Forgotten Wolf

19 There's Always Tomorrow

Chris POV
(because I know you love him!)

This past week has been a hurricane. Ever since I agreed to let Jude and Jess play, Cyrus has been out of control. He's furious that I've put her in danger; while Challenge is not a blood sport, it is rough and broken bones are not uncommon.

Sara still treads on dangerous ground, demanding Jude play and as her second, no less! This is not the first time she has brought him up since he first approached and asked to join our pack. If I'm being honest, I probably would have given him a shot if it wasn't for how he is with Jess.

The day we fought at her house, I was a little more than surprised by how well he held his ground. Hell, he landed as many hits as he took. I think he'd give my Beta a run for his title.

If he had been any other request, he would have to go through a set of tests to see what he's made of, and how well he can work as part of the pack. Challenge is actually perfect for testing his abilities, strength, teamwork and ability to follow command. So far, his performance would have guaranteed him a spot in the pack and first class warrior rank.

Early in the game, my job is more to observe how teams work together, to evaluate each player as both an individual and part of a unit. Of course, I fully intend to win, but there's plenty of time for that.

Day one is interesting, to say the least. Sara and Claire have made a ruthless team. They split their team into effective fighting pairs. She's sure living up to her title, though I'm less than impressed to see that she has left my mate to fend for herself.

'She needs to learn her place,' Cyrus interjects.

'That's the whole point of putting Jess on her team. She was supposed to work with her and protect her. When we claim her, she will, after all, be her Luna. I can't have a warrior who will not protect their own Luna.'

Trying to reason with him is beyond difficult sometimes. Sara is an incredible warrior. I'm trying to get her to come around, as I would hate to lose her. That being said, I will choose my mate over her in a heartbeat. Cyrus, however, was ready to strip her of her title at breakfast when she tried to get me to reject Jess.

As the game wears on, fewer players remain, causing each match to be more brutal. The final one has Sara, Claire, and Alisa take on Jude. For a while, Jude manages the attacks well, but three on one after a busy game was taking its toll. Just before he faltered, Jace showed up. Jude managed to take out Alisa while Jace took on Claire. Sara took the opportunity to take Jude out before he could recover. I lost sight of Sara and Jace as they took off back under cover of the dense woods.

Then her scent caught me; cherry blossom and cinnamon, the strongest it had been all day. Cyrus was leaping with excitement as I took off to find my prey. There she was alone, scanning the woods. She knew I was there; that brought a grin on my face.

My eyes lock on to hers as I stalk out of the shadows, wanting to savour this moment. Her eyes dance with excitement and I can see her working through her next move, but she knows I have her. As I slowly close the gap, she breaks out in a grin as the skies open up, stealing my win.

"There's always tomorrow," she teases with more confidence than I'd ever seen from her.

God, she's driving me wild.

We couldn't be more proud of how she's done. The thrill of the chase has me all worked up in ways she can't realize. The rain runs down, causing her clothes to cling tightly to her, hugging all of her curves. I growl lowly as she tries to step away, causing her to freeze instantly.

The excitement still dances in her eyes; I'm not done with her yet. I hook an arm around her waist, pulling her the last little bit to me as she gasps at the sparks where we connect. Her honey brown eyes mesmerize as she looks up, through her thick lashes. The way she's biting her lower lip has all of my attention, drawing me closer as I lower my head to the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply.