Vivian Arend: Wolf Tracks

“Pam, I’d like you to meet TJ. He’s a good friend and works with Erik as a wilderness guide. He’s going to be our best man.”

TJ held out his hand, stepping closer, and she forced herself to resist backing away. She grasped his fingers, intending to give him a firm business-like handshake when he flipped her palm down and raised her hand to his mouth. “My pleasure. Really.”

He leaned forward and kissed her knuckles. An icy chill slipped up her spine and oh my God, her body grew instantly wet. Damn! Did he just lick her skin? She knew she was staring, but there seemed to be no way to tear her gaze from his. Even after he straightened, he refused to let her fingers drop and she stood there like some freaking garden gnome statue with her hand limp-wristed in his, hoping by some weird circumstance they’d magically turn out to be standing alone in a bedroom with a mattress on the firm side bumping the back of her knees. Lust stole her tongue.

“TJ?” Maggie elbowed him and he shook himself, like he was waking up. He took a deep breath and his eyes widened even farther. Pam glanced away, anywhere had to be safer than staring into those fuck-me-now bedroom eyes. Until she noticed she’d lowered her gaze and watched the front of his dress pants tent, his erection growing more and more obvious.

“Pam?” She dragged her gaze up to see Maggie examining her with concern. “I think we need to go downstairs. Right now.” Maggie tugged her arm, pulling her toward the top of the stairs and away from the fascinating young man in the tuxedo.

With a deep sense of regret, Pam turned her back on the dark god who watched her with hungry eyes.

Shit.

Shit .

TJ swallowed hard and immediately regretted it. His tongue had picked up the flavour of the woman Maggie had dragged off and now the chemicals once again raced through his body, making him ache.

Shit.

How was it possible? Maggie had pulled him aside to warn him, again, he couldn’t let her friend know anything about them being wolves because Pam was full human. He was not to let the werewolf out of the bag, so to speak. He felt a little indignant Maggie treated him like a child and expected him to screw up. Just because he’d accidentally shifted once before. Or twice. But both those instances were years ago. He was twenty-two, and while he still preferred his wolf form for high-dexterity moves, his human was getting better. Besides, Keil had already issued orders in his high and mighty alpha voice for all pack members to remain unfurry for the duration of the wedding. No one would disobey his direct command.

Still… shit .

It was a good thing Maggie had warned him, because incredibly his first impulse upon laying eyes on the beauty was to shift and bury his nose in her dark brown hair. He wanted to sniff her all over, then change back to human form to lick her, starting at her toes and getting delightfully distracted long before reaching anywhere near her throat.

His cock ached, and his vision blurred. Damn if his hearing wasn’t buzzing as well. Suddenly the world began to shake and he wondered how badly he’d lost it before he realized Erik had grabbed him by the arms and stared into his face with concern.

“TJ? What the hell is up? Maggie called me through our mental link and told me to get up here and deal with you. Were you about to shift?”

That settled TJ quickly.

“No!” Crap, not another doubter of his ability to hold it together. Although something was seriously fucked. He sighed. “It’s just…”

He closed his eyes and took a deep sniff. Erik’s scent was the strongest, followed by Maggie’s, but wrapping around them both was a tantalizing and intoxicating aroma that tickled his libido and kicked it into overdrive. “Erik, are we sure Pam doesn’t have wolf in her bloodline?”

Erik leaned back and crossed his arms. “Positive. Maggie lived with her for years. Both the Omegas have met her and she’s pure human. One hundred percent.” His gaze narrowed. “What are you not saying?”

TJ wrinkled his nose. “You know how you’ve always said I’ve got a keen sense of smell?”

“The best in the pack.”

He snorted and shook his head. “Then you’ll be pleased to know my awesome sniffer has just told me Maggie’s best friend, fully human and not possibly eligible for the honour…is my fucking mate.”

He’d found a new form of hell. TJ paced slowly around the outer edge of the backyard, his freaking mate on his arm and all he could talk about was…nothing. He couldn’t tell her he was weak at the knees at the thought of finding her. Couldn’t say how important she was to him. He concentrated on keeping his feet on the ground because there was no way he was going to trip and be an ass in front of her.

Erik had made him swear he wouldn’t say anything prematurely. Until TJ talked to his brother, the Alpha, chatting up his mate was outlawed, and the kicker was Erik had actually pulled a Beta move and ordered TJ to stay quiet. The damn hierarchy of the pack froze his tongue. Now torn between the dire need to haul Pam off somewhere private to bind them together for the rest of their days and the violent need to obey a direct command—TJ was screwed.

He glanced sideways to admire her again. A few dark strands had fallen from the fancy hairdo, framing her face. She smiled at everyone, but the tension in her body screamed at him and all he wanted to do was ease her burden.

“You okay?”

She met his gaze then flushed darker. “How many times do we do this?”

“Walk the loop? Three. You should slow down a bit so we don’t step on Erik’s and Maggie’s heels.” He pulled his elbow in so the back of her fingers touched his ribs. True, there were a few layers of clothing between them, but it was better than nothing.

This was driving him mad. He smelled her skin, the natural perfume of her body. Her arousal. His heart pounded, and he strove to keep his face neutral and not pant like a dog. How everyone around didn’t notice they were both leaking mating scents was beyond his comprehension.

Another deep breath made his mouth water and his cock jerk. There was no denying it. It was impossible and it had happened. His one-and-only forever mate was a human.

He was okay with it. It was weird and insane, but since they were mates, there was a reason for it and they’d figure it out. First it seemed he was going to have to not only convince her they belonged together, but the entire leadership of his pack.

Starting with big brother Keil and his mate Robyn. The Alphas of the Granite Lake pack sat in the front row with their little girl perched quietly on Keil’s knee. Robyn frowned at TJ, using sign language to unobtrusively ask what was wrong. He shook his head quickly. This wasn’t going to be an easy explanation.

Pam unconsciously rubbed her fingers up and down his arm. The slight movement taunted him. Drove him insane. He reached over and placed his other hand on top of hers.

“Don’t.”

She stiffened in response and tried to pull away. Pain raced through him at having his mate unsure and a little frightened, and suddenly he didn’t give a damn what his Beta had told him. His tongue loosened, the restriction binding him falling away. He was going to care for her, let her know everything was going to be okay. If he happened to mention he wanted her sometime during the conversation…so be it.

He leaned his head closer, breathing in as much of her scent as possible. “It’s okay. You were tickling me. I like you holding me, but the rubbing was distracting.”

She stayed silent for a moment then adjusted her grip. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”