Page 72 of Wild Games

Jax moves before I can stop him, stepping between us. He doesn’t touch Raven, doesn’t need to. His presence alone—the way his wolf’s dominance pulses from him, his power making the air around us heavy—is threat enough. The energy is wild and untamed, a mixture of powerful alpha protectiveness and barely leashed violence radiating from every line of his body.

My spine stiffens, furious that he would disrespect his mate like that. “I know you’ve thought about it, about what it would have been like if we’d stayed together.”

“Walk away,” Jax says quietly. Two words, but they carry the promise of what happens if Raven doesn’t listen.

Jane was never a friend of mine, and after dating Raven behind my back, I have no reason to give a shit about her, but I can’t help the pang of sympathy I feel.

“That was years ago,” I say evenly. “You’re mated. It’s in the past.”

“Is it?” His smile is sharp. He looks at Jax. “You haven’t even marked her because you don’t trust yourself. If you were a good man, a goodmate, you’d set her free.”

I feel the pain in my chest like a dagger, but it’s not mine; it’s Jax’s. Because this is what he really believes, and it hurts me to know this is how little he thinks of himself.

Raven’s getting to him, sending him into a spiral of negative thinking, but then he makes a fatal mistake. He opens his mouth again.

“I’ll take excellent care of her for you.”

Jax’s growl is low and deadly as Raven gives me a smile before he melts back into the crowd, but I can still feel his eyes on us.

His wolf’s energy lingers close by.

“I shouldn’t have come,” Jax mutters, his fingers gripping my hips, his thumbs rubbing soft circles on the exposed skin of my stomach, over and over, sending tingles straight to my core.

“Of course you should. This is your pack. And you’re doing so well.”

I squirm, pressing my legs together, aware that all the sensitive noses around us can scent the arousal dripping from my pussy as his long, thick erection presses into my ass.

Dean’s voice rises over the gathering, calling for the run to begin. Wolves strip, the casual nudity of pack life that suddenly has an extra edge now that my wolf feels so possessive of the big male at my back.

Jax hesitates, that dangerous gleam flashing across his face again, as I turn, and he looks me up and down, breathing in my desire.

“Together,” I remind him, pulling my tank top over my head, undressing slowly and letting everyone else get a head start. “We run together.”

The shift ripples through me, bones reshaping, fur sprouting. When it’s done, I shake out my silver-grey coat and look for Jax. His wolf is massive, with dark fur, thick and luxurious, but scarred in places, and intense yellow eyes. He presses against my side, rubbing his scent on me, and I can feel his tension, even in this form.

The pack ahead of us moves as one into the trees. The full moon lights our way as we lope after them, turning the leaves of the forest almost silver. For a while, I nearly forget the tension. This is what we’re meant to do—run together, hunt together. Be together.

Jax bumps me with his shoulder, and when I nip him, he tackles me to the ground, making a point of taking in my heady scent and rumbling his approval. His wolf playfully bites into the thick fur at my neck, and I go still underneath him, not fighting, just curious to see what happens.

We lock eyes, trapped in a kind of stalemate as my wolf whines with need.

With a sudden burst of energy, Jax licks my jaw and leaps off me, charging after the rest of the pack, who’s now a good distance ahead of us. With a yip, he calls for me to follow, and with a frustrated chuff, I bounce onto my feet and hurry after him.

Even his wolf is a tease.

I’m smiling to myself, enjoying the feel of the moon’s beams on my pelt, and the dirt under my paws.

Until Raven appears.

His wolf is sleek and well-groomed, even in animal form. He matches my pace easily, running too close, on my other side.

When Jax spots him and growls, turning back toward me, Raven just speeds up, cutting in front of me.

I snap at his heels, warning the much bigger wolf off.

He dances away but doesn’t go far. The next second, he’s back, brushing against my flank, nipping playfully at my ears.

Courtship behaviour. In front of the entire pack, in front of Jax, he’s trying to flirt with me.