by Vivian Arend
Caroline slipped back to the computer chair, considering the changes that would have to happen. “Only when I need to be.”
“Hey, I like devious. You’re more shifter than ninety percent of the pack, when it comes down to it.”
She went back to attempting to find a picture, a notable bit of information anywhere on the security tapes that would help him trace his mate. “I’ll get my things together. I can be clear of your place in the next day or two. I can use my sister’s apartment while she’s out of town.”
“No.” He leaned on the island counter. “You stay here. I’ll move into my room at the pack house until we can find you a new place to live.”
“Don’t be silly, Evan. This is your home. I’m not kicking you out of it.”
Evan narrowed his eyes. “Why are you arguing with me? Is it out of principle? Like you can’t possibly do what the Alpha says for once in your life?”
“Where would be the fun in that?” They smiled at each other, her sadness fading. “I mean it, Evan. You deserve this—to find your mate, and I’ll do everything I can to help you. And that sigh? Wasn’t just about the sex. You’ve become a super friend. I’ll miss being around you all the time.”
“Hey, you’re not getting out of my life that easy. We’re switching paths, that’s all.”
She nodded. “Friends instead of lovers?”
“Best friends.”
Her email pinged, but she ignored it. “One other question, though. How do you want to play this out with the pack? I assume while you’d love to hold a citywide search, you don’t want this broadcast. Or do you?”
Evan paced to the windows, messing up his hair with his fingers as he worked out his frustrations. “It’s not likely to stay a secret for long, but I don’t want to shout it from the rooftops. Any apparent weakness is an opportunity for others to take advantage of the pack through me. I won’t let Takhini suffer.”
“So…do you need me to stay here? Pretend we’re still together? I can sleep on a spare mattress in the bedroom. It’s nobody’s business what we’re not doing anymore.”
Evan turned, his gaze sharper, harder. “No, that’s not fair to you, or my mate. I don’t know if she’s unaware of me, but I won’t allow her to think I’m willing to be with anyone but her. Not even in retrospect.”
Caroline was at a loss. “Tell me how I can help.”
“Be yourself.” He gestured in the air, a wide encompassing circle. “Go with your gut instincts—they don’t seem to have failed you before. The hotel needs to keep running smoothly, and I…might need a few kicks in the butt. If I lose focus. Help me?”
“Deal.”
They paused. A moment of silence, almost as if they were saying farewell to what they had been.
Evan stepped to the window, hand clutched around something, his gaze focused into the distance.
Space. They might be committed to staying friends, and helping each other, but right now, they needed some space. She’d gather a few things and head over to Shelley’s apartment to settle in. Even though she was good with the change in their situation, not having Evan in her life was going to take some getting used to.
Maybe the invite to dinner she discovered in her inbox would be enough to distract her. Keep her mind off what she’d lost, and give her the chance to focus on all the good things it meant for her future.
Moving ahead with her plans—change might have come sooner than she expected, but she’d survive. A turn in the path, that’s what Evan had called it.
If only she could peek to see what was around the next corner.
Chapter Five
Tyler stepped from the limo and into his brother’s encompassing hug.
Frank didn’t seem to care they were standing on the sidewalk outside the Takhini pack house, or that there was a horde of wolves watching with great interest as the two of them pounded each other on the back. Justin had a close eye on the crowd, so Tyler concentrated on enjoying being reunited for the first time in ages.
When the affectionate greeting was over, he paused to examine Frank closer. The years of hard living in the remote north had left a mark, but his brother seemed happy enough. Far better than when he’d left his broken heart behind and retreated from the family. “You’ve put on a few pounds.”
“All in the last week, I swear.” Frank jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “These wolves? They cook up a damn good table.”
Tyler gestured toward their vehicle. “Climb in and we’ll hit the restaurant. You can tell me all about your hosts while I do my part to fatten you up.”
Frank settled opposite him, his honest face showing his curiosity. “You’re all spiffy dressed. I told you it was a casual place.”
“Can’t be helped, I’m afraid,” Tyler explained. “There are too many other delegates in town. I have to be on my best behavior at all times.”
Frank made a rude noise. “Politics.”
Tyler smiled. “Trust me, there are times I agree with you one hundred percent, only this one is important. It’s not just people acting bigger than their britches, which is what I think you called politics when you were young. It’s conclave, Frank. If I don’t take it seriously, our people could get hurt.”
His brother stopped playing with the automatic windows, returning his focus onto Tyler. “I hear you. Which is why I decided I should come after all.”
Tyler had wondered about Frank’s presence in town. “When I didn’t see you in Dawson City, I figured you were too far into the bush to make it. Or tangled up with the strange illness that swept the north. I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Me too.” Frank widened his smile, relaxing back in the seat. “I’m here to enjoy the good parts while you get to do the hard labour. Sounds like a wonderful distribution of work.”
Tyler laughed. “We each have talents. Use them as necessary.”
Frank nodded. “Speaking of talents, I’ve been thinking. This whole brouhaha—formal, you say?”
“Very.”
“You need a bit of help.” Frank leaned forward. “You need to know how to read these people, and who to impress, right?”
