Vivian Arend - Wolf Line

The alternating colours of cream and coffee revolved like hypnotic artwork as a finger of steam rose from the surface of his drink. Jared Gilliland took a long sip and waited for the caffeine to soak through his system and kick his brain awake.

There was nothing better than enjoying an invigorating cup of java while relaxing on the premier harbour-view patio in all of Haines. He turned his face toward the early July sunshine, and contentment rolled over him. Okay, the fact he’d had a wickedly pleasurable night the previous evening with a sweet young thing also had something to do with the lazy satisfaction in his limbs.

His life was good. A trifle frustrating at times, perhaps, but on the whole, damn good.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you’d been up to something, just from your expression.”

Jared popped upright from his sprawl to discover his Beta closing in on the table. The massive man carried a tray covered with mugs. Behind him trailed a convoy of the Granite Lake wolves. Jared jumped to his feet and pulled a chair out of Erik’s way. “Who, me? Up to something? You’re just saying that because nine times out of ten, it’s true.”

Erik chuckled as he lowered his burden to the table. “I like that about you. Honest enough to admit your faults.”

“Well, now, I didn’t say it was a fault—creativity is one of my better qualities.” He dipped his head politely to Keil and Robyn, the pack Alphas, before glancing at the diminishing space around his table. “Umm, did you want me to leave?”

“Of course not.” Keil rested his hand on Robyn’s shoulder to hold her back for a second. “I thought you’d picked out the best table in the place especially for us to join you. You don’t mind, do you?”

Hot damn, no. This might not be as restful a morning as Jared had planned, but getting to spend time with the bigwigs of the pack was worth giving up a little R and R. “Happy to be of service. I’ve been fighting people off left and right to save this spot.”

Chairs settled in place, cups and goodies were passed out, and then there were seven. Jared might have felt more anxious if all of them weren’t so well known to him. From Keil and Robyn to Tad and Missy, who acted as Omegas for the pack, Jared had watched with admiration over the past two and a half years as they’d worked from within the Alaskan wolf pack to make it stronger than before.

Erik and his mate Maggie—he’d spent time with them on the trail during the wolf equivalent of the Amazing Race. It was tough to be intimidated by someone he’d crawled over rocks and splashed through creeks with.

“What’s the word on the renovations?” Keil tapped the table in front of Maggie. “And please tell me you’re not still trying to get the Teslin brothers to finish the plumbing for the new kitchen.”

“Hey, they have the skills. They’ve been a little distracted over the past couple weeks.” She shook her head and pointed at Erik. “It’s his fault.”

“Mine?”

“Yours. You gave approval for the contractor from the cruise ship to use the hall in the pack house for interviews. I can’t blame the guys for getting distracted when there’s been a constant stream of good-looking female wolves parading through the—”

Jared spoke without thinking. “Good-looking wolves?”

A sharp burst of laughter surrounded him, and he might have flushed for a moment. His reputation, well deserved, preceded him. He smiled sheepishly and grabbed a sip of his coffee. Lowering his cup revealed Robyn’s bright grin directly across from him.

They’d arranged themselves without thinking to make it easy for her to see their faces. Her skills in lip reading hadn’t changed when she became a full wolf, but somehow her deafness had become even less of an obstacle. She had an uncanny knack of analyzing people that allowed her to fit in easily with the hearing community. Of course, her willingness to slap down any out-of-line wolf might also explain why the pack remained on their best behavior around her.

Robyn spoke in sign language to her mate, and Keil laughed even harder. “I agree.”

Jared pressed closer. “What? I didn’t catch that.”

Keil tilted his cup toward Jared. “She was wondering why any of us are surprised to find your attention was caught by the idea of good-looking wolves. You’ve gone though the most amazing collection of females of anyone I’ve ever met. Before I met Robyn, I used to have a fair number…”

He trailed off as she crossed her arms, her expression changing subtly. Jared stifled his snort of amusement.

“…used to have all kinds of trouble finding a good woman to spend time with.” Keil folded his hands in front of him, resting his hamlike fists on the table. He smiled innocently at Robyn like a four-year-old, and not one of the scariest dudes in the entire state of Alaska, in human or wolf form. “There simply wasn’t anyone who could measure up to my high standards. I lived a sad and lonely life until you came into my world.”

She smiled and patted his cheek.

Erik shook his head. “We’ll all ignore the fact you just lied through your teeth.”

Maggie nodded in agreement, her blonde curls bouncing. “That would be less complicated, wouldn’t it?”

The teasing carried on for a short while, and Jared basked in a different kind of warmth than he’d been enjoying at the start of his coffee break.

Pack was family, and his had turned into one of the best around. Granite Lake had changed for the better over the past couple years. The group of shifters surrounding him was powerful enough to keep even unruly wolves in line, but they did it in a totally personable and fun way. There were new members coming to Haines all the time now wanting to join. It wasn’t just a remote place to live anymore. The harbourside Alaskan town had so much to offer to the new breed of adventurer moving north.

Not that he longed for adventure. Nope. The quiet life was more than enough of an exploit for him. He supposed. The yearning inside for something more could be shoved aside for a while longer.

Someone poked him in the arm. “You found a job for the summer yet?”

Jared scrambled mentally, pulling himself from his doldrums. One of the unwritten pack rules was work or they’d find work for you. He’d kept his actual business connections on the sly for so long, everyone thought the principle still applied to him. “Of course.”

Tad waited.

“Well, strictly speaking, it’s not a job job, but I promised to help at the Heritage Village while the cruise ships are in port. You know, dressing up and—”

“Seducing the visitors? Oh, Jared, when are you going to grow up and get going with your life?” Maggie shook her head, but she was smiling too hard to actually be upset.

Busted . That was a sweet side bonus. “Hey, positive tourism is a good thing for Haines. I figure the happier people are when they leave our fair shores, the better chance they’ll return.”

“And the casual hookups aren’t something you mind, right?” All the men at the table stared at Maggie in undisguised shock. She rolled her eyes. “Damn sex junkies, all you male wolves. Okay, let me rephrase that. Aren’t you looking for something more than casual sex at some point?”

Jared waited a full five seconds out of respect before blurting, “No. Never. Like not ever.”