The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

Chapter Two Hundred Ninety-Three

PAUL

Coasting down the street in my jeep, I'm acutely aware of the fact that Anastacia still does not have any shoes.

The stores on the main drag don’t open for an hour, so | decide to take her to breakfast instead

Watching her face as she gazes out the window, her eyes lighting up with glee as we pass through the older

neighborhoods, | can’t help but smile. She may be used to swamps and marshlands, but she likes this place, |

can tell.

Good. Maybe she won't hateso much when | tell her she can’t go back to Louisiana,

What about her sister Paul?

She mentioned a sister didn’t she?

My phone chirps on the dash and | read a short message from Koda saying they've scouted the woods. It

appears the hounds have taken off into the mountains heading toward Blackjack. Knowing Cane and Gryffin will

be on the lookout for them is only mildly comforting because lion's can’t scent other shifters the way wolves can,

save for Cane. And being as how Cane is a new somewhat made shifter, who knows how long that will last.

“What are we doing?” Anastacia asks as we pull into a space at the ‘Land Ho Diner’.

The diner is a landmark out here. Set along the coastline, right next to the docks, it has an incredible view of the

sea and the harbor. It's also the one place in town you might cacross every local inhabitant of the city. This

is where law enforcement have coffee and the dockworkers have lunch, the rangers often stop in for dinner and

the old biddies in town spread gossip like wildfire. It’s the heartbeat of this place that we love. Cozy and cute,

homey and warm.

“We are going to have breakfast,” | tell her, snapping up my phone. “The shops don’t open for an hour at least.”

“Oh.” Her mouth falls open in a perfect oval, her full lips puckering up all plump and juicy as if waiting for my

kiss.

“Would you liketo carry you inside?” | tease her, my gaze falling over the front of her sweater where | can

see that her nipples are still as hard as little stone pebbles.

God, | can’t wait for the stores to open. | know exactly what color | want to see her in.

She smiles, her long black curls draping forward over her chest. “Are they going to letin without my shoes?”

“They will.”

“Then I'll walk in my socks,” she says smartly.

“The ground is wet,” | point out.

She shoves backward, falling against the seat in resignation. “Shit. Then you'll carry me.”

4

“You say it like it’s a bad thing,” | whisper, my eyes falling toward her lap, traces of honeycomb floating my way.

| fucking love how aroused she gets whenever she’s in my arms.

With a chuckle, | step out of the vehicle and walk around to her side. Once I'm holding her again, | notice |

breathe a little easier and a little deeper. The warmth and the weight of her, the feel of her heart beating next to

mine... it’s all so soothing.

Stepping inside of the diner, every head in the place turns our way. Most of them smile brightly, waving or

greetingby name, but then

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Chapter Two Hundred Ninety-Three

there's Charlotte Bodega, a waitress | once bent over the trunk of a Honda Civic, and she doesn’t look happy at

all.

| smile at her anyway.

With a toss of her long brown hair and a flash of her dark brown eyes, she eyes Anastacia and then disappears

into the kitchen.

“Well hello,” Kendall says, walking up from the back of the restaurant. Her hazel eyes glitter with mischief when

she spies Anastacia in my arms and for a moment | almost turn around.

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Pulling Anastacia’s soft body in a little tighter, | send Kendall a warning glare. Don’t fuck with me, K. Not today.

“What are you doing here, Kendall? You're working at the bar now. | happen to know just the tips you get there

make your paycheck here look like chump change.” Anastacia swats my chest and | simply grin down at her.

Kendall rolls her eyes. “If only that were your business, Paul.” She grabs a couple of menus, then surveys the

floor as if looking for the worst table she can find. “Hmm... how about | put you in Charlotte's section. Nice table,

in the center of the action. Where everyone can see

you.”

| lose my smile. “Don’t you fucking dare.”

“Why not?” Anastacia asks, her eyes slanting suspiciously. “Who is Charlotte?”

| don’t answer, simply shake my head then squeeze her as she tries to scramble out of my arms. “Anastacia,” |

hiss in warning. “What are you doing?”

“The ground isn’t wet inside,” she snipes, pushing against my chest until | grudgingly set her down on the floor.

“Yeah, Paul. Give the girls sair,” Kendall giggles, smirking of the docks and the beach.

as she leads us onto the floor and toward a booth in the corner with a view

Fucking bitch. But at least she didn’t seat us in Charlotte’s section, she sat us

in

hers.

