Page 107 of Family: Posy 4

"Maple?" I called in a soft voice as I slowly approached him. "Maple, sweetheart, can I hug you?"

The distressed wolf stopped howling and rolled his head to stare at me with bright gold eyes. When he raised his upper lip to show me his fangs, Quartz huffed a warning, and Maple instantly bared his neck.

Quartz, please. He won't hurt me, I linked him.He didn't snarl or snap.

I don't like this, little one.

I know, but it will be all over soon.

In one way or another,he agreed, and I sighed.

"Maple, I know you feel like giving up right now, but think of the reason why you've held on this long. What is it that's kept you from quitting up till now?"

He woofed a bit, both of us knowing I couldn't understand his words, but I understood his heart well enough.

"That's right. Your mate. She's out there waiting for you, longing for you to find her just as much as you do. If you quit, if you give up, if you stop fighting, she'll be left alone for the rest of her life. Are you that selfish? To do that to your innocent, lonely mate? She's been fighting to stay positive as she waits for you, too. Are you going to disrespect her that way?"

He grumbled again, a burr of anger in his noises now, and I didn't need to look to know Quartz had moved closer to us. I rolled my eyes, knowing I had to hurry this up before he took matters into his own hands - er, paws - and forgot all about the agreement we had.

"Of course not," I answered my own questions. "And you know what? I think you two are going to meet soon. I feel it in my heart. So don't be sad. Don't despair. Keep going. Keep trying. It will get better soon. Iknowit will. I know it in my bones, Maple."

And it was true. I really did have the feeling that his suffering was drawing to a close.

With a soul-deep sigh, Maple flopped down next to me and laid his head in my lap. I raised my hand slowly and made sure he was okay with it before I petted his soft ears.

"Do you think you can give Ethan control again, please?" I asked after a few minutes of comforting him. "Uncle Link is really worried about you both."

Maple nodded, and the hair on my arms stood up as moon power filled the air around us. Seconds later, Ethan lay in my arms. Blushing at his naked state, I kept my eyes on his face as I tugged off my shirt, glad I had on a sports bra, and draped it over his lower half.

I didn't like my scars being on full display under the bright summer sun, but who was here to see them beside Ethan and my mates, and my mates were already familiar with them.

Ethan's eyes fluttered open and I was pleased to see that, while Maple still glittered in them, it was only faintly now.

A good improvement. Nice job, luna,Lark complimented me.

Thank you, wolfie.

"I'm sorry," Ethan muttered. "I'm sorry you were drawn into this train wreck, Posy."

"I will always help my family," I assured him with a smile. "Can I try something to calm your wolf? I never did anything like this before, so I might mess up, and it might not be the best idea, but I think it will work."

"Go for it, little cousin. I'm grateful for any help, and it's not like he can get much worse."

Actually, he could, I thought to myself, but didn't say that because I wanted his agreement.

"You don't even want to know what I'm going to try?" I squeaked.

"I trust you. You've already been able to do more to help him today than I have in the past few years."

As I had after healing Gamma Landry, I reached deep into the six packs, then infused my next words with all that power in what the boys had started to call my Ultimate Luna Voice.

"Sleep, Maple. Sleep.Until you find your mate, sleep."

I didn't know if it was the right thing to do or not, but he couldn't go on a rampage - and no one would have a reason to put him down - if he was asleep.

Ethan yawned widely, his whole body relaxing in my arms, and the gold vanished entirely from his heavy-lidded eyes.

"Wow." He stared at me with wonder. "Thank you, cousin—"

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