Diplomacy was what Tyler was good at, but he wasn’t about to boast to his brother. Maybe Frank wanted to assist in the mediations. If he behaved it could work to their advantage. Frank wasn’t the kind of bear anyone wanted to piss off unintentionally. Nearly seven feet of quick-tempered brute? Tyler and Justin were big, but Frank was in a class all his own.
“You want to join me?”
Frank brayed out a laugh. “Ha. Are you fucking kidding me? I’d have the peace talks down to wrestling and blood before the hour was out, and you know it. No, gentle massaging of egos and shit—not for me, big bro. Not anymore.”
If Frank wasn’t offering to help, Tyler was confused, but before he could get clarification, the ride was over. Justin pulled open the door and they crawled out, the Klondike Rib and Salmon Barbeque to their right. A long row of customers stood waiting to get in, the line wrapping around the corner and disappearing from sight.
“Come on, we have reservations.” Frank cleared a path by simply pacing forward.
Tyler eyed the restaurant as he excused himself to the patrons they were butting in front of. Frank had said the place was casual, but this was lower on the relaxed scale than he’d imagined. Two disproportional buildings were smooshed against each other. The larger one vaguely looked like a tent, as if the original Whitehorse-gold-rush settlers had slapped up four walls and raised canvas over the top to make themselves a shop.
They paused inside the doors as the front desk staff cheered at the sight of Frank. Even the servers weaving between the tables with full hands grinned and called out greetings.
“Your brother doesn’t give himself enough credit for knowing how to get along with people. He obviously has a way with them.” Justin stood at his back, speaking over Tyler’s shoulder as they waited for the spontaneous celebration to die down.
“He’s only been here for o
ne week. I can’t imagine.”
Frank motioned them forward. Tyler nodded politely to the girl holding their menus, then followed his brother toward the end of the room.
The tables ran in long rows, communal style. Red and green gingham tablecloths covered their surfaces, plastic ones, from what he could tell at a glance. The couple already seated at the far end of the table were digging into their food, plastic baskets with fake newsprint as their plates.
Frank settled into his seat with a sigh of happiness. “I love this place.”
“They seem to love you.” Tyler accepted the menu from the server. “How often have you been here in the past week?”
His brother grinned. “Some of the pack brought me in for lunch the first day I was in town, and I’ve been back every day since. I’m working my way through the menu.”
No wonder the restaurant staff liked him. “Glad to hear you’re having a good time. What do you recommend?”
“All of it.” Frank nodded. “The ribs are fab, though.”
Justin had directed Tyler into a seat that was as protected as possible, yet still presented a good view of the room. The lineup outside was explained as he realized every seat was taken but for the empty space to his left.
Popular place. Not only with locals, but tourists. While it wasn’t always possible to spot a shifter from a distance, Tyler knew many of the bears who were in town for the next stage of conclave. He’d met them over the previous weeks in Dawson City, and at first glance, out of the hundred bodies occupying the main seating area, he’d guess fifty percent were bears.
There really was no getting away from it. They’d taken over the town.
Not all eyes staring his way were friendly, either. Supporters of his rivals glared. Those undecided which way to vote kept their expressions blank. The bear elected to the top would have enormous power for years, and even those without an agenda were rightly cautious about supporting some unknown.
A waiter shuffled down the narrow space between tables, filling water glasses and taking orders. Tyler was distracted by a rather venomous glare from a bear seated by the door.
“Justin. By the entrance at one o’clock. Remind me of the clan.”
His friend glanced over. “Radium. Bunch of hotheads. I don’t have proof, yet, but I have my suspicions they were involved in the kidnapping.”
That would make sense. Definitely a group to keep an eye on.
Tyler twisted to give his order to the waiter. “Now That’s a Rack.”
He was horrified to discover that instead of the young man who’d just stepped behind him, he ended up speaking to a familiar-looking blonde.
Caroline Bradley raised a brow. “You have a thing for my breasts, don’t you?”
He surged to his feet, his chair tipping into the person behind him. “I’m sorry, I thought you were the waiter.”
Her smirk widened. “Okay, then. I’ll make sure Anthony knows, but he’s already got a boyfriend.”
Tyler scrambled to dig himself out without looking more of a fool. “No, it’s not like that. There’s an item on the menu called Now That’s a Rack. It looks delicious.”
Her upper body, including her delicious rack, shook as she laughed. “I know, I’m just teasing. You have wonderful timing.” She leaned in front of him and gave Frank her hand. “Good to see you again.”
Tyler forced himself to remain in one spot and not accidentally lean into her. His attempt was made more difficult as Frank, ever the diplomat, tugged until Caroline was forced to move forward. Her torso rubbed his, every inch pressed to him for a second until she was yanked into Frank’s arms for a hug.
Across the table, Justin was looking far too pleased.
“Shut up.” Tyler mouthed the words, but that only made Justin grin harder.
Frank finally relaxed his grip on the woman and turned her with great fanfare. “Caroline, I want you to meet my big brother, Tyler.”
Caroline cleared her throat and held out her hand—to Justin. “Nice to officially meet you. Sorry about the little incident earlier today, sir.”
