The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

Chapter Two Hundred Thirty

GAYLE

When I come to, I’m lying on the floor next to my bed and my body is completely capped of energy I have no idea whose face it is floating above me like a spirit of unrest until I lash out.

“Get back, demon!” I hiss, swiping at the thing with my somewhat drunken limbs. “You’ll not have him!

“Joor–sumusss!” a familiar voice chimes out. “Chill out the spirit snarls leaping backward and out of my reach

Tac?” I mumble, relieved that it is, in fact, her and not some wayward ghost I pissed off by refusing to lan

and gaze at my bedroom door. It remains closed and intact, the dead bolt still securely in place. Although this is mollifying in sy to aid in my discombobulation. “How the fuck did you get in here?

The sudden thought that Cane may have let her in has my head snapply in the direction of my bed. Sadly, he remains in ti

position he was in when I marked him for the second time. Still and lifeless. I can see from here that he’s still not breathing and although the actuality of it hurts, I won’t let it deter me. I will not give up.

He will breathe again. I know it.

“I’ve been knocking for thirty damn minutes. When I warned you to answer me and you didn’t, I scaled the side of the

in the window. She turns her worried eyes toward me, her gaze reaching into my soul. “What are you doing. Gayle s her head.

Tears fill my eyes, but I don’t let them fall. I don’t know if I can take one more person looking at me like I’m about to beak with a prod lift of my chin I walk over to Cane. My heart wrenches when I allow myself to look down at him and observe my untested.

Tandora’s eyes follow

and she gasps. Gayle…”

I hold my hand up defensively, stopping her before she has a chance to reach for me. I know what this looks, but I pre not what this is!”

“Oh no?” Taedora hisses, crossing her arms over her chest in annoyance. “Are you sure? Because what it looks marked him twice. Depleted yourself, twice! Despite that his condition hasnt changed! What it looks like to me refusing to let go of someone who is already gone! And making your friend – his sister–suffer alongside you to let him go, Gayle! He deserves to move on!”

so confident anymore. My eyes hum an heart trembles with the fear of her words being true. What if she’s right? What if I imagined everything I’ve been

what I felt in the jeep and I can’t s felt so strongly that he was alive. He’s

sure I felt something in the jeep? Did I

whisper in my head and

was not my voice.

voice. When I don’t notice anything attention grabbing, I return my gaze

front of me, blocking my danch Cane’s motionless back and I

1:3

Hundred

can only imagine how crazy I must look to her right now, but I refuse to allow it to bother me, I know what I just heard.

Yes, I marked him twice, and I know his condition hasn’t changed, I’m not fucking blind Tae! Nor am I stupid! And I’m aware that Lilah is going through it, I understand that, trust me I do. Hut you need to understand something as well. I turn away from her, stroking my hand over the warmth of Cane’s chest when I speak, He’s not gone, Tue. I know this. I realize that none of you believe me and I know marking him again makes me look crazy, but I don’t care, Hócause I know what the fuck I felt! I know what I heard! He’s not gone Tue! And if 1 give up on him now, after everything I’ve been feeling Ell never get over him! Not ever! I’ll always be wondering – what if. If

head with

fuck’s

like a basket case, I’m going to kill them. All

task of redressing Cane’s torso- the wrap probably came loose when I turned him over the last time and his bloody waistline is exposed. My eyes lock on the beautifully chiseled ridges of his punctuated abdominal muscles and I suddenly have the urge to clean off the dried blood. Pushing him onto his back,

bathroom and grab a – AAAAAAAAHHHHELLE MAHAHA!!! I my mouth

my God! How did I not notice!?!

Omigod, omigod, amigod!

Gayle? What’s wrong?” Tandora shouts, shaking my shoulders.

cut off with a scream, jumping up and covering

too busy choking on my tears. I’m moaning and sobbing into my hands as I do and

What’s going on?” she growls.

Snap

at her, a very smug, very satisfied smile on my face. Touch

she asks, shaking her head. “No, Not doing

“Touch

him!” I insist, not even mentioning the best part of what I just realized.

at least acknowledge

“If you touch him I’ll even come out of my room and make you a margarita.”