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Outside The Pack (Mated To The Night Book 1) 76
I decided that now was as good a time as any to sort out my thoughts on escaping, on heading home. I missed Mom so badly that my stomach ached, but I couldn’t see myself going back there. Not willingly, anyway. The way Troy treated me and his threats—which I knew he intended to make good on—were too frightening. The Wargs pack had made me feel welcome and had given me a place I felt with increasing certainty was my home.I dropped the idea of trying to find my way back to my mom. I knew I would be miserable leaving behind all the relationships I’d formed with the Wargs, especially with Pax, Jasper, Tavi, Dom, Violet…and even Night.I’d made my decision to stay, but now I needed to figure out what to do about the large problem snoozing at my feet. It was getting dark, and soon there wouldn’t be enough light for me to find my way back. My only options were to leave the wolf behind and get help or to stay and get stuck here overnight. I can’t do this on my own. I need another shifter to
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I put my nose to the ground. The moment I picked up her scent on the soil, I launched into the forest, eager to follow it before it dissipated.“I’ll go find the other trackers,” Tavi called after us, which was good. I was far too focused to try and reach them myself.The deeper into the woods we went, the more I had to fight the feeling that Bryn might really have run off—that she’d played all of us this entire time. This path would have taken her to the river, and after she crossed it, she would be in Kings’ territory again.Damn. This was why I didn’t trust anyone. Why would I ever open up my heart when I had been burned countless times before? I was stupid to think that I could let her in, to believe that she might be my mate like Dom had said.Dom pushed his way into my mind. “The rain is getting worse and worse by the mile,” he said. “Something might have happened to Bryn. How would she know to take these paths? It’s possible that she’s been taken or lured away somehow…though, I
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The first wolf that I had taken down, the one I thought I’d killed, barreled into me, still dripping blood from its wounded neck. It slammed me into the wall, breaking ribs. I wheezed out in pain, landing hard on the ground.The bleeding feral turned toward Bryn, growling. She again threw her body over Vince’s. Why don’t you run? I thought desperately. Get out of here, Bryn!The wolf neared her, eager to taste her blood, Vince’s wolf tried to snarl, but he was too weak to effectively protect her. She screamed, kicking the wolf’s snout as it got too close. It bared its teeth at her, and I knew it was about to strike.With a surge of wrathful energy, I hauled myself to my feet. Pushing through the pain in my ribs, I shot across the distance that separated me from Bryn. I tackled the wolf to the ground, ignoring its snapping fangs. I bit into the wolf’s neck again, and this time, I ripped its throat out. Blood sprayed across the cave wall in an arch. His carotid artery spurt, spurt, spur
Outside The Pack (Mated To The Night Book 1) 79
Violet, Tavi, Dom, and Jasper stood around the couch. They had their arms up, and though their expressions were calm, concern was evident in their stiff postures. They looked like they were trying to convince a lion to set down a baby. Like they were dealing with a wild animal.I looked up and found Night’s lips pulled back in a snarl, his teeth still sharp and wolf-like despite being in his human form. His pupils were dilated to the point that I couldn’t see the green of his irises. They twitched from person to person like he expected them to take me from him.I wasn’t sure what had happened to put Night in such a state, but I wasn’t afraid of him even though I was literally inches away from those sharp teeth. Listening to the same instinct, which had encouraged me to go into the cave, I freed one of my arms and reached up to touch the side of his face.The moment my hand touched his cheek, he relaxed, and his hold on me softened. He still held me against him, but less desperately. S
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He stopped, breathing hard. I could almost hear the thunderous pace of his heartbeat.“I wasn’t wandering off or running away,” I snapped back. “I thought about trying to leave, but I didn’t, and do you know why?” I didn’t wait for a response. “Because I have nowhere to go, even if I could run away. I was led to the injured wolf, and I was brave for staying, not reckless. You’re such an asshole, Night. You piss me off no end!” I glared up at him, stepping closer. “You think I wasn’t scared? I was fucking terrified in that cave, Night. I thought my life was over, and that I’d never see anyone again. But you,” I jabbed her finger at him, “you have saved me twice now, and I am so grateful.”Tears pushed behind my eyes, but I forced them back. I wasn’t done with him yet. “I knew I was safe the minute I saw your wolf. I knew I couldn’t leave when you were fighting for my life because what if something happened to you? What would I have done then? You’re the idiot, Night.” I jabbed my finge
Outside The Pack (Mated To The Night Book 1) 81
“I’ve been thinking about that,” I said. “Iggy mentioned that she’d scented them around our borders. I asked her to keep an eye on it.”Dom cursed under his breath. Iggy’s death was not only a tragedy and a massive loss for the pack, it had also created a loose end—one that had come to bite us in the ass.I sighed and crossed my arms. “We need to verify that these were the same wolves she was talking about. They didn’t smell like pack, but maybe they were from a group that was just wandering through town.”“I’ll send some men into Colville. You could be right about the wandering packs, but I think they were hungry ferals. They looked scrawny enough to be.”I thought back to the fight and nodded. I hadn’t even noticed how gaunt those wolves looked at the time. My wolf and I had been so focused on keeping Bryn safe that the other wolves were little more than shadowy dangers that were in my way. Now that she was safe, I reflected more about the incident. If those wolves were desperate an
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Dom waited until I finished my tirade, and then he asked, totally deadpan, “So, why do you think that is?”I paused. The question was so far out of left field that it actually gave me pause. “What the fuck, Dom?”“I’m just saying,” the smirk was back on his face, “that you’re doing this thing again. You only get this way about Bryn. It almost makes me wonder if you and her might be—”I pointed at him. “Don’t you dare fucking say—”“—mates.” Dom finished with a grin that was a mile wide.I groaned and shook my head. But the more I heard the word, the more I thought about it, the more right it felt. I couldn’t deny the way I reacted when I thought Bryn was at risk, and I certainly couldn’t ignore how recklessly I had behaved when she was threatened right in front of me.My wolf had completely taken over, something he had never done before. I couldn’t let that happen again. My immediate response was to assure everyone that I would keep myself in check, but a promise without taking action
