Chapter 141-
Before he could answer, I heard someone behind me clear their throat. I turned to see three of the riders I’d beaten, all of them significantly larger than
me and none of them looking particularly friendly.
“Nice race,” the leader said, but his tone suggested he meant anything but congratulations.
“Thank you,” I replied carefully, suddenly aware that we were standing in a more secluded part of the racing center. The main crowd was celebrating
closer to the track, leaving this area relatively empty.
“Funny thing, though. We’ve been asking around about you. Nobody seems to know much about the mysterious female racer who showed up out of
nowhere and started winning everything.”
My mouth went dry. This was exactly the kind of attention I’d been hoping to avoid by keeping my identity hidden behind the mask.
I’m just here to race,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady while my heart began to pound.
“Are you?” The man stepped closer, and I could smell alcohol on his breath mixed with something else that made my skin crawl. “Because it seems like you might be here for something else entirely.”
Derek moved before me, moving to position himself between me and the three men. His entire demeanor had changed from the casual, flirty guy I knew
to something much more dangerous and protective.
“What are you doing?” I asked quietly, confused by his sudden transformation.
“I promised Tristan I’d look after you until he got back,” Derek replied, his eyes never leaving the three men in front of us.
I raised my eyebrows in surprise. “Look after me? Where is Tristan? And what’s going on?”
The leader of the group continued as if Derek hadn’t spoken. “See, we think maybe you’re not just some amateur who got lucky. We think maybe you’re a professional trying to hustle us small–timers.”
“That’s ridiculous,” I said, but my heart was pounding so hard I was sure they could hear it.
‘Is it? Because we’ve got serious money riding on these races. Real money. And when some nobody starts winning everything, it makes us look bad to the people we owe. People who don’t like excuses.”
The threat in his voice was unmistakable now. This wasn’t about hurt pride or poor sportsmanship. These men were in deep trouble with dangerous people, and they thought I was somehow responsible for making their situation worse.
I could smell them, they weren’t human. No, they were wolves. But, wolves or human, I already decided I was staying away from trouble.
Because I seem to attract it wherever I go to.
‘I think you should back away before it’s too late,‘ Derek said quietly, but his voice carried a kind of authority I’d never heard from him before.
I paused, studying Derek’s profile as he faced down these three men without a trace of fear. Who exactly was Derek?
I knew he was like us, a werewolf, but hearing him speak with such command, he sounded like something more than just another pack member.
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Chapter 141
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‘Derek Stallion,” the leader said, and his tone became even more hostile. Like he was just seeing him. “What a pleasant surprise to see you here. So the
rumors are true after all?”
Derek’s entire body went rigid with warning. “If I were you, I wouldn’t let whatever poison is on your tongue drop from your mouth. Don’t say it.
The leader scoffed, clearly too blind or desperate to heed the warning in Derek’s voice. ‘I heard you’ve been sleeping your way up the ladder, and now you’re pimping out your little racing protégé to…”
He never got to finish his sentence. One moment he was standing there with a nasty grin on his face, and the next he was sprawled on the concrete
floor, completely unconscious.
I jerked my head up in shock to see Tristan standing behind where the man had been, his eyes blazing red with pure fury.
When did he get here?
“You don’t disrespect my woman in my presence,” he said, his words coming out like fire and brimstone. Each syllable dripped with the kind of authority
that made lesser beings submit or flee.
“I warned you, didn’t I?” Derek asked no one in particular, though there was satisfaction in his voice. Then he turned toward Tristan, who was already reaching for me and pulling me protectively against his side.
“Have you taken care of it?” Derek asked Tristan, and I caught some kind of understanding passing between them that I wasn’t privy to.
Tristan nodded grimly. “Done. No one will dare say such things again.”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
