Page 84 of Wild Games

He must be going through hell. Anyone else would have immediately taken a leave of absence. And they almost certainly would be holding some kind of animosity toward Jax and I for uncovering the truth about their father.

"God, he's like a machine," I mutter between bites of toast. "His dad just died, killed practically in front of him, his family name is mud, and their pack is in turmoil, yet he's sitting there doing paperwork, finishing the case like nothing’s happened."

Lynn sets down her coffee cup with a soft clink and regards him closely. The sound draws my attention to her face, where something complicated flickers across her features.

“They were never close. The alpha was hard on all his children. Not as bad as Graham Reynolds, but a tough taskmaster. All about appearances and success. Being ordinary was not an acceptable option.”

Maybe I’m biased because he tried to murder me, but I never warmed to him. I can see him being cold to his kids.

“But still. It’s one thing not being close to him, but acting like a robot…”

Lynn shakes her head vigorously.

"He's not a robot." Her voice is quiet but firm. "He's just very good at hiding how he feels, pretending it doesn’t affect him. It’s to be pitied, really."

She glances toward his table, then away just as quickly, a sad look on her face.

"He’ll bury himself in work to distract himself because the job comes first with him," she continues. "Always."

37

JAX

The competition grounds sprawl out before us, transformed from simple training fields only a few months ago, and now, into an elaborate arena. Temporary stands rise on three sides, packed with wolves from dozens of packs. The excited chatter of hundreds creates a constant hum that makes my wolf pace restlessly.

"This way." Dean gestures toward the VIP section, a raised platform with the best view of the course. These are the hottest tickets in town. Where the early rounds were attended by friends and family, and had a fun, relaxed atmosphere, today’s vibe is far more intense.

There’s a lot on the line. Winning a pack is serious business.

I follow Dean and Camille up the stairs, hyperaware of every eye that tracks our movement. My hand finds the small of Camille's back, needing the contact to stay grounded and to stake my claim while she remains unmarked. Through our skin, I feel her steady calm flowing into me, but still, any wandering pair of eyes that looks her way are met with a flash of anger from my wolf.

He’s taking protecting his mate very seriously.

The VIP section is already filling. As we file along the front row, I glance over the rows behind us, happy to see them filled with our pack and allies from our immediate neighbours.

Blake Steel sits in the centre, his massive frame making even the reinforced chair look small. He nods as we approach, dark eyes watching closely as we take our seats.

"Dean." Blake greets, smothering a smile when Dean just grunts in response, then his gaze shifts to me. "Jax. Heard you've had an eventful few days."

I don't know how to respond to that, but Camille saves me. "Eventful is one word for it."

“Well, we’re grateful you were able to root out the cheaters. I know it didn’t come without cost, so I appreciate your service.” Blake’s words catch me off guard. We both nod, then he turns back to the field, rubbing his hands together, the conversation about me killing an alpha, apparently over.

To be blunt, he doesn’t seem too cut up about it.

“Just in case you’re already thinking about doing this again for Jamie’s pack, it’s not happening. Go and talk to Jones. Anyone. Just not me.” Dean is deadly serious. “This is almost enough for me to close the borders again.

Blake laughs, despite the fact that Dean is deathly serious. “Relax. I don’t think we’ll be doing another one of these for a while.”

When Dean lets out a relieved exhale, Jamie pats his knee, and they both relax a little.

My sister Maya waves from her seat beside Nathan, her mate. I can tell she’s itching to pounce on Camille and ask her a million questions, but I'm grateful she’s keeping her excitement in check and isn’t making this weird.

Hopefully, there’ll be lots of time for them to get to know each other better.

We take our seats, Camille beside me, and next to us are Dean and Jamie, while Wyatt and his mate occupy the row behind us, the massive wolf giving me a brief nod when I turn and shake his hand.

Below us, the competition grounds have been transformed into three distinct sections. The first is an obstacle course filled with walls, ropes, water hazards, and platforms. The second is a cleared circle marked for combat. And the third stretches out into the forest, flags visibly marking some kind of trail.