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Violet surprised me when she patted the pack of my hand. “Bryn, honey, how much do you know about your past?”I was caught off guard by the question. I thought I’d already told Violet about my origins, but I didn’t mind telling her again.“My mom, Glenda Hunter, found me in the woods. I was just a newborn and apparently abandoned by my birth parents. I still had the umbilical cord attached to me. None of the wolves in the Kings’ pack had been pregnant, and no one knew where I had come from. At first, Mom was certain that I was a wolf, but when she took me home, she quickly realized that I was human. Gregor wanted her to get rid of me, but she chose to raise me anyway. Mom always said to me that the magic of the world had brought us together,” I finished.Violet smiled. “I think I’ll like Glenda very much.”I gave a sad chuckle. Violet said that as if she was going to meet my mom sometime soon, but that was silly. Mom was a four-day trek away, and Troy stood between us. For now, I woul
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Outside The Pack (Mated To The Night Book 1) 100
“If the mates go too long without claiming, it will be as if they were rejected. Their hearts will break, they’ll never recover, and terrible, mystical shit will happen to them. I don’t remember all of the specifics, but I know that what you’re doing is fucked up.”I rubbed my chest where Dom had shoved me, my thoughts spiraling down and down into the depths of my fears. “Bryn hadn’t shifted yet,” I found myself saying. “Not on that first night. I wanted to explain to her that she was my mate and what that meant for us, but I didn’t get the chance before we ended up in bed together.”“And then?” Dom asked. “We both know the two of you have had sex after, so why not bite her during one of those times?”I hesitated. “I just…it didn’t feel like the right time. I was intent on getting her to shift and teaching her about her wolf. Bryn only recently learned that she’s descended from the pack mothers. I thought claiming her would be putting too much on her plate.”Dom growled again. “That’s
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But Violet was shaking her head. “Neither of us can answer that for you. It wouldn’t be our place.”Tavi stood up to grab a few tissues and brought them back for me. “Anyone can see that Night would break his own legs if it meant he could do something for you, Bryn,” Tavi added. “But, I mean, I think you have to ask him yourself. That’s how relationships work.”Oh. It sounded so simple when they put it so plainly. I had been in my head, so worried that I had done something wrong that I hadn’t even considered that I might be able to talk to Night about this. Another tear slipped down my face, but I caught it with my tissue. I wiped my face while Violet stood to get some more tea.Tavi leaned in while Violet rummaged around in the kitchen. “So, Bryn,” she whispered, “how was it? I mean, like, was it as amazing as those books you’ve been reading?”My eyes widened.She giggled. “I borrowed one or two from your room while you were with him. No wonder you were so focused on reading.”My fac
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I chuckled and touched his cheek. “I know, don’t worry. Time will pass by so quickly, you won’t even notice I’m gone.”“Ha. Not a chance of that.” He kissed me once, briefly, and then again more deeply. When he pulled away, my eyes felt heavy, and desire began to kindle deep inside me. He licked his lips, his eyes glowing. “Are you sure you want this?”Oh, but it was so tempting to say no so he could carry me back to bed. I forced myself to nod and gave him a smile. “I’ll see you soon, Night.” I hopped up to kiss his cheek, and then I quickly went inside, avoiding those large, warm hands before he could kiss me again or otherwise tempt me away from my goal.Tavi and Violet were waiting for me at the dining table. I had seen Violet a few times since Night and I had mated, but I hadn’t seen Tavi since the day Night rescued me from those ferals. So when Tavi hopped onto her feet, almost knocking over her chair, I rushed to meet her. We embraced tightly, and Tavi was already emotional.“I
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She believed it was her fault that I had suffered so much in the Kings’ pack, that in shielding my mind, she had also cut me off from the strength I needed to protect myself from Troy and the Terrible T’s.That’s so silly, I thought as the shift completed. How could I hate the wolf that sacrificed so much to keep me safe?My wolf tapped her front paws in the grass and turned in a circle, a kind of happy dance that made me laugh.Behind me, I heard Night suck in a deep breath. He looked different through the eyes of my wolf. He was still gorgeous, perfect, and mine, but there was something else too. He was surrounded by warm light, a halo that brought him into glorious, wonderful focus.Mate. My wolf’s voice was clear as a bell to me. She said it again, louder, and I wondered if it was true. If he was my true mate, then it made sense that even when we had tried to hate each other, it was impossible for us to stay away from each other—impossible not to feel something when in each other’
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“I want you to close your eyes, breathe deeply, and reach out to her,” he said. “When you find her, don’t be afraid to let her in and to make her an equal in your mind. You have to let her know that you trust her. Don’t be scared. I’ll be here with you the entire time.”I nodded and closed my eyes. I tried to push out my noisy thoughts—especially the horny ones about Night—and reach out for my wolf. It didn’t take long to find her; she rushed up to me, panting hard, as though she were just as eager to get to know me. It was a bit startling at first, how quickly my wolf responded, but I tried not to flinch or turn away.I took a few deep breaths to relax, and then I opened myself up to my wolf. She purred in response, and I smiled. She was like the presence of a dear friend in my mind, like a warm memory. Though the process was a bit intimidating at first, I found I liked leaving myself open to my wolf, who already felt so familiar to me even though I’d only known her for a short time.
