The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

Chapter Fifty–Nine

DRAVEN

Draven Emily a voice calls to me from the bathroom doorway and I jerk upright.

“Emily,” Tamile, glancing her way: “Come in”

“Oh my God,” she cries out, stepping intide and taking a good look at my face.

Shit. I must look like hell

“I’m alright,” Lassure her, dipping my head under the water for a cool moment before strength of her muted subbing. “Hey!” I stand up, pulling the drain when I do, then and pull her into a bug theokay, really, I’m fine. I’ve had way worse.”

coming back up. When I do, she is in trans. Her body shaking i

ring for a clean towel on the rack. After wrapping myself

And that the truth. What Marcus used to do to me was a hundred times worse than slut happened today.

“I cant believe you” she whispers, pulling away. Her dark eyes are filled with wonder when the looks at me. “How are you so strong?”

I shrug: I don’t consider myself strong at all. “I’m not

“You are!” She argues as we saunter into Domonic’s room.

g” Í tarp. “You are. I didn’t get dumped into the ocean after being assaulted and to be honest if I had I probably would have chosen to sink

Sadly, I speak the truth. The first time Marcus assaulted me, that’s exactly what I tried to do, I took a gun out of his closet and pressed it to my head. I even pulled the trigger. Luckily, the damn thing wasn’t loaded. Whew. Every time I look back on that day, all I feel is weak. So I push it down, where I store most of m and I bury it beneath mountains of bulshit.

Su no, I am not strong. The first time I faced any of my past was when I spoke to Domonic about it. Before that? I was good with the avoidance technique. though? Not so much.

“I don’t believe that,” she sighs, but a hint of a smile plays over her mouth.

I walk over to Demonic’s dresser and pull out a pair of his pajama pants and a plain witte t–shirt. This is all I’ve have to wear until he gets back, I puetz. It will do. Watching Emily while I get dressed, I notice she is pacing the room. Shooting strange looks at me every time she makes a pass.

“What is it?” I ask, sensing there is more than just my bruises on her mind.

“I don’t know if I should tell you,” she says, growing more and more nervous. Her vollowers and she continues to pace. “I don’t even know if I believe it

“What?” I cue, thinking I more than likely know what she’s about to say.

She must have witnessed one of the guys change when they went after me. The way she rps glancing toward the door like it might burst open, tells me sherafild of someone in the house.

I saw your boyfriend do something. She huffs, dropping into the velvet armchair against the wall and burying her face in her hands. Something horrible. And I don’t know if I should tell you about it or not. You’ll probably think I’m nuts.”

and I take a seat across from her on the bed. “Something homible?” I repeat. Are you sure it was

head. Her eyes flare wide.

to snap at her but I know she’s just ignorant, so I don’t. “Uh–huh, What makes it horrible? The fact that he can sit into a wolf,

She gasps, her back straightening.

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Chapter Fifty–Nine

18–a wolf 1–ton?”

frightened and she swallows loudly. “X–are you a

my head.

hisses, her eyes flying around

do. We’re safe here.

She stammen. “How can you think

that.” I place my hands on her shoulders and meet her eyes. “Like I said, I’m not a wolf, but I wish

bulge. “Why the fuck would you

dead long ago.” I sigh, suppressing the urge to shake her. I don’t like the way she’s handling this. No one here has tried to hurt her. Not once. At least – I don’t think they did. Either way, her ignorance is getting on my nerves.

Mares?” She

still has him on jockdown. Then, I try a different approach. “Would you hate me

her head frantically. “No! No

would you call Domonic horrible? Because we got news for

shrieks, her hands flying about her head wildly. “He was going to bite

not to

came in and found that you

‘No. He

begins so cry again, softly sobbing as she rocks herself. “Yes. He would: He

of my nation. It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her that Koda is a big bad wood

rising incredulously. “I tell you he’s a werewolf? A monster! And you want to know if

getting angry “And don’t you dare fucking call him

into herself. “1–I’m sorry I

standing up. “I like you Emily. I do. And we have a whale hell of lot to talk about. But do not catch yourself

of her sweater with her hands like she might have a panic attack and I have to fight the urge

tell that its not and I berate myself for being so callous. Shit. Not everyone has had the chance to learn the difference the way that I have. I need to have a bit more compassion for her. I mean, I reacted the same way when I first found out what Marcus was. Then again, Marcus ir a monster, and the things he did to me

her became I’d

Let’s go downstairs. Have you had a chance to try

“No. When pda went after Domonic, he told me to lock myself his

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Chapter Fifty–Nine

did Koda tell you

fill her eyes once more. It doesn’t matter.

ratious for a moment of what might have happened between them. It’s none of my business, I know this. Still,

DOMONIC