Wolf Tracks (3 page)

“Really?” Maggie leaned closer and whispered. “Who?”

“That one.” Pam pointed at Erik and laughed out loud when Maggie elbowed her.

“Hands off, sugar, get your own Friendly Giant.”

The music started again, a slow tempo this time and Maggie pulled Pam in for a hug. “Time for the first dance, then Erik and I are going to sneak away. I’ll see you at dinner tomorrow, okay?”

Pam kissed her cheek quickly. “Don’t worry about me. It’s not like you’re throwing me to the dogs.”

Maggie snorted loudly. “At least you know how to handle them.”

“Trust me, I can handle the two-legged variety as well as I deal with the four-legged. Now go on, your big brute is waiting and even though I still think I could take him down, I’m going to be nice and not hurt him before you get to enjoy tonight.”

Erik held out his hand and Maggie joined him with a laugh and the two of them spun off onto the dance floor. Pam let out a long, slow breath. It was clear they were very much in love. Maybe it would work out. The lights of the hall dimmed and a disco ball turned on. Pam fought back a snicker as sparkles danced over the walls and the lone pair in the spotlight.

Someone stepped in behind her, the heat of his solid body hitting her back as he wrapped his hands around her waist and gently nestled them together.

TJ.

Cocky bastard, really. She debated slamming a heel on his instep, or flipping him over her shoulder, just to teach him a lesson, but watching Maggie and Erik float around the floor had mellowed her too much.

“You should be careful putting the moves on a girl like that. You might lose something important,” she warned.

He ignored the threat and rested his chin on her shoulder. The heat radiating between them tempted her. “They fit awesome together, don’t they?”

His breath brushed her cheek, warm and sweet smelling. Her mouth watered, but she didn’t want to talk romance with him.

“They look…unbalanced. What was Maggie thinking getting involved with someone so much taller than her?”

He
hmmed
. “They were probably thinking that when it’s right, there’s no denying you’ve found the one you want.”

Oh lordy, his thumbs stroked her waist, and he nuzzled under her ear. Did she want this? Heat flushed her. She had to decide, and quick. She could lead him out onto the dance floor and enjoy his touch in public, or they could find a dark corner and see what else came up.

So to speak.

He tugged her backward and her body overruled her mind. They slipped into the shadows at the side of the hall, ducking behind a room divider. He pressed her against it, his solid body very, very warm. Her heart rate increased, as did the tingling sensation between her thighs, and she squeezed her legs together to stop the ache.

Man-oh-man, his eyes were so incredible she swore he was using some kind of hypnosis. Turning away was impossible as he stared at her, tracing her hair, her face, one finger outlining her lips before he slowly lowered his head and brought their mouths together.

He brushed his lips over hers like a gentle breeze, his fingers tugging her hair to redirect the angle of her head until their mouths meshed together. Tentative strokes of his tongue brushed fleetingly past her teeth. Teasing, barely giving her a taste of him before he broke away and dropped his forehead against hers.

“Holy shit, you taste good,” he panted. “Incredibly fabulous. I’d never dreamed a woman could taste like you. Or make me feel the way you make me feel.”

Screw the sweet talk. She hadn’t had nearly enough of his kisses. She tried to regain possession of his lips. Arched her back in an attempt to press their bodies together and let her feel his muscles, his desire for her.

He groaned softly. “You’re killing me. We shouldn’t…”

She stepped on either side of his leg and pasted her aching crotch to his thigh. A short gasp escaped her as the impact made her clit throb.

“Fuck it.” TJ grabbed her butt and dragged her hard against him, wrestling control from her as this time he kissed her senseless. Sucked the air from her lungs, twined their tongues together. An almost desperate, mindless, seeking touch. He demanded her response and she gave it eagerly. The pleasure in her sex rose like a rocket blasting into outer space.

His hands were everywhere. Skimming her torso, touching her breasts. Clutching her hips and grinding her hard onto his thigh. Excitement washed over her, the rapid beat of her pulse making her lightheaded, out of breath. He licked a path down her neck, nibbled on her collarbone and something electric shot to her core.

“I want you, Pam,” he growled against her skin. “You’re going to be mine.”

