pushed them out into the current.
“I hate wet socks.” Jared complained from the front of the canoe.
Maggie laughed at him. “You’re not wearing socks.”
Erik laughed. “Okay. Practice time. Everyone draw on the right.”
They practiced maneuvering the canoe until Erik felt they should at least survive the trip. The rest of
the competitors had settled into a pattern around them. There were two canoes alone in the lead, a group of
six or seven close around the Granite Lake team, and another larger pack behind them.
“Buoy approaching on the right,” Jared shouted.
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Wolf Games
Erik checked the river. “We’ll try for this one, then we need to slip over to the left more.”
Three other canoes all veered the same direction and suddenly the river grew crowded. Erik steered
their craft to the side but it was too late. One canoe rammed them in the bow, another slammed into the
other side.
“Shit.” TJ’s paddle went flying. He managed to grab the seat, the boat rocking as he attempted to
regain his balance.
Erik ruddered hard, even as Maggie’s quiet voice rose over the confusion and shouts of the other
teams. “I saw the symbol. We can go.”
They pulled away from the mess of boats. Once they were back in the current, Erik reached under his
feet and poked the swearing TJ in the back with a spare paddle.
“You eat with that mouth? Here.” The look of delight on TJ’s face made Erik grin. “Just hold on to it
tight, okay? We’ve only got one spare left.”
“I thought you were going to call out the symbols, Maggie?” Jared glanced over his shoulder at her.
“I figured just in case someone didn’t see it, I shouldn’t announce it for them all. It looked like a
cowboy hat with a triangle underneath.”
The crowd of boats slowly spread out. Clusters of twos and threes still paddled beside each other, but
with each buoy Granite Lake managed to lose another of their closest competitors. They made it past three
more buoys before Erik decided it was enough.
“The rapids are around this corner. I think we should just concentrate on finishing strong and not
worry about the final clues.”
The team was silent for a minute before Maggie spoke. “I
am
getting tired.”
Jared nodded. “I vote for finishing. If you noticed the canoes ahead of us, not one of them stopped to
get any of the extra clues. I think the four we saw is enough.”
They settled into a paddling pattern. There was a certain joy in moving in synchronization with the
group this way. Not as good as running in a pack, but with a rhythm and a beauty to it all the same. Erik
admired Maggie’s arms and shoulders as she paddled, watching the way her muscles moved under the skin.
He’d love to see her body shifting like that on top of him, rocking from side to—
damn
. This was not the
time to get distracted thinking about his mate.
He steered them toward the safest channel just as a loud ruckus behind them made him check over his
shoulder.
Oh shit.
“Holy crap! Did you see that?” Jared gasped his surprise.
“Eyes forward, Jared. You need to keep to your task as lookout.”
“But they dumped the other team!”
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Vivian Arend
Erik shook his head. “Keep paddling, crew. Yeah, we’ve got a group trying an unusual method to gain
points. Concentrate on the river in front of us and let me worry about the cheaters.” TJ and Maggie
exchanged worried glances before paddling madly. “Whoa, no rush. Just paddle. Trust me.”
He laughed. He’d wondered when someone would get creative. While wolves followed a strict code
of conduct in governance, one of the sub-rules was if you were powerful enough, you could make your own
rules.
Another shout rose from behind and he watched for a moment as the cheating team came alongside
their next victim and made short work of tipping them over. Erik considered a defense and decided they’d
never know what hit them.
“TJ, you remember when we guided that family reunion down the Stikine?”
“Are you freaking kidding? I still have nightmares…no, oh no. Holy shit, you can’t be serious—?”
“On my command.”
“Crapola. Yes, sir.”
“Erik. What’s happening?” Maggie sounded frightened and he wanted to reassure her, but there was
no time. In a rush the other canoe was at their side, three of their team all at the ready to grasp the side of
the Granite Lake craft.
“Now?” TJ asked, his voice coming out high and squeaky.
