Page 3 of Savage Games

I don't want her to leave.Not yet.I’m already hooked.

After a shy glance at me, she shakes her head.

“Just give me a minute.I’ll catch up with you.”She ignores their raised eyebrows and teasing winks.

My wolf howls with delight inside me.She’s choosing to stay here.With me.

“Are you feeling confident about today?”I ask, keen to keep her talking just so I can admire her more.There are lots of beautiful women here, and plenty that have made it clear they're here to have some fun with the contestants, but nobody like this.

“Ha.I was until I met you.”Her eyes linger on my arms before she forces them back to my face.“I’m sure they have some pretty nasty tricks up their sleeves for us, but it should be fun.And hopefully, that will give me a shot of sneaking through.”

That it should.

Callum's voice booms out through the microphone, warning everyone to get to their starting places now, because the competition will start on time.

"Shit."Going up on her tiptoes, she scans the crowd, but there are too many wolves and too many scents to pinpoint her friend's location.“They’re gone.”

Her mouth twists as she drops back onto the flats of her feet and frowns.

“Guess you're stuck with me,” I say tentatively, trying to gauge how eager she is to get away."I’ll look after you.”

The promise is out before I even know what I'm saying.It’s true, but it sounds a bit too intense when we’re still standing in a crowded field.

My wolf spins in circles anxiously inside my head, waiting for her to respond.I feel like punching the air when she nods.

She's only standing beside me, not begging me to mark her, so I need to get a grip on my excitement.But it still feels like a win.

"Okay, that sounds good.But if you're holding me back, I'll cut you loose.I can't have you slowing me down, big boy."She tries to look stern, and I laugh, relieved she’s not making her excuses and running away.

"Ruthless.I like it."A soft rumble vibrates from my chest, catching both of us off-guard, and she grins again, before her cute blush returns.

Fuck, that's so hot.

Outwardly, she looks cute as a button, but she's all alpha-female, and to be underestimated only at your peril.She wouldn't be here if she wasn't tough.It’s a sexy combination.

As I gesture for her to go first, I feel a surge of joy at the prospect of competing together.I'm going to enjoy seeing what she can do.

The other entrants around us surge forward, and we're swept along with the other wolves, all being herded toward the stations dotted around the outskirts of the field.

“Out of the way, rogue.”A big alpha hits me with a shoulder as he barges past with an entourage.

When he mutters something about the stench and how I shouldn’t have been allowed to cross the bridge, the she-wolf at my side looks like she’s about to explode.

“Easy,” I murmur, rumbling again, but soothing this time.He’s not worth it.They never are.

“I’m going to enjoy watching you kick his ass,” she mutters, and I smile, quite liking her vicious side.

As he stalks away, his friends casting superior glances my way, I shake my head.I’ll never understand their unfounded hatred, but I’m used to it now.

“Come on, we better hurry.”

Each competitor has to complete a circuit of the course, finishing each station or challenge to the satisfaction of the judges, before ending the day with a race through the forest.

And this is just the first task of the day.Dean has some kind of decathlon from hell planned for us later.

Alpha wolves jostle each other, attempting to get to the front of the line.Not that it matters.We all have to complete every task, so the order shouldn’t matter.But let them fight and posture all they want.They’re just wasting energy.

I’ll win quietly and live to fight another day.

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