by Vivian Arend
Like a deer in the headlights of a fast-approaching truck, she was waiting for the impact to knock her silly.
The pheromones between the two of them were cooking hot. Before the little ski-pole incident, she thought she was going to end up as a snack. Heck, she’d wanted to be nibbled on. Tingles ran all over her body even thinking about Keil and his touch. The way she’d been wrapped up around him when she woke this morning, the reaction of his body to her touch. The strange way he was able to comfort her in the middle of the night. The usual repercussions from an earache would have her moving slow for the whole day, with a nagging headache to boot. One touch of his hand, a little cuddle, and the pain had drained away.
They were like a stick of dynamite and a Bic lighter. Too much more time together and something was going to blow.
She sighed as she wished for the hundredth time that Tad were here to bounce ideas off. Her brother. Was he a wolf too? He’d never said anything. If this was news to him, was he going to be surprised.
Of course if he already knew she might have to kill him.
She could already hear him complain about her acting irresponsibly and doing this trip alone. Tad always said she was going to end up meeting some strange wackos in the backcountry. He probably hadn’t thought she’d meet someone who wanted to turn her into a werewolf.
As they approached the bottom of the pass, Keil stopped and dropped his daypack. Robyn joined him and the two spent a moment enjoying the view, the sunshine on the snow, the mountains rising boldly around them. Keil nudged her arm, passing his water bottle after taking a long drink. Robyn saw him lick a drop of water left on his lip and a warm buzz shot through her. There was something erotic about sharing a water bottle that she’d never noticed before in any previous backcountry trip.
Robyn took a sip, very aware of Keil’s eyes watching her mouth, watching her throat move as she swallowed. She lowered the bottle slowly and smiled at him. This courting business was going to be fun.
“I’ll head uphill. Wait for TJ and make sure that he takes a drink. He’s known for getting dehydrated. Okay?” He brushed his fingers over her lips in a gentle caress before turning away.
Robyn stared as Keil traveled smoothly up the hill on an angle, his powerful body setting the difficult trail with seeming ease.
Wow. Mates with Mr. Studmuffin. How did she get so lucky?
Only there was trouble in paradise. Something had happened this morning right before they set out. TJ was upset and he’d been fine until Keil had cut him off.
She was going to find out why.
It took a few minutes for TJ to catch up. Robyn handed him the water bottle, holding it second longer than necessary to force him to take a close look at her. When she was sure that he was watching, she motioned toward Keil with her head. She tapped her fingers together like they were lips speaking.
TJ bit his lip. “Ah, man, this is unfair. Keil told me to stay quiet. You gotta understand, as a human, he’s my brother and I feel loyalty to him. He’s also the most powerful wolf I know, and it actually hurts to think about disobeying him.”
Robyn pointed to Keil and herself followed by linking her fingers together.
“Yeah, I know you guys are gonna be joined as mates. That means you’re strong enough that it hurts to think about disobeying you too.” He tilted his head to the side and with a pained expression asked, “I don’t suppose I can talk you into letting me off the hook?”
Robyn felt guilty for pushing him, but there was something here that she needed to know.
She spoke out loud. Soft but clear.
“Tell me.”
“Arghhhhh! Damn. Fine, I’ll spill. Keil didn’t tell you the whole truth about mates. It’s not something you can put off that easy. He’s trying to give you time to adjust to the whole idea of being a wolf and all that. He’s being noble.” TJ stared up the hillside where Keil was making the first switchback. “Keil is going to challenge for the leadership of our pack on Sunday. He’s way stronger than the other guy, and I know Keil can win.
“Only the challenge is in both human and wolf form, and it can get a little messy, especially if either challenger’s wolf isn’t under control.
“The longer you and Keil wait to finish mating, the more distracted his wolf is going to get. I’m not trying to get you into bed with Keil. Well, yeah, I am. The sooner, the better. Because if you don’t get marked and mated before the weekend, Keil’s wolf is going to be so agitated that I’m afraid for the outcome of the challenge.”