Justin paused halfway out of his seat. Tyler opened his mouth to explain.
Frank beat them both to it. He laughed and pointed. “Hell, that’s not Tyler. That’s Justin, his sidekick. The ugly one over here is my brother.”
If she’d given him a what the hell look earlier for his unintentional sexual comment, her expression had grown miles more judgmental. All traces of amusement were gone. “Oh really. Gee, nice to meet you, Tyler. Frank has told me so much about you. He’s been raving about how you’re so honest and straightforward.”
She held her hand steady until he had to accept it. If he’d not been a shifter, her grip would have hurt. As it was, the additional squeeze she gave to the handshake made his bear rumble in approval.
Feisty. We like feisty, his bear insisted.
When she let him go and greeted Justin, Tyler gave himself a firm scolding and shoved the beast further down. This was not the time or the place to have a discussion with his animal half about the kind of woman they were supposed to be consorting with at the moment.
Although the idea of consorting a lot more intimately? If he was honest, like Caroline had suggested he usually was, then honestly, getting more involved with the woman wouldn’t be a problem for man, or beast.
She should have known this would be one of those days. From the disastrous start with housekeeping, to Evan’s big revelation, to this wonderful twist on her relaxing evening, she couldn’t get an even break.
Screw it. She was going to have fun tonight, and after discovering her bear with the grabby eyes was actually the head of the Harrison delegation, she wasn’t nearly as worried about impressing him.
While she was grateful he’d saved her ass, he’d lied to her. That meant he owed her, as far as she was concerned.
“You find everything you needed in your room?” she asked the real Justin.
“Very comfortable, thank you. How are you feeling after your mishap?”
Tyler cussed lightly under his breath, giving himself shit for something.
Okay, that surprised her. She would have expected someone as high-ranked as he was to be able to keep his comments to himself. Maybe she’d only heard him because his chair had ended up closer to hers as they found their seats again.
“I’m feeling fine, thank you. I must have dazed myself for a moment or two. No harm done.” She smiled at the waiter as he returned. “Full rack for the fellow beside me, please, and I’ll have the usual.”
“Sweet Caroline. Of course. And to drink?”
She faced the table. “Gentlemen? Did you order drinks yet?”
Tyler was glaring daggers at the server, a low rumble rising from his barrel-like chest.
Caroline’s give a damn broke a little more. She’d accepted the invite to dinner as a distraction. She didn’t want to deal with any more pissy shifters today, and that glower of his? Said something had cranked the bear’s wrong handle in the last couple seconds.
She caught his face in her hands and leaned in, speaking softly. “You do not stare at the staff like they are scratching posts. Get it together.”
He blinked, hard, refocusing on her face. He hooked his fingers around her wrists and lowered her arms until their hands were in his lap. His breathing slowed as he got himself under control then nodded. “Thank you.”
Justin spoke up. “A bottle of red for the table, please. The merlot.”
“Chilkoot beer for me.”
“Double-sized. Of course, Frank.” The waiter slipped away, not even aware he’d been one swipe from being knocked into tomorrow, if Caroline was any judge of shifter attitudes.
She jerked her arms back, trying to break Tyler’s grip on her wrists. “You want to let me go, big guy?”
Tyler straightened in a flash. “Sorry.”
Frank’s gaze flipped back and forth between them like crazy. “You two know each other already?”
“Slightly.” It
was Justin who spoke again, smoothing things over. “Caroline was kind enough to help prepare our suite.”
Frank grinned. “Damn, girl, you do take care of the details, don’t you?” He elbowed his brother hard enough Tyler coughed out a gasp. “See, she’s got the smarts to deal with anything. You should take my advice.”
Caroline leaned on the table. “What kind of trouble are you getting me into?”
The big bear lowered his voice, gaze darting around the room as if making sure no one was listening. “Told them you were good at dealing with shifters. You need to help Tyler here win this election so the rest of the rowdies will get out of Whitehorse sooner.”
Good grief. Was everyone intent on running her life? “Gee, thanks, Frank. Maybe I’ll talk to Tyler about what he needs, okay?”
The big bear shrugged happily. “Sure. Just, you impressed a lot of people. Your sister thinks you’re damn cool, and she’s like the queen of the north after making the vaccination that saved our butts. If she looks up to you, then you’re aces. You know what I mean?”
Conversation stopped as Anthony brought the wine to the table and poured three glasses. Caroline wasn’t discussing anything until she’d had something to drink.
Tyler caught her with the edge of the glass already to her lips, nearly desperate for a swallow of the soothing liquid. “A toast.”
She tipped the glass away, fighting her sigh of frustration.
He lifted his own glass and stared her in the eyes. “To new friends, and a successful visit to Whitehorse.”
Caroline clicked glasses with him and Justin. There wasn’t any choice in the matter without making a huge fuss.
The look in Tyler’s eyes, though? The one that suggested he wasn’t only interested in taking her out for dinner? He could hold off that anticipatory expression for another century or two. She might be a free agent after Evan’s change of circumstance, but the last thing she needed was another head honcho to babysit. She loved Alpha males, but damn they were a lot of work.
She had to concentrate on the people who really needed her. Like Evan. And the pack.