Outside The Pack (Mated To The Night Book 1) 95
We sat next to each other at his dining table to enjoy the assorted dishes he had retrieved from the mess hall. There had been some extra sausage links and pancakes from breakfast, but the cooks on duty had also begun to prepare chicken potpie. Though it was technically against the rules for them to serve lunch so early, everyone was all smiles and eager to please us, according to Night.“Why’s that?” I asked around a mouthful of pancake. “Did you exert your Alpha privileges?”He smiled and brushed a stray crumb from my cheek, sending goosebumps down my back. His touch had been so heated in the shower, but now it was feather-light. Almost not there at all. “No,” he replied. “It’s because they know you and I are together.”“Oh, I see.” Now that I possessed the heightened senses of a shifter, it should have been obvious to me that they would be able to tell just from being near him. It made me feel so wonderful to know that the others accepted our relationship. That I belonged.Amusemen
Outside The Pack (Mated To The Night Book 1) 94
I pictured Mom’s smile and the scent of lavender that seemed to cling to her hair no matter which herbs or vegetables she picked. I thought of her voice, her hugs, and her warmth. I wondered what she would think about me being a shifter.I missed her terribly. Perhaps I would see her again when Night confronted Troy, but who knew when that would happen? It could be weeks or even months from now. I could probably ask Night about his plans, but I didn’t want to dwell on that right now.I closed my eyes and let the hot water slide down my skin and calm my feverish thoughts. I reached for the soap and began to scrub up. Suddenly, I paused, feeling a tug in my chest. I smelled Night as if he was right here with me. I pulled the curtain, eager to see him, but he wasn’t in the bathroom with me. If I concentrated a bit harder, I could hear his footsteps coming up to the porch. I smiled, pleased that he would be with me again soon. My senses had sharpened since I shifted, but it seemed they we
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“Bryn.” This time it was Violet’s voice pulling me back. “Could you describe the wolf for us?” Violet asked.I nodded. Now that I was sure it hadn’t just been in my mind, I was able to give a detailed description of the wolf’s russet-brown coat, the slice in its left ear, and the piercing white eyes that were like melted silver and snow.Violet pressed a hand to her mouth, and the Elder’s mumbling grew more intense. I turned, sending a worried look at Night, but his handsome face and steady gaze calmed me.Finally, Violet held up her hands for silence. The Elders immediately went quiet. My wolf whined within me, pacing back and forth. It was such a bizarre feeling to feel another consciousness within me, but it was so amazing at the same time.Violet looked into each of the Elder’s faces, and they all nodded. She took a deep breath and returned her attention to me. “You mentioned something about seeing a wolf when Night returned with you.”“I did?”Violet nodded. “The Elders and I tal
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Soon, two older gentlemen and one elderly woman walked inside without pausing to knock. The first man was bald. An old, brown scar ripped across the top of his head. I knew better than to stare, but I was curious about how he’d received what could have been a mortal wound. The second man had tufts of gray hair starting at his temples, which wrapped around to meet at the back of his head. The woman had a full head of gorgeous hair that was almost as white as Violet’s. She kept it short and curly—it looked like a cotton ball on top of her head.They began to seat themselves at the table but needed another chair. I started to grab a chair from the living room, but Night caught my wrist. He pulled me to his side and sat me in his lap. It was an unorthodox way of providing an extra chair, but I wasn’t upset; I was just as eager to stay close to him. I leaned back into his chest, and he immediately wrapped his arms around me.The Elders smiled at us, not at all perturbed by our public Displ
