by Vivian Arend
She dragged out her cell phone as she took a preliminary glance at the damages. Hopefully Evan wasn’t busy or goofing off. Or busy goofing off.
“Hey, sweet thang.”
Man, if she weren’t so stressed the endearment would have given her a thrill, right before she planned how to get revenge. “If you are anywhere but in your office, I will make you bleed for using that nickname.”
“I’m alone, finishing paperwork. You sound stressed. What’s up?”
“My blood pressure. I need you to give me a hand—and if you start clapping, I’ll tie you to a stake and find ants to crawl all over you.”
His even chuckle helped calm her. “What can I do?”
The suite wasn’t as bad as she’d expected. She raced around tidying, the phone tucked against her shoulder as she worked. “I sent a couple of doughboys your direction. Put them to work scrubbing dirty dishes, or something gross and unglamorous.”
He laughed. “They pissed you off, did they? Fine, I’m on my feet. Walking to greet them at the doors to the kitchen, and they will rue the day they messed with you.”
“Thank you. Second favour… The head of the Harrison clan is due to arrive within the hour. Because I’m doing the job those brats didn’t, you might have to greet our guests when they arrive.”
Dead silence on the other end of the phone.
“Pleeeeease, Evan. I’ll be there as soon as I can, but if I’m late, you have to do it.”
“You want me to greet the Harrison delegation in my front lobby? You have any idea what kind of trouble this could cause? Two Alphas in the same space?”
“I’m sure you’re much bigger than he is, Evan,” she wheedled sweetly. “In character, if not in size. It’s not as if he’s coming here to take over your territory. Just welcome him in then take him to the suite. Talk about…the weather. Tell him the hours at the restaurant. There’s already about fifty of his clan in the hotel, so boast about how much your pack loves you. He’ll tell you about his fawning followers, only you know yours are better.”
“You’re managing me, aren’t you?” Evan growled.
“Well…” She totally was.
“You’re sexy when you’re managing me.”
She laughed. “I’ll be real sexy in about thirty seconds when I stick the toilet brush in the bowl and get scrubbing. Can you handle it?”
“Piece of…cake.”
And with that, all her plans went to hell. Something had gone wrong. The final word he’d spoken was in his irrelevant voice. The one he used when something random and potentially dodgy was about to happen. It wasn’t often the Alpha of the Takhini pack lost focus, but when he did, situations went to hell fast.
“Evan?”
He didn’t answer.
Drat. So much for her last-minute bailout idea. Somehow she’d have to be the one greeting the delegation. She’d stuff Evan into his office with a glass or two of liquor to keep him out of mischief. Hmm, maybe pop the pack Beta in there as well, because when the two of them got together uncontained, bad things happened.
Wait. Oh, wait. Pack Beta—yes—there was her solution.
Caroline put down the cleanser and darted a glance at her watch. “Oh, silly me. I totally forgot. You never mind about the bears. I remembered Gem offered to help. You take care of the boys I sent, though, right?”
“Sure—dirty tasks.” He was completely distracted. What the hell was going on? “I’m in the kitchen now. I’ll make them work.”
“Thanks.”
As weird as Evan was acting, he didn’t seem dangerous, so Caroline hung up and punched in another number, the pack’s female Beta answering on the second ring.
“Hello, Caroline. How are you?” Gem’s impeccably polite southern drawl poured from the phone like soothing music.
Only there wasn’t time to relax. “Emergency. You know where your mate is?”
Gem caught the urgency. “Yes. What do you need?”
“Send Shaun to help Evan deal with whatever is going on in the kitchen. Tell him it’s important to keep Evan away from the front lobby. Then I need you to do your political-princess thing and charm the furry socks off the Harrison delegation when they arrive. I’m stuck doing the final spit and polish on their suite.”
“Oh, you poor thing. Of course. I’ve got everything covered for you.” Gem laughed softly. “I’d offer to clean, but I’m probably better off acting as hostess. I have years of training.”
“Hey, you’ve learned tons since you arrived in the spring, but the pack needs your diplomacy more than they need you to have housekeeping skills.”
“True.”
One disaster neatly avoided. Caroline should have felt more pride, but she was too busy multitasking. “Thanks, girlfriend, I owe you one.”
“You don’t owe me anything. We’re pack, we work together. Don’t worry, I’ll get the boys under control, and I’ll give you a warning call once the group arrives.”
Gem hung up and Caroline tucked away her phone.
She moved quickly through the tasks that still needed completing, cursing egotistical young men who thought they were above “women’s work”.
The entire time she kept the cleaning cart close at hand, ready to vanish the instant Gem hit the warning signal. While Caroline was absolutely fascinated with the Bear Jamboree gathering, she didn’t want the first time she met them to be while coated in eau de Pine-Sol.
Shifter politics had always been on her radar. As a human in a mixed shifter family, understanding why one wolf had more clout than another had been an important lesson. Surviving in the pack meant she’d learned young that power seemed inborn for some shifters.
As a human, she didn’t have access to any built-in authority, but over the years she’d found something else that worked just as well. Humans called it chutzpah. Well, chutzpah in combination with the willingness to bleed or make someone else bleed.
