Vivian Arend - Wolf Games

Oh shit, was she really going to tell him? She had to. She grabbed him by the collar and put her lips inches from his ear to make her confession.

“I can’t shift.”

He’d wrapped his arms around her without her even noticing. Now his hands tightened where they held her waist. “What?”

She fought to get it out before she lost her courage and simply ran from the confining and overwhelming setting of the hall. “Some of the challenges are done in wolf form, right? I can’t shift. I haven’t for over seven years.”

Erik stared for a moment before folding her closer, their bodies touching.

“Thank you for telling me.” He kissed her forehead gently. “Don’t worry about it.”

Maggie gaped at him. “But…did you hear me? I can’t shift. We’ll automatically lose any challenge requiring us all to be wolves. I don’t need a group of wolves pissed off at me. I need to decline, or whatever.”

He shook his head. “You can’t decline. If you step down, we compete with three. No substitutes are allowed. As for the rest, you need to trust me. Remember the mate thing? We’re a couple and there’s no challenge we can’t face together.”

His totally honest and straightforward answer did something to the block of ice enclosing her heart. Maggie reached out and latched onto his collar again, dragging their lips together.

Instant need. Passion and desire rocked her body. Moreover, she felt safe. Loved. His fingers tangled in her hair as he angled her mouth to the side, his tongue stroking her lips, her teeth, the roof of her mouth. They wrapped around each other in the corner of the hall, and she was oblivious to anything but the raging fire sweeping over her.

A roar rose from the crowd. A mixture of laughter, jeers and moans.

Maggie jerked to attention and squirmed back. The sound, so overwhelming and loud, frightened her and she clung to his forearms even as Erik released her. He cupped her cheek for a moment. He led her back to the head table, keeping her safely tucked under his arm. “What’s the fuss?”

The chairman sniffed. “Didn’t you hear the selection for the final member of your team?”

Erik glanced down at Maggie and grinned. “Nope. I was kind of distracted.”

A long-limbed young man sauntered forward. Maggie frowned. He looked barely old enough to take part in the Games, although the resemblance to the pack Alpha was uncanny. So this was the younger brother she’d been told about.

“TJ?”

The gangly male flashed them double thumbs-up. “Hey, big guy. Let’s win this thing!” He reached to give Erik a high five, and tripped over his own feet.

The wind picked up as they left the natural harbor of Haines behind, cruising on the three-hour ferry ride to Skagway. Erik leaned on the railing and watched Maggie out of the corner of his eye. She sat by herself, away from where the rest of the group traveling to the Games lounged, laughing and goofing off.

He’d been busy the past two days. Not so busy he couldn’t have made time for her. Hell, all he wanted to do was spend time with her, but she’d asked for space to prepare herself for the contest. He’d given it to her.

Now he wondered if it had been the right choice. The sweet kisses she’d bestowed on him had revved his motor and made him long for her to join him full-time—in his bed and in his life. Now she stayed back. Separating herself from him and holding to her fear like a coat of armor.

Funny how quickly his perspective changed. Until last week the most important thing in his life had been his position as Beta to the pack, and his friendships with Keil and Tad. His job? It had always been an extension of being there for people. He’d long ago dealt with his demons and life had been floating along just fine.

Until Maggie.

For a small package she was a bundle of trouble. She ran hot and then cold, and both sides drove him nuts. Not only did the mate connection draw him to her, but he was used to protecting the weak. When she looked around, like she did now, with fear filling her pretty blue eyes, he could barely hold himself back from grabbing her and attempting to erase all her sadness.

Then she’d flip and get all tough and powerful, and that side was mighty attractive too. Both of them were strong wolves, and the temptation to see how strong she could be teased him. Sex between them was going to rock, if they could get past her freezing up every time he walked near.

The pack members wandered down the deck, leaving a clear path between Maggie and him. Pleasure filled him as she rose and made her way across the space, seeking him out. He opened his jacket to offer her protection from the wind. She wavered, her eyes dilating as she licked her lips. His body hardened.

She stepped back a pace and shook her head. “Don’t do that. Not now. I’m barely managing to hold it together.”

He shrugged. “Just thought I could warm you a bit.”

She stuck her hands in her pockets and stared up at the sky. “We need to talk about this whole situation. How are we supposed to deal with the contests? I can’t shift and I don’t really want to be around all these wolves.”

“It won’t be as bad when we start the competition. Usually they have staggered starts for events, depending on what they are. You’ll have only myself, Jared and TJ around.”

She lowered her head and he caught his breath. The blue orbs were filled with tears. “I don’t want to do this. Not any of it. I wish I could just go home.”

Screw being patient. Erik stepped forward and gathered her in his arms. He held her, rubbing her back and trying to get the tight knots in her shoulders to relax. Whatever burden she carried was driving him crazy.

“I know you don’t want me to say this, but sweetheart, you are home.”

Maggie pushed herself away until she could look into his eyes. “I’m scared.”

“I see that. But you’re also very strong. You’re also not alone. I’ll do what I can to help you. Unfortunately, whatever it is you fear, we’ll have to deal with eventually. The issue of your wolf, I’ll worry about. Trust me.”

“Trust you? Right.” She paced away, her arms folded over her chest. She glared at him. “This mate thing really sucks, you know? Because as much as I want to just go hide, I can’t help but want to be with you and it’s part of what scares me.”

Erik frowned. “Why would being with me scare you?”

Maggie hesitated.

Ah shit. “Is it because I’m so big?”

She dropped her gaze.

Great . Another instance of being judged at first glance. He hadn’t expected it from his mate and it hurt more than he thought it would. He turned away to face the water. The demons were buried deep, but obviously not as completely gone as he’d imagined. Her opinion mattered a great deal.

A soft touch on his sleeve caught his attention. He looked down into her gentle face. “It’s not your size. To tell the truth, I’m kinda…attracted to how big you are.” She blushed and he coughed lightly. Oh yeah. She rushed on. “What I’m scared about is you going all wolfie on me and being overprotective. I don’t need it. I can take care of myself.”

He shrugged. “I won’t go all he-man on you.”

“Oh yeah? You can control the wolf so well you won’t hurt anyone who touches me?” She walked away from him, leaning her back on the sidewall of the passenger compartment.

This conversation grew more confusing by the second. “What are you talking about?”

“I saw it. In the Whistler pack, there was an incident. Tell me it wouldn’t infuriate you if I…hugged someone. Or kissed them.”

Holy shit. Missy had told them a few stories about her time in her old pack, but there were obviously more issues than he’d been aware of. He crossed to her side and knelt to take her hands in his, warming them between his palms. “I wouldn’t like it, but I can behave responsibly. I don’t think my reaction would be any wilder than a typical human man. I do have control. I’ve worked hard at it.”