The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

Chapter Two Hundred Thirty-Three BARTLETT "Rescued you! Not kidnapped! Quinn barks out, surging forward with his signature playboy smile cresting his lips. His eyes cut to mine warily, the 'What the hell are you doing? message clear in his gaze, "Con Bartlett, you dont want to scare the girl" Damn. What the hell was I thinking I guess I was į to ust trying to be honest with her as possible, but he's right. Maybe I shouldn't be quite that honest.

Rose tenses next to me, the tiny little vibrations of her body's response grabbing my undivided attention (not that she ever and 1 study her traction to Quinn. Most girls fall all over themselves when he flashes that smile. I've seen it happen a thly lost it when Rose's eyebrows bunch together in Irritation, I can't help but smile, She's not buying his song and dance the way most do "I think I prefer the cold hard truth, thanks," she snipes at him and I have to suppress a laugh.

"That's what you think, now," Quinn remarks, half under his breath, before stepping back with a shit-eating grin.

Delilah saunters toward the bed, her hazel blue eyes narrowing into slits with every foot closer she gets. "Why not scare her? She and the rest of those assholes deserve everything they get," Delilah spits viciously and although I want to tell her to chill out, I hold my prace.

I don't know her yet, but I do know she's distraught. She's grieving. Our whole pack knows about her brother and what he did. Quinn feels responsible for what happened and while the rest of us know that the bllies with the killer, we also know that it was our desire to have Roman brought in alive that led to the incident. There's not one of us who doesn't regret how it happened in one way or another. I wish I could have met the guy From what I hear he was one of a kind.

Rose trembles beneath the covers and her discomfort ripples through the bond. The connection that Rose has no idea we share tellsall I need to know about what she's feeling. Strange, I never imagined it to be this acute. This... expressive. According to Draven and Felix, aside from the general awareness that comes withthe bond, it only kicks in for them when their respective mates are feeling intense emotion or pain. But maybe it's different for everyone, because it seems like I'm getting every little thing Rose is feeling. Or it could be the fact that Rose is wannre of the bond and has no subconscious filter causing her to broadcast her emotions completely. She's afraid of Delilah for sreason. Or, at the very least, incredibly intimidated by her. I wonder why. When I see Delilah's lip curling upward again in anger, I step in. "Are those clothes for Rose?" I ask, gesturing to the small bundle in Delilah's arms.

Delilah flinches, her pretty hazel eyes watering as she looks my way. "Yes," she says, "They're from Taedora. Although, I can't imagine why she'd be willing to donate them to a Wer. However, I didn't know they were for Rose and they might not fit. Taedora is quite a bit slimmer than she is," Wow. Rose's embarrassment skates through the bond and I'm suddenly little mad. I am never mad. th fact, you might just say I have the most resilient temperament of all my brothers. Everyone knows that, (iven the readers do.) But just now I'm having to work to keep my anger in check. At this moment I'm wanting to toss Delilah's little ass up the stairs to watch her bounce a bit. Instead, I throw Quinn Jook and all he does is wince apologetically.

The pants should fit her fine. Her waist is slim enough," I say, eyeing Rose's figure with all the hunger for her that I feel. She notices this and blushes, sending a shockwave of heat through our connection that hasspringing off the bed so that my dick doesn't punch Through my zipper. The arousal is so great that my voice is slightly shaky when I continue. "If the top doesn't fit, sh-she can wear one of of Quinn's shirts for the tbeing." What the Juck? I sound like on flot.

1/3 Chapter Two Hundred Thirty Three The sound of lot brigh Trans stream down. Delilah u face and she jump and IT WILL POTEN | Delibiki gutes at her and '1 But it looks. The her going to make t" Delish, the entire sean county is out hanting for the home, you're going to all on that Oken en expecting at that, but that winės I keep my eyes trained on Rose as Hey, I can dropping hack har besathing Haring sale with me, Rose. 1 promosi Are they really looking for me" th the poor" she so quich No baby, not out here they're not, hóa xe umo as I do. When my. Tingertips.

inticipation sucks al crackling energy.

I'm forced to selingand; I don't want to. of coami I dont What I that of thin gath like a trained member of Chapter Two Hundred Thirty-Three Rose gazes atwith a bite of her plump, juicy red lips and I'm forced to turn away so that I don't do something stupid like pounce on her.

One of Quinn's shirts? Oh no- Delilah starts, but is cut off by Quinn clamping a hand over her mouth.

"That's fine." Quinn says with a nervous chuckle, closing his arms around his mate to keep her suddenly violent arms from him. "But I'm pretty sure Tae's sweater will fit nicely, Give Bartlett the clothes, Lilac." Delilah sputters behind his hand, mumbling what is probably nothing but profanity, then she tosses the clothes onto the bed and bites him.

