Page 44 of Pack: Posy 3

When she nodded, he touched his fingers to hers and a golden halo surrounded her hand for several seconds. After it faded, it looked normal. She flexed her fingers, then grinned at him.

"Thank you!" she chirped.

Angelo nodded and sat back down next to Emerson.

"You said those mutts didn't do it?" Leo prompted her to begin her story.

"I chewed my paw off to escape a prison."

All of us stared at her dumbly as we unpacked that sentence. Papa was the first to open his mouth to begin the questions, but she held up one hand.

"About two weeks ago, I was minding my own business, just trotting through the forest, when I was shot with a tranquilizer dart," she said. "I woke up in a concrete and brick room with one leg in a shackle that was anchored to the wall. Several other shifters and creatures were in the same situation."

She went on to explain that men fed and watered them and cleaned up the room once a day, but did not communicate with her or any of the other prisoners. They didn't even talk among themselves. She was fairly sure they were human, as she did not sense them being shifters nor having magic ability.

"Four days ago, two new men came to "inspect" us," she continued, "and it was easy to tell that the one man was in charge of whatever was happening there. The other seemed to be a personal assistant. As they walked past me, Richard - what I called the head honcho in my mind - asked his assistant how soon the lab would be ready because he wanted these abominations eradicated as soon as possible."

Instead of breaking down in tears as some would, Poppy lifted her chin and her eyes were fierce.

"I don't know how it is with any other witch, as I've never met any before you, Maria, but I can't use my magic in fox form. That night, I chewed my paw off enough to slip out of the shackle, snuck out of the window, and ran. I ran for three days. I don't know if the dire wolves were sent by Richard, or if they picked up my trail on their own. However, I do know the Goddess was guiding my steps: as soon as I crossed into your territory, I sensed my mate."

Here she stopped and smiled up at Leo, whose eyes burned with rage. When he noticed her looking at him, though, he bent down and kissed her forehead.

"The rest you know," she finished and snuggled into Leo's chest as his arms went around her shoulders.

As usual, Mase took charge. Not that I was complaining. I was still digesting her story.

"Dad, will you and Papa go with Wyatt and Ash to interrogate our prisoner?" Mase asked, and I think we were all surprised he'd included Papa. "Cole and I need to call King Julian about Cold Moon and Gray Shadows and can inform him about this at the same time, but I would like to know if those dires were from the prison or a stray pack."

"I think we all know the answer," Wyatt said with a frown, "but we'll find out for sure."

"What do you want me to do, Mase?" Jay asked.

"Poppy, can you give us a general sense of where this prison was?"

"If you have a map, I can mark what I remember," she offered.

"Jay, work with her on that, please," Mase directed, "then go home to Posy so the betas can collect their mates."

"I would like a hand in cleaning out this prison," Angelo growled, "but I also need to take care of the Cold Moon luna."

"We'll sort out who goes where and when after we talk to the king," I told him, and he nodded.

Sorry to interrupt, alphas,Matthew linked us out of the blue.I know you're busy,but we have a problem.

Is Posy okay?my brothers and I linked back at once.

Did something happen to my little luna bunny?Emerson demanded.

What's going on, puppy?Maria asked.

I sank into the mate bond, going deeper and deeper until I felt the distress Posy was trying to hide from us. I bumped the mate link, but she wouldn't open hers. Glancing at my brothers, I saw they'd tried, too, and gotten the same response.

What's wrong, Matthew?I barked as fear gripped my heart in an iron fist.

Mr. Nibbles is missing.

12: Solving Mysteries

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