Page 66 of Pack: Posy 3

Thank you,a rumbly voice sounded in my head. You're cute, too.

Oh! You can link with me? You're in our pack?

Yes, little one. I was born in the Dark Woods pack.

This is Five Fangs.I tilted my head and looked into Spring's amber eyes.Are you mixed up?

No, little one. Did you not know that Five Fangs is made up of five packs, one of which is Dark Woods?

Huh-uh. You're cuteandsmart, wolfie!

Grinning, I petted his fluffy chest, then rubbed my face in it, and Spring chuckled.

"I wish Tanner could have met you," I whispered.

Who's Tanner, little one?

"My wolf. Mommy Daddy killed him." I dropped my hands into my lap and sniffed. "I'm alone in my head and everything's scary without him."

"Hey, Reau, I'm here." Bubba sat down next to me and patted my back. "Luna and Alpha Ash are here, and now Dr. York is here. Angelo and Leo and Poppy will be home soon, too. We'll protect you."

"You can't protect me from mybrain,dumb Bubba." I rolled my eyes at him. "That's where it's scary. It doesn't work right, 'member? That's why Mommy Daddy kept me locked up and hurt me and killed Tanner. My brain's retard—"

"What did I tell you about that word?" Bubba growled.

I flinched without meaning to, and he pulled me against him and hugged me hard.

"Sorry, honey. I just hate that they made you believe such bad things about yourself. Your brain is not broken, right, Dr. York?"

"No, Reau. Your brain is fine."

"But Mommy Daddy said—"

Luna reached over and held one of my hands, her little thumb rubbing over the back of my knuckles.

"They're not here, Reau. Do you know why you're here and they're not?" When I shook my head, she said, "Because they didn't deserve to know you. They were bad people for hurting a sweetheart like you.Theywere broken, not you. That's why the Goddess sent you to us. So you could grow and be free around people who love you."

It was a lot to think about. I hoped I remembered all the words she said because they made my heart warm. I wasn't so good at remembering, though. Tanner usually did that for me. Now I had to do it all by myself.

Spring, who had been watching me the whole time, suddenly got up and stood over me like I was his pup. Giggling, I poked my head out from under his chin to see everyone staring at us with wide eyes.

He's my human now,Spring told them.

"What does that mean? Where's your human?" I asked. "Won't he—"

My human is dead. I am also alone in my head, and everything is scary without him.

My mouth dropped open. I didn't think there was anyone in the world who felt like me, who understood what it was like to have an empty space inside you. I crawled out from under him to look into his pretty eyes, but just saw my face in them because they were so shiny.

Will you be my human, little one?

"Will you hurt me? Will you leave me?"

No, little one. Never.

"You say that now," I whispered, "but once you get to know me, you'll find out that I'm too much trouble. I'm not smart and I get grumpy and, oh, wait until you meet my two besties. They arebad, but I love them so much!"

Luna and Alpha Ash giggled for some reason, but I tuned them out because Spring was linking me again.

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