"Shit! Lilac! Damn it!" Quinn hisses, but he doesn't release his hold on her. He shootsa look, "I'll take Charlie to pick up your truck like we agreed, then we're heading back to Blackjack." The sound of Delilah's phone chiming floats through the space and Quinn reluctantly releases her. She snarls at him as she whips out her phone, "You - are so fucked, Maximus. And I don't mean it in a good way." Then she gazes down at her phone and her entire demeanor changes. "Oh! Oh my God," she gasps. "Cane healed! He healed! We have to get back! We have to go back now!" "Seriously?" Quinn replies, just as happily. Quinn releases a steady breath of air and I know without asking that his world just got a whole lot brighter.

Tears stream down Delilah's face and she jumps up and down with excitement.

"Healed? Did something happen to Cane? Rose whispers.

Shit! Delilah gazes at her and I prepare myself for an uncharacteristic show of temper, but to my surprise Delilah just nods.

"But it looks like he's going to make it," Delilah gushes, careful to leave all extra details out. And if you want make it, Rose Gruber" oh crap here it comes-"I would suggest sticking with your savior for a while. The cops in town want to put you in jail for illegally hunting and the entire damn county is out hunting for the lioness that attacked you. The lioness that was only defending her mountain. If you try and go home, you're going to jail. Keep that in mind." Okay. Wasn't expecting all that, but that works.

I keep my eyes trained on Rose as Quinn and Delilah race up the steps. Fear soaks over our connection and I'm filled with the sudden desire to reassure her and somehow chase it away. Her lower lip trembles and I spur into action.

"Hey," I coo, dropping back down on the bed in front of her and placing both hands on her shoulders. My hip presses against her outer thigh and even though there are several layers of fabric between us, I feel a rush of heat flow throughat the contact. Her warm cinnamon colored eyes lock on me, her breathing turning ragged as her gaze sweeps over the exposed skin of my arms and neck. "You're safe with me, Rose, I promise. I won't let anything happen to you." "Are they really looking for me? Th-the police?” she asks quietly.

No baby, not out here they're not. Not so long as you're with me. "Yes," II, and it tastes like polson on my lips when I do. "But you don't have to worry about that. You just have to lay Yok low for a while, is all release her shoulders, but can't help but drag my fingers down her arms as I do. When my fingertips skate over the soft flesh of her exposed biceps, her core awakens and I feel her body tense with anticipation. Sparks of crackling energy tempt my hands and 1 almost all her against me, but the sweet scent of her arousal softens the air I'm forced to relinquish my hold on her. I don't want to. Of course I don't,

What I want to do is dip my hands around the back of her ass and make her ridelike a fucking pony, but even if I could manage to pull that off this quickly in the game, something tellsRose is a bit more innocent than the others. Sure, she may be able to handle a rifle like a trained member of the United States Special Forces, but without even asking I know... her experience is with hunting. Not... with. 2/3 Chapter Two Hundred Thirty-Three men. She's not as worldly as Draven, or as seasoned as Felix, and she's nothing like the firecracker that is Delilah... She was out last night with a group of young men and behaved as one of them. I wouldn't call her a tomboy per se... but I'm willing to bet she never went to prom.

She probably has no idea how fucking sexy she is.

But that's okay, because just the thought of being the one to show her how absolutely devastating she can be has turned rock to sold

"You should shower," I murmur, unable to keep the husk of desire from my voice as the scent of her arousal grows stronger. She amels e. fucken delicious. Her chest begins to heave slightly and my eyes go straight for her bountiful breasts. The very sbreasts i almor ravaged when she was still unconscious. Her nipples are looking at me, dann them. Poking straight for my tongue. Fuck! spine and 1 leap up a little too abruptly. Disappointment climbs into my chest and for a That thought is like a lightning rod to the s moment I'm not sure if it's hers or mine. Keeping my back turned, I tell her, "When you're finished getting dressed cupstairs and something to eat. We'll head to the island afterward." Shit. Am I really going to blindfold her? I don't want to "Island?" she repeats. "Is that really necessary?" "Absolutely," again, I lie and start up the steps.

"Bartlett!" she calls out and I freeze, the sound of my non bath. Doctor's orders and all that.

my non her lips makingwant to turn around and demand I give her a sponge "Yes?" "Do you know what happened to my friends? I cwith four other people. Do you know if any of them were arrested? Goddammit.

I'm going to hell.

"They weren't arrested," I say quietly. "They're missing."