The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

3/1

The Pack: Rule Number 1 – No Mates

Chapter One Hundred–Sixteen

DRAVEN

Five minutes after I called him, Dart was strolling through the front doors like an avenging angel. His stride was steady and unhurried, his eyes scanning the perimeter through the windows. Ever vigilant up until the point that he realized Taedora and I were baking biscuits in the kitchen. Brows furrowed in confusion, he asks, “What kind of emergency calls for biscuits and gravy?”

I grin, tossing my oven mitts up on the counter as I leap into his arms for a warm welcoming hug. “We’re making breakfast for everyone.”

“Everyone?” Bart asks. “Who is everyone?”

I smile bouncing back on my heels. “Emily, Koda, and you.”

“Emily and Koda? Are you sure they’re going to make it?”

I laugh, my eyes sparkling as I nod toward the driveway and the silver SUV pulling in behind Bart’s truck. “Yup.”

An hour later the five of us are gathered in the living room when I pull out the jewelry box and flip the lid open for all to see. A chorus of gasps and curses follow. Koda tenses, his arms guing so tight around Emily that she yelps.

“When did Domonic give that to you?” Bart asks, reaching forward to take it in his hands.

“This morning,” I say. Just before he left. He told me to keep it until my answer was yes and then… just that 1 should put it on and he would know.” I smile, my eyes watering at the memory. “When I saw what he did to the guestroom – how he made it into a nursery‘–I swallow-“I opened it to put it on and-”

That message was there instead of the ring,” Koda hisses. “Have you asked Domonic about it?”

I shake my head. “No.”

Any particular reason why?” Bart asks.

“You know why,” I say simply.

He and Koda both nod. “Right,” Bait acknowledges. “You don’t want him to send you away again.”

Koda growls, “Excuse me for a minute.” The rest of us watch as Koda settles Emily on the seat next to him and steps out front.

“Where the hell is he going?” Taedora quips, hopping out of her seat to peer out the front door.

“Not far,” Emily says. “He won’t leave me. This is the farthest his been from me since we got back here.”

“He’s on the phone,” Bart says, meeting my gaze. “Calling Rainier.”

“What?” I snap. “Why Rainier? What does he have to do with a

of it

one

1 gasp, my eyes narrowing as something nags at me, gnawing at the back of

have put that message in the box for me

1/4

Chapter One Hundred–Sixteen

but maybe the best thing to do is confront

Roda comes back in the front. His eyes go straight for Taedora. “You helped put

and

nude, her eyes going vivid and catlike as she purrs, “I did.

behind the dungeon exit of the Sheriff Station. One of the places we had you lions place the cameras. If someone dug it out before Rainier did, we’ll know

there’s no one on the camera

“Then there’s only one other person who might have had access.”

their eyes meet over the tabletop. “And Rainier is looking through the footage as we

he finds and bring it

gale surrows at him warily. “So you don’t think Rainier had something

at that,

blue eyes taking on the first glimpse of anger I’ve seen since Emily woke up

he sits down. I have to smile upding the way he relaxes once he

two are adorable,” I say with a smile

to seeing from Koda, his eyes heat as he

From my seat on the end of the couch I watch Bart smile sadly, his ryes focused on the pair of them as they cuddle and I notice for the first time how truly lonely Bart seems to

I promise.” I whisper and his eyes flare

thought kiddo. But it doesn’t make

to squeeze his hand. “It’s true. I can feel

that

jewelry box off the table and placing it back inside my pocket. “Okay. So back to the task at

say, pacing back and forth as I stare out at the

lowering with a

deep

coming out so softly they re almost hard to hear, “Rainier’s

I yelp. “Why

head, granting me a wan

his mate. But she is his wife.”

be murtied someone who was not

and fart no | in unison, their eyes locking from across the

2/4

Hundred

Angle is now what Baller

dont know he might that