Anastacia slides in and | take a seat next to her as opposed to across, smiling when she gazes atwarily.

There's a reason | want her right next to me, and it has nothing to do with the hounds that are out there on

watch.

“Here are your menus,” Kendall says smoothly, accidentally swattingin the

| flip her off and throw back my menu. “I already know what |

face with both. “Oh, my bad. So sorry Paul.”

“Do you?” Anastacia hisses under her breath as she opens hers and surreptitiously Much like she did in the back

of Rainier’s SUV.

slides further away from me, closer to the window.

This t| don’t allow it, scooting in deeper, and pressing my outer thigh against her “Hell yes, | do.”

own.

Dipping my head low to her ear, | whisper,

Her pulse jumps, | can see it along her throat. For a moment my fangs tingle, stinging when | hold them back.

When she turns her head to bat her lashes in my direction, the sweet scent of honeycomb nearly drowns out my

senses and her indigo eyes pulse with fire.

Without looking away from her, | say, “I'll have the steak and eggs benedict, How about you, precious?”

Her lips are slow on the draw of her smile, but smile she does. “That sounds good. I think I'll have the same.”

“Hearty meal for a tiny thing like you, Kendall remarks, retrieving Anastacia’s menu. “Coffee?”

“Yes please,” Anastacia answers with a blush.

I'm still staring at her. For sreason, | can’t stop. The cocoa of her skin just below her jawline beckonsand

if we weren't already

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Chapter Two Hundred Ninety-Three

inside of this place I'd taste it.

“Coming right up,” Kendall confirms, then disappears, much to my relie

“So,” Anastacia starts, looking away. “Did you have a thing with that girl or something? There's tension there. It's

obvious.”

My back stiffens, my neck snapping back. Absolutely fucking not. One of my brother's used to date her. She

cheated on hiim.”

“Oh!” Anastacia replies, shocked. “Thank the Goddess, Could have sworn all that barking you were doing at her

was stwisted form of flirting that you decided I should bear witness to.”

“Thank the Goddess, huh?” | murmur. “Does that mean you wantall for yourself, Anastacia?”

Her eyes narrow onand when she leans in her scent almost haspanting. So entranced am | that | don’t

even notice when her hand creeps up the top of my thigh. Not until one fingernail strokes over the front of pants

and my dick punches forward, my balls rocking up.

She grins, licking her lips. “You already know the answer to that, Paul.”

My hips twitch, the fire of her palm disappearing when she removes her hand. | almost snatch it back and use it

to stroke the tension in my cock, but I'm way bigger than most guys in this place and | know if anyone decides to

look over, they'll seeif | cream the table.

Gross, | know. But facts, nonetheless.

However... they won't seeif | do it to her.

But can | handle it? Can | make her cum right here in this public eatery and not lose complete control? Can | stop

myself from looking like a pubescent pup when she unravels right here next toand my dick is desperate to

explode?

Probably not, but that’s not going to stop me.

Two coffee mugs clack down on the table so sharply | know who is there even before | hear her voice.

“Hey Paul, how are you? Long tno see.”

My eyes snap shut and | swallow a growl.

Kendall, you fucking bitch.

That is Charlotte. It is. | know it is.

Chapter Comments

The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

Chapter Two Hundred Ninety-Four

ANASTACIA

My gaze is pulled from Paul's suddenly pale, discomfited features toward the place over his shoulder where a

tall, voluptuous female sneers down at me. The look she givesis haughty, and as she takes in my sweatsuit

that is twenty times too big for me, | get the feeling she findsinsubstantial. | am short where she is tall and

in this get up | probably resemble a child. Especially sitting next to someone as big and bulky as Paul is.

Well, okay then Big Bird, you don’t have to like me, because | don’t like you either.

As | study her front and all that she has to offer, | realize her face somewhat resembles that of a horse. The wide

open maw, the big teeth, long legs, knobby knees. The whole of her reeks Kentucky Derby and | don’t find her

nearly as pretty as she apparently finds herself. Her lips are painted a bright, glossy red that is thick with the

taint of whore when applied this early in the morning, and I'm willing to bet she puts it to better use come

sundown. Yeah, | know I'm being judgmental, but | don’t really give a fuck.

My eyebrow jerks up and a riotous heat in my fingertips begs to be released. The energy is fiercely possessive

and the vibe | am getting from this... person... is pissing off my magic. The air is crackling with animosity and

when | meet her glare with one of my own she abruptly smiles, pouring only half a cup of liquid into my mug.

