The pack quieted at Keil’s words, and everyone resumed eating and chatting. She couldn’t do this.
She’d ruin everything for the whole lot of them, and the Games were a big deal. More than a few curious glances were thrown her way as she excused herself and made her way over to Erik.
“I need to talk to you.”
The pleasure in his eyes at her request hurt. She didn’t want to be the one to ruin what should be a special day. She tugged him back into the corner of the hall. He knelt by her side so their heads were closer to level.
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.”
30
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Wolf Games
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.
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31
Chapter Five
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.