Page 64 of Alpha Games

My fangs elongated. “You.”

“Me?” Jesse squeaked, jumping backwards as I prowled toward him. “You’re the one who missed the send-off to the hunt this morning and you’re going to be late to the return this afternoon. My job is in jeopardy if you…”

His voice trailed off as I herded him into the corner. The jerk had the nerve to hiss at me and swipe his hand through the air as I held up the clothes in front of his face.

“You knew he was the sponsor.”

Jesse put his hands in his pockets and shrugged. “If you ask me, it’s kind of romantic.”

I agree with the cat.

I stepped back, rolling my eyes and praying to the Goddess for patience. It wasn’t any of their faults I’d been manhandled like a doll.

Ranger was the mastermind.

And fated mates or not, he was about to get a piece of my mind for acting this way.

“Where are you going?” Jesse asked.

“To brush my teeth.” I slammed the bathroom door closed and looked down at my phone on the charger, seeing it was still dead. I played with the frayed cord until the screen lit up to say it was charging. I was broken-phone-charger-cord-poor. Ranger had enough money to throw away on designer clothes for me. He was powerful. Attentive. He stood up to Alpha Derek and was taking care of my papa.

He’s our fated mate.

I could tell my wolf was getting fed up with me, but I… I didn’t know anymore. This was all so fast. Mating season was just around the corner.

I tugged a brush through my hair and then pulled the strands up off my neck, staring at the smooth skin where a mating mark would go.

Will go.

How can you be so sure this is the right decision?I stared into my own reflection as if I could see the beast that lived within me shining through my eyes.

Trust your instincts.

“What are we doing now?” Fallon asked as I came out of the bathroom, looking to Ivan and Jesse who were standing tense behind her.

I gave a warm smile. One that I hoped told them to stay out of my way. “I’m going downstairs to wait for my fated mate to return so we can have a little talk about boundaries.”

26

Ranger

I debated on taking my time so I could watch the other contestants arrive and possibly intercepting a certain desert rat Alpha wannabe, making it look like an accident. Derek said Trenton had nothing to do with this. I didn’t believe him, but I couldn’t be sure over the phone. I’d have to wait until we met face to face.

But my wolf was restless and the unfamiliar tug in my chest was growing stronger, urging me back to the resort. I was still too far away to mind-link Fallon or Ivan, but I sent out a query to Mattox whose presence I could feel in the woods.

“I don’t need an escort,”I reminded him.

“Didn’t say you did. It’s the rest of these males I’m watching out for.”

I slowed to a jog, adjusting the weight of the dead lion on my shoulders as I scanned the immediate area for threats. Some of the other Alphas passed through here. Their pheromones still lingered. Adrenaline and testosterone marked the excitement of the hunt.

None of the tracks were fresh though.

“Has no one else come back yet?”

“You’re first.”I could hear the pride in his voice.

I pickedup the pace again, not getting complacent.“How are the girls?”