Page 39 of Pack: Posy 3

Peaches! Mate says we smell like peaches!Ruby yipped gleefully, and a little heat flared across my cheeks.

"You smell like lemons. Fresh. Clean. Pure."Everything I'm not. "Are you okay? I saw your one paw was hurt. Do you need healing?"

"No, just needed enough sleep to heal myself. I've been running for three days. You can turn around, by the way."

Lifting my eyes to the ceiling, I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

One look, I told Ruby.One look to hold onto after she rejects us.

She won't,he smirked.

Don't make it more painful than it has to be,I growled at him.

"Mate? Are you okay?"

A small hand touched my bare shoulder, and I shivered as sparks flared where our skin connected. I heard her sharp inhale and knew she felt them, too.

I still didn't turn to face her. I knew that if I saw her, I'd lose all the strength it was taking me to do the right thing.

"Listen," I muttered, my voice low and rough, "Reau told me what you said, and I won't, but I suggest you reject me."

"What makes you say that before I even know your name?" she asked.

Because I am going to wreck this,I told her silently.I am going to smash this so bad, you won't feel guilty when you leave me. I want you to hate me so your precious heart can be free to find a better life.

"Leo Espen Halder," I bit out coldly and turned my head just enough to see the hand still on my shoulder, "so you can say it correctly when you reject me."

"Well, Leo, I'm Poppy, and I think the first thing you should know about me is that I do a thing called what I want." Now she sounded like she was laughing. "And rejecting you is not something I want. Why do you want me to?"

"If you knew the things I've done, you wouldn't ask. You'd just run." I barked out a harsh laugh. "I cannot and will not ask you to sacrifice your future. Reject me now and be free to seek your happiness wherever you want."

Her hand left my shoulder, and my heart constricted at the loss of her touch. Ruby whimpered as the sparks fizzed out, but then wiggled with excitement when a flurry of movement brought her around in front of me. My eyes drank in her beauty; I could not have imagined a more perfect woman.

Her hair was stick-straight, black as a raven's wing, and flowed down her back in a dark river. My shirt was huge on her, but couldn't hide her round curves. Her liquid black eyes locked on my face as she studied it as thoroughly as I was studying hers.

Perfect cupid's bow lips, high cheekbones, and toast-brown skin, taut and smooth like a plum.

The smell of lemons intensified as she doused me with her magic. Her eyes grew sharp and her face turned stern, and I shuddered because I knew what she saw inside me.

"Youwilltell me everything that hurt you," she commanded, "so I can understand how you need to be loved."

"Poppy." I blinked at the sudden sting in my eyes. "I'm not good for you and have nothing to give you. Not even a home or an income. I'd only disappoint you."

"Iam good foryou, and the only thing I need you to give me is yourself. Your love and your loyalty. And I don't have a home or income, either." She rolled her eyes. "Obviously, I don't even own a pair of shoes right now, but you know what? We'll figure it out together."

I raised one shaking hand and cupped her face with it. Stroking my thumb over her full cheek, I savored the mate sparks. She smiled and leaned into my hand.

I don't know how much longer I can hold out and be noble here.

"Leo, the Goddess led me here to youandto this pack for a reason, and I think some of it might have to do with the sister witches I sense in this house."

Oh, yeah,I thought.Forgot about them.

See?Ruby yipped.The Goddess' hand at work.

"My alphas are here, too," I told her. "They're going to want to ask you a lot of questions. Let me get you a pair of pants, then we'll meet everyone. Sorry I don't have any, um, underthings for you."

"It's fine. I'll appreciate anything."

---