Wolves liked their power games with a slice of pain.
She’d faked it until she’d made it. She’d even wrangled her way into a close relationship with Evan in a plot to help her less-dominant half sister. The good side of that ploy was she and Evan honestly liked each other, and the sex was on fire. The bad part?
There really wasn’t one.
Their relationship was temporary. At some point Evan was bound to find his mate. In a way, she hoped it would happen soon, because he deserved to have the in-love-and-out-of-my-mind mate thing that had hit so many of her friends over the years. Shifter insta-mate wasn’t ever happening for Caroline, obviously, but she wasn’t stupid. She knew how much finding their soul connection meant to them, and as a good friend how could she not want that for Evan?
She finished the final wipe-down in the bathroom and manoeuvred the cart back into the living space of the suite.
Maybe she was twisted, but seeing people get in a flap over her and Evan amused her far too much. What was wrong with having a good, hot sexual relationship that wasn’t going anywhere permanent, but in the meantime delivered orgasms by the bucket load?
She didn’t want to settle down. Not yet. While she’d achieved one goal—having her sister return to the north and find a place—there was so much more to do. Caroline flicked her duster over the floor-to-ceiling window treatment, lost in thought.
Travel, excitement, they called to her. Maybe once the bears had checked out, she’d think about booking an extended holiday somewhere warm. Three or four months exploring tropical islands, or getting lost in the markets of Europe, sounded intriguing.
She pulled the final pillows into position on one of the oversized couches gracing the suite. Satisfaction at having dealt with the most recent hotel emergency swept over her. The place was clean and the bears would be greeted by Gem, who knew way more about sweet-talking cranky diplomats into good moods than Caroline did.
On the way to the door to put away the cart, she glanced outside and noticed the hot tub lid was out of place.
“Damned windstorm.”
She tucked the cart aside and dashed outside, attempting to tug the heavy cover back into place. Leaves floated on the surface and she muttered in frustration. Scooping out the debris was simple, until the wind picked up, swirling around the third-story balcony. The rubbish skittered away over the water’s surface, disappearing under the quarter section still covered by the bulky lid.
Times like this she regretted she wasn’t a shifter. Stupid, awkward, heavy contraption. She crawled onto the edge of the tub and put her feet against the cover, using her stronger leg muscles to thrust it out of the way.
The wind hit the French doors and they slammed against the doorjamb, the sound harsh and abrupt in the quiet around her. Caroline jerked in surprise.
“Crap.”
She inelegantly slipped off the smooth tub lip and under the warm water, the back of her head rapping the edge hard enough for her to briefly see stars.
Then darkness.
Chapter Two
Tyler stepped through the hotel doors and paused, partly out of habit to allow Justin to get into position, partly because the place was far beyond what he’d expected from a northern inn. Exquisite decorations filled the expansive front lobby, one entire wall a virtual wilderness with plants, rocks and a floor-to-ceiling waterfall dancing down the barrier.
“Mr. Harrison?”
Justin moved closer, but Tyler waved him down. The beautiful woman approaching him with an outstretched hand wasn’t a threat. “Gem Jacobs. How lovely to see you again, and in one piece.”
She smiled, turning to welcome Justin as well. “I’m glad your delegation chose the Moonshine Inn as a base. Did you have a good trip?”
Tyler nodded. “Uneventful. Not nearly as much excitement as you got up to earlier in the summer. My personal apologies for the terrible way you were treated by some of my fellow bears. Have you recovered from the mishap?”
“Completely. Please, don’t mention it any further. We all understand politics don’t always go the way we’d like.” She was the perfect hostess as she guided them through the grand foyer, pointing out carvings by local artisans, and Tyler hid his smile. He’d heard the southern belle was now Takhini pack, but seeing her in the setting was amusing. The last time he’d met her she’d been acting as hostess for her father in the far south of Georgia.
She turned from showcasing the lobby. “Do you gentlemen want to see your rooms or explore the town? We can arrange anything you’ll need for the duration of your time with us.”
“Thank you. If you could show us to our suite, that would be all,” Tyler answered.
Justin interrupted. “If you’d let me know where we can park our limo, I’ll inform the driver.”
She handed him two envelopes. “The blue is room key and information for your driver, the other is yours for the suite.”
Justin gave her a nod then turned to face Tyler. “You want to wait until I get back so I can escort you?”
The man was far too addicted to the guarding part of his job. “I think with Gem to protect me, I can make it to the suite without getting lost or shot.”
“Half of your delegation has already checked in. They seemed pleased with our arrangements.” Gem folded her arms prettily. “Let me assure you the Moonshine Inn is well protected. Between the security cameras and the pack presence, there’s no one on the premises we’re not aware of. Evan Stone takes safety seriously.”
In spite of her promise, Justin waited until Tyler motioned him away. “Go on. Deal with the driver. Oh, and grab the information the organizers said they’d have waiting at conference headquarters. I promise to be a good boy and stay in the suite until you get back.”
His guard nodded, leaving reluctantly.
Tyler offered his arm to Gem. “He’s far too interested in making sure I’m coddled.”
