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Outside The Pack (Mated To The Night Book 1) 43
I pulled my legs into my chest and said nothing. My guard was up. If Night trusted this woman, it was unlikely that she would be any help to me.I watched the woman step inside and close the door behind her. The roll of clothes was no longer packed beneath the door, so it slid shut more easily. She was beautiful and looked to be in her early fifties. Her thick, snow-white hair was collected into one long braid down her back. She was slender and graceful, and she had eyes that were just as green and vibrant as Night’s.At the scent of something savory, my gaze lowered to the woman’s hands. She’d brought a glass of water and a bowl of rice, and what looked like some kind of thick sauce or curry. The smell was divine, especially after four days straight of eating small rabbits and berries. My mouth began to water.“I’m Violet Shepherd,” the woman said. From the way she smiled, she didn’t seem offended by my silence. “I guess you could say that I’m responsible for the man who brought you
Outside The Pack (Mated To The Night Book 1) 44
“I wasn’t ready to leave,” I admitted. “I thought I was ready to find my own pack—er, place to belong, but I never wanted to leave like this.” I had been scolded for using wolf terms in relation to myself when I was a child. I wasn’t a wolf, so I didn’t get to try and pretend to be. “Now that I’m so far from home, I just want to go back.”Violet nodded. “Ah, now that makes perfect sense. Night being who he is, I’ve gotten desensitized to wondering what sorts of dangerous things he must get into when he leaves the compound, but if I had a daughter…” She shook her head. “I know your mother must be terrified for you.”I nodded. Tears again stung at the backs of my eyes, but I held them back.Violet patted my knee. “But I think you’re not giving yourself enough credit. You were ready that night. You were prepared to go off on your own and to find your place to belong, your pack.” She smiled, and I felt a small burst of warmth in my chest. Violet wasn’t making me feel bad for my slip-up. “
Outside The Pack (Mated To The Night Book 1) 45
I huffed out a sigh and brushed my teeth furiously before spitting in the sink. With that done, I turned to the shower and got the water as hot as I could stand. I was pent up with energy, wired from the exchange I’d had with Night. Now I had to take off my clothing and get into the water, with the man who made my blood rush in my veins standing right outside my door.I stared at the dark wood as though I could see through it to him. There was an extra layer of complication to my emotions because I was wearing his clothes. I took off his shirt, then his pants, and finally my bra and panties. It was a bit surreal to stand there naked with him less than five feet away. He could walk in here at any time and see me wearing nothing at all.Just to be safe, I crept to the door and turned the lock on the knob. It wouldn’t be enough to stop him if he really wanted to come in, but it made me a bit more comfortable.With that done, I got into the shower and stood in the hot water, letting it se
Outside The Pack (Mated To The Night Book 1) 46
I had tried once to talk Mom out of visiting with Bryn, declaring that making nice with Bryn wouldn’t matter in the end because she wasn’t staying once she’d served her purpose. But of course, Mom had ignored me.I guess she must get something out of these morning meetings with Bryn if she kept coming. I knew better than to continue debating the issue with her, so I allowed the morning chats and meal drop-offs to continue, even though I knew it was pointless.Outside, the air was crisp and cool, and the sky was pale blue with splotches of gray clouds spread out along the horizon. Ideal weather for a morning run. I began at a jog, heading into the forest, my breath puffing out as white steam in front of me as I fell into a rhythm. The forest seemed to open up for me as I moved deeper along the path that I, and so many other wolves before me, had worn into the ground.I upped my pace as I went deeper into the forest. I could almost close my eyes—I knew the path so well. When I went on
Outside The Pack (Mated To The Night Book 1) 47
The conference room was small, with a table in the center of it—a table that I’d built myself after I became Alpha. My wolves stood around the table at attention, all ready to carry out whatever order I had for them. As I approached the table, Dom caught my eye. A question glinted in his gaze. I usually told him beforehand about meetings. I nodded back at him; Dom would find out the purpose of this meeting soon enough.“Let’s get this meeting underway,” I said, taking a seat at the head of the table. Everyone followed suit. “First, what news do we have?”“Not much from me, Alpha,” Redford said. “My mate’s just happy to have me back home.”“Same here,” Anthony said. A scar cut across the middle of his face. “Mine told me expressly to let you know she appreciated you making sure that we all arrived in one piece.”I smiled, though guilt again gnawed at me. Things could have gone a hell of a lot worse, thanks to my impromptu decision. To distract myself, I turned to William. He was a fant
Outside The Pack (Mated To The Night Book 1) 48
“I don’t think we should have her stay with anyone who has pups,” Kai said. “That would put them and their families at risk.”I agreed.Mom cleared her throat from where she stood near the sink. I had been so focused on the discussion that I’d forgotten she was there.“Bryn can stay with me,” she said. “I’ll be able to keep an eye on her.”I stared at her. It was one thing to speak with Bryn and have breakfast with her every morning, but it was another thing for my mom to keep Bryn in her home.“What are you planning, Mom?” I sent to her.She crossed her arms and stared at me, refusing to answer. I sighed. It was obvious that she wasn’t going to budge on the issue, and I didn’t feel like trying to convince her otherwise.“Alright, she can stay with you. But she isn’t allowed to leave your home. She is our prisoner and a necessary part of our plan. She can’t have free reign of the village.”Mom frowned. She looked very much like she wanted to scold me for the way I talked about Bryn, b
Outside The Pack (Mated To The Night Book 1) 49
“Alright, before we head out that door, I need to lay down some ground rules from the ‘asshole’ himself. You can’t try anything like what you were doing in that room. Do you understand?”I nodded. I understood alright, but that didn’t mean I’d obey.Violet gave me another knowing glance. She opened the door to reveal Dom standing on the other side. He wore a wide smile on his face.“Hey there,” he said. “Long time no see.”My eyes widened at the unexpected visit. It had been days since I’d last seen the large, friendly wolf. I couldn’t keep myself from returning his smile. He’d been so kind to me on the hike to the Wargs’ territory, so seeing him now was like a breath of fresh air. I knew I couldn’t trust him, of course, but he wasn’t as much of a jerk as Night was.“You’re not here to take me back to that room, are you?” I asked.“Not at all,” Violet said. “He’s our guide.”Dom nodded, pointing over his shoulder with his thumb. “I’m here to escort you lovely ladies up to Violet’s cab
Outside The Pack (Mated To The Night Book 1) 50
“I want you to feel as at home as possible while you’re here,” Violet said. “So, you are free to use all of my home. There will be no locked rooms unless you decide to lock them yourself. Of course, the front and back doors and all of the windows will be locked, and you won’t ever be alone, but you’ll at least be able to use the restroom or cook or get a drink of water when the need arises without having to ask first.”That actually sounded pretty nice—at least compared to how I was living in Night’s cabin. It was a bit of freedom, and it would surely make my escape so much easier.“One other thing.” Violet pushed away from the table. “You sit tight for a moment. I’ll be right back.”I thought I’d have a bit of time to myself to explore on my own, but Violet really was gone and back within just a few seconds. The older woman was much sprier than I had thought.“I found you some clothes.” She held out a pair of jeans and a blue plaid blouse. “There are a few more clothes for you in the
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