Page 35 of Luna: Posy 2

"Where's it coming from?" I asked.

"There." He pointed to a door at the end of the hallway on our left. "Smells like chocolate."

"Let's check it out."

We went over there, his steps quickening until he was almost running, and he wasted no time opening the lock and bursting inside.

In the corner of the cold, damp cell lay a plump girl with reddish-brown curls.

"Mate?" Ranger whispered.

He dropped to his knees next to her and gently rolled her onto her back and into his arms. She whined in pain, and he crooned to her as he tried to assess the damage. Her face was a mass of bruises, her breathing was shallow and sharp, and there was a bloody lump above her left temple.

"Hey, there, beautiful," he murmured. "Can you open your eyes for me? Can you hear me? Try to wake up, treasure."

She didn't respond and Ranger raised his face to me, a tear streaking from the corner of his right eye.

"Mase? What do I do?What do I do, Mase?!"

#

Ranger

"Straw ... berries."

The sweetest voice in the world filled my ears and my head immediately swiveled to look at the girl in my arms. One of her eyes was so swollen, it wasn't going to open anytime soon, but the other eyelid slowly lifted to reveal a chocolate-brown iris.

"Your scent," she breathed. "Strawberries."

"What's your name, little mate?"

"Junia."

"I'm Ranger. Ranger Hemming."

"King's brother?" Her one working eye widened. "Flattering."

"That the Moon Goddess gifted me with you?" I smiled. "Why, yes. Yes, it is."

The ghost of a giggle wheezed from her cracked lips, and she grimaced in pain. Coal was roaring something at me, but I could only focus on my beautiful mate's battered face.

"So glad. So glad ... I got ... to meet you."

She was talking like she'd already given up, and my heart couldn't take it. No way was I going to lose my mate! Not now, not ever!

"Hold on, Junia! Please, treasure. Can your wolf help at all?"

"Too many ... broken bits." The sorrow in her smile smashed my heart into a million pieces. "Do you think ... I might have ... a kiss ... Ranger Hemming? My first ... and last kiss?"

Swallowing back a sob, I pressed my lips to hers, careful of her split bottom lip, and savored the sparks dancing between us.

Mark her so I can heal her, idiot!Coal's screaming finally made sense.Hurry up!

"I'm going to mark you so my wolf can heal you," I told her.

She seemed to have used up all her remaining energy because she lolled her head in a weak nod.

Nuzzling my face in her bruised throat, I found the right spot, dropped my canines, and bit down hard. She gasped, then moaned weakly, and I kissed the tip of her nose.

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