The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

Chapter One Hundred Seventy-Seven QUINN Charlie? You can't be seriates, I watch from my seat as Delilah pushes through a small throng of people. She is being forceful and not uttering so much as a quick pardon me, before heading toward the back corner of the restaurant. Drawing herself up, she stops next to a corner booth, where a male about my age is seated. At first, she's simply storing at him, but I can tell she's nervous and that little detail bothersmore than I care to admit. You only get nervous like that when you care for someone. I should know, it's how I feel when I look at her. Suddenly, I'm feeling very, very sick.

I just had to stop for burs burgers, didn't 17 She didn't giveso much as a second look when she saw Charlie, Jus zoomed out of the car, Maximus forgotten. Then of course, there's the fact that she hasn't so much as raised her head in my direction. Not even once, not even to see if I followed her inside. Which is more than a little upsetting.

Fuck. Is it because I want her so badly that Foi the one that gets to suffer this way? Maybe I should've pretended I didnt want her, like Rainier did, or Domonic. Shit, that's right, Koda too. The three of them were wretched to their mates when they found them. Domonic lied to Draven and tried to force her to the other side of the country. Koda didn't even start to see the light until Emily was in coma, and Rainier arrested his girl for being a hooker. A HOOKER for Christ sake!! But what happens for them? Everything. And me? I want nothing more than to make her mine and share absolutely everything with her. But what does she do? First, she tries to standup by catching the train out, and now....

My chest flares with pain as I gaze through the glass window and see that she's now sitting across from the slack jawed little punk. But that's not what causes the sudden hitch in my breath. Nope. It's the way she's stroking his hands that doesin. Swallowing something that feels like wet sand in my throat, I study this... Charlie. Light brown hair, dark brown eyes, slim build (well, slimmer than me), a very demanding forehead over an incredibly pointed nose, and if I'm not mistaken there are tears in his eyes.

Is that what I need to do to get you to see me, Lilac? Do I need to cry? is that what you're into? Starting my car, I bite down so ferociously that I'm pretty sure I just heard a tooth crack. No worries, if I did, It will fall out and grow back within the hour. My eyes burn as 1 pull away from the spot to maneuver around back. Positioning my car behind the dumpsters, where no is meant to park and where there aren't any windows at all, I step out of the car and into the restaurant.

ΠΠΕ The moment I'm inside, a young hostess heads straight for me. She's got a menu in her hands and she bypasses two separate couples just to get to me. I shrug their way helplessly and they throw the girl a dirty look.

"Party of one?" She asks in a smooth, seductive drawl.

I can't help, but grin, because it is what I'm good at. Picking up chicks and having them tripping over their feet to get to me. At least of them do. Apparently only the fated have the power to deny me.

"Yes," I answer, following the skinny Betty toward a private single bench seat in the back.

My table is across the t room on the other side and exactly one row behind Delilah's. Good. This spot is perfect. I can see and hear everything For this point. Taking the menu from the hostess with a grateful smile, I return her flirtatious wink with one of my own. Oh what? She bailed on me. Letin the car to help her precious Charlie get in touch with his feelings! Shit! Who is to say she didn't plan to meet him here? Maybe this entire thing was sfucking schto get an extra forty bucks, and free ride home.

Except that I'm the one that picked this joint. She didn't even know I was stopping until we got h here.

Okay... so she didn't scheme, but... I'm watching her and she still hasn looked for me. The truth of it is almost enough to turninto Charlie. Who by the way, has a much bigger forehead on this side of the glass then he does from my car window, 1/3 Chapter One Hundred Seventy-Seven I would never have even dreamed of flirting with another woman If my hate was with ine. This feeling... the one that I'm having every tCharlie smiles at her... it's not safe.

Not for him and not for me.

I watch as a voluptuous brunette waitress swaggers up to them and pretty much gives them the third degree. To my surprise, little Lilac doesn't take any of her shit and that only makeswant her more.

I tune into Delilah as she snaps, "We might, we might not! He's only been taking up this table because he was waiting for me. I'm late. It's my fault not his." The fuck? Is it possible? Could she have arranged to meet him here? May she didn't mention stopping at this place because she realized I was already hended for it. God help Charlie if she did, because I will rip him from balls to chin without even introducing myself first.

The waitress groans and then asks, “Well then, are you gonna order something or are you both going to leave?" "It might help if your fat ass got us smenus," Delilah retorts and despite that it's Pinnocthat she's protecting, I laugh to myself.

"I'll be right back with them," the waitress snarls.

Delilah calls out, “Make sure of it.” Jesus, my mate is just as fiery as I hoped she would be. The way I imagined when I first laid eyes on her in the woods.

Your mate? Are you sure about that? She's been in here over twenty minutes and still hasn't checked on you. You lost. Accept it.

Or... maybe I could reject her for the chance at a different one.

Even as the thought formed, I knew it was outrageous! A chance at another one? You mean one that is not Lilac? No. I could not accept that. Besides, I don't even know how. It was never the kind of knowledge that was passed around. Rejecting a mate, who is an actual gift from above, is not only disrespectful, but it's like telling the powers that be to ride on your dick.

A tall, bubbly blond waitress with the nCharlene written across her top sways over toand asks, “Are you ready to order yet, handsome?" She's blocking my view. "No. Not yet. A few more minutes please," I snap coldly, rubbernecking around her to see what's going on.

She flinches, "Fine." Charlie's chuckles, "You shouldn't be so mean to her, D." "And why the fuck not? She's an asshole." "But she's also the one who gets to touch our food," he points sout Their waitress returns, to place two menus on the table and I finally feel my appetite completely sour, something that has never happened in life, I think I should just go home. Why am I torturing myself? I hear Delilah shout. It almost feels like she's talking alking toand I freeze.

"What?" the waitress snaps.

Delilah is exasperated when she explains, "We need one more menu, please. My friend should be joining us in a moment." Friend... nice. How many other friends do you swallow, Delilah? 2/3 Chapter One Hundred Seventy-Seven

Keeping my eyes trained on her as the plasters her face into the glass to search the parking lot, take a couple deep breaths to calmi mysell. I shouldn't be as thrilled as I am right now. It took her long enough! Fuck!! could have swam across the river and built a small it's taken her to remember | exist. Is Charlie's dick that fucking big? I mean, I guess it could be, his forehead definitely cance in the

When Delilah turns away from the glass she looks defeated and I finally allow myself to smile. Good. Its clear m that shes upset now. Her body flushes red and her eyes dart everywhere. The road, the highway, the bridge, back to the parking lot. Her lower lip is even sticking out a bit and I suddenly want to suck it between my teeth and punish får for being so inconsiderate. "What's the matter, D7 Charlie asks. "What's wrong?"

She doesn't answer, but I hear her breathing shudder as I stand and stalk in her direction Charlfe looks up atas approach, stiffening anxiously when be realizes I'm heading for their table. He's afraid of me. Maybe today isn't going to be so bad after all.

"Exactly. What's wrong, Lilac?" 1 reprise, sliding into the booth next to her and stretching my art possessively behind her shoulders.

Chapter Comments KKN real smooth quinn