The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

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13.09 Thu Nov 14

The Pack Rute Number 1 No Mates

Chapter One Hundred-Thirty-Eight

DRAVEN

The unha thegow to set when | step through the dows and annen, Tom back! Stepping into an

uncharacteristically quiet hee small ir be in my hands, there is an eerie stillness in the atmosphere, Sportcenter

hurt on. That's wrint Thomonie? (called out.

|

But I smell him before he answers me. My eyes dart up toward the stairs just as he is coming drown

“Hey baby,” he says, a strange light in his silver plated ages.

“What's wrong? | can feel it. Somethings happened and the wary look on fomnie’s face confirms my suspicions.

He sides up to me, his gaze scanning over my face lovingly as actually caught something? he snickers.

kes the ice boot from my hands and plants a soft kiss on my lips. “You

| glare. Shoving him in the chest as he taunters anxay fromand into the kitchen. “I told you I | know how to

fink, Probably even better

than you canu”

He grins devilishly as he begins unpacking the filets in the ice box and begins to preheat a pan over the stove.

“Except, that | can literally dive into the ocean and catch them with my hands.”

“I wily fucking doubt it, I snort, coming to stand at the opposite end of the island and watch him cook,

He’s quiet while he works and his face remains slightly pinched with worry as he goes about the motions. The

longer | stare at him, the more | begin to realize that he’s hardly looked atsince | walked in. Sure, be greeted

me. Gavea little bullshit kiss too. But he is absolutely not engaged.

Gould he be angry? Maybe Koda betrayed Emily and phoned the Big Bad Alpha about the stowaway on the

yacht, and then swore him to secrecy. Or...

He never answered my question,

“Domonic,” | coo, tilting my head to the side as he turns his back toto grab sspices. “You never

answered my question. What's

wrong?

His back muscles tense, | can see their glorious grooves through his shirt. He sighs heavily, throwing butter and

spices into the pan to roast before turning back around.

He tilts his head up and back, gesturing toward the dining table. “Something cin the mail for you today.

I flinch, then smile. “You ordered something for me?”

He shakes his head, his face serious. “No baby. I did not. Although I will now that | see how happy you just got.

But no. It’s not from me.

Take a look and see if you recognize it. It's right there on the table

would | recognize it?” | ask. “What the hell is

His face is solemn as he says carefully, “It's a fancy gold locket. With two pictures inside.”

Two pictures? Pictures of who?” | spin around to face the table and finally see it. An intricately carved wooden

box in the center of the

table.

| approach the box, | hear Domonics say, “I believe, the pictures are of you and your mother.”

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13.09 Thu Nov 14

Chapter One Hundred-Thirty-Eight

ap, spinning back around to study his worried expression before I turn back toward the box. Who would possibly

have a locket with hand my mother in it? No one except maybe... No, it muldn’t be. It would be. But if not? Then

who else?

Taking a deep breath, | reach for the box. The moment | touch it, | feel something strange move through me. My

pregnancy

super senses pick up on a lingering scent. A scent, that for sreason, brings a wawe of nostalgia over me. |

nearly shudder as images flash behind my eyes. Incomplete and fragmented. A huge hand reaching down for

me, a giant shadow man with the sun bleaching out his features, A balloon that escapes little hands as the man

walks

| shake myself, then open the box. The scent is stronger now, but | push back at the forgotten memories trying

to be reborn and try to

moment. The locket is oval shaped and obviously expensive. But there is no card inside, nor any other clue as to

who sent this. Litting the necklace out gently, | open the lockets face.”

two pictures, just as Domonic said. The one on the right does look familiar. The child in the picture looks exactly

as | did when | was that small. But | can’t be entirely sure, because my mother never kapt many pictures and the

few that | ever got a look at were still somewhere in Florida. But it was sent to me... so it must be me. Right?

the p

left that throwsfor a loop. The woman in the photo looks almost identical to me. In fact, if | didn’t know

better, e. However, there are sslight differences. Like her hair for instance. Mine is straight and hers is super

curly.

And her face is slightly rounder as to where mine is more heart-shaped. But one thing is for sure...

| turn around, confused and face Demonic’s clouded eyes. The photo on the left,” | say, glancing back into the

locket.

is not of my

He sturtles. “Whath

| shake my bead, studying the little girl. There's something about the dress that she’s wearing that bothers me.

My brow wrinkles and | pick up the bon. Steeling my nerves, | bring it to my nose and take a deep whitt. The

scent inside seems to spiral aroundand I close my eyes to allow the images to come. Light flashes behind

my eyes as | work to remember the balloon. For sreason I've always hated balloons, and never really did

understand why. But now, | reach for it, breathing in the scent again to helptrigger it. | hear laughter... my

laughter | think and | see my mother standing next to the giant man. My mother is yelling at him as he walks

away from her and toward me. He reaches down liftsup... tossesin the | cant make out his face... he

placesback on the ground and twirls like a ballerina to make my pretty dress spin... | reach for him again and

that’s when | hear the crying... my crying. | chase him, losing my balloon... | watch it float away absently and it

distractsjust long enough for the man to disappear. The next face | see is my mother’s as she glares down at