Page 9 of Savage Games

He’s rightly confident that he can go all the way, sounding relaxed about what turned out to be a close call.Far too relaxed about it for Jamie’s liking, she blinks at him in disbelief.

"A false start?You looked like you’d fallen asleep on your feet, like you didn't even know where you were.Are you okay?I mean, you lost seconds there.Valuable seconds."She pauses then and slowly turns to face me, a curious expression on her face as she looks at me for support."If this kind lady hadn't snapped you out of it, you'd still be standing there.Thank you, by the way, he owes you one."

I keep my head up and meet her eyes, nodding politely to acknowledge her gratitude.

“He’s already made up for it,” I say, thinking this man most definitely doesn’t owe me anything after helping me up that wall.If anything, chances are I’m the one who’s going to owe him everything by the end of this competition.If I make it that far.

"Jamie, this is Naomi," Wyatt says, one side of his mouth cracking up into a proud smile.

Jamie looks from her brother to me and back again, suspicious and assessing.“Why are you being weird?And why is your face doing that?”Jamie tilts her head and studies him while Wyatt simply smirks.

“Am I not allowed to be happy after getting through to the next stage?”

When Wyatt doesn’t tell her who I am to him, I let out a sigh of relief.I'm glad that he’s keeping our connection quiet for now.It's going to make things much easier if we can keep our bond on the down-low until I get some time to think about what the hell I'm going to do.

But it also stings a little that he’s not shouting it from the rooftops like I’d love to do, even if that’s completely hypocritical.

Why doesn’t he want anyone to know I’m his?

"Oh, I remember you from the sign-in."Jamie sticks out a hand for me to shake.“You’re one of the last girls standing now.Make us proud.”

She turns back to Wyatt and hits him on the arm, hard.

"Get your head out of your ass.I know Naomi's hot, but if you want your own pack to lead, you’ve got to screw your head back on and think with your brain, not your… other brain."

When I look at Wyatt, not sure what to do or say, he winks at me, sending liquid heat straight between my thighs.“She’s more than hot.”

Blushing, I stare at the ground, stunned by how this man has rattled me to my very core.I came here with a plan, a strategy, to do what needed to be done.But now… why the hell is he here?

"Oh god.Is that you flirting?Spare me.”With an exaggerated shudder, Jamie moves the conversation on, hopefully not suspecting the strength of our connection.

“How long have you got until the next competition?"Jamie asks, looking between the two of us as I step back, reestablishing the distance between us that Wyatt keeps stealing, and he immediately sneaks nearer again, closing the gap.

"I don't know, maybe twenty minutes.Half an hour?"Wyatt looks at me.“We should probably get some water and food on board while we have the chance.”

His use of the word we doesn’t go unnoticed by his sister, who glances at me once more, this time, taking a much closer look.

My heart pounds under her scrutiny, like she can see my deepest, darkest secrets if she looks hard enough.

Can she tell this is more than flirting?

“We’ll catch up with you later,” Wyatt says, giving his Luna sister a mock salute before stepping away, extending a hand behind my back to usher me toward the refueling stations that are positioned around the edges of the field.

My gut twists.He’s taking care of me.Including me in his plans for later on.I should be happy, but I feel like the scum of the earth.He has no idea about the baggage that follows me…

Like an alpha who won’t take no for an answer, and a sister who’s trapped in his pack.

A dead wolf, and secrets we need to take to the grave.

What a catch.

“Maybe we can find somewhere quiet for a few minutes,” I say, suddenly feeling like I need to sit down.This is all a lot, and the last thing I imagined when I was walking across that bridge.My mind was entirely on the Games and finding a way out of my current predicament.Not love.

Wyatt nods, expression serious as he gives me a once over, making me feel cherished and protected, and all warm and fuzzy inside.

My mind spins, going to all sorts of sexy places, but somehow, I have a feeling if we started any of that, we'd never make it back for the next challenge.Forfeiting the competition, while tempting, isn’t something that either of us is prepared to do.I can tell by the look in Wyatt's eyes that he really wants this.Apparently, being the brother of a pack Luna isn't a senior enough rank for him, and with how dominant his wolf is, I can understand why.

This is a man who bows down to nobody.

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