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,”

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

he wants. To

IT! I

listen to

He

proven it

Please!

tell me

Please tell me he hasn’t shared

out of here! Mom was right about you. You just want to control everyone

There is another and he is out

You don’t care about what makes me happy. Not

again. Anastacia, just

you

I forgive you.”

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Two Hundred

me,

END OF FLASHBACE

in pry eyes by the

man you’ve ever

with energy and are beautifully tensed

him quizzically, and my antwet jedy appears to make His eyes are brighter, One daytime bus, they are

To him. A man

man I dont belong to?

I belonged

be spift the end of snarl, “No,

the time.”

You were never his,” he growls, bis

does he lost

what looks like

never his,” I whisper, placatingly and he finally seems to relax. 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

Oh my God.

memory suddenly assault knelt at her

angle. Of Gran alive and in

memories are these? They didn’t

say as I

alarmed. “What

beauty of him. The power in him. Gran’s words from our visit surround me,

over your heart. You are free

for a moment

has set

to face

im with

“It’s you,” I whisper. “You’re him.”

“What?”

set you free… That’s what my Gran said to me in my dream. She said… that I’ve found my true mate and… I think she was talking about you.” Warmth and happiness floods my body and suddenly I don’t care about any of the things I heard him say on the phone. All I want is to have him

Hundred Seventy–Seven

his eyes

happily, reaching

face. “You’re my true mate.”

hath and I

hear my beart shatter. “No I am

Chapter Two Hundred Seventy–Eight

PAUL

me. The violet of her 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 frightening clarity.

made, my denial of her, seems to have done somellsing irreparable to her charming eyes. Even her coloring pales, the natural flush of her skin disappearing completely and her throat bobs as if she’s working to capture her air. Hands that were reaching for my face just a moment ago

that’s not the

thick, willowy lashes and

rapidly. The sound of that one word sends a spike of longing

inside churns

fix whatever

hands at my sides. I want to touch her so badly I can

corrects me, her voice quivering so

that I’m forced to shake my head against

sad. So

that? Why would you

away. I

“Stop playing with me. Mates are sacred for wolves and pretending

at me anymore. “I–I shouldn’t have called you that.

witch, Paul. A charmer. And she’s playing games with you. She knows

This is not real.

But..

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

sleep?” she asks as she resumes eating her meal. “I’m

“No.”