Owned by the Alphas: Summer Games

DERIK

Our luna is playing dirty. I shouldn’t have expected anything less. She was headstrong and pursued the things she wanted. And she wanted to win.

I enjoyed winning and in this particular event, I was confident I could. But in truth, the games just warmed me. It was my favorite time of the year. It was fun and after the last year the pack had endured, we all deserved the break.

The humans being here too, that was new. But the pack wasn’t hostile about it. It seemed to bring out another side of them, reminding them of their humanity, their fragility that was usually hidden behind an ego the size of Kai’s.

My grandfather, Dorian Achlis, introduced vine swinging as a pastime in the forest pack back when he was Alpha and the packs weren’t joined.

So when it came to doing it, it wasn’t about winning. It made me feel closer to him. It gave me his strength.

And it amused me to see Kai and Brax attempt something they did not have the talent nor build for.

Kai was brawn, he could fight, he could brawl but he got too nervous climbing the trees. Brax was a contender but he was not stealthy, grabbing the vines with too much pressure, they usually snapped.

I looked down at Lorelai as we walked toward the forest where the tallest trees were. I had no idea how she would fare.

But I would make sure she was safe. That was my main goal, winning be damned.

My eyes went to the curve of her stomach beneath her flowing shirt. She was mine and she carried my child.

I hated the idea of her being in harm’s way. But she was determined. So, I’d protect her. Even if it meant losing.

I was still going to enjoy the event though. It was something fun, something to engage in outside the realm of survival and war.

“You’re excited for this part?” Lorelai asked.

I nodded. “I enjoy this event.”

“I’ve never been vine swinging before,” she said. Something I knew. But she knew me well. That innocent act did get to me. But I also knew she was playing dirty.

“Nice try, Beautiful. I know you can climb. I will catch you if you fall but I will not be falling for the tricks you played on Nikolai and Braxton.” I smiled, kissing her softly before sealing my mind off from her.

I wasn’t entirely sure what she had done to their minds to get that elk in the last event but I knew it was potent.

She grinned then looked at Brax and Kai. They were not looking at her.

“So, what’s the plan this time, Spitfire? Without access to our minds, how are you going to play dirty?” Brax scowled, looking up at the tree he had to climb.

We each had a tree to climb, then we had to swing using the vines, touching each tree down to the podium.

“You’ll find out, Brax,” she teased.

The horn blew from the podium and the event started.

I climbed quickly, easily finding footholds that could hold me, pulling myself up. Every time I did, I paused to check on Lorelai.

I saw Brax behind her and raised a brow.

He nodded once at me. He had conceded this one. Like I had last event.

“I’ve got her, D. Go, have fun,” he said in my mind.

I nodded in thanks, feeling how much he meant it. He knew what this event meant to me.

So I listened and went swinging.

I saw Kai cursing and swearing at the tree as he climbed up one, then swung to the next.

His fear was tangible but he had never let it defeat him.

It made him slow though.

Lorelai was on her third tree with Brax underneath her, walking along the forest floor so he could catch her if she needed it.

I was already three trees ahead, finding my next vine. I could already see the top of the podium.

Anetta was coming up fast though. Lithe little thing she was and I picked up my pace. Until I heard a squeal.

“Lorelai,” I growled, turning.

She had fallen into Brax and I narrowed my eyes on her.

She was arguing with him, telling him she was going back up. He was threatening her into staying but of course, that made her ignore him.

“Beautiful. Come up my tree, I’ll swing with you,” I ordered. She ran over and started climbing.

Anetta was getting closer and I felt the Alpha in me get annoyed at that. It wanted to win.

Brax climbed up too, getting some points in by swinging from where we were.

I pulled Lorelai up with me and handed her my vine. I gripped it hard, testing it.

“Hold me,” I said.

She gripped me tight and I swung.

Adrenaline filled me when I did. The mating link was bright inside me as I showed her swinging. She was my mate and I was proud that she was with me doing the one thing that made me feel good.

Aside from being with her, of course.

“You’re good at this,” she whispered as I used one hand and arm to grip the vine, the other to hold her.

Anetta was a tree behind but I was sure she was holding back. Smart girl. Taylor and Garett were back with Kai, struggling in the trees and the leftover vines. There weren’t many good options left.

I got to the last tree before the swing down onto the podium when Lorelai chuckled and kissed me.

“I love you. Thanks for the ride, D.” She climbed off me, grabbed the vine I had and swung. No fear, no hesitation, her innocent act evaporating.

Beautiful little menace.

She laughed all the way down to the podium then stood by her name.

I shook my head, glaring at her as I swung down onto the podium.

“The entire falling down to Brax was part of the plan?” I assumed. She grinned and nodded.

“Yes. I knew he’d catch me. He was watching my ass too closely not to,” she laughed.

I smirked and shook my head. “It seems I have been played then.”

I was not a sore loser like the other two. I could take the defeat by such a worthy opponent. A beautiful one too.

She grinned and wrapped her arms around me, leaning against me.

“I’ll make it up to you,” she whispered.

“I’m going to hold you to that, Beautiful,” I smirked.

She grinned against me then pulled away when Brax and Kai landed on the platform, Garett and Taylor behind.

“She won again, didn’t she?” Kai huffed.

I nodded. “She did.”

I eyed Kai and he grinned.

We were not so easily played but our luna would come to realize that on her own.

I went to the front of the podium looking out on the grassland, full of people from our pack and the villages, all mixing together.

I smiled and announced Lorelai the winner. They all cheered and clapped for her. They didn’t actually care who won. The games were a fun day for them too, the competition of it something that was more of a perk rather than a goal.

“Time to set up for the next event! We’re racing, a short sprint where we see who is the fastest in the pack!” I called out. Everyone cheered again.

I smiled and turned to Lorelai who was talking with Brax and Kai.

“You ready for this, Little Luna? Because this is my pack’s event,” he grinned.

Kai was fast. The fastest usually but this year, it didn’t seem to matter.

“Can’t wait to see how you steal the win this time, Spitfire,” Brax chuckled. Kai scowled.

“This one is mine,” he said. He probably believed it too but I saw the wheels turning in Lorelai’s head. She was already planning her next dirty tactic.

“We shall see,” I smirked.

She said nothing which told me everything.

I pulled her into me, kissing her softly before rubbing her stomach. “Promise me you are okay to run?” I checked. I knew it would be a strain on a human body but she wasn’t one. It still made me nervous.

She kissed me back, deeper than I had.

“I won’t need to run that hard or fast, Derik. I will be safe,” she promised.

I grinned. “Kai is going to be extremely frustrated with you after you take this from him, Beautiful,” I warned.

She grinned and looked over to Kai stalking over to where they were setting up the lanes and finish line for the race.

“I know. I’m looking forward to it.”

She walked away grinning, Brax throwing his arm around her shoulders as I wandered after them.

Anetta came to stand next to me. “You haven’t told her what the prize is for winning, have you?” she asked.

I smirked and shook my head.

“No. That would ruin the fun,” I winked then jogged to catch up with my beautiful naive mate.