TJ swung his gaze back to meet hers. “I’m afraid for you too, because it could be dangerous to be around the pack. Since you and Keil kissed and snuggled last night, your wolf has started to rise to the surface, and you’re giving off sex pheromones like crazy. All of the unmated males are going to be real interested. I don’t think Keil’s aware of it because he’s attracted to you already. I feel it, but I know you’re his and I’m making myself ignore it.”
Robyn nodded her understanding and reached to brush TJ’s cheek in thanks with a quick touch. His eyes closed for a second, then he coughed.
“Um, Robyn? You need to know, wolves are into touchy-feely stuff, and as much as I like you to touch me, you’d better not do that again until after you and Keil get hitched. ’Cause right now I don’t think he could stand to scent you on anyone, and I’m kinda fond of my balls staying attached to my body.”
He handed back the water bottle and motioned for her to take the lead up the hill.
They climbed, using the long shallow switchbacks Keil had set to make the ascent easier. Robyn glanced over her shoulder to see TJ following behind, slow and steady, his skis skittering off to the side every few steps. He was terribly uncoordinated on two feet.
By the time they reached the top of the pass, Robyn was sweating nicely and feeling a warm glow of satisfaction from the exertion. Keil had pulled out a small cook stove and fired it up to heat water for a drink.
“You’re a good skier, Robyn. Kept the pace nicely.” Keil’s compliment warmed her even more as she sat facing him, able to look over the mountains that ranged downward to the Pacific Ocean and still see his face. She breathed a relaxed sigh as she let her gaze wander over the sunlit peaks. A squeeze on her knee brought her attention back to Keil.
“Are you hungry?”
She nodded and pulled her pack closer to dig out the food she’d brought. She passed him a couple of her homemade granola bars and watched with pleasure the expression on his face as he bit into them.
“These are delicious. Did you buy them in Whitehorse?”
She shook her head no and nodded yes while pointing to herself.
“You didn’t buy them, but you got them. Did you make them?”
She nodded.
The admiration in Keil’s eye’s increased. “Hmmmm. She cooks too.” He leaned forward slowly and planted a gentle kiss on her lips. They stared at each other for a minute, desire rising between them like a tangible cloud before the boiling water brought Keil back to earth.
“You guys are too fast.” TJ’s red face as he dropped beside Keil made Robyn laugh. “Oh sure, laugh it up at the slowpoke. I’ll have you know that once you can shift to wolf, I’ll be able to beat your butt in a race anytime. Right, Keil?”
Keil handed Robyn a cup of hot sweet tea. “Other than suggesting you not even think about Robyn’s butt ever again, I will agree that you are very fast as a wolf. Robyn, I know this has been an information overload with everything we’ve thrown at you—”
Robyn waved her hand to cut him off. She deliberately turned her back on him and pointed over the mountains, over the whole panorama until she faced them.
“She’s right, Keil. Shut up for a minute and enjoy the view.”
“I know but—”
“But nothing. It’s too hard to talk right now. Relax. Or don’t you know how? You need to lighten up a little, bro. It’s not all pack politics, life-and-death situations, Captain Kirk, I mean Keil, to the rescue.”
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Keil looked up to see Robyn watching as TJ spoke, and she nodded. She held her hand to him and he rose to join her. She pulled off her glove to trace her fingers down his cheek before twisting around and settling her back against him as she admired the view.
He was very serious, Robyn realized. He couldn’t be much older than she was, and he was planning on taking on the leadership of a large group of, well, if she guessed right, rather headstrong individuals.
She could help him learn to relax. She stifled a giggle.
Keil’s strong arms supported her, coming around her torso and pulling her tight into his rock-solid frame. Too bad winter clothing made everything extra bulky, but she could still appreciate the feel of his firm body.
She turned and slipped her hands behind his neck. As their lips brushed together, she tightened her hold and lifted her feet off the ground to let her full body weight drag at him.
The surprise move worked and they fell to the snow. Robyn tried to slip away as they hit the ground but he held her as he rolled over to end up lying on top of her, pinning her in place.
