In His Nature

{Both}

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Excuse the Mistakes...

Currently watching the Vampire Diaries from scratch. I don't care what anyone says, I call Damon

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"I heard what you did."

My head snapped to face Rhett as I placed my time card back in its slot. "What are you talking about?" I asked, zipping up my leather jacket. My shift was done for the day, and I was ready to just get back to the pack house and take a nap.

Rhett raised an eyebrow. "You're trying to join the pack."

"Oh," I replied, rubbing the back of my neck, "Yeah, I am."

"Why are you doing that?" He asked, his voice curious instead of disapproving or annoyed.

"I'm trying to work things out with my mate," I stated, carefully omitting Dot's name, "I know that if I want to be with her, then I have to join her pack because she won't leave it."

"That's for damn true," Rhett replied, "Dot could never bring herself to abandon the pack, even if it was for her mate."

"Huh?" I asked, "How do you know she's my mate? I mean, we haven't exactly broadcasted it."

Rhett laughed and sat down in one of the chairs in the back room. "Please, Eli. Dot is like my adopted daughter; I could see it written on both of your faces. Plus, it doesn't hurt that my kids are crap at keeping secrets from their parents."

"Well that's fantastic," I muttered, leaning against the wall. The fact that other people knew sucked, because if something happened and I wasn't accepted into the pack, I didn't want people to know what was going on between Dot and I.

"Listen," said Rhett, suddenly serious. "Like I said, Dot is basically one of my own children. So, if you hurt her, Bo and I will rip you limb from limb. Got it?"

"Yes," I answered, slightly unnerved by the emotionless words. Rhett was a huge guy, as was Bo, so I didn't really have a doubt that they would make good on that promise.

"Good," Rhett stated, standing up, "I'll see you back at the pack house." Then, he disappeared back into the front of the store. I watched him go and then pushed myself away from the wall. I locked my employee locker and walked through the front of the store and out the door.

I jammed my hands into my pockets and strolled along on the sidewalk. For the past couple days, I'd been walking back to the pack house because I could use the time to think and figure out how to gain Bo's trust.

As I walked up the driveway to the pack house, I noticed a group of elderly women pulling grocery bags out of the back of a car. All of the brown paper bags were filled to the brim, and I could see the women trying to figure out who would carry what.

"Excuse me?" I called as I approached, "Can I help you guys with anything?"

Of course, they all glanced at each other and whispered among themselves. Everyone in the pack knew that I was a rogue, and words associated with being a rogue are self-centered, angry, and arrogant. So, I added, "Please, I can't walk by without taking at least one bag in."

As it turns out, I couldn't walk by without taking two trips carrying three bags inside.

"Thank you Eli!" said Clarisse, one of the elderly women.

"No problem," I replied as I set down the final grocery bag down on the island in the kitchen. When I looked up, Bo was standing at the opposite counter with his wife, and his dark eyes burned into my skull. He frowned at me but didn't say anything, and I nodded