The Pack Rule Number 1 No Mates

Chapter Two Hundred Twenty-Nine BARTLETT

"Are you sure about this, Dom? I've made enough bad decisions to last lifetime. I don't want to add another to the list. Especially one that has the potential to harm the rest of the pack."

As long as she's either unconscious or blindfolded while on the yacht, there's no risk. She's human and a human cannot see the mainland from the shore even on a good day. Besides, those hunters would have to be more than a little suicidal to follow a bunch of shitters onto an island. I mean can you imagine? It would be a slaughter. A massacre. If not in our woods, then in the ocean around it. I doubt even Michael Phelps possesses the kind of breastroke it would take to keep up with one of us in the water. No matter which direction t came from, we'd see them. Nah, it's not a mistake. It's actually quite perfect. I can think of no better place for you to get to know one

another."

With a short sigh, I gaze over in Rose's direction. She remains as still as she was before 1 marked her, albeit with a tinge more color to her alabaster complexion. "Yeah, you're probably right. That way, if she wakes up hostile, she won't have anywhere to run to." "What do you mean?" Dom asks. "I thought you said she spoke to you in the hospital. That she remembered you."

"She did," I admit. "I'm just afraid that the man she remembers and the actual man that she asked not to leave her side are not the same guy. She probably believes me to be one of the campers that were there that night. From the other side of the lot. She has no idea that I was the wolf that tempted her friends into the forest to begin with. She never saw me step out of the woods in my animal fohn, and she has no idea what I actually had to do, to save her life. Inhaling a sharp, readying breath, I leave her to meet Charlie upstairs in the kitchen.

"And what difference will that make in the end, B? You did, in fact, save her. Why should it matter whether you did it as a wolf or a man?

"It definitely shouldn't," I agree, clenching my teeth as I gaze out at the ocean. Charlie catches my attention at the stove as he lips two omelets effortlessly then snags a spatula on his right so that he can flip the hash browns too. He doesn't look nearly as clumsy when he's cooking as he does when he's walking. Hmm...

"Well then, why worry about it? You don't have to tall her that part until she's ready to accept it," Domonic points out.

"That's the thing though," I admit, smiling as Charlie sets the table and gestures for me to sit. "What if she's never ready? What if she finds out what I am and hates me?"

Domonic huffs and I can practically see him smirking at the phone. "Unfortunately, Bartlett, that is a very real fear we all seem to have to deal with at one point. Look at it this way-at least your girl doesn't have to battle against a lifetime of trauma scaring her away from shifters. At least you don't have to worry about her being afraid of you."

I laugh into the phone. "You're right. I have to worry about her killing me in my sleep and then mounting my head on her wall instead."

Domonic snickers. "Okay. Yeah. I guess I see your point there. But, she is a female, you know? Maybe she hates hunting. Maybe she was forced into joining the Elder Few by her parents. You never know... you might be just what she always wanted"

"Ha!" I chortle. "You obvious didn't get to see my girl in action last night. No... she loves the bat. I'd bet the better half of my dick on it."

Domonic snorts, "Okay, first of all, which half of your dick is the better half?"

tor

I ignore that, not even gertain if there's a right or wrong answer. "If you saw the way she handles a rifle, Dom, you might piss your pants. Just ask Quinn. He knows. She got him once as he leapt into the air and then again, before he even hit the ground! She sent his body ning into the trees! Spinning Dont Did I mention he was spinning?

Domonic laughs. "Yeah... well okay. So then I rest my case. Take her out to the island where the only weapons she'll have against you are the ones God gave her. From what I remember, she's pretty thick."

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"You don't even know the half of it, I growl, feeling my pants tighten with just the mention of her goodies. I eve Charlie coming me with two heaping plates of food, smiling at the easy way he handles the planes and pitcher of fresh squeed jain. So w burglar being caught, I guess we no longer need that live-in caretaker"

"You know what," Dom comments. "You're right. I hadn't thought of that I we put out since Doves got here. I guess we don't."

"Huh," 1 grunt. "Too bad." "Why's that?"

I thank Charlie and nearly groan in delight when I bite into the crispy, buttery goodness of his homemade hash brown just found the perfect man for the job."

Is that a fact?"

"Oh yeah," I say almost orgasmically as I sample the omelet on my plate. "Without a doubt"

"I see. Might not be a bad idea to hire him anyway, you know? You're about to become a mated wolf. You might nood to start spending more time at home and less time at the har. And it would definitely be nice to have a guardian around that does have to shift ond month. Especially since I'm pretty sure Draven's dad will be heading back to Italy soon."

I hum my acknowledgement, regarding Charlie carefully. "Then consider it done. I haven't asked him yet, but something tells me it'll work out perfectly."

"Good deal," Dom agrees. "Ive got to go. Just got to the docks and it looks like my dad isn't the only one who decided to show."

"Oh? Will there still be room for my little caravan of wanderers later?"

"Of course."

"Alright then. Call me when it's time for us to head to the yacht," I say, then hang up. Taking another Charlie... where's home? Where do you live when you're not camping out in a shifter's living room?" bite of my

f my food, I study Charlie. "Sa

Charlie laughs, then loses his smile as he eyes his food. "Oregon. Cept it's not really home anymore. Cane, Delilah, and I... we all had a place there together. But we were evicted last month."

"That sucks," I say, grinning like a fool. Charlie's eyebrows quirk up at me quizzically. Again, I smile, "You ever work in a har Charlie?" GAYLE

I sit in my room next to my bed, rocking myself back and forth as I consider my decision to mark Cane... again.

I haven't done it yet... but I think I'm going to.

The moment we got home, I forced Gryffin to place Cane in my bed. He didn't want to, and he wasn't going to even after I explained everything I felt in the car but when 1 threatened to shift and race out into the woods for the humans to find, he gave in. He told me that he was only doing it so that I could have my time saying goodbye, but I knew the truth. He was scared to death. He knows that I meant what I said and he also knows that if I decide to join Cane in the afterlife there's no way on this earth that he will be able to stop

ΠΗ So, I win.

At least for now,

Now, I've locked the two of us in here alone and spent the first hour ignoring every single person who came to the door. I know they mean well, but I'm not trying to hear anything they have to say at this point Hot even Delilah seems to have any hope for his revival. In

fact,

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Chapter Two Hundred Twenty-Nine

after Cryffin told us that Cane was still cold, I saw something die in het eyes. Almost as if before, when it first happened and we had just learned of Cane's predicament he hadn't truly believed it yet. But after I dangled that hope in front of her and then Gryffin snatched it away it was like she finally knew. Like... she accepted that he was gone.

Well don't

I refuse to accept it. In fact, I'll never accept it. Not unless he rots right here in my room first.

Yeah, I get it, and I kn its sounds gross... ..but that's the only way I would ever know for sure. I'd have to see him fade away first.

My brother was right about one thing though. Canes body is exceptionally cold and try as I might, I can't seem to find a heartbeat. Howeint, I have to remind myself that he pretty much bled out on the floor of that cottage and a body without blood is what manner of creature you are.

you see, there are a couple of things that are strangely encouraging. A couple of things that have changed since I first marked him and of the way that Gryffin reacted when I tried to mark Cane again in the Escalade - shouting at me and snatching me into his arms I'm keeping them to myself.

But were alone now.

My fangs slice out of my mouth and I turn Cane over onto his side. He's stiff as a board and that would be discouraging except for one thing....... this time when I place my mouth on his flesh... my fangs are pulsing with need

This time... they know their mate is here... and so... I bite him again.