“That was sneaky, Robyn.” Keil stared at her, shifting his hips to let her know she was trapped. “I think you should pay a forfeit for that little trick.” He lowered his head and nuzzled against her neck, and Robyn felt him taking deep breaths. His tongue shot along her bare skin, and she shivered as a wave of desire scurried through her body, over her breasts and settled in her womb like a ticking time bomb.
Man, oh man, this guy was potent.
With a groan Keil rose from her body and pulled her to her feet.
“It’s getting late and if we want to be back to the cabin in daylight, we’d better ski. Stay away from the right side on the descent, the snow seems unstable.” Robyn nodded, swallowing hard from the extra moisture in her mouth. Keil traced a finger over her lips and winked at her. “I’ll claim my forfeit back at the cabin.”
The three of them packed up their things, and this time Robyn led the way, skiing down the side of the mountain using telemark turns. She stopped a quarter of the way down and waited for the others to catch up. Keil stopped beside her, TJ farther to the side.
“Nice turns, Robyn.” Keil said. “Let me go first, I want to watch you from below this time.” He set off, making the lunging motions that cause cross-country skis to turn in the deep snow of the mountainside.
Robyn admired his skill as well. The people that she and Tad skied with in the mountains were all experts and Keil would fit in just fine. She caught up with him and they both turned to watch TJ do his descent.
His bright red jacket looked good on him and that was the most positive thing she could say about his technique. TJ didn’t ski, he threw his legs about in a mad scramble like he was wearing rollerblades. Ski poles rotated in the air, snow flew everywhere. Robyn bit her lip to keep from laughing.
Then her breath caught in her throat. She saw the snow slab drop and a large crack appear on the hillside above where TJ headed, too far into the dangerous side and completely out of control.
Robyn stared in horror as the side of the mountain behind TJ slid away in an avalanche, pulling his windmilling figure down the slope to the right of them. The ground underfoot shook for a moment but the snow pack where they stood was solid enough. Frantically she looked back and forth over the settling powder and clouds of fine snow to try to see any sign of TJ.
Nothing but the disturbed surface of the mountainside greeted their eyes.
Chapter 6
His stomach dropped as the avalanche raced past them. By the time the rumble faded, Keil had his transmitter out and switched to “seek” mode. They didn’t have much time to uncover TJ, but they did have longer than finding a human.
As long as TJ was conscious.
Keil turned to Robyn. She already had her transmitter in her hand. She was pale and her eyes seemed large enough to overwhelm her face, but she was going through each step methodically. Carefully.
He grabbed Robyn’s face in his hands, making sure she watched him.
“You know how to use your monitor?”
Robyn nodded.
“Since you can’t hear me if I shout, I want you to look at me every five paces, to be sure you’re aware of any warning I give. Understand?”
Robyn nodded again even as she shuffled away from him. She pointed up the mountain.
“Yes, you go up. If I signal ‘clear’ like this”—Keil slapped his fists together and pointed away with one hand—“I expect you to ski away as fast as you can. Understand?”
Her face grew grim and tight.
“I mean it. If you get caught in another avalanche, I won’t be able to save you both. Remember, TJ’s a werewolf. He’s stronger than a human. He’s going to be all right. Let’s go.”
The two of them skied quickly to the edge of the avalanche field and began the back-and-forth search motion to triangulate TJ’s position. Keil moved cautiously, his attention split between rescuing TJ and the need to keep Robyn safe. Letting his mate move away from him into the potential danger of another slide physically hurt.
His senses were on high alert. The sun reflecting off the snow seemed blindingly bright. The squeak of their skis on the rough snow surface became reassuring in its consistency. A few steps, a pause to check the monitor, a glance around the mountain. A flick of the eyes to see Robyn, then repeat the series.
The blinking light on his receiver grew stronger and he turned to follow its direction. The next time Robyn looked his way, he raised an arm and pointed.
Robyn double-checked her monitor and raised her arm, pointing downhill in a path that bisected across his angle.
