Read Mated to the Pack for Free Online Page B

kneeled beside her and put his arm
around her shoulders. She pushed him away, but when his arms closed
around her, she buried her face in his chest and sobbed.
    “What’s wrong?” Michael asked. “It’s
alright. We’re alright.”
    “I thought I would never see any of you
again!” she sobbed, her voice muffled. “I thought I’d never get to
tell you…”
    “Tell us what?” Luke asked, standing above
her.
    Allison took a long, deep breath and
sniffled, wiping her nose on her sleeve. Then she looked up at
Luke, then over at Logan, and finally to Michael.
    “I wanted to tell you that I appreciate what
you’re doing for me, and I understand,” she blurted out. “I’ve been
so angry, but I realized it’s not you all I’m angry with, it’s just
the situation. And when I thought I might never see you again… I…
I…”
    “Shh,” Michael said gently, his arms
squeezing her tighter. “You don’t have to worry about that. We’re
not going anywhere.”
    “I’m sorry,” Allison said, her voice
breaking as she was on the verge of bursting into tears again.
“Michael, I’m so sorry I’ve been so mean.”
    Michael’s eyes were softer than she’d ever
seen. His face lost its rough edges, and he looked upon her with
genuine concern.
    “Allison, stop,” he said, his voice almost a
whisper. “You don’t have to apologize. I should apologize. All of
this is my fault.”
    Allison shook her head slightly. “What do
you mean?”
    “All of this,” he said, his head hanging in
shame. “It’s all my fault. The other pack, the way I’ve treated
you, it was all me.”
    “I don’t understand,” Allison said.
    “Please don’t make me explain,” Michael
groaned. “Just know that none of this is your fault, and you don’t
have anything to apologize for.”
    She sighed, but relented. “I’m just glad
you’re all okay.”
    “Let’s go upstairs,” Luke suggested.
    “All of us?” Allison asked cautiously, her
eyes shifting to Michael.
    “All of us,” Michael said, smiling
faintly.
    Allison beamed with joy. She didn’t want to
spend one more moment in that stuffy safe room. Michael heaved
himself to his feet and pulled her along with him.
    “Oh, wait,” Allison said. “Is there any way
I can… freshen up?”
    “Oh, damn,” Michael said. “I totally forgot
about that. Of course. We have hygiene stuff in the cupboard over
there, and I could send Logan after some clothes for you.”
    Allison fumbled around in the cupboard and
located a toothbrush still in the package, some toothpaste, soap,
shampoo and conditioner.
    “Have any towels?” she asked.
    “Just bring that stuff with you,” Michael
said. “You can use the bathroom upstairs in your room. It’s much
nicer.”
    “Room? I have a room?”
    Michael chuckled heartily. “You do now!” he
said. “Come on, let me show you.”
    Allison followed him up the creaking stairs
to the kitchen, then through an archway into a rundown foyer. They
ascended another staircase to a hallway of doors. Michael opened a
door and walked inside, flicking a light switch as he entered.
    “It’s not much,” he said apologetically,
“but it’s all we have.”
    Allison’s eyes scanned the musty, gray room.
The furniture was all covered in a thick layer of dust, including
the bed, and the rug was dingy and ragged. Allison smiled.
    “It’s just fine,” she said.
    “It’s not, but we’ll fix it up for you,”
Logan offered.
    “That’s not necessary,” Allison said as
cheerfully as she could manage. “It’s fine, really.”
    “The bathroom is through that door,” Michael
said, pointing across the room. “Logan will get you some
towels.”
    Michael turned to leave, but then he paused
and turned back to face her.
    “Oh, and Allison?” he paused to make sure he
had her full attention. “Not that we don’t trust you, but my room
is right across the hall, and Logan and Luke are on either side of
me. Don’t even think of trying to leave.”
    His