The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

Chapter One Hundred Ninety–Three

BARTLETT BARTI

I drew as many of the male hunters as I could deep in the woods and now it’s time to circle back. I can hear Domonic some odd feet to my right. His growl is deep and menacing as he finishes his kill. The snap and crack of bones breaking behind his janes the only sound heard since the man beneath him stopped screaming. His hunting rifle never even got to fire one round which is pretty sad.

On my left, it’s almost the opposite. A human male is heard screaming and crying like a virgin at the brothel, Rainier silently ripping him to shreds as he waits to die.

There’s one more guy out here. I hear him whimpering each time he heads for a new hiding place. At present, he’s up in the trees above. Crazy, really, because it takes an insane amount of strength for a human to climb one of these giant western hemlocks. He left his ride lying in the brush right next to his perch. He’s probably watching my brothers tear apart his friends. Good From up there he has on incredible view. I’m sure. Maybe he’ll live then. Maybe he’s learned his lesson.

Just as i complete that thought, Goose races past me, I can’t help but pause to watch as he rumbles a growl and sinks his claws into the bark of the largest pine. Five seconds later, the third hunter can be heard wailing like a banshee as Goose climbs up the side of the hemlock’s trunk like the mountain cat he is.

Well, okay. I guess he won’t live.

Turning away from the bone crunching symphony, I race hack toward the RV camp. Rifle fire pops in the distance, echoing and scattering through the trees. The distinct rumble of a lioness roar pounds across the landscape and I’m instantly afraid. Why? I don’t know. But the cloud of gloom that suddenly descends on me threatens to stop my heart. A wash of sadness stutters my steps and the closer I get to the campsite, the stronger it hits.

My body is slowing down, my limbs growing heavy, and I snarl in confusion as 1 creep toward the back of the hunters” RV.

A bloodcurdling scream vibrates into the night and the sound puts the fear of God in me.

What’s happened?

Fighting through the mysterious impairment from a moment ago, I grow and push myself to move faster. In a burst of taxing breath andy speed, I explode out of the trees to find Quinn atop the RV with his head lowered as if he’s disappointed. The sound of an animal gurgling catches my attention and I push forward only to come to a grinding half when I spy Gayle’s tail sticking out from under the RV.

What the fuck is going on?

I race toward the other side, to somewhere- anywhere that I might get a better look. Pain explodes in my chest the moment I round the rear of the trailer and air is suddenly impossible to get. But then, my eyes fell on what lay struggling on the ground beneath the camper It’s Gayle….. with her jaws locked around the female hunters neck.

hasn’t got much time left. Her face is flashing from red to purple, growing darker and darker beneath the lioness grip. Ignoring the pain in my

her throat, but she doesn’t release the girl. I give one more warning, one more growl, and

she gets no leverage and ends up banging her head. I release Gayle’s fate just to snap right back again and this time I bite down over her eyes. Gayle cries out, her jaws going slack as she retreats from me, backing away with her face a bloody

1/3

Hundred

press my ear to the

still there.

scream, scrambling

for anything I can tie ard her throat and attempt to stop the bleeding. “Quinn?” I shout again, but he’s suddenly at my

around her neck,”

me the longest strip. Wrapping her throat, I do my best to tie it off lightly. I don’t want her to choke, but I need her

Quinn says, patting down her pockets in front and

what I’m doing, I’m slapping his hands away. “Ill check,” I snap brutishly and Quinn

Sorry!” he

pocket of her jacket right over her left breast punches out slightly in the shape of a square and I close my hand over it, then peel the velcro open and pull out a phone. “God I hope it’s not

matter. Emergency services are

her heartbeat. When I don’t hear anything, my throat constricts with fear. “No.”

address to the campsite and instead of waiting for him to return, I get to work

to clear her airway, I lean in to start CPR. Sparks zing across my body where I touch her skin and although that fact registers, I ignore it. Blowing into her mouth twice, I watch her chest rise, then I start the chest compressions As I work, I’m catologuing things about her in the back of my mind, just in case I never get another chance to do so. The first thing is that she smells like sugared coconut and chocolate. Two

weakness. It was hers. I think I

happen to

baby.” I whisper after blowing into her lungs again and starting the compressions. “Come

clothes that I ignore. “You should be dressed

don’t stop. “Take over,” I tell him. “Thirty compressions, two breaths. I’m about to be at thirty when I’m