“More please,” | deadpan, without returning her fake ass grin. She's lucky she got the please and | might just tell

her so.

Chuckling, she ignoresand returns her attention to the back of Paul's head. “We had so much fun that night.

| really was hoping to do it again. Maybe this tat your place... or mine.”

With an incredulous snicker, | take Paul’s mug and switch it with my own. Being as how this harpy seems to only

care for him and refuses to fill my mug, | suppose she can refill his then. Taking a deep sip of the startlingly hot

brew, | fight myself not to spit it at her.

No, no. Let your throat burn instead, Ana. Don’t give her the satisfaction of seeing you squirm. Be strong.

But fuck it’s hot. Damn it.

| have gone and melted my entire mouth shut and I'm more than certain it’s going to hurt when | swallow Paul's

cock later.

“I thought you were going to call me. At least, you promised you would. She places a hand on him and five bright

red stiletto nails stroke over his shoulder.

My skin prickles and | bite down hard enough to rip my lip, contemplating whether or not my casting an illusion

of spiders would be dangerous at this point. | mean, the woman is holding a steaming pot of coffee, | am Gifted,

but my skin still boils.

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Case in point, my newly ravaged throat.

So that’s a no to the spiders then.

Paul finally opens his eyes and turns, gazing up at whom | can only assmust be Charlotte. “Hey C!” C???

Really? Fucking hell. “You're not our waitress,” he gripes, looking around her in search of the blond who took our

order. “What's up?”

Her hand is still on his shoulder and it is all | can look at. “You didn’t call,” she says again. “Why not?”

Paul flashes her an apologetic smile, the kind that makes him look somewhat boyish and much too adorable for

my liking. “I didn’t want to,” he says so plainly | choke on my next sip of coffee.

Oh yeah. Torturing myself is definitely on the menu this morning.

Finally, she removes her hand from his shoulder and | can breathe again. “That's not what you said tothat

night.”

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Chapter Two Hundred Ninety-Four

Oh for fuck’s sake grow up.

omani

The woman has to be at least mid-twenties. She has to know by now what it means when you don’t get the

callback.

It means you can fuck right off, ho. Get on now. Gallop into the back like a good little pony.

“Uh,” Paul mumbles, glancing my way almost nervously. | quirk my eyebrows at him, smiling despite that |

cannot feel my lips. “That night was more than a month ago and that night... I lied to you,” he answers, without

looking away from me.

And uh-oh. Oh no. Here it comes again. Another flood of heat to coat my vagina in more sin.

Where's our damn breakfast???

“It was last week,” she snaps and | cast him from my sight with the wave of my hand.

“Sdifference,” Paul says absently, grabbing my palm and bringing it to his lips.

“It totally isn't,” | say, shuddering when his mouth traces over the back of my hand to my wrist. Shivers race

over my spine and | try to rip my hand away, but he doesn’t let me, placing it tightly in my lap instead, resting

his hand on top.

“It is,” he rumbles, interlacing our fingers before dipping them both between my thighs.

“Charlotte, babe, you're wanted in the back,” our waitress’ voice calls out as she steps toward us once more.

She’s holding a pot of coffee and two empty mugs, a look of absolute confusion on her pretty face.

“Right,” Charlotte says, her face turning as red as her lips. With one more scowl at me, she flips around, her long

ponytail smacking Paul in the face and causingto hiss a curse before she walks away.

Paul glares up at our server, his eyes sparkling with anger. She chews on her lips, then snickers. “I know what

you're thinking Paul, but | swear | didn’t send her this way. I'm not that much of a jerk. It's true, | can’t stand

your ass, but your new girlfriend is innocent in all of this. | wouldn't do that.”

“She’s not my girlfriend, Kendall,” he growls out and | swear my chest burns so suddenly | almost cry out. But

then he turns my way and my heart stutters as his eyes darken. “She’s much more than that.”

“Ohhh,” Kendall gasps in shock, as if she knows what he is and now knows what | am. “I s-see.”

My head snaps up and | attempt to meet her gaze, but she isn’t looking at me, she’s looking through me. And

when her energy smashes into me, it hits with so much force that | nearly recoil from it.

Shit. I can feel her emotions.

What the fuck, Gran? Were you like a wizard or what?

Another new magic, check!

Shaking it off, | focus once again on the girl... she’s so sad.

And I'm suddenly left wondering why that is.