Page 28 of Wild Games

Dean’s already mind linking his team and barking orders at those standing around us.

“Get back,” I shout as the crowd presses closer, voices rising in fear and speculation.

Dean lets out a warning growl, which they finally heed, gradually inching backward to give us more room.

“You heard the man. They need more space.” Callum steps in front of us and spreads his arms, using his sheer size to force them back even further.

“Let me help.” Pushing through from the edge of the crowd, is Camille.

Our eyes meet, and despite the chaos, time seems to slow. I try to convey something with my eyes, my remorse, a plea… I don’t even know what.

She’s changed clothes, washing away any trace of our encounter, before she went to see Dean, and shame hits fresh at my behaviour. I want to speak to her to apologise properly, but now is not the time.

“No, you can’t be here. You’ll get sick.” My wolf surges forward, demanding she leave, that she get as far away as possible from whatever this is that’s hurting people. I’m already starting to feel woozy just from being this close.

She shakes her head and gently fingers the necklace she wears, which glows faintly in the dusk. “It doesn’t block it altogether, but it helps.”

Not happy about it, I nod. She knows what she’s doing. I have to trust her. So, I force my attention back to the convulsing wolf, pushing everything else aside.

“Jax.” Maggie appears at my side, medical kit in hand. “What’ve we got?” She reels back. “Woah. Oh, that’s not good.”

Flapping her hands at the air around us, she grimaces. I guess I’m not the only healer who can detect it.

“Dark magic. Similar to the others, only more concentrated this time.”

She nods, already pulling out supplies. We work in tandem, endless hours of practice making words unnecessary, while Camille helps get him into the recovery position.

“He’s stable,” Maggie announces. “But we need to move him to the clinic.”

Lynn arrives with a golf cart, and we start to lift him carefully into the back. Dean attempts to climb on, but I shoo him away. “No. Don’t get exposed.”

He narrows his eyes, and I point to Camille, who’s picking up an open bottle of water from the ground beside the lockers, and poking through the clothing hanging on hooks along the side.

“She’ll explain.”

As I slide onto the seat beside the injured wolf, gripping the edge hard as stars dance in front of my eyes, Dean appears at my elbow, steadying me with a hand I pretend not to need. “You sure you’re okay?”

Maggie hops into the seat beside her, tucking her kit between her legs before she turns to help me hold the wolf steady. Straightening my shoulders and shaking my head to clear the fog, I tap the side, letting Lynn know we’re ready to go whenever she is.

“Fine,” I lie, frustration building inside me that someone would be so brazen as to do this in a busy training ground, and we still can’t catch them.

His eyes say he doesn’t believe me, but there are bigger concerns right now.

“Dean, I mean it, get out of here before you start to feel it too. Get someone to hose the entire place down once Camille has finished collecting evidence.”

Dean nods, anger bubbling beneath his composed exterior. “They’re getting bolder. And it’s pissing me off.”

I nod.

Behind Dean, Camille talks to Callum, expression serious as she lists off what she needs. “Pull the gate logs and any camera footage on the training grounds from the last ninety minutes. Find out where these bottles came from and swab the hooks.”

Callum tips his head in acknowledgement and hurries away, pulling one of the younger wolves from our pack with him.

“Find me after you get him settled,” Dean orders. “All training is on lock down for now. Senior members of our pack and contestants only.”

I nod again as Lynn pulls away.

The crowd and the training ground begin to disperse, and through the thinning bodies, I catch one more glimpse of Camille. She’s examining the spot where the wolf fell, with a focused look on her face that means she’s found something. As she leans forward to pick up whatever she’s spotted, I notice a faint glow from her inside pocket.