“Wait for it.” Erik glanced over at the captain in the rear. He should have known. “Darren. Having a
good time so far? You and the team?” There weren’t many people Erik actively disliked, but Darren topped
his shit list.
The captain of the Anchorage team startled at Erik’s bland response, then grinned widely, his canines
showing. “Wonderful time. We’ll see you at the finish line, dripping wet.”
Erik shrugged. “If you insist. Now, TJ.”
TJ leapt, his long limbs propelling him into the air and over the side. He came down hard in the
neighbouring boat.
Maggie squealed as their canoe rocked. Jared dropped into the bottom to help stabilize it. Erik threw
himself down as well, cracking his paddle on the knuckles of the other team where they clasped the
gunnels. Shouts of pain rang out, the hands released and with a clatter the boats sprang apart.
“What the hell—?” Darren’s angry shout was following by an enormous splash.
Erik, Maggie and Jared sat up slowly to watch the opposing team flounder around their capsized craft.
Somehow their canoe had flipped over completely and TJ clung precariously to the bottom, his arms and
knees spread like he was in his wolf form. Erik snickered in appreciation at Darren’s expression until a
change in the roar of water alerted him. They all spun to see the towers of rock rapidly approaching. They
grabbed their paddles and slid back into position.
“Draw on the right, Maggie. Jared, forward on the left. Don’t panic, we’ve got time.”
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Wolf Games
“What about TJ?” Maggie asked, concern tingeing her voice.
“He’s probably going to get wet. We figured it was a very real possibility from the start. Hard! Paddle
hard!” Erik judged the distance to the approaching rocks. Finally they were in the correct line.
Good
. They
still had time. “Back paddle. Now.”
The rush of water forced them forward no matter how much they struggled against it, but there was
enough difference in momentum that the canoe carrying TJ caught up to them. It could all be for nothing if
this didn’t work. Erik knelt on the bottom, his knees spread wide to try to reduce the coming rocking.
“When I call out, brace yourselves.”
Erik took a deep breath. He reached out his hand and grabbed TJ’s wrist. “Now!” One solid yank
brought TJ flying across the space between the canoes, his arms and legs flailing wildly. He landed in a
heap in front of Erik, gasping for air as the other canoe flipped and filled with water.
“Erik!” Jared shouted a warning.
There was no time to do anything but pick up his paddle and slam it into the water. Erik leaned hard,
using the blade like a rudder, steering them away from the rapidly approaching rock formation. Jared
whooped as a sudden cross-eddy dragged them past the jagged rock edges to the safety of the downstream
side.
They all sat back and let the current carry them, the canoe spiraling in a gradual 360-degree circle.
Erik sucked in a calming breath and stared up at the sky. The adrenaline rush faded, his pounding heartbeat
slowed.
A loud cheer rose from the people watching along the observation platforms as Granite Lake crossed
the finish line. Erik brought them into the docking area set up farther down the river, more than satisfied
with his team’s efforts. Maggie and Jared scrambled out first, chatting excitedly as they waited on the dock
for him to join them. He picked Maggie up and spun her in a circle, his heart jumping as she gave him a big
juicy kiss then hung onto his neck, grinning with delight.
“That was awesome. Can we do it again?”
He laughed. “I knew you had an adventurous streak. You didn’t even throw up.”
She dropped her head on his shoulder and spoke quietly. “I’m not happy about being with the other
wolves, but being with you feels better and better. I…like you, Erik. I like your sense of justice.”
Her confession thrilled him more than finishing another challenge. He squeezed her tight before
carefully putting her down, keeping one arm draped around her shoulders to block her from the other teams
walking by. Glancing into the bottom of the canoe, he found TJ still lying there with his eyes closed, a huge
grin pasted on his face.
Erik squatted by the side of the dock. “You planning on coming with us? Because I can send out for a
pizza or something if you’re staying the night.”
TJ opened his eyes and let out a big contented breath. “I didn’t screw up, did I?”
