The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

Chapter Two Hundred Eighty–Three

ANASTACIA

Taul? What is going on? Why is he in here?” With a whimper, I stumble back into the wall. Paul’s head snaps around, his eyes flashing gold and circling the blue when he spies me on the landing. “You don’t know what you have done!” I cry, shaking.

“Anastacia,” Paul shouts. “Get back in the room!”

If Jarl is inside, it’s only a matter of time before Draco’s magic crawls through the walls and finds me. I should have done something to make certain this place was guarded before I fell asleep. Why didn’t I place wards around the house? And cast a sleeping spell on the grounds?

I am an idiot.

“Get him out of here! I screech. “Please!!!”

Fuck! I have to hide.

How did that fuck even get in here?

Why did the shifters not stop him?

With a deep breath, I scramble back into Paul’s room and linger haplessly next to the bed, pacing like an agitated prisoner. I don’t want to leave here. I don’t want to leave Paul. But Draco’s poison is in his house and now it’s only a matter of time before Draco’s shadow seeks

me out.

A voice like a whisper, floats between my ears, “Hell try to suck your will Into his, the way he did before… you must be bonded to stop him

from it

That thought comes out of nowhere and I clutch my chest, gazing up at the ceiling as if I can see through it into heaven.

Gran, is that you?

Attempting to block out everything else I can hear, I focus on my heartbeat until the sounds fade away.

Gran? I call out with my mind. Gran are you there?

I wait… nothing happens.

Gran, what do you mean I need to be bonded? Bonded how? To what? Grat?!

“Bonded?” Paul’s voice cuts through my meditation so loudly I startle. “Anastacia? Who are you talking to? Your grandmother?”

Spinning around, my eyes jolt upward in shock, “1-1 wasn’t speaking, I whisper, stuttering.

me!

He really is my true mate.

me for a second, and before can stop myself, I jump

back and forth as he searches my gaze for only heaven knows what. The flex of his muscles are like

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Hundred Eighty–Three

my shirt, just below Paul’s deliciously prominent pectorals, Wetness glazes my sex. my core

he’s so

his fangs elongating. “Stop this,” he commands halfheartedly, pulling me closer despite his plea

stretch over the smooth skin of his powerfully built chest. “Why?” I hum, with a bite of my lip, my eyes heating as they draw over the

it,” he snaps with an

of rejection. “And I’m not trying to charm you!” I snap. “I am not! I haven’t! Not even one time have I tried! And I can’t anyway! And

te doing

closer once again. He glares down at me. “You were trying” His eyes dart around in annoyance. “You’re it again.

“Doing it? Doing what? What the fuck are you talking about, Paul?”

He snarls, “I don’t like it.” He spins around the room,

blue devil are you doing? Dancing?”

the untethered magic as he plucks

purple mist shit! He snaps.

around you

say? Purple mist shit?

magic. I suppose it does look a bit like mist. “You can see it?”

staring at me with disbelief. “You know that I can. The same way I can see the purple in your eyes. I am a wolf

may be true, Pretty Paul, but you shouldn’t be able to

it couldn’t move through him before,

he’s my mate! The Gifted cannot cast ir mates. It’s against the rules of the universe. Because he is my

grandmama’s whispering again, saying Just tell him baby. Tell him how

my hurt into rage. I was never good at listening anyhow. I’ve always been much better

up in his face. “With all six of you down there? How did that fucker get inside? Ituh? Do

Staring down at me, a muscle ticks in his

crack against his skin, but I don’t because it never makes it. He snatches my wrist right

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Two Hundred

protect me I cry

“You spoke

what to do with them to wash away their taint or so you called it. You said that we should wash him in the ocean water at dawn.

I

deep inside of me, I