They were narrowing the gap.
It was painfully slow work when every nerve in his body screamed for them to hurry before TJ’s air ran out. Keil took a moment to call out. “TJ!” He yelled in the direction he hoped they’d find TJ, but there was no response.
A trickle of sound reached his ears.
A low rumble in the distance.
He lifted his gaze to examine the mountains around them, fearful of what he’d see.
The peak to their left released a cornice of snow, the slide shifting a cloud of powder into the air. Quickly Keil estimated the angle of the slide, whether it would reach them, set off another slide on top of them.
The slope of the mountain curved away and Keil breathed a sigh of relief as the loose snow slipped behind a distant ridge out of sight and out of range of danger. He looked up to see Robyn watching intently for his signal. Escape or continue?
He pointed forward and Robyn nodded, trusting his judgment to continue her sweeping movements.
Her harsh shout a few moments later made his heart pound. He looked up to see her turning her ski pole into a depth probe. She pushed it through the snow to search for an air pocket or a buried body. Keil struggled up to her level, whipped off his shovel and prepared to dig.
“TJ, can you hear us?” Keil roared.
A welcomed howl rose to his ears. Keil threw up a prayer of thanks as he shoveled, Robyn working at his side. They dug into the hillside from the bottom to take advantage of the slope, trusting there would be less digging at that level. Soon Keil held out a hand to caution Robyn and get her attention.
“I don’t want to strike him. Let me dig, you watch for additional slides.”
Keil increased his speed, hearing TJ’s howl grow clearer.
“Stay back from the shovel if you’ve got the room,” Keil shouted as he swung at a furious pace. It was only a few more shovelfuls before he broke into the human-sized air pocket that contained the smaller wolf-sized body that was TJ. Keil watched as his brother scrambled out of the hole and, in his wolf body, circled around their legs in thanks.
TJ sat in front of the fire in the cabin sipping a steaming cup of hot chocolate. He’d run beside them all the way to the cabin as a wolf, his gear buried somewhere back on the hill.
“I still don’t get it. What part of ‘stay away from the right, th
e snow is unstable’ did you not understand?” Keil complained, dropping an extra blanket around TJ’s shoulders.
“Enough, I’m sorry. I got my lefts and rights mixed up. No harm done since Robyn made me put on the tracer. You found me, I’m fine.”
“TJ, that’s the third set of skis you’ve lost this year!”
The sound of logs crashing to the floor made both of them look up at Robyn’s stunned expression. She lifted a trembling hand to show three raised fingers, a questioning expression on her face.
“Yeah,” Keil said, “this is the third time Mr. Disaster has been in action this winter. His record is six times in a single season. I’m thinking of having a tracer permanently implanted—”
“Umm, Keil, why is Robyn glaring at me like that?”
Keil glanced up and he could have sworn he saw steam pouring out Robyn’s ears.
Just before she leapt across the room, grabbed TJ by the throat and shook him.
Hard.
“Whoa, there, Robyn.” Reaching around her, he gently grasped her forearms and loosened them from TJ’s neck. Muttering soothing words even though he knew she couldn’t hear, he settled her under his chin as her body continued to shake. “My guess is she’s a little shocked that we had to rescue you in the first place, TJ, and learning this is a typical experience in the bush with you might be more than she needed on top of everything else today.”
TJ had the grace to look embarrassed. He shuffled over and squatted to peer up at Robyn where she hid in Keil’s arms. “I’m sorry I scared you. I don’t think sometimes. I won’t do it again.”
“Ha!” Keil snorted. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, little brother. The sauna should be hot by now. Go get warmed up all the way. Robyn and I need to talk.”
TJ shot another concerned glance at Robyn before gathering his clothes and heading out the door.
Keil settled down on the chair by the fire, still holding Robyn in his embrace as they sat quietly together. Having her in his arms felt wonderful. She was small enough to treasure yet strong enough to react in a quick and fearless manner when faced with the emergency on the mountainside. She was going to be a fabulous mate for him.