Page 36 of Rogue Games

As one group after another proceeds forward to the starting line, we get to move forward. When we come over the brow of the hill, the path falls away into a wide slope, running down to the banks of a crystal-clear lake, the water shining so blue in the sunlight, that it looks fake. The surface is completely still, adding to the stunning beauty of the view. Wyatt whistles in amazement.

Beyond the lake, we get a magnificent view of rolling peaks, all blanketed with dense, dark forests. The trees here are old and strong, the air humming with an ancient power and secrets. Deep gashes through the canopy in the distance hint at the streams and rivers that crisscross the territory, and my wolf itches to dig her paws into the dirt and explore.

I’ve never seen anything like it.

“No wonder they never let anyone come here before. I’d keep this view all to myself too,” I whisper. Every person that comes over the hill gasps and stops to stare in wonder at the view before them.

“Wow. Imagine having this on your doorstep. Being able to come here whenever you want.” Wyatt looks just as taken back as I am. We’ve travelled from shitty town to shitty town, working whatever jobs we could find and staying in the cheapest accommodation we could afford, or none when things were bad, or we inevitably got moved on by the local pack.

Rarely are we allowed to run free across their lands. My heart aches, longing pulling at my insides, at the idea of having a home like this. Something about this place calls to my soul. It just feels right to be here.

“Imagine this on a full moon.” I breathe in deeply, still captivated by the glistening water. Closing my eyes, I let the weak sun warm my face and sigh, content. Despite the bustling activity around us, my wolf is more relaxed than she’s ever been. She loves it here. It’s going to be tough to leave.

“You’ll get to see it for yourself if you make it through.” Dean’s voice at my back makes me jump.

I spin, hand on my heart.

He holds his hands up. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” He looks genuinely apologetic, so I nod and return my gaze to the breath-taking view.

Wyatt chuckles and nudges me with his shoulder. “It shouldn’t be that easy to sneak up on a future alpha, anyway.”

Well, fuck you. I roll my eyes at his terrible joke and at Dean, who smirks. Seeing them standing side by side, arms folded, there’s something similar about their poses. Stepbrothers, not related by blood, but raised, at least for a while, by the same woman. Maybe in time we’d see more shared mannerisms.

But for now, there’s something else I’m far more interested in.

“What do you mean, we’ll get to see it?” I ask, scarcely believing what he's offering. It sounds too good to be true.

Dean’s intense gaze washes over me, lingering a second too long to be casual on my exposed legs, the bare legs he ran his hands over this morning. I love that he likes what he sees, even if he’ll never openly admit it.

“Anyone who’s still here can run with us at the full moon.” He looks at me, puzzled, like that should be obvious, but Wyatt and I have never been allowed to join another pack’s full moon run, even if our presence on the outskirts of their community was tolerated.

“Are you serious?” Wyatt asks, barely able to contain his excitement. Dean nods and smiles confused but caught up in my brother’s enthusiastic response. Wyatt’s eyes go round, and he grins.

“Fuck yes. Jamie, you have to get through. For that alone.”

He doesn’t need to tell me that. It’s yet another compelling reason to make sure I get through this round. My wolf is doing cartwheels in my mind at the prospect of running with others in animal form. To her, he may as well have just offered her the moon. She’s officially done for.

“Do you have many people from other packs living here who join in?” I ask, unable to resist testing him out.

Eyes tightening slightly at the corners, he tilts his head to observe me. “No, Jamie. Our borders have been closed for years. There’s nobody from outside the pack here.”

Lie. I can scent it immediately, and I purse my lips against the bitter tang of it. Now isn’t the time to call him on his deceit, but soon.

Over my head, Dean and Wyatt exchange a look before my brother steps away, touching my arm lightly, and pointing to the starting line, where everyone is beginning to gather. The wolves around us have thinned out, and I should join them, but Dean clearly has something he wants to say.

“Good luck.” He clears his throat awkwardly. Is he nervous? My wolf swoons, happy that he’s made the effort to wish us well, that is, until he adds, “You’re going to need it.”

Dean stares straight ahead, and I can tell by his rigid posture, he’s all too aware of the lingering eyes on us.

“Gee thanks.”

My wolf’s not impressed with his lack of confidence in her abilities, and combined with the cold attitude toward me now, she’s pissed off. Her low growl has his eyes snapping to mine. I don’t look away. This guy is switching gears so often, it’s giving me whiplash.

“I get it. You don’t want me to be here, just like everyone else.” Sighing, I yank my hair up into a ponytail, done with Dean Reynolds and ready to get this competition started. “You don’t have to be a dick about it, and you don’t have to pretend to be nice either.”

Dean frowns at the bite to my words, his eyes sliding to mine, but I avert my gaze before he sees anything there that I don’t want him to.

“Jamie…”

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