Sheesh
, that comment pushed a few wrong buttons, but right here, right now? She wasn’t about to argue with his macho-sexist statement as long as he kept doing what he was doing. Lost beyond all reason, she teetered on the edge of an orgasm and if he stopped she would kill him. Pam clasped his head in her hands and hauled his mouth to hers as she leaned back and tried to find the final touch she needed to go over the edge.

The barrier at her back wobbled for a second, then tilted to the north. All their weight went with the wall as it tipped, crashing to the floor with them on top. She smothered her curses as the flames of desire building between them evaporated into thin air.

TJ’s heavy breathing echoed in her ear as they unwound tangled limbs. The damn disco lights flickered over them, showcasing their undignified situation. Partygoers congregated to stare with concern and offer helping hands. Pam scrambled to her feet, but all she could think about was the aching need in her core and the sweet taste of him lingering in her mouth.

Chapter Three

Keil pinched the bridge of his nose and TJ attempted to stand in one place and not fidget like a naughty school kid hauled in front of the principal.

“She’s your mate.”

“Screw it, Keil, I’ve told you a dozen times. If all you’re going to do is repeat ‘she’s your mate’ in a tone of voice suggesting I’m more than slightly brain-dead, we’re hardly going to get anywhere with this conversation, are we?”

Robyn laughed.

“It’s not funny,” Keil complained.

Robyn tugged his arm and cupped her mate’s face in her hands, staring into his eyes.

TJ watched as his brother and sister-in-law discussed him. He knew they were doing it, that talking-between-themselves thing mates could do. He sighed. Well, most mates. He doubted he and Pam would be able to, since she wasn’t wolf. Still, he wasn’t going to argue with fate.

She was most definitely the one. Kissing the woman had been better than any sexual experience he’d had before in his life. He’d been rapidly approaching the point where he would have embarrassed himself and come in his pants. Then he’d managed, again, to muck things up.

So now he waited to be disciplined like a disobedient puppy by his Alpha pair. What he wanted to do was figure out a way to find Pam and finish what they’d started. If she’d even speak to him after being rescued from the tangled mess they’d ended up in on the floor. Thankfully the lights had been dim enough everyone thought it was nothing more than his usual clumsy self, and not the two of them fooling around, that caused the accident.

A tug on his sleeve brought him back from his mental wanderings. Robyn smiled at him and used American Sign Language to talk to him. She signed slowly—he had learned a lot, but still wasn’t fluent.

“If Pam is your mate, how are you going to deal with it?”

TJ hesitated. “You mean, like will I tell her about being a wolf?”

Robyn nodded.

Shit, he hadn’t thought about that. Hell if he knew. He tapped his right fingertips against his forehead several times then flung his hand to the right, ending with his palm out and all five fingers raised.

Robyn blew out a long, slow breath. “You don’t know. So if we suggest you proceed slowly until you have figured it out, would that make sense?”

Fuck
. “Why do you have to be so logical?” he complained.

“Would you prefer we ordered you to stay away from her until she leaves Alaska?” his brother asked. Keil came and stood next to Robyn, the two of them together an immovable wall.

“She’s my mate. You wouldn’t be so cruel.”
Would they?

“We’re not trying to hurt you, but we have to figure out the best thing for the entire pack. If she is your mate, and I’m not denying it, it’s going to make things bloody awkward around here.” Keil crossed his arms and leaned back on the table. “We’ve finally got the pack to the point they aren’t complaining about full-blood and half-breed issues nearly so much, and now this?”

TJ ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “I didn’t do it on purpose.”

“No, but it’s potentially pretty volatile to have a full human enter the mix.”

“I’m not giving her up.”

Robyn shook her head. She pushed Keil until he moved his bulk away with a sigh. “Fine, you talk to him. I’m going back to the party to make sure none of the pack gets into too much shit.”

Keil kissed Robyn before he left—a sweet and tender kiss—and TJ’s throat tightened with something between happiness and envy. He’d always wanted to have a mate. To have someone to care for and enjoy their company, like he’d witnessed between his older brother and his wife. And now? It was potentially within his grasp.

Robyn settled on the couch. She checked him over carefully and TJ’s skin crawled.

