Page 47 of Savage Games

Jamie’s eyes blaze in fury.“That’s a cop-out, and you know it.You are the alpha of this pack.Can’t you demand a line up or something and sniff them out?”

She might be his mate, but Dean’s wolf doesn’t take kindly to the suggestion that he’s being a coward.He pushes forward, a low rumble in his chest, as Dean the man holds her closer and lets her vent.

“I’m not sniffing anyone.And maybe it seems unfair...”Dean meets my gaze, and for a second, the calm alpha’s mask slips.Underneath, I see the man who understands, in ways others never can, what it means to claw your way out of something dark and stand on your own two feet.By any means necessary.“But rest assured, those responsible, when we find them, will not be considered suitable leaders by anyone here.”

It isn’t the promise to hunt them down and kick them out Jamie wanted, but it’s the best I’m going to get.

“Jamie, it’s fine.”I reassure her as I edge past them, needing to get away from the disgusting stench.“Did you get anywhere with… you know?”

Her expression softens just a fraction as she stares at the mess.It’s all connected.We both know it.

In the grand scheme of things, helping Naomi and her sister is more important than possessions, but Jamie feels my loss as acutely as I do.Maybe there is something salvageable here, but I’m not in the mood to go through it all right now.I need to burn off some of this anger, and then I need to rest ahead of tomorrow’s round.

“I have someone on it.”

That’s enough.For now.Grabbing the bare essentials, I step out into the night.

The air is crisp and cold; the sky is clear of clouds, and a big moon hangs low, illuminating the forest around us.It’s quieter than usual, like the entire world is holding its breath to see what happens next.

“Come to ours for breakfast,” Jamie shouts, and I nod, waving over my shoulder as I stride toward the trees.She doesn’t offer a bed for the night, because she knows I can’t accept it.The alpha can’t be seen playing favourites for his family.

I walk for what seems like ages, my wolf eager to run, but I hold him back.

Because I know they’ll come.

As I expected, I hear them before I see them, following me into the night to see if I’m going to leave the competition.

I’m not.

Four wolves.Trailing me at a distance, just careful enough that a lesser wolf might not have noticed.But I’m not a lesser wolf, and this day has tested my restraint more than any other I can recall.

Mr.Nice guy is gone.I’m not playing anymore.

They want to see a savage rogue.So I’ll give them one.

I walk deeper into the trees, further from the packhouse, from the safety of the clearing and the watchful eyes of Dean and Callum, drawing them along with me.

They fan out, trying to surround me without being obvious, when they realise I’m not heading for the bridge out of Dean’s territory.

Idiots.

The second they pick up their pace, ready to spring their trap, I let go.

My shift tears through me in the blink of an eye, bones stretching, skin ripping, until my paws hit the dirt, and my wolf sucks in a deep, invigorating breath.

He’s ready to take charge.

It feels good to be in my fur and back out in nature.This is how we lived for so long when we had nowhere else to go.

The wolves sense my change and crash through the undergrowth toward me, all stealth forgotten, skidding to a stop when they see me standing there waiting for them.They attempt to intimidate me, mistakenly assuming that strength in numbers will save them.

But it won’t.I’m bigger than all of them, bigger than probably every other wolf here, and I’m pissed off.

Head low, teeth bared in something that isn’t quite a smile, I dare them to challenge me.The animal inside me is over being disrespected, kept from his mate, and forced to live as a rogue for no reason other than being fucking exceptional.

Come on, then.

I taunt them with a step to the side, snapping my teeth at the first wolf who breaks cover, a hulking brute with a ragged ear and a mean glint in his eye.

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