The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

Chapter One Hundred-Fifty-Three

to do the two of Tudora wer downstairs to fix

scodtails. Now that all was quiet, | took a seat on the couch next to admining the ring on her finger. | was

still curious as to what prompted her visit. | hadn’t even been in this place for a

“Jou knew he was married,” | say softly, watching her suffen and lower her hand to look at me.

cayes falling over my tank to the bite mark near my shoulder before lifting up again. “I did. But | also knew the

aking my head. “Gomplicated? | don’t know w

94,” she says witha s

knew she wasn’t the one for him, just as he wasnt the one for her.”

ut if you only just met her tonight?” | complain. “I mean if she wasn’t such a bitch, | would have felt sorry for

Draven nods,

“Don’t go feeling guilty now. Especially when it comes to her. | have a feeling there’s more to her

bad jerks up and

the sparkling diamonds and emeralds that now adorn her left ring finger. “It sounded tolike shile. Judging by

what I've seen so far, | can only asshe was.”

ups suddenly, her lips in a firm line. “He’s not like that. He didnt. He wouldn’t have.”

Ilhan to laugh, staring at her incredulously. “They're not divorced! What the hell do you call me?”

Her eyes soften and she reaches toward me. “You're different, Felix. | promise, you are.”

sty eyes well up, moisture threatening to spill. | want to believe that | am. | really, really do. But | just can’t see it.

“How? How am |

She sighs, scooting closer. “I can’t be the one to answer that question. Its not my place. But | think you know. You

don’t want to risk it. You don’t want give any real power to the strange connection you think you have with him,

because it feels like a fairytale. But | promise,

| take a deep breath, wondering just how it is that she knows exactly what I'm feeling. Then my eyes find a

peculiar mark along her neck,

mine is and | gasp. If she notices what I'm looking at, she doesn’t let on, just smiles. “Where is Rainier? Do

in or around the same

you know? ask.

A quirky smile turns her lips and the nods. “He's with my fiance and the rest of their... pack,” she laughs.

“Pack,” | repeat absently, thinking that they sound like animals.

“Took,” she says. “Painier askedto chere and check in on you. He knew he couldn’t be here tonight and

he was afraid that when he showed up in the morning that you would be gone.”

| nod, a watery smile cresting my lips. “I was going to be,” 1 admit. I'm still not sure | should stay.”

“I sew,” Draven says slowly, before suddenly reaching out a hand and running her finger along my bite.

| stare at her, noting the silent smile in her eyes as she takes her hand back. “When | first met Domente,” she

says. “He didn’t want me

1/3

Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Three

here. He literally ordered Bart rat to hire

keep away from me.” Her eyes go glossy as her hand slides over her fat goomjet something pulling us together.

Bi there were things about his

was........., afraid of me. Afraid of... losing me. And | know this wont make

Domonic scared is what pushed Rainier into marrying Angie. For hum

you're not.”

Things that

“What does that mean?” | whisper, really wanting to understand.

At that exact moment. Tardora comes racing in with our drinks. “Here

She cuts off, looking from Draven toand then back again.

“What is it?” Draven shoots up, something in Tandora’s voice putting her on instant ade

“There's been an accident at home,” Taedora says anxiously. “Goose called when 1

the hills”

“Hunters?!” Draven exclaims, her face going white with fright.

“Poachers,” Toedora clarifies, her face deadly serious.

“Domonic” Draven starts, cutting off when Tedora shakes her head.

“Gayle,” Tardora chokes out.

“Oh my God,” Draven hisses.

“Poachers?” | inquire, thinking of the wolf | heard howling two nights agu. “You guys have poachers out here?

Taedora nods, her hazel eyes firing with rage. “They haven't been adi- in awhile, but in the last two scoffs we se

natiod i number of traps we've been coming across in the woods”

“Is she...?” Draven asks.

Taedora shakes her head. “I don’t know. But | have to get to Blackjack Creek and | know the plan was for us to

stick around betr longer but-"

“No!” Draven says. “You have to go, | understand.” She turns to me. “I don’t think Felix is going anywhere

zzyway. Are you Felic”

| sigh heavily, my eyes shuttering. “No, I'm not g

going anywhere. At least, not tonight.”

Do y you have a phone?” Draven asks me.

| shake my head, no. | lost it somewhere. But there’s a landline in this room. An old cordless phone. You gave me

your number.

She smiles then hurries to write her number next to the phone. “If you need anything at all, cali

“You're one of us now,” she whispers and | think of the mark on her neck that matches my own..

she says, grabbingin a hug

Watching through the window as they leave, | smile to myself. Thinking that for once, | might have actually made

a friend.

“Finally alone,” | say, reaching in my back pocket to pull out the note that Rainier 1 for me. I've been going crazy

on the inside wanting to read it, but knowing I should be alone when | did,

Looking down at the neatly written letter, | smile. His penmanship is a precise as his knife skills are and the

thought sends a wave of heat through my belly. The man really is too sexy. As 1 begin to read, tears till my vision

again and | end up wishing he was here.

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08:48 Fri, Nov

Chapter One Hundred-Fifty-Three

| read silently at first, only reading out

loud near the end. “..I had no idea

how much | would want you when

you finally calong and no idea

how desperate | would be to keep

you. So when you askedif there

was anyone else, | didn't lie elt

when I's dng. 3 Weuthr You are

the HANK for me, so no, there isn't

anyone else. When explain everything

to you tomorrow, | can only hope it

will be enough for you to forgive my

mistakes. You were wrong about me,

| do belong to you, | always have. So,

If you're wondering where i went ‘s

just say that | went to find your woll.

He and | will both be out there

tonight, running through tonight and

why | couldn't be here... the hills and

waiting for morning 1 will be back as

soon as the sun rises, so please...

don't leave. Love Rainier,” | choke out

that last part. | have full on

waterworks going by the tI'm

finished and little droplets have

splattered all over my beautiful note.

Clutching the letter to my chest, | think of what Draven was trying to tellbefore she left. About Demonic

being afraid of her. Is that what he means when he wrote that he had no idea how much he would want me...

Was he afraid of having someone he loved?

“Oh stop it, Felix! You don't know that

he loves you.” But... that is what it

sounded like. “I went to find your

woll,” 1 read that line again, my brow

furrowing. "His eye (shyto myself,

rib fol way they looked when

he was beggingto stay. “They

were crazy... animal eyes.” | shake

myself, folding the note back up and

pocketing it once again. “Don’t get

ridiculous, Felix. There's probably a

logical explanation for what you saw.

Just not one that you can think of

right now.” The content is on

novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

| chuckle at myself turning away from the window just as the long melodic howl of a wolf sounds in the woods

behind the bar.

Oh my God!

| plant my face back in the window

once more. My eyes scour the woods

for any sign of movement. Another

howl, this one closey hag mewanting

ol nuside Gt before | can stop

yself, that is what | am doing. 1

creep out the back exit, making sure

the door is unlocked before | close it

behind me. It's probably around

midnight now and the fog is rolling in

pretty heavily, so | really can't see

moch in the The content is on

novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

trees.

“Damn it,” | complain, turning around to head back inside.

That's when I notice the dlight on in Hector’s car and the shadow of a man in the driver's seat.