“If you’re planning on using your Super Alpha Powers of Obedience on me, I want to say upfront—that would totally suck.”

She laughed as she lifted her hands to sign at him. “Keil tries so hard to be fair to the pack he forgets to be fair to you. No alpha shit, just one question.”

He sat across from her. In the past two and a half years since Robyn had joined the pack, she’d come a long way from being clueless about werewolves. Being deaf didn’t stop her from being one of the most powerful—and creative—leaders he’d ever known. Maybe she had an idea of how he should deal with the mess.

“One question?”

“You don’t know if she wants you…”

Well, if the little episode in the hall meant anything.

“…for anything other than a fling.” Robyn stared expectantly.

Damn
. “She’s my—”

“Mate. I know, but she’s not a wolf. You want her, and will always want her, but I don’t think it works the same with humans, does it?”

TJ shrugged. “Never thought about it. I mean, I know there are wolves and humans who are married, but most of them are outcast wolves, who live packless…”

His stomach fell. If he took Pam as a mate, would they expect him to leave? Granite Lake had always been his home, and while his mate was of vital importance, he didn’t want to give up his pack. His family. He dropped his head into his hands. Suddenly what should have been the most fabulous day of his life turned grey and cold.

Robyn touched his shoulder gently to get his attention. “We will never kick you out. If Pam is your mate, she’s a part of our family, no matter what.”

She stared at him for a little while and a nervous twitch started in his thigh. He jiggled his legs to try and hide his reaction. This was a lot more complicated than he’d ever expected it to be. Inside, his wolf fidgeted. It couldn’t understand why they were sitting here instead of sniffing out the delicious-smelling female who belonged to them.

“You need to give her time. If she accepts you as a human, you’ll have a better chance of her accepting you as a wolf. You can’t go off half-cocked on this one, TJ. Take the time, do it right and make it last.”

TJ snorted in derision. “How?”

“She’s registered for the next expedition with Keil’s wilderness excursion company. You’re going along as a guide. Give her a chance to get to know you a little better in a setting you’re comfortable in. See what happens, more than just physical attraction. But you must control your wolf.”

He and Keil had already been preparing for the next wilderness trip. There was a group of ten signed up, including Pam. While he appreciated Robyn had a point, having to court his mate around a large group of people was stupid. There might be safety in numbers and everything, but he didn’t want to have numbers. One plus one would be fine, thank you very much. An idea rumbled in the back of his mind and he tried very hard not to let anything show on his face. An excursion? Some time alone?

Oh yeah.

Loud clapping shook him from his reverie. Robyn lowered her hands and glared at him.

He leapt to his feet. “Sure, sounds great. Awesome idea, you know, taking some time to get to know her. You’re a genius. Gorgeous, and a genius. What did Keil ever do without you?”
Babbling
. He was officially babbling.

How fast could he get out of the room before she figured out something was amiss? He flashed her two thumbs up and dodged a footrest, aiming for the front door. “Well, gotta run. Lots to do in the next couple of days. Gotta get lots of sleep and keep my head and stay in control, right?”

He ducked outside before she could say anything like “What the hell are you planning and I forbid you to even think about pulling a fast one.” ’Cause what he had in mind was definitely on the not-going-to-be-approved list.

But this was his
mate
they were talking about here. Like Keil had waited longer than a day to claim Robyn. TJ headed back toward the hall, a brisk five-minute walk up the gravel road from his Alpha’s house. The music of the party carried through the air, and he hurried as fast as possible. The thought of finding Pam dancing with any of the other guys made the hair at the back of his neck stand upright. Oh no, waiting was out of the question. He pulled out his cell phone and made the first call. “Hey, Jared? Get your ass off the dance floor for five minutes. I need to talk to you.”

Pam threw herself on the couch in Maggie’s living room and groaned in frustration. Off in the distance she still heard dance music, but she’d lost interest after getting tossed to the ground like a piece of confetti. Well, not true. She’d brushed herself off, thankful for the dim lighting so no one saw how flushed her cheeks were. Still, accidents happen, and she’d been more than happy to head out onto the dance floor when the man of the moment had disappeared.