55

As I lay there listening to Ryan undress and get into his bed, I opened my eyes. The room was lit only by the light of the moon streaming through the curtains. It cloaked the place in a strange, gray shimmer and deepened the shadows.

Over the years, I’d gotten used to being the de facto leader of my little band of lone wolves. It had been a long time since I’d been in a place like this, and with so many strange shifters I didn’t know or trust. My territorial nature made it difficult to relax with the scent of all the alpha testosterone seeping into every square inch of the room.

My brain was still firing on all cylinders. I went through a dozen plans to keep Kira close to me and the dangerous alphas away from her. From the little I’d seen and heard about the show, most female deaths happened when some douchebag was trying too hard, trying to impress her or the audience, or making a fatal mistake when their temper or ego got the best of them. That couldn’t be allowed. I’d kill any of these men before I allowed one of them to bring harm to Kira.

It was the only thing I could do to save her if it became necessary. The entire island was surrounded by powerful magical barriers. Even a fae as talented as Zoe wouldn’t be able to teleport us out of here. Witches, warlocks, and fae had worked together to create the barriers. No, that idea was out. We could try to get off the island another way, but the studio had made a pact with the merpeople who lived around Bloodstone. The studio provided a safe place for their kind and had lobbied to outlaw fishing and charter ships from going near them. In return, the merpeople would violently attack anyone who tried to get to the island to record videos of the show or people who were trying to escape and get back home.

About ten years ago, a couple of guys got cold feet after the first contestant died and used a small boat to get back to the mainland. That hadn’t gone well for them. My only real hope was helping Kira get to the end of the competition unharmed. Then I could go home, knowing I’d done everything in my power to keep her safe.

My eyes finally started to close, but I could still hear the noises outside. The danger was much closer than anyone understood. Most of the idiots I was stuck here with didn’t understand that we were mere inches away from death.

After less than four hours of sleep, I awoke with a new plan that had come to me in a dream. My best bet wasn’t to hide in the background like a wallflower. First off, some would find me creepy. Second, it might make others dislike me or be apathetic toward me. I needed to win the favor of both the showrunners and the superfans. Fans got to vote on upcoming challenges and tasks. If I could sway them all to my corner, it might help them choose things in my wheelhouse rather than stuff I couldn’t or wouldn’t do. Also, if I was a fan favorite, the directors and producers would facilitate Kira and me being together more.

Even with the lack of sleep, I was wired and ready to get the day started. Ryan and Leif both looked worn down and exhausted. Obviously, they weren’t used to going on stakeouts and dangerous missions on only two or three hours of sleep.

Kira had brilliant acting skills, but mine were pretty damned good, too. It was time to put those to the test. If there was any way to protect her, I’d do it. Even if I had to make a silly fool out of myself for the viewers.

Part of my desire to protect her came from the fact that she was Kolton’s sister and that I had feelings for her. The other, more visceral reason was that she never should have had to put herself in this situation. Her pack should have rallied around her instead of ostracizing her. Even her own father had acted like she’d done something wrong when all that had happened was that an asshole had poisoned her. How the fuck was that her issue? No one had even suggested other avenues before they let her come to this gods-forsaken place to risk her life for a stupid fucking show.

The others were getting ready for the day, all of them silent as they did. Many looked like they were suffering from hangovers from all the wine the night before. J.D. was the only one who was acting chipper and ready to go.

“Yo, guys. Sorry about last night. If any of you wants to throw me to a pack of ferals for my snoring, I won’t hold it against you,” J.D. said as he laced up his shoes.

Leif rubbed a hand over his bleary eyes. “I may take you up on that.”

A few of the other guys chuckled. I stood and headed for the door. Mika, already dressed, walked out beside me. He still had that forlorn and downcast look on his face. Since everyone else was occupied, I decided now was the time to ask him what he was doing here. He’d been even more privileged than I was as a kid. Something horrible must have happened for him to be rejected and come on this show.

I tugged his shirt and pulled him aside.

He slapped my hand off. “What the fuck, Wyatt?”

“Shh,” I hissed, glancing over my shoulder. “Why are you here, Mika? You remember me; I’ve known you since we were kids. I know for damn sure you don’t need the money, and you couldn’t care less about winning Kira as a mate. You’ve barely said more than a few words to her. What the hell is going on here?”

That broke through his brooding facade. His frown morphed into dejected sorrow and hopelessness.

“The…um…the elders of my pack made sure the show took me.”

“What? Why?” What reason would a group of pack elders have to send the alpha’s eldest son to a place that risked almost certain death?

Mika stared at the floor. “Because I rejected my fated mate.”

I frowned at him. “Huh? Wouldn’t that make her the reject, not you?”