The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

Chapter Two Hundred Eleven GAYLE The night I first saw him, before he shot me, I watched from the trees Delilah, Cane, and sother human male interacted in the cabin. I didn't know he was my mate yet, but I did know he wasn t dressed in all that gear to go trick-or-treating. Anger burned inside ofas I waited there, perched in the arms of the trees and guarded by boughs of shadow. After Cane and his friend had loaded their hunting rifles, he stepped up to the open window to scan the trees. Then I remember thinking that it was a real shhe was going to die that night, because he was the first human male Ed ever found even remotely attractive.

Cane had an intense focus in the blue of his eyes that drewin and the few times he smiled, I noticed he had an incredibly expressive mouth. It seemed to possess different mechanics than most lips did. The majority of people only have maybe a couple of different smiles, a quirk, a grin, a frown, but Cane appeared to have a thousand different curls of his lip. Up ways and sideways and both ways each more adorable than the last. It was a disconcerting thing to notice about myone, but I brushed it off, attributing it to the fact that he had the first baby face I'd ever cacross. Besides, he was lumen and a huster, and his presence was not welcome. So, I set off from the trees to ready for battle and stepped right into one of his stupid steel traps, When the first bullet pierced me. I wasn't afraid, I knew I would undoubtedly survive. He and his friend had the wrong ammunition to kil a creature likeand I contemplated toying with him a bit first before I ripped the flesh of his neck open. But then the second bullet hitand I cant rightly explain what I felt. Sorrow, despair, loss, disappointment. They were just a few of the myriad of emotions that rushed over my heart. It was confusing and for a moment I thought maybe I'd been struck somewhere vital, or poisoned somehow by the bullet. I lay there in the leaves as he and his friend approached, simply trying to navigate my head and the sudden chaos of my emotions.

Then, he touchedand it happened. The connection. The bond. Every species of shifter has their own identification process. As tions, we aren't lucky enough to scent our mates the way that wolves can. Nope. We have to touch them. Skin to skin contact is theonly way to know. So you can imagine how much more difficult it can be for us to find a mate. No one goes around just touching other people when they finally decide it's tto find their mate. It's ridiculous and not to mention, who the hell wants to??? So yeah, I was completely unprepared for my body to Shift into my human form right there in his arms. But the very moment I did, I leapt from his hold without so much as a look in his direction. And other than the quick glance back that I gave him once I was two miles fua his cabin, I'd never thought to see him again.

Most of the time, I only y ever viewed humans as weak. Especially if they were male. I didn't think they had anything to offer a never saw the appeal.

agal like me. I But now... I do. I do...

When Delilah turns toand motionsforward, my first thoughts are to remind myself that Cane was wearing night goggles when he watchedshift in the woods. He shouldn't be able to recognize me. Not by my face, at least. Those night vision gadgets hunters use are probably great for humans that desire to know what's alive in the woods, but beyond that they don't gamer much else.

It will be fine! He saw you for half a second and when he did you were the very scolor as the leaves on the trees.

"Cane, this is my new friend, Gayle," Delilah says and I finally step beyond the wall and into full view of the open doorway.

"Nice to meet you," Cane says, in that worn scratchy timbre that I've just decided speaks right to any kitty.

I planned to introduce myself cordially. I wanted to present myself as a normal, regular girl and not as an idiot, but every natural charm that was born with is zapped from my body when I'm this close to him again and all I am able to do is stand there as he stares at my bare feet.

Shit. Why didn't I grab a pair of shoes out of the trunk? Then of course, there is one little matter regarding his outfit. Or should say... lack thereof.

I'm not disappointed in his clothing choice, just a tad unprepared. Because there he is. My mate. My attacker. And all he is wearing is one 1/2 Chapter Two Hundred Eleven of his uniquely identifying quirks of the mouth, and a goddamn bath towel.

Why didn't Delilah tell Cto get dressed first? Why did she let him open the door in a TOWEL777 My eyes can't help but sweep over him languidly. Drinking him in as I only glimpsed him fully dressed before now. Considering that Cane's human, I wasn't expecting much in terms of physical attraction and was fully prepared to whip him into shape. But... it appears someone else already has and I wish I could thank them. Whoever theyre.

Although I may be physically stronger than he is, Caise does not appear weak, Not at all. He and his sister must cfrom good stock, because they were both rather spectacularly put together by an overindulgent maker, Water droplets dangle from the ends of his dark blond hair and then trail down over his lickable neck as he lifts his eyes from my the tiniest quiver of a smile skating his lips.

toes.

My body heats to a thousand degrees when his vibrant blue gaze connects with mine. I can feel my heart hammering in my chest, and I imagine the vein in my neck, pulsing visibly to match its tempo. My brith catches, my throat bobbing as my mouth goes completely dry and I wait to see if he recognizes me.

He seems to have a similar reaction the moment his attention settles on my face, and I blush, thinking that he likes what he sees...

But then his gaze narrows atskeptically and I realize he might have been looking atthat way because he finds something familiar