The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

Chapter One Hundred Eighty–Three

QUINN

Flick

Damn it Charlie…

I feel Delilah tense behind me the moment the bell over the restaurant door sings with Charlie’s arrival.

“Charlie! We’ve been looking everywhere for you, ma boy, the old man says, his voice dripping with phony cheer.

Charlie’s face is a mask of fear. I can see him trying to control his reaction to the two men now carefully converging on him, but despite his valiant efforts to appear unfazed, he looks frightened as hell.

The dumbfuck, Elder Matthew’s son, smiles wide and fake, his teeth damn near twinkling in the sunlight, “The council has had a change of heart, Charlie.”

Fidgeting with his freshly bandaged forearms and holding a roll of gauze in his hands, he starts to back away until he stumbles, barely catching himself along the wall of the restaurant.

“Quinn,” Delilah whispers behind me.

Do they know how well you know Charlie?” I ask her as quietly as I can, my eyes trained on the father and son duo as they approach trembling Charlie.

“T–I don’t know,” she says. “Maybe not.”

“Stay in the car and unlock the backdoor for Charlie. Il take care of this,” I whisper.

“W–what do you m–mean?” Charlie stammers, the sweat on his brow easily visible with my enhanced eyesight.

“No!” Delilah growls. “They’re probably armed! Those weirdos always have some kind of weapon on them.”

I spin around to face her, still keeping my cars tuned into Charlie, as amile slightly at the worry in her gaze. “Try and trust me, Lilac,” I say, grabbing the back of her head and pulling her face in for a quick kiss, before I save her little admirer’s life.

Oh shut. That’s delicious.

Her breath hitches when our lips meet, and although it’s the quickest kiss shell ever get from me, that doesn’t make it any less powerful. The warm energy that sparks against my lips when they touch hers sends a pulsing awareness through me and I groan. Backing away from her, I gasp in amazement. So that’s what it feels Me… That’s how you know… Is it even possible to love someone you’ve just met? I’w think!–

yes, yes it is.

dazed… even a little confused as she watches me. She touches her hand to her mouth

she felt it

it…

backdoor,” I mouth and she

the hunters and their movements, grimacing when I see that Delilah is correct. Young dumbfuck has a firearm in his waist band. I can see its outline and the way his hand hovers over the area doesn’t bode well for Charlie. I

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Hundred Eighty–Three

dumbfuck says smoothly, it’s such an obvious lie that even Chatlle sisakes his

so, Chulle says, and for a moment I’m proud of the little jerk. “You guys are crazy! You turned my best

shame you feel that way, Charlie, Matthew says, closing his hand over Charlie’s shoulder. “We’re still gonna need you

behind them and meet Chulle’s terrified eyes. “Get in the car, Charlie. I’ll take care

on

big I am. I guess the fact that I was a little hunched over when sitting in the car never factored in for him until, just now. It’s almost as if he does a double take before he

moment he said those words to me, I knew

Charlie shouts, shoving Elder Matthew hard enough to steal his son’s attention

as he races for my car.

Dumbfuck shouts, reaching for

my knuckles into his mouth, probably made it quite a bit more painful, both for him and me, but I didn’t mind. The satisfying crack that I heard as two of his front teeth broke free of his gums was worth

the prick. The little bastard was dazed, but he was still conscious… pity, So I lean in close and say, “That’s for thinking you will ever touch my girl. And, just so you’re aware… If I ever see you anywhere near her, ever again you’ll lose more than a few teeth.” Then I rullie his hair and stand to leave.

Matthew hollers and I hear a gun cock behind me, but I keep walking. “Til kill you!”

can see she’s trembling with fear. As I reach for the door handle, three gunshots sound behind me, but I pay them no mind. Keeping a straight face, I leap inside my vehicle and yell, “Get down!” Which, thankfully, both Lilac and Charlie do. As I peel out of the parking lot

my God!” Charlie screeches from the

“I’ll tell you when you can get up.” Then, I

et the call

the loudspeaker

to me,” Rainier

unable to speak for a moment. The pain of my body as it attempts to push out the three bullets I

alert.

hear my ragged breathing, even though I know the

I say as calmly as possible. “I need you to run interference with law enforcement just in case the assholes

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Nov 15