The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

Chapter Two Hundred Seventy–Three

ANASTACIA

DREAM SEQUENCE

The fog is thick this morning. Lassoed around my grandma’s house kere twined about a body. It’s winter tone and the sky is more gray than it has ever been, but even so the fog is never quite so thick here, so I have to wonder what the hell is going on. Stepping past the weatherbeaten threshold and into my grim’s living room cases me to hear by breath.

ty ripe with rabia’s egg blue in every

It may be dark outside, but the living room is bright and the new beyond the windows shows a cloudless sky direction. What the – huh??

A quick gaze around finds may gran sitting quietly in her favorite chair, a spl of yarn and fresh knitting on her lap.

“Gran! Hey! Where’s Chelsea? My eyes search the space for my sister, frong when I come up empty.

Gran laughs, her dark blue eyes swirling as she looks up at me. “Child, you ow dong well these visits are personal and private.”

I squint, turning my head to observe her carefully. She looks younger somehow. Not sick the way she was the last time we were

together.

11hen wassss the last time we were together?

“Oh my Goddess!” I exclaim. “This is a dream, isn’t it Gran?”

My grandama smiles at me, nodding her head knowingly. “No child, this is a visit. I’ve been holding onto the veil, waiting for this day for a while now, baby. You’ve been lost to us for the fast two years. It’s nice to know someone has finally breached Draco’s barrier over your heart. you

are free now.

is the talking about? Fr

Free?

He’s still out there. He’s been chasing me since the day you died.

Even if it may not seem that way at the time. She sighs, “I still love you. No matter the choices you made. I held your hand when you sang your song of sorrow. I was there when you finally decided to run from the best.”

there for Chelsea… and what do

Gran?

my gifts sparked to life the day I traveled. So all of your emotions and eff of your magics, along with mine, were locked up inside of you. You couldn’t complete much more than a few surface conjurings before she grins “-now though-” her ryebrows

mate? Gran? What in the niligator crust are you

grasp her knees and my hands go straight through “Gran? Her body is fading right before my eyes. “Hair”

Now that I’ve finally been able to say goodbye, I can Nally pass beyond the veil. I love you my angel. The next time you open your eyes you will know true power. You’re going to have to save him from himself. Whatever you take from this visit, let it be that. He will not believe in you at first and you will have to fight tooth and mail to keep Jim close. But I have faith in you, child. You

1/2

Hundred Seventy–Three

What are you talking about? I cry as everything around me beglas to disappear and I’m suddenly back in

I’ve just fallen again and the hounds are only a few steps behind me. I can hear them, smell them, feel them on the wind… and leap to my feet and race forward. A gray sky looms ahead through a crack in the treeline. The tang of ocean brine

is near. Salt water! Perfect! Shadow Hounds are extremely susceptible

do I know that? What the hell? And why-

thought leaves me as I tumble down the mountainside and hit my head on a boulder, my skull

END DREAM SEQUENCE

PALL

a siren’s song to wolf and I take my first step in their direction, my lip lifting as I growl The biggest of the hounds shifts into his human form

behind the dog

with you, brother, but the female you are protecting is mine. She belongs to me. She promised herself to me after murdering nay sister. She owes me. A life for

such things. Instead, I growl. Low, angry, and intent on making myself clear. My muscles bunch as 1 prepare to pounce, knowing it will be much easier to kill the

envelopes my throat

Anastacia?