The Pack Rule Number 1 No Mates

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The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

Chapter Two Hundred Sixty-Two ROSE

As I sit swinging my legs over the water and gazing off into the ocean, my heart lurches in my chest. What will Bartlett do when I'm gone? The thought of being not only across the sound from him, but across the state is a physically painful thought that nearly has me

buckling over within its clutches.

My parents have informed me that I am to marry Cygnus Marshall. An enforcer of the Elder Few that is at the very least ten years older than I am. I had no idea the man even had interest in me, but he must have. Because that's the way things work in the Elder Few. A bid must be made for the girl of the family to the head of that family from any male member of the Elder Few and that head of the family in question must accept the bid and enter into a contract for marriage. There is no rule for the female member getting to choose because until me, there has never been any other female member.

I know him though. I remember him. I can almost see him staring at me now. His beady black eyes and his unkempt mustache that always made me think of a train robber from the old west - and not a sexy one. Before this, I always assumed he simply didn't like me. The way he would stare at me was that ugly, it was almost cruel. He is a big behemoth of a man. Maybe even a little bigger than Bartlett, but not nearly as cut with muscle.

Arghhhh... Bartlett.

I want him so badly it hurts and if I could only summon up the balls to tell him about the marriage contract and the fact that I don't want it... If I could bring myself to share the reasons behind my need to go back and what it will mean for my dear brother if I don't, maybe he would understand. Maybe he would have a solution.

HA! Really Rose? Do you think you're that important to him?

I mean sure, Domonic says I'm his mate and that I am one of them now, but they don't actually know me! How hard would they be willing to fight for someone they don't know?

"Hey there," a feminine voice says at my back.

I flinch in surprise, despite knowing that someone was coming to talk to me, and when I look back over my shoulder to see her approach, I am once again struck by the beauty of these women. These mates. "H-hi," I reply, smiling shyly at the green eyed goddess of a girl that can't be more than a few years older than me.

"Wow, you are really pretty," she says, and my face screws up at the lie.

"Ha! Thanks, but there's no need to lie to me. I'm as plain as they come I mumble with an embarrassed smile.

"Never been much of a liar, chick," the girl says, taking a seat on the wharf next to me. "The name is Draven," she says, holding out a dainty hand as the wind blows behind her and the silky black tendrils of her hair shadow half of her perfect features. "I'm Domonic's mate."

"Nice to meet you," I answer shyly, shaking her hand which is surprisingly solid with strength. "Rose."

"So I've heard, she chirps joyfully, a side stretched smile creşting over her lips. "You're Bart's mate, and I can't tell you how absolutely pleased I am to hear that."

"Really? Why?" I can't help but ask and the fond look she sends over her shoulder toward the house tells me he must be watching.

"Bart's the best. And when I say the best I mean it. He's one hundred percent my favorite guy. Even more so than my own," she whispers conspiratorially. Not that I'm attracted to him that way. But my guy is hard headed stubborn asshole - Bart is more of a sweet, all accepting, forever friend that I adore with my entire black little heart and believe me when I say, you got lucky."

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Chapter Two Hundred Sixty-Two

I can't help but blush at that. You make him sound like a teddy bear,"

"Isn't he one though?"

My eyebrows raise up in denial, the memory of his dominant forceful love making at the forefront of my mind. Absolutely not. Her.... he's..." My face colors as I trail off, my core heating just with the thought of what he is for me. "I get it," she whispers, knocking my shoulder lightly with her own. 'Hes probably way different with you than he has ever been with me?

"You and him are close, then?" I ask, a green streak of jealousy climbing up my back for just a twinkle of a moment.

"We are. He's one of my very best friends. Which is why I hate to see him looking how he does now!

I bite my bottom lip, sadness curling over me for a moment. "And how does he look now?" I ask quiltily.

"Defeated," she says without hesitation. "Cheated. Sad. Lonely. Which is strange because he's just found his mate and none of those things should be on the menu of emotions for that guy. He deserves so much better than that." "I didn't mean to make him feel-

"Stop," she says sharply. "It's totally not your fault. Yesterday you were a hunter and today you're a member of the Red Wolf Pack. You've had less time to adjust than any of us, really. So none of what he's feeling was your fault, but..." "But?"

She looks me dead in the eye, all manner of empathy gone. "You will be if you don't let him fix whatever is wrong between you two. Trust

1. me.

"But I-I can't. You don't understand. My brother - h-he deserves a life away from the Elder Few. He deserves a life away from the cruelty of my father and-"

"The cruelty?" Draven's eyes light with green fire. "What kind of cruelty? Is he... abusive?"

A sob lodges in my throat and I don't speak. Not only because I've never shared these secrets I harbor with anyone, but because I was taught never to speak about the inner workings of our family.

"Tell me," Draven commands and for whatever reason, something in her voice makes me do it. Something in the way she's looking at me compels me to answer her.

"Y-yes. H-he is. He has always been," I admit, my eyes filling with tears. And I'm afraid for my brother. He spent so many years taking the brunt of what was meant for me just because I was born a girl. I don't want him to have to take this punishment from me too. It isn't fair. So, I h-have to go. I have to go back."

"No," a growl sounds behind me and my heart begins to stutter as Bartlett walks toward us. "No the fuck you don't. I won't let you. Not without me."