Page 14 of Rogue Games

“Respectfully, we compete together, or we’ll leave together. It’s not safe out there for a lone rogue.”

Especially a female, one as beautiful as this. Wyatt doesn’t say it, but he doesn’t need to. And while the idea of her placing herself in danger here is uncomfortable, the thought of her being out there, alone and unprotected, is even worse.

“There are hundreds of other wolves wandering around your land already, what difference will having another two entrants make?” Jamie challenges, holding my gaze as I return to stand in front of her.

She’s being a brat, far pushier than her brother was with her demands to compete. Even though it should, her insolence doesn’t make me angry. I deserve it. In fact, it’s kind of alluring. It’s rare to meet someone from outside this pack who’ll argue with me. Even within my pack, there are only a handful, and none of them are as appealing as Jamie.

“Those people had the manners to come to the bridge and ask first.” I raise an eyebrow, tempted to laugh as she shoves down the flicker of annoyance that dances across her pretty features.

“We’re rogues, we have no manners.” Jamie deadpans, folding her arms stubbornly across her chest.

“And at least the others look like they’ll be able to stick to the pace.” Pointedly, I look her up and down, pretending that what I see doesn’t impress me.

My words are like a red rag to a bull.

Her plump lips thin in annoyance at my dickish answer, and she looks like she’s a heartbeat away from jabbing a finger in my direction and telling me where to go. My wolf melts, smitten with the feisty she-wolf and furious at me for purposefully needling her. And I must admit that antagonising her is the best fun I’ve had all week. I have a feeling this wasn’t quite what Blake meant by enjoying myself, but at least for once, I am.

“I can keep up, don’t you worry about me,” she spits out, her chin tipping up in defiance.

Something about the way her voice drops as she answers, almost like it’s a threat, has my pulse racing. Nobody speaks to me like that. I should hate it, but I fucking love it.

Callum shifts his weight, ready to intervene. He thinks I’m about to lose control, and maybe I am, but not in anger.

“You should be thanking us,” she continues. “If we’d have arrived at the bridge, the other contestants wouldn’t have wanted Wyatt to enter. There’d have been a fight. You’d have to send more wolves home… it would have been a mess.”

She’s right but damned if I’m going to admit that.

“So, you storm onto my property and look for forgiveness rather than permission?”

She nods, unashamed, if not a little unnerved that I’ve guessed her motive so easily.

“Knowing you’ll get an audience with me and that batting those pretty eyes at me might soften this alpha’s bark?”

Now she shakes her head. “I’ve no interest in softening anything of yours.” Jamie blushes, the alternative meaning of her words hanging in the air between us.

“Indeed,” I say with a smug smirk, and she scowls at me once more.

We stand here, staring at each other for what feels like an eternity. Both of us are waiting for something. My wolf sits back, admiring the view, but not pushing me to do anything other than stick close to her.

Callum scratches his head as he looks from me to Jamie and back again. He’s as confused as I am by what I’m doing here.

“I can’t tell if they’re going to fight or fuck,” one of my men mutters.

Wyatt shifts on his feet, the tension growing unbearable for those around us, watching the show down and waiting for my final verdict.

CALLUM: You said they could enter. You can’t go back on your word just because she’s hot.

There are plenty of female warriors in this pack. Callum knows it’s not that I think she’s weak. Quite the opposite. This woman is no pushover.

DEAN: The men here are behaving like animals already. I don’t want her on some deserted course or sleeping out under the stars with arrogant wolves who like to get their way and have no respect for rogues.

That’s partly true, but if I’m completely honest with myself, I really don’t want her to walk into that dining hall tonight and attract the attention of every eligible male for miles around. If they’re smart, they’ll be falling over themselves to get to a strong she-wolf like this.

Gritting my teeth, I shove down the jealousy burning inside me. I have no right to be possessive when my wolf isn’t claiming her or demanding I make her mine. And she’s not claiming me, not with the way she’s glaring at me right now.

I need to get a grip. I don’t want a mate. So, whatever this infatuation is, it’s a bad idea.

“Well?”

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