The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

The Pack: Rule Number 1- No Mates

Chapter Seventy–Six

DOMONIC

ONE MONTH LATER

“Brinier’s back from his little quest,” says Bartlett, “Did he call you?”

1 shake my head, my por falling armed the quiet of the bat. It’s wintertime

to slow down around this time, but I can’t help but think there’s a different feat

It helps with the mending ache in my chest if I block out all memmy of… hangover. I stops the room from spinning out of petrol

I’m sure he would have if he’d found anything” Bartlett say with a shake of his heal

1 place has chimped semely. Sure, its not unusual for things

The altogether pitiful atmosphere. However, I wont think about her. Lefse to

Bartlett has been quietet these days. He wanders this place in a perpetual state of lancholy. It seems, he’s missing her the same as the rest of our pick it, like me. I don’t miss her. I thirst for her. Teyi waking berwih is a moment of renewed pain. Like a bleeding hole in my chest, I die a little every minute Em awake thless 1 manage to create a distraction for musell. Which bus Loften: Most of the time, I lift weights for hours in what was once the spare bedroom of my house Punishing mywell until my arms are about to crack. I work myself into a straight jacket of pain forcing the thumbhing in my chest mat teeth to blend into the fatigue that meets every mode. And because Im a shifter, it takes a lot of reps. Its the only reping mechanism I’ve been able to come up with. Especially after our initial search didn’t yield any results. That was the worst time, I felt like a poddamned cokehead with my nose to shattered glass for the first couple of weeks she was gone. Shilling and scraping for any residual dust that may have been left behind.

A month ago, I would have bet my fangs that Bartlett knew where she went. Or at least, that he was in contact with her. But I’ve been watching him, Every day and every night. I don’t even go to my club anymore. James has been in charge of the plate. During our full moon shift a few days ago, I had hoped to catch a sort following the tracks to the northeast, but nothing. Not a damn thing. Unless you count the appearance of a new den of bear shifters in the Selkirk Mountains, which I don’t because–well–they’re bears. They mostly keep to themselves. We don’t have any stake in the Selkirk Mountains so it don’t matter anyway.

• Sometimes, very seldom, La

whatever bullshit to myself to fantasize that she’s aching for me as much as I am for her. I pretend that she’s looking at the sky above Port Orchard from

T

sin, and sending me kisses so that I know that she still calles. That she still… loves.

But, it’s bullshit, because she’s still göne.

“I hate her,” I lied. Taking a swig from a bottle of Jack. Oh yeah, and that’s the other thing I’m also drunk for seventy–five percent of my day.

“You hate her? A familiar voice sounds on my left. “Tm pretty sure it’s you, you hate

My eyes wander upward, bearing reluctantly from the bottle on the table in front of me. “Gryffin,” I chuckle. Damn it. He looks almost as bollow as I do. He takes a seat in front of me and grabs the bottle, downing half of it in one pull. How the fuck did he get in here without my noticing? I sniff the air lightly. Shit, he’s losing his lion. He smell like a fucking human. “I take that to mean that you still haven’t shifted.”

His eyes darken, banking from gold to raw umber. “Nope.”

“Holy shit,” I hiss

THE

Taking another drink, hans cross the table. I need to

whatever the good doctor

head. “Not a trace. It’s weird really. Because, by the time Tardora waste to get back to the

you think-”

for all the properties was in and out before we could stop them. I know what you were thinking.

thing. But all that she

I choke gut.

“But it does make me feel a bit better saving

1/3

Chapter Seventy–Six

the

weeks. Searching every avenue

has to be doing the same kind of work”

sense.

she did.” He sighs, Jining back against the seat. “Some place in Vardhaner. She been taking weekly trips up there to check it out.”

and suddenly I am stone cold be. My arms back and may from

What is

he say “She just got back again

Ts t

that righ

hint to check out a

difficult spot

Joan’t been able to get close enough yet to

Majhe And

my mind suddenly whirling as I remember Deaven’s words. Tardor told me. Could they have gotten that close? In one fucking night? Sta you

the bottle and downing the rest before laughing to himself. His dark eyes twinkle as he winks

DRAVEN

get home. The scent of whatever Emily’s cooking in the kitchen sending my tummy into spasms. What the fuck? Imping to be sick, I just know it. “Jesus, what are you cooking?” I shout as I tumble to my knees in front

walking up the hallway. “What do you mean? I’m cooking dinner. Catfish,’ she says as she rounds the corner

cash? But I love catfish. At least, I used to. But it seems just the word is enough to send my belly rolling yet again. “Oh my God, I choke out, a fresh

kneeling down to stroke my back. “Are

you

best as I can, woping my mouth and pressing my head on the cold porcelain of the tub. “I wasn’t until I smelled

want me to

abandoning the tub to lie on

1. y. “1–Im sorr

But, please throw it

disappearing to chuck our

fried catfish. In Miami I would eat it at least once a week at a place on Beach Avenue. The smell would be heavy in the air mund the ht establishment and I can

clean the floor here, Emily? To

‘Today?”

talks, looking somewhat taken aback. “Ub – yeah I did.