Wolf Signs (6 page)

She nodded with enthusiasm and slipped away to change.

Keil wanted to give her some time alone to think about everything she’d learned, but his wolf refused to let her head out unprotected. Split personalities

were tough to deal with at the best of times, and right now, Keil’s wolf was pissed. It didn’t see what the problem was and why there was no marking and

mating happening.

Me too, bud, Keil thought.

He let his eyes trace over Robyn’s hips as she tucked in her long-sleeved undershirt. In his mind he could already feel the weight of her body slipping over

his shaft as he held onto those hips and helped her ride him. His aching cock pressed up against his ski pants and he had to adjust himself.

Again.

Yup, he was al for making the sacrifice to help her be able to shift to wolf.

Part of him wanted to send TJ back to civilization ahead of time, giving them some privacy. Only with the way TJ skied, he couldn’t be left alone. The boy

would probably get lost, or break a ski, or have some other disaster,

Damn. Trapped in the bush with his mate and an unwanted chaperone.

No, it was for the best. He needed to give Robyn time to adjust. Time to talk to her family and be able to accept the changes that would take place if she

triggered her wolf. It wouldn’t be fair either to make her ful wolf and his mate if he died in the chal enge on Sunday. It would be far better to wait until after

the weekend when he’d have the proper time and energy to court her.

Even if it made every cel in his body scream in protest at the thought of waiting.

He watched as Robyn removed three avalanche monitors from the shelf and set them to the same frequency, checking the blinking lights to be sure they

worked.

“No way, Keil. Oh man, you know I hate wearing those things. Tel her I don’t have to,” TJ whined.

Robyn held out the devices to the men, her eyebrow rising at the sight of TJ pul ing back and hiding his hands behind his back.

“I hate them.”

Robyn’s shrug said she didn’t care what he thought as she stepped up to him, slipped the strap over his neck and fastened the waist belt. She reached up

and patted TJ’s pouting cheek while she batted her eyes and gave him an evil grin.

“I feel like a dog with a col ar.”

Robyn snorted and turned to make sure Keil wore his monitor correctly.

“I do this for a living, Robyn, you’l get no complaints from me.” Keil reached and adjusted the straps around her waist, unkinking a section of elastic to

make it lie flat against her body.

His fingers traced along the straps smoothing over her torso, and his heartbeat increased at the feel of her under his hands. He looked up and saw her

watching him. She swal owed hard, and her tongue darted out to moisten her bottom lip.

“It’l feel better if it’s even under your coat.” Keil’s hands paused for a moment touching the tops of her hipbones. She was halfway into the embrace of his

arms, and he wanted nothing more than to complete the move and pul her to him. To feel her pressed along his whole torso. To lower his mouth to hers

and taste her.

She shifted as he leaned closer, temptation pul ing him, her eyes drawing him like a magnet. Closer her mouth came as he reached farther around her

body with his hands to caress over her back.

A sudden sharp pain shot through his left buttock, shoving him hard into Robyn’s body as they careened backward toward the table.

“What the—?” Keil roared as he grasped Robyn and swung her around to avoid crushing her.

Behind them TJ threw gear left and right as he dug through his pack. His ski poles were tucked under his arm, extended backward, and every move he

made shot the pointed tips in their direction.

“You bloody fool!” Keil attempted to grab the moving poles but they kept dancing out of reach. A sudden extra enthusiastic twist by TJ forced the poles

hard toward them.

Keil pushed Robyn to the side as he shouted, “TJ, freeze!”

The solid
thunk
of the ski tip spearing into the wood table final y pul ed TJ away from his rummaging to look closer at them.

Robyn and Keil stood side by side, the ski pole quivering as it jutted into the room from between their hips. TJ’s innocent expression was beyond

irritating.

“What?”

“TJ, you’re a menace to everyone around you.” Keil growled as he yanked the offending pole out and held it to his brother.

“How did that get there?”

Keil twisted toward Robyn and, placing a hand on her shoulder, made sure she could see his lips move.

“Is there an appropriate sign to tel my younger brother that he’s a shithead and if he doesn’t watch it, I’l tie him to the outhouse with a short leash?”

Robyn made a show of turning to face TJ and shaking her arms. Then she slowly raised her hand and flipped TJ her middle finger.

“Yeah,” Keil said, “I thought that should about cover it.”

They skied single file down the lake, Robyn fol owing Keil as he broke trail. He insisted on going first and Robyn fought back a laugh. He was very much

like Tad, refusing to let anyone work harder than him.

Stil , it gave her time to let her mind wander as she simply fol owed the ridges he left in the snow. While everything she’d been told this morning seemed to

be impossible, the proof of TJ’s change into his wolf form made it clear that this wasn’t some practical joke they were trying to put by her.

There was also the matter of her instant attraction to the large male striding in front of her. Robyn lifted her gaze to watch him ski, efficient as he worked to

make tracks in the foot of soft snow that lay on the surface of the frozen lake. Something about him fascinated her.

Like a deer in the headlights of a fast-approaching truck, she was waiting for the impact to knock her sil y.

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 al 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 kil 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 swal owed. She lowered the bottle slowly and smiled at

him. This courting business was going to be fun.

“I’l head uphil . 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 hil 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 actual y hurts to think about disobeying him.”

Robyn pointed to Keil and herself fol owed 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.

“Tel me.”

“Arghhhhh! Damn. Fine, I’l spil . Keil didn’t tel 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 al that. He’s being noble.” TJ stared up the hil side where Keil was making the first switchback. “Keil is going

to chal enge for the leadership of our pack on Sunday. He’s way stronger than the other guy, and I know Keil can win.

“Only the chal enge is in both human and wolf form, and it can get a little messy, especial y if either chal enger’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. Wel , 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 chal enge.”

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. Al 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 bal s staying attached to my body.”

He handed back the water bottle and motioned for her to take the lead up the hil .

They climbed, using the long shal ow switchbacks Keil had set to make the ascent easier. Robyn glanced over her shoulder to see TJ fol owing 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 pul ed out a

smal 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 stil 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 pul ed 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’l have you know that once you

can shift to wolf, I’l 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 wil 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 al pack politics, life-and-death

situations, Captain Kirk, I mean Keil, to the rescue.”