3/3
The Pack: Rule Number 1 – No Mates
Chapter One Hundred–Twelve
DOMONIC
Rainier, Lief, and I 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 some much needed rest. I would like us to be on our way to Timber tomorrow, but as things are right now, I don’t think that’s going to happen.
“So what do you want to do?” I 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. I have nothing to say to him.” His gaze lifts to mine. “Unless, you want the kill. I’d be happy to relinquish it,”
I shake my head, studying the barely concealed rage behind his eyes. I do want the kill. Of course I do. But there’s too much of a chance that Rainier will hate me for it if I do it. No… the kill has to be his. “I can’t kill your father Rainier. I want to, you better believe I do. But you’re my brother. I 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 I grant him peace after everything he’s done..”
With a heavy sigh, I nod my head in retreat. I 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 tells me she might have some insight 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. I 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 I send up a prayer of thanks that she was unharmed. I 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 into me from all sides.
This is my fault. All of it. If I had listened to my brother when I 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 time for all that to
stop.
“How do you know she is dying?” I 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 I want to know what Kods will be like if she does.”
I grit my teeth, closing my eyes as I remember how angry he was with me when I sent Draven away. He wanted Emily. I could tell. Even though he refused to admit it, I 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 for me from Port Orchard. I smile, “Thank you. I hope I get to use it.”
st still hanging on to that goddamned rule!”
“What?” Rainier snaps. “You hope? You fucken better use it. Please tell me you’re not
I chuckle sadly, “No. I’m not But if Emily dies…”
1/4
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 I 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 I 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 I made a mistake?
“Emily,” I whisper, as Benjamin rushes to my side, shoving me away 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, I 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 I 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–I thought-”
“I’m sorry,” I 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? I 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,” I 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 I 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.
2/4
Chapter One Hundred–Twelve.
Benjamin checks her again and Roda and I stand back. Each of us watch with eager eyes.
“WM!!???” | 1
snap when Benjamin finally d
draws back.
He glances at me then 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 I shove a hand over his mouth. One glance at Roda tell me he wasn’t listening anyway – Thank God. His eyes are glued to Emily. “Let’s take a walk, yeah?”
Benjamin nods, “I should stay nearby. To monitor her vitals. Unless you would rather Cadence do it.”
Of no Oh hell no. “That’s fine. Well stay nearby, but let’s ghe
privacy. Okay?
Okay, slys.
Minuter, and
“Great pih, fana,” Cadetur
Bite me you durch bach,” I ha
wring th
And that
She snaps. “I run this place!
“And stay out, bitch,” kata saya,
Domonk; chuckles. “Whutd_1
posing fuck is Domonic ???
Meanwhile Kosta sits next to her bed, his
11 any belp. He goes in to check her vital
(it again 11 slip him
step dance on the outside
ut of that you to snart in Cadences face. “I want you
through the infirmary doors to By past Domonic he steps
escapes tur lign.
The Pack: Rule Number 1 – No Mates
Chapter One Hundred–Thirteen
DOMONIC
Once I was finally able to ding Koda outside and away from Emily, I sen the infirmary stall home. Cadence included. The rest of us- Bartlett, James, Rainier, Timmons, Andrew, Lief, and Benjamin congregled just outside the building next to our cars.
“If this is about that fucking rule, it can wait. I don’t want to fight right now. I want to be the first person Emily sees when she wakes.”
I shake my head, swallowing my guilt for the moment. I’ll apologize eventually, sure, but right now there are more important things to discuss. “I’ve called a vote, and before I tell you what for I need confirmation.”
“Confirmation?” Koda hisses tiredly. “Of
