The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

Chapter Two Hundred Seventy–Seven

ANASTACIA

When Paul places a papaya–less Pina Colada on the table in front of me, he retakes his seat. He hasn’t fixed himself a drink and I ponder why for only a moment before I take a healthy sip and close my eyes, moaning with pleasure.

“Mmm,” I murmur. That’s really good.”

When I meet his gaze, his eyes are heavy lidded and his lips are wet. The ridges of his muscled forearms are flexed tight and shifting under the light. He clears his throat, focusing on something beyond me when he says, “So tell me about the shadow hounds.”

“The first thing you need to know… is my Gran was a Mystic like me. She was super talented and wanted to teach me everything I would need to know about my gifts but-“I pause, taking a bite of the steak and flushing red when my stomach rumbles with furious hunger. “Im so sorry,” I say feeling stupid. “I haven’t had a real meal in-

“It’s okay,” Paul replies, his eyes sparkling with mirth. “It’s cute.”

“Starving is cute?” I asked with a wry smile.

“Not that part,” he says somewhat seriously. “Your tummy’s little grow! That’s what is adorable.

in my stomach. “Uh huh.” Are you sure you don’t mean creepy? 1 take a few more bites of my food to subdue the chorus of gurgles erupting then I continue, “Like I said, Gran was a Mystic. My dad was never around. He abandoned my mother when Chelsea and I were very young. so that’s when she decided to move us all with Gran. Gran knew right away what I was, even though for the first few years of my life. my mother denied there was anything different about me. My mother was born normal, and she was pretty resentful of me for a long time, but I loved her anyway. How could I not? She was my mom. However, she died only a year after we moved in with Gran..

“When I was growing up, Gran used to tell us stories about shifters. Shifters that were good. Bedtime stories about true love and mates, Stories that any child would have been glad to hear Valiant wolves and brave lions. Protective, devoted, bears and even possessive sharks. They were love storien..”

“Possessile sharks?” Paul asks, flinching “Your kidding? I didn’t even know there were shark shifters.”

I chuckle, watching him carefully. “Yeah, there are. According to Gran there are shifters of just about any kind.

His blue eyes are wide and guileless as he studies nie. “Right… but sharks? And how are stories about possessive mates good for bedtime?”

I laugh, “Not sure. But the way my Gran told it, they were romantic. Besides, from what I can gather, all sifters are possessive. Is that not

اله.

He smirks. It’s definitely true. But labeling the shark lone as possessive paints a pretty scary picture.”

I guess it does. Never thought of it that way. “You’re right. She only told me a couple about sharks, but in both cases the male shifters were pretty bloodthirsty when it came to the humun women they loved”

“Human women??? Paul snaps, shocked.

1. How does that even work? Imran what on earth?”

I giggle, taking another bite of my food and reveling in the way the stical practically melts against my tongue. The man certainly knows his beef. Whatever he added to the marinade is fre for my palate. “You’ll and they don’t need to live as sharks all the time. The same as you don’t need to Ink as a wolf all the time. But one thing is for sure. They re always near the ocean. You might even have a few out here.

He appears thoughtful for a moment, then shrugs. “I don’t know. As far as I’m aware, none of us have ever come across any

“Fair enough” I say, starting in on my mashed potatoes, which are light as a cloud and deliciously buttery. Anyway – it wasn’t until

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Chapter Two Hundred Seventy–Seven

met Draco, that the started telling me stories about hounds.”

“Draco?” Paul questions, his e

eyes going to the shaded windows almost automatically. “Is that the Alpha?”

“Yes,” I answer with a nod. “Gran hated him.”

Paul’s eyes widen with interest. “Smart

smart woman. They’re the most despicable type of shifter there is. As far as I know, anyway. Do you any idea what they do to their women?”

have

Biting my lip, I meet his angry gaze. “Yes. I mean – I didn’t. Not when Let him. But the first time I allowed him to bring me home, my

Gran lost her shit.”

“She knew what he was?”

Yes. She was talented that way. She could see things. So can I. She knew what he was just on sight of him. My sister can do that too, but she doesn’t have any magic.”

“So your sister is still alive?”

“As far as I know. I haven’t seen her in two years.”

Paul appears stunned, but he keeps the focus of his questions on the matter at hand. “So your Gran tried to warn you against him and I’m assuming you didn’t you listen to her.”

“I thought he was different,” I say with a shudder. “He had me convinced that he was. We dated for two and a half years and not once did ever see any sign of his pack. He said he didn’t have one. That he didn’t believe in the consumption of compatible mates. So I continued to see him, despite Gran telling me different horror stories about hounds every time I stepped in the door. Eventually, I gave myself to him and-” A loud growl rumbles from Paul’s chest and I stop speaking.

“Excuse me a moment,” Paul says, standing up. “I think I need a drink after all.”

I take a deep breath, closing my eyes against the unwanted memory of it all. The last time I saw my Gran

FLASHBACK

“Please baby girl, you have to listen to me. He is not your average hound. Normal hounds are bad enough! Shadow hounds not only drain your life, they drain your magic! He’ll keep you as a slave and slowly drain you until he’s consumed all of your gifts and then he will kill you. It’s what keeps them alive,”

Gran! I don’t want to hear any more of it! I’m leaving.

what he wants.

I won’t

listen to this

shit! He

He’s proven it

Please!

tell me

been with him! Please tell me he hasn’t shared you with-”

about you. You just want

think he is. There is another and he is

with the fairytales. You don’t care about what makes me happy.

Anastacia, just know that I

you

forgive

2/4

Hundred

no mend to forgive me, Adraise for not sorry

END OF FLASHBACE

pry eyes by the time

you’ve ever been

energy and

and my antwet jedy appears to make His eyes are brighter, One daytime bus, they are new alment fronted

him. A man you don’t

dont belong

I belonged

the end of snarl, “No,

the time.”

Anastacia. Not him. You were never his,” he growls,

Why does he

looks

Studying him for a long moment what I see there is farmiliar in a way that cannot be real. It’s almost as if should know him. Like he should know the the reason I can

Oh my God.

flashes of memory suddenly assault knelt

from every angle. Of Gran alive and

these? They

as I realize. “Oh

alarmed. “What

him. Gran’s words from our visit surround me, making me

finally breached Draco’s barrier over your heart. You are free

God,” I say to myself, forgetting for a moment that Paul sits right

has set

shake myself, turning to face

im with

I whisper. “You’re

“What?”

Warmth and happiness floods my body and

Hundred Seventy–Seven

Pad diffent, his eyes naftowing.

nod happily, reaching

his face. “You’re my true

hath and

shatter.

Chapter Two Hundred Seventy–Eight

PAUL

orbs appears to wilt, or… close nfl Like a flower in the winter preparing to hibernate. Or a Venice flytrap, once it has an insect in its grip. It dissipates into the black of her pupils with

as if she’s working to capture her air. Hands that were reaching for my face just a

that’s not

off the moisture beneath her thick, willowy lashes

of that one word sends

inside churns with

whatever thread

badly I can hardly stand it. I’m practically aching to lean in

she corrects me, her

forced to shake my

looks so sad. So last.

me that?

thickly, tuming away. I must have been mistaken.

Mates are sacred for wolves and

me anymore. “I–I shouldn’t have called you that. I- I was wrong. I mean… I must have

playing games with you. She

This is not real.

But..

so close to one another, should be able to feel her heat, but

as she resumes eating her meal. “I’m sure you want to head out early

“No.”