Page 36 of Wild Games
What the hell did I do?
I scramble to free myself, my hands shaking as I pull the key from my pocket and unlock the shackles. Raising my hand to touch the scarf around my neck, I breathe a sigh of relief.
At least I know that part was real. But the rest?
Forcing myself to breathe slowly, I catalogue what I know. I woke up still chained, still in the basement. No blood, no signs of violence, and no shredded clothing. Just her scent wrapping around me like a blanket, and my wolf radiating smug pleasure.
The need to find her, to know what happened, drives me up the stairs faster than wise. I barely remember to grab clothes,throwing on clean jeans and a T-shirt while my wolf pushes urgently at my control.
Find her.
The packhouse is buzzing with morning activity. I follow the sounds to the dining hall and pause just outside the door. Her scent hits me first, distinct amongst the crowd. I rush forward, ignoring the stares I get as the other wolves in the room pick up on my frenzied energy.
They clear a path for the alpha’s feral brother, allowing me to shove my way through the crowd, scanning left and right for Camille, praying I haven’t done anything to push her further away.
I finally spot her, sitting at the head table with Dean, both their heads tipped together in a serious conversation. To one side, Jamie makes small talk with another man, the sight of whom makes my blood run cold.
Jamie locks eyes with me, jerking her head toward the door, telling me to get the hell out of here, but it’s pointless.
Even knowing Zane, the region’s head enforcer, is here, there’s no way my wolf will let me leave without making sure she’s okay.
Camille sits there, eyes skimming over me casually as she glances around the room, looking every inch the professional investigator in dark slacks and a cream sweater. My wolf rumbles with satisfaction and flashes a memory behind my eyes, her body pressed to mine, the feel of her wrapped in my arms.
I watch her, full of admiration. She’s good at her job, excellent in fact, and this morning, she’s all business.
Except she’s nervous. I can feel it; I just don’t understand why.
Until I spot the wolf with jet-black hair, sitting on Zane’s other side, staring at her.
“Settle down.” Dean’s loud voice booms out, cutting through my thoughts as he stands at the front of the room, and something in his expression makes my instincts sharpen. I look at Callum, and he grimaces, filling me with worry.
What’s going on?
“Now that everyone’s present, I have an announcement.”
Dean’s eyes dart to Camille, who continues to look mildly out at the crowd, while dread pools in my stomach as comprehension dawns. This is all about Camille.
He wouldn’t.
“As you know, we’ve had some concerning incidents during the Games.” His booming alpha voice carries easily through the space without the need for a microphone. “I’ve asked Council Investigator Camille Black to look into these matters.”
The room fills with hushed whispers, and voices rise sharply in surprise as they all turn to stare at her. The roar of blood in my ears is deafening as rage builds inside me like a tidal wave.
My brother just painted a target on her back.
Somewhere in this room is the culprit. And that someone really won’t want Camille to interfere with their plans. They’ve already shown how ruthless they can be. There’s every chance they’ll target her next.
My fingers dig into my palms as I fight back my wolf. Blinking hard, I lock eyes with Callum, who sucks in a deep breath, trying to tell me to do the same.
Every instinct screams to charge forward, to get between her and the dozens of potential threats eyeing her warily. Some wolves watch her with suspicion. Others, unmated males in particular, are looking at her now with undisguised interest.
She’s hot and smart, and strong enough to be an enforcer to boot; a dynamite combination for any dominant wolf looking to choose a mate.
A low rumbling growl starts low in my belly, but I can’t move, can’t do anything rash, because Zane is the only person in the room not looking at her. His attention is firmly fixed on me.
“I expect full cooperation with Investigator Black from absolutely everyone. No exceptions. Competitors, spectators, alphas, and of course, my own pack…” Dean continues. “Any interference with her work will be dealt with severely.”
Camille rises gracefully, nodding to acknowledge Dean’s introduction. She doesn’t look at me, but I catch the slight tension in her shoulders. She knows I’m here, and she knows I’m barely holding on.