Werewolf in Seattle: A Wild About You Novel

by Thompson, Vicki

  As readers of WCW know, opinion is sharply divided on the topic. Weres have rebounded after being hunted nearly to extinction, but their presence as a significant economic force in the major cities of the world remains unknown to the human community.

  Extremely eligible bachelor and Scotsman Duncan MacDowell, younger brother of MacDowell pack leader Colin MacDowell, wants that to change. Last spring he founded Werewolves Optimizing Our Future (WOOF), and his wildly popular blog, Wolf Whistles, champions his belief that wolves should stop hiding their shape-shifting abilities, openly partner with humans in business, and even consider interspecies mating. Obviously human females would rally to that cause if every male Were looked like Duncan MacDowell in a kilt!

  But not all Weres are ready to climb onboard Duncan’s bandwagon. This summer the Were blogosphere heated up as Denver-based Kate Stillman, granddaughter of pack leader Elizabeth Stillman, launched Honoring Our Werewolf Legacy (HOWL). Her well-known dating Web site, Furevermore.com, celebrates Were-Were mating as the only way to go. Kate, who claims she’s never dated a human, advocates the beauty of tradition and the safety of keeping our secret secure.

  But is the tide turning in Duncan’s direction? This reporter recently spoke to the Wallace brothers of New York, both of whom shocked the Were community last year by taking human mates. From all indications, their human brides are blissfully happy. And why not, if they share an address with sexy wolves like Aidan and Roarke Wallace?

  Despite the apparent success of what’s being called the Wallace Experiment, Kate Stillman predicts that such unions spell disaster. Although Emma and Abby Wallace have proven trustworthy, Kate insists the Wallace brothers’ behavior may still adversely impact the Were community. Predictably, Duncan MacDowell calls the Wallaces heroes for bucking tradition.

  For months Kate and Duncan have traded barbed comments on their blogs and via our on-line instant messaging system, affectionately named Sniffer. Adding fuel to the controversy, they’ve each published best-selling ebooks—available only through Were distribution channels, of course—-defending their respective positions.

  Duncan’s followers (Woofers) are poised to confront Kate’s supporters (Howlers) at the conference and will no doubt fill the room during the final session when Duncan and Kate face off in what promises to be a heated debate—and great fun for this reporter! Duncan’s last Sniff before he left Scotland was a succinct call to arms: Woofers, it’s on #primedforaction.

  And so am I, my friends! For on-the-spot conference updates and celebrity sightings, be sure to follow me on Sniffer @newshound or #werecon2012. I’ll be your eyes, ears, and nose!

  To gain an advantage over Duncan MacDowell, do the unexpected, my dear. Meet his flight and disarm him with some old-fashioned Stillman hospitality.

  Standing at baggage claim, Kate replayed her grandmother’s words and wished she’d argued against the idea. But Grandma Elizabeth had been totally in love with the thought of Kate standing with a sign and a smile when Duncan arrived to collect his luggage. No accompanying staff, no fancy limo.

  Okay, the limo wouldn’t have worked now that the first snow had hit Denver. The storm had begun around noon, dashing hopes that Denver could get through the month of October without the white stuff. Judging from what had already fallen this afternoon, Kate would need the four-wheel-drive capacity of her Jeep Cherokee to navigate the winding road back to the resort.

  The dicey road conditions didn’t bother her. She’d been driving on ice and snow for more than ten years. But meeting Duncan MacDowell face-to-face worried her more than she cared to admit to anyone, least of all her grandmother.

  Offering friendly hospitality to the Were she’d called a pig-headed radical who had his head up his ass seemed hypocritical. But treating him like a bitter enemy seemed rude. Online interactions were so much easier. Knowing that Duncan would appear in a matter of minutes had her pacing the baggage claim area.

  She’d responded on Sniffer to his arrogant last statement—Woofers, it’s on #primedforaction —with her own challenge—Bring it, Woofers. Howlers R ready 4 U #firmlyconvinced. Other Howlers had added equally feisty comments, which had sparked pushback from the Woofers, although nothing had come from Duncan yet.

  Thinking of that, Kate checked her cell phone. Sure enough, there was another Sniff from @DuncanMacDowell: Slippery landing in Denver. Can’t scare a Scotsman/Woofer #Braveheart.

  Kate rolled her eyes. He was so blasted macho, it was sickening. Tucking the printed sign under one arm, she quickly typed a response. Just don’t get off the plane naked, with your face painted blue.

  The response came almost immediately: How would you know if I did?

  She answered with a few rapid taps. Turns out I’m your ride.

  I’m honored.

  Sarcastic bastard. She started to type It wasn’t my idea and realized that would be ungracious. Her grandmother would disapprove. As she started a new message, she breathed in the scent of masculine Were.

