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

think you were right about the venom. Taking another drink, hans cross the table. I need to find a

good doctor took couldn’t

Tardora waste to get back to the cabin, the damn place had been cleaned out. Nothing was

do you

she uses for all the properties was in and out before we could stop them. I know what

same thing. But all that she could

gut. “That’s fucked.”

he sighs. “But it does make me feel a bit better saving that you’re just

1/3

Chapter Seventy–Six

the first

for weeks. Searching every

be doing the same

sense. Find anything

sighs, Jining back against the seat. “Some place in Vardhaner. She been taking weekly trips up

mid reach for the bottle and suddenly I am stone cold be. My arms back and may from the whiskey Tandora, huh? Weekly

What is

he say “She just got

Ts t

that righ

hint to check out

difficult spot të get to

in the mountains. She Joan’t been able to get close enough yet

Majhe And

suddenly whirling as I remember Deaven’s words. Tardor told me. Could they have gotten that close? In one fucking night? Sta you believe that shit? She’s a focking lion shitter for crying out

before laughing to himself. His dark eyes twinkle as he winks my way.

DRAVEN

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,

she says as she rounds the corner and

my belly rolling yet again. “Oh my God, I choke out, a fresh wave of nausea causing me to

She coos, kneeling down

you

woping my mouth and pressing my head

“Do you want me to throw

yes I do,” I whisper, abandoning the tub to lie on the floor. The cold tiles feel amazing against my

1. y. “1–Im sorr

But, please throw it out.”

nods frantically, disappearing to chuck our

smell would be heavy in the air mund the ht establishment and I can thoroughly remember that it did not bother me. Just then, my nose catches on something else that burns my belly. Pe four cleaner. I jerk upright, positioning myself over the toilet again as a concemed

the floor here, Emily? To

‘Today?”

somewhat taken aback. “Ub – yeah I did. Should I not