Page 90 of Savage Games

"Creek."I gasp, struggling to form words as I fight for breath."Near the eastern boundary.He needs medical help.Wolfsbane poisoning.It's worse, much worse than I thought."

Understanding dawns in Dean's eyes, followed by a flash of alarm.Without hesitation, he turns to a group of waiting pack members, barking orders in a tone that brooks no argument.They immediately dash into the forest, moving with the coordinated efficiency of wolves trained for emergencies.

I try to follow, desperate to reach Wyatt, but my legs buckle beneath me.The adrenaline that carried me through the hunt and climb is fading rapidly, leaving me shaky and weak.

"I need to go to him," I insist, my voice cracking as I reach desperately across our bond.The connection that's been my lifeline since we met feels terrifyingly faint, a whisper where there should be a shout.

"Let us help him," Dean says firmly, his grip on my shoulders both supportive and restraining."You stay here with Lynn.We have more of Maggie's medicine to counteract the wolfsbane.He'll be alright, but not if we're dividing our attention between you both."

For the first time, I register the crowd gathered at the finish line, spectators and eliminated competitors cheering my victory.Their faces blur together, their congratulations meaningless noise against the roaring in my ears.

I've secured my place in the final round of the Alpha Games.But the achievement feels hollow, insignificant compared to what truly matters.

The mate bond, which has been my anchor through this entire ordeal, suddenly flickers.Where there should be Wyatt's steady presence, I feel only emptiness, a void that grows with each passing second.

"No."I gasp, terror clawing up my throat."No, he promised he was okay.I can't feel him..."

Before I can finish the thought, Maddie pushes through the crowd, throwing her arms around me."You did it!"she cries, her face alight with pride and relief.But her smile vanishes instantly when she sees my expression."Naomi?What happened?"

"Wyatt," is all I can say."I think he's dying.The bond… it’s gone."

34

Wyatt

Iwatch until she disappears from sight, her sleek wolf's form swallowed by the dense forest, leaving only swaying ferns and trembling leaves in her wake.Something in my chest eases, knowing she's racing toward safety, toward victory.Toward her future.

Even if I might not be part of it.

The sun filters through the canopy above, casting shadows across the moss-covered rocks surrounding the creek.The wound between my shoulder blades throbs with each heartbeat, sending waves of fiery pain radiating outward.

I turn back to face Brad.Dash stands steady beside me, shoulders squared, and jaw set with a solidarity I hadn't expected but desperately need.

The smaller wolf's copper-brown eyes hold a resolve that belies his compact frame.There's steel there I've underestimated until now.

"You've just delayed the inevitable," Brad says, his voice carrying the practiced arrogance of an alpha who's rarely been challenged.“Even if she’s too broken to win the pack when you die, I might still mate her just for strong pups.And to torture Maddie some more.”

If I needed any motivation to keep clinging to life, there it is.

"She's stronger than you think," I tell him, and I believe it with every fibre of my being.She's magnificent.Fast and fierce and unstoppable.She’ll make it to the next round, and she’ll win.

His smile is cold and calculating."Perhaps.But you’re not, are you?"

As if on cue, my legs buckle, a wave of dizziness washing over me as the poison reasserts itself.Jax’s medicine is wearing off.The bitter herbs no longer strong enough to combat the wolfsbane surging through my veins.Black spots dance at the edges of my vision, and the forest floor seems to tilt beneath my paws.The silver knife wound in my back burns like fire as the wolfsbane spreads through my bloodstream with every heartbeat.

Without Naomi's presence or the direct connection to the mate bond, my borrowed strength is fading fast.Too fast.

Brad notices my faltering stance, the way my muscles tremble with the effort of remaining upright, and his smile widens."Not looking so good there, rogue.Still think you're a match for me?"

Not really, but I growl, the sound rumbling deep in my chest, letting him know I won’t go down easily.

"He doesn't have to be," Dash says, moving slightly closer to me.His shoulder brushes against mine, lending support, both physical and symbolic.Though smaller than both Brad and me, there's nothing submissive in his posture.

Brad practically rolls his eyes, dismissing Dash’s potential as an opponent with a casual flick of his gaze."Walk away now, and I might forget your interference."

Dash shrugs.“Only one of us needs to win, and Eli has the better shot, anyway.”

"But why risk it all for a rogue?"Brad asks Dash, genuine confusion coloring his tone.He can't comprehend loyalty that isn't bought or coerced.

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