The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

3/3 The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates Chapter Two Hundred Fifty-Eight ROSE "What?" Bartlett's voice cracks with pain as I stumble backward and over the couch behind me.

Somewhere in my head I know that he won't hurt me, but the set of fangs that he is sporting still hascringe. "Y-you're a shifter." I whisper, tears filling my eyes. "Did you bite me? Is that how I-I..." But I'm not even sure what it is I'm trying to say as the room falls deathly silent and more shifters crowd the space.

One by one, beyond Bartlett's shoulders men who are impossibly big and impossibly handscrowd the space, "That's not what you called me, Bartlett bites out. "You calleda monster." My chest is heaving as they all stare at me, each of their eyes filled with disdain. With cruelty.

"Aren't you?" I hiss clamoring backward away from them. "I want to go home!" But even as I said it, I knew it wasn't true. Looking at Bartlett, at the pain of his gaze as his fangs disappear, I know I only want him. But how can that be? Do you want to see a monster?" The meanest looking one, with eyes like burnt coal and hair the color of autumn, snarls. His fangs flar and I can't help the whelp with fear as I press my back against the wall behind me. “Turn around," the man snarls.

I flinch and Bartlett growls, but not at me. No, he's growling at the lumberjack of a man behind him. "Stop it. She's just scared.

Fuck that. Let her see who the true monster is Bartlett. If there's any hope for her here, then she needs to know." "He's right Dom," a dark haired male says, one that Felix is suddenly clinging to. "We were all much gentler with Draven. What would she think if she saw you-" "Turn around!" The large one, the one they are calling Dom, shouts again.

I whimper, but do as he says with my eyes closed just in case they plan to harm me. Keeping them closed I wait, thinking that any minute now I will feel their teeth on my flesh and hoping in my heart of hearts that Bartlett will do something to stop them.

"Open your fucking eyes," the voice of the one they call Dom says.

My body shudders, only half aware that no one has touchedyet. "Okay," I whisper, doing as asked when it becomes clear that I'm not being physically attacked. I didn't notice it before, but there's a mirror in the corner of this wall between two windows and it takesa moment to realize who it is they wishto see.

Myself.

'I don't understand," I whimper, placing a finger on the reflection of my neck, where not one bite mark, but two can now be seen.

"There's your fucking monster," Dom says. "The hunters are the monsters. Not us. Now let's eat so we can get back to work." A flurry of movement causesto gasp, but before I can turn around Bartlett appears behind me, his blue eyes drenched in sadness. "You're not a monster," he whispers, meeting my confused gaze. "You're my mate." "Mate?" I repeat, my eyes filling with tears as my mind trudges through all the little things Roman taught us about shifters.

"Yes," Bartlett says softly. "And I claimed you, like a selfish fool, without asking you first." He sighs deeply as he starts to turn around. "So if you still want to leave me... I'll find a way to get you back home." As he turns around, his back is too my back, but I can still see the defeat in him as he walks away. His shoulders are slumped and his powerful arms slack at his sides. Something about the way he looks, about the way he walks away from me, starts an aching in my chest 1/2 Chapter Two Hundred Fifty-Eight that I know will never stop without him.

"Bartlett," I hiss, spinning around, fully intent on telling him that I don't want to go, that i need him, but he doesn't givethe chance. Instead, he tosses his phone on the couch and then leaps out the front doors to disappear in the woods beyond the house.

"Would you like to eat out here? Emily's voice sound from the kitchen doorway and my eyes are drawn in her direction. She's smiling atas she steps into the room, despite the scowl I'm still receiving from jerface with the gray eyes who's sat at the dining table in the room beyond. "I can serve you and Bartlett." “He just left,” I say quietly, my eyes on the woods, thoughts of my dream dancing in my vision. Maybe I'm meant to follow him.

"He probably just went for a run, Emily informsconvincingly. "Sometimes that's what they do when they are feeling overwhelmed.

"Are you a wolf too?" I ask sheepishly, somehow already knowing the answer is going to be, no.

She shakes her head. "No. Koda is my mate. I'm like you. Just as human, just as lost once." She tilts her head, showingthe two crescent shaped marks at the base of her neck.

I intake a sharp breath, my eyes falling toward the phone. "I didn't want to leave him. I only wanted to call my brother and let him know that I'm okay. Because is my family tells him I'm missing - he'll clooking for- and when he can't find me... they'll make him my place." Emily's eyes widen. "As what? A hunter?" 1 nod, biting my lip and not even realizing Mister Meanie Pants now stands in the living room, his gray gaze more thoughtful than angry "So they did force you," Dom says.

My gaze lifts to his and I shrug. "They forced my brother when he wanted nothing to do with hunting - ever. I took his place because I was a natural-" "Shot. Yes," Dom says, his eyes twinkling, "So I've heard. How many animals have you hunted?"

I swallow, not sure what the right answer is. The truth Rose. Just tell the truth. "My first hunt ended within arcoma, Fadmit, tears filling my eyes when I think of my iniation. into the Elder Few and the poor cat I swapped for my own. "But I killed a cat. And I hated it."

To my surprise Dom's mouth quirks up in a smile. "So not a monster then. Good. Maybe there's hope for you after all

Releasing a shuddering breath, my eyes go toward the woods beyond the glass, "Do you think I should go after him?" "You might want to wait. Bartlett probably-" Emily starts, but Dom silences her with a hand over her mouth.

"Yes, you most definitely should." Chapter Comments POST COMMENT NOW 2 < SHARE 2/2 The Pack: Rule Number 1 No Mates