The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

Chapter One Hundred Ninety–Four

DRAVEN

When we first arrived on the island tonight, the house was in chaos. Ryder, nor Felix had ever seen it before, so they spent their first hours exploring the inside and the outside of the house, Gio’s people immediately disappeared to scout the property and I was left to unload all of the supplies. It wasn’t too much, so when Gio offered to help me I turned him down. However, he wasn’t having it and insisted he carry everything. Apparently he didn’t like the idea of his pregnant daughter this words of course) carrying anything heavier than ten pounds up a flight of stairs. It was in the back of my mind to point out that his pregnant daughter had been through much worse than a little heavy lifting in his absence, but I decided to save those little tras for later on. Instead, I thanked him for his considerate gesture and only half flinched when he said the word daughter. It would have been a hell of a workout for me to do it alone anyway. I would have had to make a few trips up and down the steps, onto the yacht, off the yacht – I certainly would have been a little winded for sure. As it turns out, Gio has the strength of ten men and took all six boxes – full of canned goods, frozen meats, etcetera, etcetera – three to a

shoulder and hauled ass up the cliff.

As I watched him, I was reminded of that night he snatched Taedora by the throat in the middle of her shift and rendered her immobile under his grip. I couldn’t wait to ask him about that little kung fu secret. I was dying to know how he stopped her from changing. I think Taedota is too. Ever since that little incident, Taedora seems to view Gio as more of a phenomena than a shifter. She’s in awe of him, while as far as I’m concerned, he’s still just a deadbeat dad, But… I will ask him my questions tonight and… we’ll just see if anything

changes.

Personally, I can’t think of a single fucken thing in this world that could make me abandon my child and I don’t even have her yet. So the odds of his gaining my complete forgiveness are slim to none. Although I am willing to hear him out, the best I can offer is some understanding and possibly a semi–truce. As far as a future with him in my life goes… I don’t know. Not sure what my heart is capable of glowing at this point.

And yes, I’m confident that I will be having a girl, despite that Domonic believes otherwise.

After Emily slaved away in the kitchen for the entire afternoon (turns out she’s a regular Gordon Ramsay) the eight of us had dinner together in the dining room and even my cynical ass has to admit, it was nice having a full table. We laughed, joked, and listened to Gio’s bodyguards tell crazy stories about their training days. Sophia tried teaching Ryder some Italian until all he wanted to earn were the bad words. All in all, it was a successful supper.

Now, it’s just past midnight and the packhouse is eerily quiet, Ryder has long since gone to bed, insisting he sleep with Em because he promised his brother he’d take care of her. Felix went up about twenty minutes ago after having a few mighty margaritas and Sophia retired a few minutes after that.

So all that remain awake are me, Gio, and his two Italian goons.

“Are they g going to stay out there all night?” I ask Gio, watching through the glass walls of the living room as the pair of them circle the perimeter a few times in their human forms. I haven’t seen their wolves yet, and I’d be starting to doubt Gio’s story if my memory of Sophia hadn’t surfaced.

It is their job, mia bambina. They are used to it,” Gio says dismissively. “You don’t have to worry about them. Piccoli guards are handpicked from a very young age and trained from the time of their very first shift to endure the very harshest of conditions and beat the most insurmountable odds. It is our way.”

“Piccoll guards or not, they’re my guests. They deserve to relax and be comfortable. I dislike having them suffer the elements like some kind of second class citizens, while we remain here in the warmth of the house.”

sighs behind me. I know you might now believe it, but they are probably more comfortable outside than they would be here resting. All it would take is one slip up, one unnoticed threat,

have to sleep sometime. When do they

“When their

1/3

Hundred Ninety–Four

more of them?

to take a sea on the couch. There are presently Pour me their rest right now in one of the nicest hotels in Seattle and four more in

“You brought

smiles, taking a seat a cushion

gundo enjoying

too?” I inquire, thinking that she most be and

different. She was trained as a guard d like the others, but her particular talents are

“Offensively? What exactly does that mean?”

gold eyes sparkling. “She’s an assassin.

you need an assassin for?” I gape. “You make it sound like you’re the

surprise, he doesn’t laugh, simply cocks

don’t… actually rule a country,

head no, then says,

exactly?” I grapple. “What does that

begins to loosen his coat then gestures to the bar

“Help

dark hair only hinted with silver almos stylishly painted along the edges, but he’s incredibly muscular. I’m sure much of this has to do with his being a shifter, but I met a group of male shifters

drink is a little unsettling because there’s a sharp precision to each and every one of his movements. And he’s so quiet I almost wonder what thoughts are going through his head. Every time I