“It’s his job. You can’t blame him. This way, please.” Gem led him to the elevators and punched the button for the third floor. “Your initial security teams have already taken a look around the hotel and settled into their rooms.”
“Wonderful.”
She nodded. “Also, I’m supposed to pass on the message the Takhini pack is available for you. Anything you need.”
Interesting.
He’d give it more time, a few days at least, before seeking out the pack Alpha and getting a feel for where the man stood regarding the bear situation. Conclave wasn’t something Tyler wanted wolves poking their noses into, but with everything else his opponents had tried over the past weeks, he’d be stupid not to think they might also mess with the Whitehorse talks.
Someone might attempt to use the potentially volatile situation of two wolf packs in one place to set off some troubles in their favour. Having the ear of the ruling pack could help Tyler.
“Thank you for that. I’ll keep it in mind.”
She guided them to a single door at the end of the hallway, opening it before passing over the key. “I hope you have a comfortable stay with us, and successful meetings.”
“Pass on my greeting to your Alpha.”
She left him, and that sense of “wolf” faded as he watched her go. He slipped through the door, relaxing as he examined the space.
Other than a cleaning cart blocking one wall, the room was standard to what he was used to. He loosened his tie as he strolled in farther, peeking through the doors he passed to find a large bedroom with a decadent attached bath. There was a second matching door on the opposite side—he’d assume a matching bedroom waited there for Justin. Tyler stripped off his suit jacket and tossed it on the bed before wandering back into the main room.
The partially open French doors caught his eye. He dropped his tie, grabbed up an apple from the massive fruit bowl decorating the kitchen counter and ate it as he wandered to the balcony railing. An incredible view greeted him, with the mountains rising behind the city streets. The lack of skyscrapers added to the beauty, and he breathed deep to fill his lungs with fresh air.
A faint scent of human made him turn, but there was no one there. Only the door he’d left open behind him, and at the far side of the deck an open lounging area with a hot tub, the lid strangely askew.
A hand draped over the far edge, just visible from his new position.
Hell.
Tyler raced forward, reached into the water and scooped up the limp body of a blonde woman. Her head had been resting on a drink holder, the only thing that had kept her from becoming completely submerged.
“Wake up, little mermaid.” Tyler cradled her against him. He nudged the door open and brought her inside, dripping wet, examining her face for a reaction. She was breathing, but shallowly. He lowered her onto the couch then pulled a handy throw blanket over her shivering torso. “Can you hear me?”
Her lips moved, eyelashes fluttering. Nothing but slight muttering to his question.
Damn it. He had to call someone, and now. He leaned over her to snatch the phone from the side table. Her arms flailed. In his unprotected position, one hand connected sharply with his nose, and he grunted in pain.
Ignoring the phone for a second, he tucked her in again, holding down her arms to stop her from hurting herself or taking more pot shots at his face. “You don’t need to hit me, I’m trying to help you.”
“Bear…”
The word whispered past her lips, and Tyler paused. Leaned in closer and sniffed.
The scent of wolves clung to his waterlogged woman, but she wasn’t wolf. Human through and through, yet the fact she’d just called him a bear?
Something was happening he wanted to get to the bottom of.
“Can you hear me?”
Her lips moved steadily, drawing his attention to them. For the first time he paused long enough to look the rest of her over. Her blonde hair stuck up in spots, the pale colouring all the way to the roots. Her skin was pale as well—whether from soaking in his tub or her natural colour, he wasn’t sure. The deep red of her lips contrasted sharply against her skin, a delicate pout forming on their soft
surface as she attempted to speak.
Speaking of bears, his was at full alert. The beast bumped to the surface, keen on him shifting for some reason. While he was the bear and the bear was him, there was one part of his brain that remained independent. His human side reasoning, rational. His animal side more…well, animal. Earthier and more connected to the wilder roots of shifterdom.
He understood why his bear was interested. Pretty face and pretty body, the swells of her breasts rose and fell as her breathing evened out and grew stronger. That was the reason he was staring at her chest, to make sure she was recovering from her ordeal. Not because he could see straight through the wet shirt and the bra underneath it. Not because the lush redness of her lips seemed to be reflected in the tips of those breasts…
Tyler shook his head to make his brains settle back in place.
Damn bear.
His mystery woman sucked in a deep breath, her eyes opening all the way. “Frack.”
He soothed her, attempting to keep her horizontal on the couch without actually forcing her back. “You should stay still.”
Her gaze darted over his face, and this adorable little crease appeared between her brows. “Who are you?”
Caution made him word his answer carefully. If this was someone planted by another bear clan, he wanted to know, so he used the oldest ploy in the book. His friend would understand. “I’m Justin. What’s your name?”
“Caroline.” Her eyes widened. “Why am I soaking wet?”
“I found you in my hot tub. I hoped you could tell me—”
“Oh, shoot.”
She would have surged upward, and this time he made contact, hands to her shoulders, to keep her from jerking to vertical. “Don’t. You nearly drowned. Until you remember what happened, you shouldn’t move.”
The fabric separating his palms and her skin warmed, and the scent of her skin grew stronger. She relaxed onto the overstuffed fabric as she tentatively touched the back of her head.