Page 43 of Rogue Games

I keep that thought in my mind as I take a deep breath and steel myself for the last section.

“You can do this.” I’m talking myself up, hoping a positive attitude will get me past the panic growing inside me as the rope sways wildly in the wind. I’m inching along, my fingers stiff from holding on so tight, when I catch the scent of another shifter and frown. A shifter that should be long gone.

Samuel steps out of the trees on the far side, a cold hard look in his eyes.

“Samuel,” I warn. “Please don’t give me any shit right now. This is bad enough already.”

He laughs, mocking my slow but steady progress across the bridge. “Some alpha you’d be.”

This isn’t good. He should’ve been long gone by now. What does he want?

“Just fuck off,” I mutter. He waited for me. He waited until Wyatt was gone and came back for me. “Is it really worth ruining your own time just to piss me off?”

Trying to pick up my speed without looking scared, I take wider steps, watching Samuel closely as he watches me with disdain.

“A rogue being given a pack devalues the position. Spits on the graves of our forefathers. Only the best wolves should be allowed to enter, to ensure the bloodlines stay pure and strong.”

My mother was Luna of this pack. I’m not sure what makes him think my bloodline is tainted but that’s not something I want to share just yet.

I’m also tempted to point out that he’s not quite brave enough to have this conversation face-to-face with my brother, but I’m in a precarious enough situation here. There’s no point making it any worse.

I’m only metres away from the edge when the rain starts. Because of course it does.

Big heavy drops fall, making it hard to see and even harder to keep a hold on the rope. When I take another step, my focus is split between what I’m doing and what Samuel wants. My trainers slip on the slick rope, and I almost lose my footing. Adrenaline surges through my veins at the close call, and if I didn’t have both my hands on the rope, I would have fallen.

Samuel seems to find this highly amusing and saunters toward the bridge, his gaze now focused on the ropes instead of me. He stops at the edge of the cliff, blocking my path to safety, and I freeze, waiting to see what he’s going to do.

“Move, Samuel. Let me pass so we can both keep going.” My tone is firm but calm, much calmer than I feel.

Samuel smirks, a cruel grin plastered across his face and shakes his head. Slowly, his eyes lift to me, and he looks smug, triumphant even.

My stomach drops to my feet as I scan the trees behind him for Wyatt. Maybe he heard and came back? Maybe he feels guilty and wants to stick together. Except I told him to leave, so he’ll do it. I’m on my own.

“Don’t worry, Joel’s keeping watch for your brother.” Samuel’s gaze slides to a point over my shoulder, and I curse, my fingers tightening around the rough rope in my palm.

Because his buddy is right behind me, on the other side of the bridge, blocking my retreat. He gives me a sinister wave before also placing one hand on the rope bridge.

I’m trapped.

21

DEAN

While the wolves from my pack are either resting and escaping the strangers that have invaded our territory or working hard on setting up for this evening’s meal, I take the opportunity to seek out my younger brother.

He’s hiding in the den, like I knew he would be.

“If you really want to avoid seeing me, you could always enter the games and win your own pack.” He may only be a teenager, but he’s smart, and he’s already filled out his tall frame better than a lot of the twenty-somethings tackling the course today. He’d easily make it through today’s challenge, if he could be bothered.

He doesn’t even have to. As the sibling of an alpha, he can join in at round two.

Jax huffs and turns his back to me once more. “You’d turn into a boring old man without me around. Or even more boring, I should say.”

Reluctantly, I step into the large open plan space. This used to be a happy place, or at least, it was in my mind, but it’s hard to know if things were ever good. My mother did a great job of hiding what was really going on from us. That is, until my father stopped caring if we were present to witness his rages.

It was a slippery slope from there.

Gritting my teeth against the anger that bubbles up inside me, I push forward, determined to not let Jax isolate himself. At least during daylight.

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