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Vivian Arend
Erik laughed. “No. You did just fine.”
TJ sat up and nodded. “Maybe there’s hope for me after all.”
“Maybe.” Erik stood and reached for Maggie. She slapped a hand over her mouth and her eyes
popped open wide just as a loud splash rang out.
The canoe drifted away down the river as TJ clung to the mooring rope. He bobbed up and down in
the water, swearing softly. A huge sigh escaped him. “Then again, maybe not.”
Darren and his team sloshed past, their faces grim. The leader turned to glare at Erik, his gaze raking
Maggie’s body. Erik stepped in front of her slightly. He didn’t want the ass anywhere near her. Not when
she’d come so far in facing her fears.
“Nice teamwork, Erik.” Darren growled. “You going to introduce me to your lady?”
Maggie ducked under his arm, her face buried in Erik’s side. “Looks like she’s not interested. Keep
walking, there’s nothing here for you.”
Darren raised a brow, his gaze flicking between Erik and the little bit of Maggie still showing.
“Interesting. We’ll see you in the next challenge.”
They stomped off, their dripping bodies leaving a trail behind.
60
Maggie knocked on the door of the hotel room next to hers, her heart beating loud enough she was
surprised they couldn’t already hear her standing outside. She didn’t really want to do this, but since she
saw no alternative, she was going to put on her big-girl panties and force herself to have a good time. If she
didn’t pass out first from nerves. Jared opened the door and whistled in appreciation.
“My oh my, you clean up nice.”
Maggie spun in a circle, the layers of her skirt floating around her. Now that she knew he was safe,
Jared reminded her of nothing more dangerous than a golden retriever. “Why thank you, kind sir. Is the rest
of my harem ready to escort me to the ball?”
He snorted and gestured her in. “TJ’s still in the shower and Erik disappeared thirty minutes ago,
saying he needed to grab some stuff.”
Maggie sat in the overstuffed chair in the corner of the enormous suite. There was a wet bar behind
her, a comfortable sofa facing a massive wall-mounted TV and an office studio off to the side. “I can’t
believe they put us in a five-star hotel in Dawson City. I’ve never experienced the kind of luxury we’ve had
for the past three days.”
Jared raised a brow. “What? Just ’cause we’re wolves doesn’t mean we don’t know how to behave in
high society.” He straightened the collar of his white shirt and pulled on a suit jacket. Maggie admired the
results. The boy was a walking advertisement for GQ, wolf style. “Damn, can you help me with this? I can
never get it straight.”
She slapped his hands out of the way to work on his tie. “Staying here is just such a contrast. They
start us out with a hike through the wilderness, throw us in the Yukon River and then plant us in Dawson to
cool our heels? I mean I’ve loved the sightseeing and the sleeping in a real bed. And the food…oh my
Lord, I’ve gained ten pounds.” She shrugged. “I thought they would make us head right away for the next
challenge.”
He stepped back to check himself in the mirror. “Remember these Games are supposed to be like the
wolf equivalent of the Olympics. Yeah, we all want to do our best, but there’s also the good-will-between-packs part. It’s a chance to show we can be together without starting territory wars like in the old days.”
Maggie collapsed back into the chair. “Jared…I’m going to confess. You guys from the Granite pack
are not like any wolves I’ve met before.”
Vivian Arend
TJ leapt out of the bathroom, stark naked, dripping wet and singing into a hairbrush at the top of his
lungs. Jared eyed him for a moment before turning to face Maggie, one brow lifted high. “You were
saying?”
She burst out laughing. Jared joined her and the two of them gasped for air as TJ stood in the middle
of the room, a confused expression on his face.
“What?”
The main door opened and Erik wandered in, checking out TJ as he paced around him. “Interesting
attire. I take it you’re going for the super formal look.”
“Ha, ha.” TJ dragged a towel over his body and nodded at Erik in his jeans and T-shirt. “What’s with