Page 15 of Savage Games

At the bare minimum, they should have the decency to stay quiet until he’s gone.

Ryan's eyes narrow as he looks at me, his gaze turning calculating."That's quite the attitude you've got there.Defending the rogue?"His lip curls."Careful, sweetheart.Brad won’t be happy to hear you’re consorting with the likes of him.”

I hold his stare, refusing to look away first.I knew he was friendly with Brad.It shouldn’t be a surprise that he’s running back telling tales.

"What Brad thinks is none of my concern."

Ryan laughs cruelly."We'll see about that.He said you were a tease… but this is taking it too far."

I give Ryan the middle finger, and my back.There’s no point talking to him.He thinks he’s a genuine contender, but he’s nothing.And I’ve never given Brad any indication we’ll get together.He just doesn’t seem to grasp the concept of someone saying no to him.

Wyatt, his eyes narrowed in concentration and muscles taut, ready for the nod from Callum, is one of the best here, if not the best.There are plenty of people unhappy seeing him doing so well.I can sense trouble coming.

I've got his back, though.Nobody's going to fuck with my mate.

"Three, two, one, go!"

At the signal, he takes off, surprisingly agile for a man of his size, jumping over a fallen log and racing silently into the trees.

“Shit,” one of Ryan’s buddies mutters, shaking his head as he watches how easily Wyatt makes it look.He sees his dream slipping away.“My mate is going to be pissed when I don’t win.”

It doesn't take long before Wyatt's out of sight, but for another few seconds, I can still hear his breathing and the faint brush of leaves as he moves through the forest.

I rock up and down on my toes, both nervous and excited for him, knowing without a doubt that he'll come out the other side with a fast time.

"You seem awfully invested in how well the rogue does, Naomi."

The hair stands up on the back of my neck, and a shiver runs down my spine.I freeze immediately, staring wide-eyed as Brad approaches slowly from the side.

He moves with that calculated precision I've come to dread, each step bringing him closer, like a predator stalking prey.His cologne, too strong and artificial, clashes with the natural forest scents around us.He's dressed impeccably as always, designer clothes that seem ridiculous in this setting, but it's all part of his carefully constructed image of power and wealth.

He wants to be the next Blake Steel, the suave head alpha in charge of the Games, but they couldn’t be less alike.

Blake has integrity and treats every wolf with respect.Brad is a power-hungry twat with a fragile ego.And I hate him for what he’s doing to my sister.

"I’m just being friendly.He helped me get through, after all," I say quietly, afraid to give anything away to this man.He doesn’t want us to be happy.I have a feeling that sentiment will extend to me finding a mate, too, but I won’t let him ruin this.

He taps his temple with a smarmy smile on his face, and I struggle not to grimace.

"That's a good point," Brad says, slinking closer like the snake that he is."I always knew you were smart, Naomi."

I can’t tell whether he’s being charming or sarcastic, but it doesn’t even matter.He’s been bullying me and my sister ever since her mate passed away.The sudden change in personality is jarring.Just being near him makes my skin crawl, and I subtly edge further away.

"Sorry?"I’m confused and unable to concentrate because I just want to get away from him and find out how Wyatt’s doing.I can already sense that he’s getting at something, and I know I’m not going to like it.He wasn’t supposed to be here, dismissing my participation as a waste of time.

What the hell made him change his mind?

"Now that he’s fallen for your considerable charms…” The way his gaze falls to my breasts makes me want to gag.“You can use him to get what you want.This little pack of yours."He gives me what he thinks looks like a sincere smile, and I know he already has a plan forming in that despicable brain of his.

Not wanting to be part of any scheme of Brad’s, I turn back to face the course, wishing he’d leave.My wolf is agitated, and he’s breaking my concentration.Reaching out to test the strength of our connection, I test my wolf to see if she can feel the bond and use it to get a fix on Wyatt.

She can, and he’s further ahead than I thought he’d be.

“I’m not using anybody.”

“Of course not.”He practically purrs, and I tense.“But all good alphas sometimes have to use people to get what they want.”

His eyes travel over my body once more and I fight the urge to cross my arms and hide myself from his lecherous gaze.I know exactly what he wants, and that’s me.But he’s not getting it.Not now, not ever, not over my cold, dead body.

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