The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

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The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

Chapter One Hundred-Twelve

DOMONIC

Rainier, Lief, and | are gathered in front in the parking lot of the Town Hall. Bartlett, James, Andrew, and Timmons

have all gone to Draven'’s house to get smuch needed rest. | would like us to be on our way to Timber

tomorrow, but as things are right now, | don’t think that’s going to happen.

“So what do you want to do?” | ask Rainier from the front seat of my Humter.

Rainier shakes his head, his dark eyes going flat. He refused to escort Thomas into the dungeon. Refused to even

look at the man. The council had to step in and take charge. “They can do whatever they want with that bastard.

| have nothing to say to him.” His gaze lifts to mine. “Unless, you want the kill. I'd be happy to relinquish it,”

| shake my head, studying the barely concealed rage behind his eyes. | do want the kill. Of course | do. But

there’s too much of a chance that Rainier will hatefor it if | do it. No... the kill has to be his. “I can’t kill your

father Rainier. | want to, you better believe | do. But you're my brother. | won't do that to you if you can’t do it

yourself.”

His eyes twinkle with something like relief. He wants to die, anyway. He has for a long time. I'll be damned if |

grant him peace after everything he’s done..”

With a heavy sigh, | nod my head in retreat. | should ask Draven what she thinks. Maybe her decision is the only

one that trilly matters. She is the one he kidnapped after all. Even if he didn’t really hurt her. And... something

tellsshe might have sinsight that we don’t have. Maybe she’ll have a better suggestion as to what

should be done with him.

“Emily’s dying.” Rainier says. “Koda hasn't left her side since we found her.”

My hands clamp tight around my steering wheel at that news, Jesus Christ. | can only imagine what Koda is

feeling right now. The image of Draven-weak and immobile - back in that cave, flashes before my eyes and |

send up a prayer of thanks that she was unharmed. | was lucky to have reached her in time. Not only yesterday,

but when Leo had her on that boat as well. The thought of Koda losing Emily before, he’s even accepted her as

his mate burns into my chest. Guilt slamming intofrom all sides.

This is my fault. All of it. If | had listened to my brother when | first found Draven and simply changed the rules

and accepted her... this might not be happening right now. All my stupid attempts to keep her safe have ended

with her in danger. Now is the tfor all that to

stop.

“How do you know she is dying?” | ask,

Rainier sallows thickly, simply shaking his head. “You'll have to see her for yourself. She's covered in black veins,

Jason bit her numerous times. Like... he wanted to make sure we had to watch her die.”

“And what are we going to do if she does die?” Lief interjects. “I don’t think | want to know what Kods will be like

if she does.”

| grit my teeth, closing my eyes as | remember how angry he was withwhen I sent Draven away. He wanted

Emily. I could tell. Even though he refused to admit it, | could see he was only following my lead, despite that he

didn’t agree with me.

“Let’s get to the infirmary and see what we can do to help.”

“Here,” Rainier says, handing me

e a small velvet box.

The ring Lasked him to retrieve forfrom Port Orchard. | smile, “Thank you. | hope | get to use it.”

st still hanging on to that goddamned rule!”

“What?” Rainier snaps. “You hope? You fucken better use it. Please tellyou're not

| chuckle sadly, “No. I'm not But if Emily dies...”

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Chapter One Hundred-Twelve

And he nods... because that’s off there is to say.

DRAVEN

She screams.

The moment Koda’s fangs sink into the soft flesh of Emily’s neck, her idly rises from the bed and she walls. The

sound is haunting. A screech of pain so bone deep it’s as if her soul is mourning the death of her body and | drop

to my knews in fear. Her eyes fly open, bulging out of their sockets as she wilthes and shudders beneath Koda

grip. To my surprise, he doesn’t let her go. Instead, be bites her again and again, and she screams, again and

again.

1 quiver on the ground as i watch her struggle against him. She’s fighting him, clawing him, trying to wrench

herself free. Swallowing the rock lodged in my throat | struggle to my feet to gaze down into her eyes. They're

dark, bloodshot and unseeing. Like the eyes of a vampire or a zombie.

Oh God! Have | made a mistake?

“Emily,” | whisper, as Benjamin rushes to my side, shovingaway so that he can get a look at her.

“That's enough!” Benjamin shouts and Koda releases her neck to peer into her eyes.

She whimpers, her eyes shifting to Koda’s. For a moment, | see something there. Longing and love and a sadness

so devastating that I'm grateful when she closes her eyes again. Then, her shuddering stops and she is once

again still on the bed.

Benjamin whips out a stethoscope, checking her heartbeat as | begin to cry.She’s not wheezing anymore. She's

not moving at all. Benjamin flinches, stepping away from her and shaking his head.

“What?” Koda screeches, “What is it?”

“Her heart is slowing. She’s not breathing,” Benjamin says.

“No!” Koda snaps, his dark blue eyes meeting mine. “He’s wrong.

my eyes against my tears. “I'm so sorry, 1-1 thought-"

“I'm sorry,” | whisper, closing my

“No!” Koda screams again, his hands reaching beneath her head to lift her neck toward the light. “Look! Look

there! Look at her neck!”

What? | wipe my eyes and glance at her throat. The punctures made by Koda’s fangs, they're healing over. The

flesh that was once gray around the bites, now pinkened and healing. The veins that wore webbed, stretching

like black ink fingers over her body seemed to climb back into themselves. Drawing backward as Jason's

bitemarks began to slowly disappear. Her skin, although still mikily gray, seemed to blush with new color.

Something is happening!

Benjamin's eyes narrowed as he stepped up to check her heart rate again. He shakes his head, “I dont know. Her

heart is still slowing and she still isn’t breathing.”

“Give it a moment,” | snap, shoving him out of the way to take her hand in my own. It might be my imagination,

or maybe even wishful thinking, but | could swear she’s not as cold anymore. “I think she’s warming*

Koda smiles, dipping his head into her neck and taking her into his arms. He whispers, “Please be okay, please

be okay. Don’t you dare

Her chest shudders and rises causing the three of us to yelp and step back, but then it begins to rise and fall

gently as if she’s simply asleep. Almost like Koda’s venom has finally touched her heart and it’s finally pumping

properly.

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Chapter One Hundred-Twelve.

Benjamin checks her again and Roda and | stand back. Each of us watch with eager eyes.

“WM!??22" | 1

snap when Benjamin finally d

draws back.

He glances atthen shugs. “She's breathing. But her heart is still very weak. We'll have to wait and see if she

awakens, but by the look of things, I'd say you saved her life.”

Koda hits his knees, his breath coming out in a gust of wind. He smiles up at me, his eyes watering. Thank you.”

“Now all that’s left for us to do is wait for her to wake up,” Benjamin says. “She might not, you know. She was

pretty close to death and her brain may have experienced a lot of”

“Benjamin!” 1 snap, granting him my sweetest smile as | shove a hand over his mouth. One glance at Roda tell