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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57
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.