The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

Chapter Nineteen

DOMONIC

An hour later I am still sitting on the couch. Draven fast asleep and wrapped in a blanket next to me. For sreason, I can’t stop

touching her, even as she sleeps. I stroke her hip over the blanket as the rest of my pack crowds the room.

“What did you find?” I ask quietly, not looking up from her face.

“Nothing yet,” Logan answers, taking a seat on the armchair across from me. “She's beautiful.”

My eyes shoot his way, and I swallow my initial anger by gracing him with a fake smile. “I know.”

“Rainier has got the entire department scouting for all black sedans with out of state plates in the vicinity. He should have a list for us

soon enough.” James states, entering from the kitchen to stand and gawk at Draven.

“You can all stop staring at her now. It’s beginning to pissoff.”

“Right, Andrew says making his way toward the front door. “Well, I'm going to get sthings from my place so that I can stay at the

condo for a few nights.”

“You're what?” I snap.

“She needs more protection than just you, Domonic. And I think I speak for everyone when I say, what happened tonight cannot happen

again.”

1stand up. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?

“It means we're all in this together,” Paul hisses, standing betweenand the insubordinate asshole at my front door. “It means, worth

our protection.”

she’s

1 nod, “Right. Okay.” Glancing down at Draven, I say, “Quinn, you go and get sthings too. You can stay in the guest room for a few

days, while we figure this all out. Bartlett, go with him and fill him in on the extras while you're out.”

“What extras?” Quinn queries, but I don’t answer him. I'm too ashamed.

How do I explain that I leftmate- who has been running from her abusive stepfather - all alone so that we could discuss her from

four miles away? I can’t. So I don’t.

Logan edges in from the kitchen, I'd like to meet her, tomorrow. If | may. | mean, you are going to keep her,

aren't you?”

All eyes fell onand | turn toward Draven.

God, | want to.

But, if | were to keep her, I'd have to tell her what | am, and if she doesn’t wantafter find out? | don’t know

that | could live with myself.

“You know | can’t,” | say,

“That's bullshit,” Logan hisses.

| stand glaring down at Logan and say, “Whatever | decide to do, is what | decide to do. We all promised years

ago, we weren't going to

take any mates.”

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Chapter Nineteen

“But that was before and we're not the sas we used to be. We have better system than our dads did. And if

she really is your mate, then she’s our queen, and you don’t get to be the only one to decide how we protect

her.”

I chuckle, “Who the fuck do you think you're talking to?”

“Think of it like this, Domonic. What if she meets someone else out there after you've let her go? Are you going

to be able to stomach

that?”

I'm three seconds from knocking this idiot through the wall. “You don’t think I've thought of that? Fuck you,” |

snap, “Get out.”

“Fine, but I'm going to be staying in the condo too. At least until we find out who tried to get in tonight.”

Before | can argue, Paul steps between us. “He's right Domonic. Let's just focus on her protection for now. We

can talk about the other

stuff later.”

“I'm going to take her to bed. You sort the rest of these assholes out.” Then | lift Draven into my arms and carry

her upstairs to my room.”

She doesn’t so much as stir. She must have been really scared for it to have drained her so badly.

Tucking her into my bed, | place a kiss on her forehead and head back down the stairs while dialing Rainier.

“What's up?” He answers.

“Did you ever get that marriage certificate? We need that name.”

He groans. “Not yet. But I'll check again once I'm back in the office. Maybe you should just ask her for it.”

“She doesn't like to talk about it.”

“Well maybe it’s tthat she does.”

“Right, | sigh. “Anything on the sedans?”

*Rental cars. I'm heading to the agency now to see if | can get sinformation on the few that we've found.”

“Good. Callwhen you know something.”

I hang up the phone and look around at my living room. Quinn, James, Logan, Bartlett, and Andrew have all

gone. Grant and Paul are whispering over a pot of coffee in the kitchen.

“What are you two cooking up?” I ask with a sigh.

“Logan’s right, Domonic,” Paul states. “You can try and fool yourself into thinking you'll be able to make her leave, but I know it’s

bullshit. You haven't let her out of your sight since you found out she didn’t get on the train.”

11let out a frustrated groan. “What the fuck is your point?”

“My point, Paul taunts smugly. “Is that when we made that promise all those years ago, we were raw with pain from losing our moms.

None of us really knew what we were thinking. Now, it's been years, and maybe...”

“Maybe what? You want to put Draven in the sposition our moms were in five years ago?‘ I snap. ‘We still don’t even know who lit

that fire! And what if Draven doesn’t want me? Have you thought of that?”

He laughs. “Oh, she wants you. We both know it. That's not the problem. You're afraid she won’t accept what you are.”

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Chapter Nineteen

“Shut up Paul. Go home. I’m tired and I don’t want to think about it right now.”

“Right, well, I'm going to head back to the bar and close things up for Bartlett, I'll meet her tomorrow,” Grant says. “Unless she isn’t

going to work there anymore.”

“Fuck no. She's not working.”

“No, no, wait a minute!” Paul says, “Maybe that’s exactly what she needs to do. Because if the person who was here tonight was

someone her stepfather sent for her maybe we shouldn't be looking for them at all. Maybe we should be waiting for them to come

looking for her.”

As much as it bothers me, he has a point. “Call Rainier. Tell him not to go to the rental agencies. In fact, let everyone know to stop

looking so that we don’t scare them away. Because, if it is her stepfather, he doesn’t have a clue who he’s dealing with.” I smile. “Thank

you for remindingwhy I chose you for my best friend.”

Paul laughs, “Asshole.”

Grant nods. “This twhen they cfor her, we'll be ready.”

Famous last words.