The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

Chapter Two Hundred Three BARTLETT Thave news!" Doc Rhodes says coming towardfrom around the nurses station Throwing a quick glance over my shoulder at sweet Lady Rosen, I step out into the hall to confer with the doc. I hesitate to leave her for even one little minute just on the off chance that she could wake up and I could miss it. For sreason, I want to be the very first thing she sees. "What's that?" I ask.

Doc Rhodes grantsa mirthful smile, probably noticing the way I continue to stretch my attention from him to her and back again. "You know the only reason you're even allowed in there is because I've known you from the tyou were born, right? It's actual hospital policy that you either be immediate family, a guardian, or sform of medical personnel." I chuckle, sending him a half grin that says try and remove me.

Doc Rhodes rolls his dark brown eyes and his silver mustache twitches with delight as he wiggles his nose. "Anyway, back to the news." "Yes, please. Let's hear it," I tell him him, thi training my eyes on The first thing is, her nis not Rosen, it's Rose. According to her father, Rosen is her older brother and she is wearing his jacket." My head jerks in the doc's direction. According to her father? So "They were able to get in touch with her family so soon? A clocal of gloom descends onalmost immediately. I know I should be happy for her and I am, but........ I'm unhappy for me. The sooner they get here, the sooner 11l be pushed out.

Doc Rhodes flashes a wide grin full of sparkling ivory teeth. The policere able to make contact with her parents after they impounded the RVs. Apparently, Miss Rod Gruber and companions are all members of the schurch. The official story is that she and a few members of her youth group drove out here without permissions." "Youth group?" I scoff in disbelief. 'Like a church youth group "Thats what I'm hearing." Dọc Khudes ways, but the doct "Don't know of very many congregations that arm their members with firearms, but then again I don't get out much. Every other moment that I get out of my practice is spent at this hospital. S "As far as I'm aware, church hasn't changed quite that much, Doc. She went out there saving souls, that I can assure you." Doc Rhodes chuckles, "Next thing you know, they I be claiming that she call the way out here to pray for the wildlife." Tanicker, peeting loward Rose and trying to picture her with thing other than a rifle in her hundi. Nope, can't do it. Might have something to do with the gunpowder stains on her fingers, but I'm pretty sure that girl doesnt even say grace before dinner, They were out here hunting Doc. Five of them were. She's lucky I found her when I did, I divulge, shaking the memory of her turning blue beneath Gayles jaws.

"According to the dispatcher I spoke with just a few moments ago, one of the Kitsap Rangers found human blood smeared on the bark of Hemlock tree. In the woods." He meets my gaze pointedly. They re still saying it was a bon. And with this new evidence, they re extending the search for bet I'm almost afraid to ask, but..." I shake my head softly. "Just bet. The rest were male and-" course; Doc says, cuttingoff when one of the nosier nurses edges closer to us to try and listen in.. the bell for, I don't know. Maybe she has a fetish for wild animal attacks, or it could be that Doc just being paranoid. My brothers 1/3 Chapter Two Hundred Three and I grew up in Port Orchard. From the twe were hom we have led there. When we turned eighteen and everything changed, Doc Rhodes becmy fucking neighbor. So grant it, he's seen his fair share of weird shit. He knows the animals in our woods are more than meets the eye, but he never outright said so. When I turned eighteen and bought the house next to his, I spent a lot of ttrying to drink my pain away. Just like the rest of my brothers, I like a house with a lot of windows, and apparently so does Doc Rhodes - Why? Because we have better eyesight than most creatures do and we like to see what's coming for us before it shows up. On the outside, Doc Rhodes house and my own, have only one very distinct difference. Mine is on the corner of the street and his house isn't.

Anyway, one night I was drunk and i shifted in my living room thinking It might be easier to walk on four legs instead of two (I was wrong by the way - double the effort for double the legs) and when I realized it wasn't going well, I shifted back. When I was finally ablo to see clearly, I realized I wasn't even in my house. I was in Doc Rhodes house, standing right in his kitchen. He didn't say a word, just poureda fresh ning of coffee and walkedhome. He never even mentioned it. Not one tand neither have I.

He's just like the rest of Port Orchard's homegrown community, loyal.

rse a placating smile, charming her as I twirl my finger in a gesture for privacy. She just rolls her eyes then scampers off So, I throw the nurse a down the hall.

Leaning closer to the Doc's car, I whisper, “The rest of her friends were male, so it is my belief that the forest didn't show them any mercy.

"Such a shame," Doc Rhodes remarks. “Unfortunately for Rose, that means the authorities won't have anyone else to blame. With this big a mess, they're going to want to make an example out of her. You know they are." Yeah, I know. I just prefer not to think about it until I can smuggle her out of here. "Good thing nothing happens without crossing Rainier's desk first."