  Glancing up, she had no doubt she was eyeballing Duncan MacDowell, in the flesh. Judging from his purposeful stride and intent focus, he’d figured out who she was, too.

  “Hello, Kate.”

  Hearing his rich baritone for the first time felt surreal after months of online communication. And the brogue. Damn, it was sexy as hell.

  “Hello, Duncan.” She kept her tone neutral but pasted on the smile her grandmother had asked of her. “Welcome to Colorado.”

  “Thank you.” His sculpted lips curved in an ironic answering smile.

  As she looked into his eyes, she was momentarily distracted by how beautiful they were—soft gray and elegantly fringed with dark lashes. She quickly reminded herself of his arrogant attitude and reckless stance regarding Were security. He was ready to risk everything for some crazy Utopian dream.

  He regarded her with a heavy-lidded gaze that probably had more to do with jet lag than any attempt to be seductive. Yet it sent an unwanted quiver of sexual awareness through her system anyway.

  He was taller than she’d expected. The top of her head reached only to his shoulders. And speaking of shoulders, he had broad, powerful ones, the kind that inspired confidence and marked him as a leader.

  His hair was longish and his jaw darkened with new beard growth. He could have shaved on the plane if he’d been so inclined. Obviously he hadn’t troubled himself.

  His rumpled appearance only added to his sex appeal, as if he were silently demonstrating how he’d look after a long night of fabulous lovemaking. She’d read all the nauseating blog comments from his bevy of female admirers, so she’d expected him to be reasonably good-looking. She hadn’t been prepared for gorgeous.

  Not that it mattered whether he was an Adonis. His physical attributes didn’t change the threat he posed to the Were way of life. If anything, they made him a more dangerous opponent.

  “I can’t say I expected you to meet my plane, lass,” he said.

  Now would be the time for her to turn on the hospitality spigot as her grandmother had suggested, but sugary words stuck in her throat. “Maybe I wanted to get a preview of what I will be dealing with this weekend.”

  He surveyed her with those bedroom eyes. “You do realize you’re giving me a preview, as well.”

  “That depends on how much I allow you to see.” She hadn’t meant that to be a sexual comment, but it sure sounded that way once she’d said it.

  His smile widened. “I’m very good at uncovering whatever interests me.”

  There was that sexual quiver again. She ignored it. “Considering that we’re on opposite sides of this debate, I can’t imagine I’d be of any interest to you.”

  “On the contrary. I’m sure you’ve heard the old saying ‘Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.’”

  “I’ve heard it.” But never spoken with a Scottish burr.

  “Is that why you came to pick me up?”

  “No.” She finally settled on the truth. “I’m here because my
grandmother asked me to come. She thought the gesture would disarm you.”

  “Oh, it has.” His gray eyes took on a wicked gleam. “It most certainly has.”

  “Bullshit.”

  He laughed. “I’m not kidding. As tired as I am, I’m easily disarmed, which might have been your grandmother’s plan.”

  “Maybe.” Kate decided the time for chit-chat was over. “Listen, we need to get your bags and leave before the snow gets any worse.”

  “Right.” Turning, he surveyed the luggage circling the carousel. He walked over, retrieved his suitcase with athletic grace, and returned to her. “Ready.”

  He must have been tired, because she managed to talk him into waiting inside the building while she brought the Jeep around. Once they were on their way, he peered past the flapping windshield wipers at the snow that seemed to be flung by a giant hand. “Are you sure it’s safe to drive in this? Maybe we should stop somewhere and wait it out.”

  “We’ll be fine.” She wasn’t about to admit that the snowstorm had become nasty enough to intimidate even her. “I’m used to this.”

  “If you say so.” Leaning his head against the headrest, he closed his eyes, and within seconds was asleep.

  Impressed with his ability to surrender control, Kate drove slowly and kept to the plowed sections of the highway. Traffic thinned once they were outside the city limits, and she began to wonder if she’d made the right call. Hers were the only headlights taking the exit road to the resort. And she had several miles yet to go.

  Turning back wasn’t an option. As long as she moved slowly and didn’t hit a patch of ice, they’d get there. She’d always been lucky driving on snowy roads.

  But not this time. When the skid started, she did everything she’d been taught so they wouldn’t flip, but nothing could have prevented them from plowing into a snow bank, nose first.

  The impact woke Duncan, who sat up, startled. “What happened, lass?”

  She sighed. “We’re stuck.”

  “Can we get out?”

  The wind whistled as snow swirled around the Jeep and blocked the view from all angles. Kate surveyed the situation. It wasn’t good. “I don’t know. Maybe not.”