Page 14 of Savage Games

My cheeks heat, and I clear my throat with a quiet cough to try to snap myself out of this drunken haze before I combust.This man.He's driving me and my wolf wild.Does he even know what he's doing to me?Being so sweet and sexy all at once.

"I'll take it, though," he adds with a cheeky smile."It'll be nice to get a warm welcome from someone’s family, instead of the icy one I normally get."

For a second, I look at him, confused, and then I remember Wyatt is a rogue.I've heard stories about how he was kicked out of his old pack when his alpha got nervous about how strong he was growing.The story goes that he has been wandering since, getting into trouble.He’s been tarred as this brute of a wolf who wreaks havoc wherever he goes.

But none of that tallies with the gentle giant in front of me.

His alpha probably did kick him out; that, I have no problem believing, but only because he saw him as a threat to his rule.If he was left to mature as an adolescent, he would have taken over the pack.There's no way a wolf like his could submit to a weaker alpha, but he most certainly wasn't drifting around the territory causing trouble.If his wolf was such a loose cannon, he wouldn’t be able to move around the Games alongside so many powerful wolves without starting fights left, right, and centre.

I've seen rogues before, the real troublemakers.Ones who’ve had to leave their packs or were forced out when they turned feral.They come to the borders of territories looking for handouts, eyes wild, fur matted, and barely holding on to their humanity.They're dangerous because they're desperate.

Wyatt isn't like that.His control is impressive, his wolf, powerful but disciplined.Whatever happened to make him a rogue, it wasn't because he couldn't control himself.

Anyone who speaks to him for more than a couple of minutes will understand that even though his wolf is extremely strong and dominant, he's calm and measured, too.Wyatt is no feral rogue.This is just a man without a pack or a home.

But not anymore, because now he’s mine.

"If I win, you really wouldn’t have a problem with that?"I ask seriously.“A lot of males wouldn’t like that.”

Wyatt looks at me with an amused grin and throws his head back to laugh, deep and warm.

"Why on earth would any man have a problem standing beside a kick-ass mate who won a pack?I don't care how we get there, the two of us are going to be a team, that's all that matters."He hesitates.“Do you have a problem with me being a rogue?Do you worry a new pack won’t accept me?”

He doesn’t go as far as to say as your mate out loud, but I know what he means.Aghast, I shake my head.

“Then we’re good.”

I blink, feeling emotional and hoping he still feels that way when the Games are over.When he finds out just who the fates have saddled him with.

“Next up.”Callum, a tall, rangy wolf, comes over and hands Wyatt a piece of cloth, which he brings to his nose while he inhales deeply.

"You've got this, big guy.Best of luck."Callum, Alpha Dean Reynolds' beta, takes the cloth back and shakes Wyatt's hand, pointedly holding the stare of any man who grumbles their disapproval of his friendship with my mate.

If Dean Reynolds’s pack leadership has accepted him, so will our new pack.

The beta turns his attention to me."Get ready, Naomi, you're up next."

Wyatt moves, standing slightly in front of me to block the handsome wolf’s access to me, and there’s a subtle shift in the previously light-hearted atmosphere.He might be calm and in control, but that doesn't mean his wolf enjoys other males talking to me.

Callum senses the slight change in mood and steps back with a smile, hands raised."Just doing my job, Wyatt.I promise, she's all yours."

Wyatt's eyes widen slightly.He doesn't agree, but he doesn't disagree either.

Callum chuckles, understanding the silent admission, before escorting Wyatt to the start line and giving him his instructions.

As before, there's going to be a cut-off time.

Anybody who's taking longer than that, or who gives up, is gone immediately.Of those that make it through, the top performers will progress.It's tough but fair.Only five can get through to the final rounds because it's not going to be in anybody's best interests to have that many wolves fighting publicly and potentially losing control.It would become impossible to manage.

As Wyatt moves forward to the starting line, the snide comments start.

“Hope you get fucking lost out there.”

“If you’ve any sense, you’ll follow that trail right over the bridge and out of this competition.”

The childish taunts continue as my mate tries to prepare, and it makes my blood boil.When I glare over at the competitors waiting their turn, I’m not even remotely surprised to see Ryan Williams in the middle, shooting his mouth off.

“Shut up, Ryan.”I snap.“Just because you’ve got the nose of a fucking rock.If you pay attention, maybe you could learn something.Or is it just your brother who got the brains in your family?”

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