Page 69 of Rogue Games

As we travel down the dark corridor toward the cells, the lingering scent of wet fur hits my nose. He must have slept in wolf form last night to stay warm. When we arrive at the last cell, we find Joel curled up in a ball on the thin cot mattress, shivering. He stands, head bowed, arms clasped behind his back, at least doing a good job of acting ashamed of himself.

My wolf growls, furious that this wolf had the chance to help Jamie instead of leaving her out in the elements like that. Yet his story matches what Jamie said. That he was trying to scare her rather than hurt her. And it was Samuel who took things too far.

“Obviously, you’re out of the competition,” Blake says quietly, stating the obvious. Joel bares his neck in submission immediately, already terrified about what the head alpha will do to him. It’s Blake’s calmness that’s so scary, because you know there’s rage simmering underneath.

Joel looks at me nervously, appealing for leniency. He’s looking at the wrong man. “I thought she’d fallen into the river. Honestly. If I’d known she was there, I’d have helped her.”

Closing my eyes, I fight back the need for violence. To inflict pain. So, he kept his mouth shut and ran because he thought Samuel had successfully killed her? And he thinks that makes him sound better?

“You had the chance to tell us what happened as soon as you got back, but you didn't. We could have found her sooner.”

Joel drags a shaking hand back through his tangled hair and forces himself to meet my gaze.

“I panicked. I don’t know what else to say. My wolf was telling me to talk to you, but you have a reputation for being… unreasonable. And I have a lot to lose.”

Bullshit. I growl, pissed off that his cowardice prolonged Jamie’s suffering.

Blake gives me a look, and I force my wolf to be silent. I am trying to rehabilitate the pack’s image, after all. Killing the man for calling me unreasonable won’t help my case, no matter how justified it is.

“We found Samuel. If I was you, I’d talk now before he gives us his version of events.”

Joel avoids eye contact with me. Instead, his eyes glaze over as he mind-links Blake, who as head alpha can speak with all the wolves under his command.

“Understood,” Blake says stiffly, before jerking his head toward the door, indicating I should follow him back outside. No way. It can’t be that simple. No threats, no bloodshed.

My wolf feels cheated. This had better be good.

When we step back outside into the sunshine, I wait expectantly for Blake to spill the beans. My skin crawls with impatience.

“Joel didn’t tell you what had happened because…” Blake trails off, looking torn.

“Because…” I prompt. My willingness to put up with guessing games is non-existent. Even for my alpha.

“Because he found his fated mate, here, in your pack. And he thought you’d kick him out.”

Of course he found his mate. The first fated mates pairing from the games involves one of the men my wolf wants to rip apart. This is just great.

Groaning, I tilt my head back to look up at the sky. The warm sun hits my face, and I pray for something, anything, to go my way this week.

“And I take it that his mate wants to stay here.”

When I look back at Blake, he’s nodding, entertained by my predicament. This should be a cause for celebration. I can’t kill the first outsider mated to someone from my pack. If I throw him off my territory and punish him too harshly for what he did, that happy occasion is ruined. And nobody else will want to find their mate here.

“You couldn’t make this shit up,” I mutter, conflicted on how to proceed.

Blake pats me on the shoulder, knowing how tricky this will be to handle. Some of my pack will want Joel harshly punished for what he did, but at what cost? Forcing his mate to leave too? A rejected pack member?

Fuck. Sometimes being an alpha sucks.

Maybe I should put this conundrum to the wannabe alphas and see if any of them come up with any amazing solutions. Because right now, with my wolf still seething and baying for blood, I can’t think of any.

“But on the bright side, you can still make Samuel’s life a misery when we drag him back.”

31

DEAN

Steel has gone to meet Jax to ensure Samuel doesn’t get away. He’s lurking close to the bridge, hoping to slip out alongside some of the departing guests.

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