link the alphas.

Yes, sir, but I already linked the alphas and other betas. The betas are on their way, and the alphas are on standby.

That's fine,I told him.Good thinking. I don't like being outnumbered with the luna here, even if the two of us can more than handle these jokers.

Um, the alphas are not happy about this, sir.

I bet they aren't,Al snickered, and I rolled my eyes.

The front door opened, and Tyler came out with Posy hidden behind his tall frame. He held her hand and led her to the top of the stairs, where he stopped and drew her to the side so that he was still slightly in front of her.

"I'm Luna Posy Briggs of Five Fangs. How may I help you today?"

She clung to Tyler's hand with both of hers and trembled, but she spoke in a clear, calm voice and met the man's eyes.

I was so proud of her.

Alpha Bellamy spared her a glance, then studied Tyler for several moments.

"Thatchildis what you're calling a beta these days?" He snorted. "Now your acceptance of Emerson makes sense. My, my, how your standards have fallen, Royal."

"You're not the first to dismiss him as harmless." I shrugged. "Don't piss him off or you'll discover how mistaken you are."

Oh, please, piss him off, Jet smirked.

I don't want to explain to my sons why my daughter-in-law is surrounded by dead bodies. Do you?I hissed, but he only laughed.

I'd known Tyler since he was a pup, worked with him at fighter practice every week since he'd gotten his wolf, and more recently helped train him for the role of beta. Harmless was the last word I'd use to describe him, and that wasbeforetaking his wolf into account.

In some ways, River was a very simple wolf. When it was time to go to work, he exploded into a killing machine. The instant the threat ceased to exist, he reverted to his baby self. Neither Nathan nor I had ever heard of any wolf with intermittent explosive disorder, but we figured it stemmed from the abuse Tyler had endured at his father's hands before Quartz ended the monster known as Seymour James.

I chuckled to myself, remembering a fight with rogues who'd strayed into our territory. River had ripped out the last wolf's throat, then turned to Nathan and I - blood and gore still dripping from his muzzle - and asked for ice cream. Aghast, we could only nod as his golden eyes blinked innocently up at us.

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