Page 12 of Rogue Games

“You’re right, I could have stayed living inside a rotten pack, but I wouldn’t call that success either. I chose to protect my family by leaving.” Wyatt counters, and Dean’s head snaps up, eyes blazing as he figures out whether Wyatt’s words were a thinly veiled insult. Wyatt cleverly continues on, glossing over the near faux pas. “There are plenty of people here who live a privileged existence and have never known what it’s like to struggle. How does that prepare you for making the difficult decisions being an alpha entails any better than what I’ve been through?”

Narrowing his eyes, Dean frowns at Wyatt, all but admitting that he has a point without saying as much.

“And I suppose you’re suggesting that living the tough life of a rogue bestows grit upon you that the others will never possess? Is that the angle you’re working? Don’t forget who you’re speaking to here. Not all alphas have had it easy.”

Everyone knows the story of what Dean had to do to take back control of his pack. Rogues aren’t the only people who know hardship.

Wyatt looks Dean dead in the eye and shrugs. “Not the life of a rogue necessarily, but hard choices, pain and sacrifice, protecting those we love, and doing what nobody else wants or has the balls to do.”

Wyatt is referring to Dean challenging his father for the pack. Rumour has it that the old alpha, Graham Reynolds, almost killed Maya in a violent rage, and though he was still relatively young, Dean was forced to end his father’s life to stop his increasingly vicious and erratic behaviour hurting others.

That’s only noble if you stop the cycle, not if you’re just as bad as him. The stony-faced alpha before us is an enigma, so the jury is still out.

“Like coming here to face me,” Dean comments. “You said we want to compete, yet you’re the only one brave enough to speak with me man to man. Your companion waits in the hills, again, ready to flee if you’re captured or killed. It appears the love and protection you offer is not reciprocated.”

Grinding my teeth, I stare daggers into the back of his head. He knew it was me all along.

“That was my choice. Jamie will come if we’re granted permission. It didn’t make sense for us both to be captured if you were as unwelcoming as we were led to believe you’d be.”

Dean continues to move in a wide arc around Wyatt, testing his nerves, baiting his wolf who will hate having someone as potentially lethal as this alpha at his back. Dean’s face comes back into view, and I flush even from this distance at how gorgeous he is. I watch his tall, strong, exquisitely naked frame move like a true predator in the clearing below. He commands the situation with ease, and my core tightens, my wolf more than happy to let him boss her around.

Watching the composed way in which he questions Wyatt has my insides all twisted up. He’s in complete control. It’s impressive, watching someone as powerful as this alpha demonstrate this level of restraint. Most alphas I’ve met are short-tempered and quick to anger.

“If I was as unwelcoming as my reputation suggests, Jamie would have already found himself captured and contained in my cells.” Dean sneers, still not deigning to look my way while he considers Wyatt. He looks him up and down, assessing him like an animal at auction. Finally, he nods, sharp and short.

“Fine. You may enter. We'll find you both somewhere to stay…for as long as you last.”

While certainly not enthusiastic, it’s a better welcome than we expected.

“Thank you, Alpha.” Wyatt smiles, not lowering his head but nodding in respect, before his eyes lift to mine, full of nervous excitement. We did it. We’re in.

Dean growls, pulling Wyatt’s focus back to him. “Tell Jamie he doesn’t need to hide in the trees anymore. We’re not animals, despite what you may have heard.” He scoffs. “But he’s dropped way down in my estimation for leaving you here to deal with me alone.”

Wyatt fidgets, not wanting to be the one to correct him. Finally, when the tension is unbearable, Wyatt clears his throat and tips his head toward where I’m slowly emerging from the trees.

I hold my head up and focus on Wyatt, but I’m drawn toward Dean by his raw power and magnetic energy.

Except as our eyes meet, the colour drains from Dean’s face and his eyes narrow. He’s not pleased. A knack for self-preservation keeps my pace steady and my mouth shut as he takes me in.

A low rumble sounds in his chest as he looks me up and down, each pass of his gaze feeling like an intimate caress.

My belly tightens as I realise just how huge he is, close up. His arms are thick, his chest and abs sculpted, and those smoky grey eyes have me pinned in place.

“Alpha, do you know her?” one of the enforcers ask, his head swivelling back and forth between us. Dean hesitates, just for a moment, checking in with his wolf, just as I have, before clearing his throat.

“I have no idea who she is.”

The calm, confident mask I normally wear like armour is gone, and suddenly, I feel completely exposed. Like he can see right through the tough front I put on.

“This is Jamie. My sister. He is a she.” Wyatt clarifies, as though Dean hasn’t already worked that part out. “Thank you for allowing us to enter.” He offers Dean his hand, hoping to shake on it before the alpha has the chance to change his mind.

It doesn’t work.

Dean’s eyes flash silver, sending butterflies fluttering in my stomach, and his gaze never waivers from mine.

Warmth pools inside me. I’m wondering if this alpha is really so bad, he certainly looks good. But then he opens his mouth and speaks, and I’m not feeling quite so enamoured anymore.

“Jamie can leave right fucking now, because she’s not entering the games. No way, no how.”

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