“And sometimes it works the other way. It makes more sense—”
He grabbed the back of her neck, his hand warm and gentle on her skin even as his words cut and stabbed. “I’m sorry, there’s nothing that makes sense to me about abandoning my business, my life and my friends to go become a pampered boy toy for the Rockefellers of the wolf world. Not to mention moving somewhere I could be shot on sight—forget that shit.”
“But I’m supposed to give up everything to come live with you?”
“It’s where you belong.” Shaun brushed his thumb over her cheek as he spoke.
Disappointment, deep and heartfelt slammed into her. Her mate was as controlling as her father, and frankly, she’d had more than enough of being a docile little lamb.
She wasn’t about to give up the independence she’d worked so hard for over the past year. Maybe she appeared soft and fragile, but golly gee, she hadn’t spent all that time training and learning to stand on her own just to toss it away to mate with a footloose drifter.
She caught his hand in hers, stilling the caress that was simultaneously making her body tremble and her heart break. “Then it’s a good thing we didn’t mark each other, isn’t it? Because until we come to an agreement about how to deal with this situation, there will be no marking, understand?”
Gem slipped under his hand and snatched up her clothes, ignoring his protests as she stepped into the bathroom and firmly closed the door on his face.
Shaun spun his spoon between his fingers. Played with his coffee cup. Leaned back in his chair and rocked it precariously on two feet. He’d dressed and paced the room until Gem had basically ordered him to wait in the restaurant for her. It was either follow directions or break down the bathroom door, which she’d locked on him, and since he didn’t think Evan would appreciate him smashing up the hotel, he’d taken his reluctant carcass away and left his mate alone.
As he sat pondering his future, he didn’t know if he should run and hide, or go buy flowers.
“Careful. You break the chair, Evan will charge you to replace it. At least he always charges me.”
A familiar teasing grin poked into Shaun’s line of vision, and he caught himself a split second before tipping over onto his ass.
“TJ, what’re you doing here?”
The lanky young man grabbed the chair next to him, pivoted it to face backwards, and sat, straddling the seat. “Pam’s coming home today for a two-week stint. I’m picking her up at the airport, then we’re doing the four-hour drive back to Haines. Granite Lake pack is holding a celebratory…”
He sniffed the air, and his eyes grew wide.
Oh shit. TJ had the best nose in the north. Shaun figured Gem’s scent was all over him, and not only as a female he’d spent the night with for a bit of slap and tickle. He held up a hand. “I don’t want to hear it.”
As usual TJ ignored him. “Holy cow. Do I smell what I think I smell?”
“Shut it.” Just what he didn’t need. Love advice from someone nearly ten years his junior who until last year was best known for causing natural disasters everywhere he went. Didn’t matter that he and TJ belonged to different packs, there was enough history between them Shaun should have been eager to share his news, but no. Fucking. Way.
His friend paused for a moment then shrugged. “Okay.”
TJ motioned for the waitress, and she zipped over to pour him a coffee and top up Shaun’s.
It was the coward’s path. Shaun took an extra long time adding sugar and cream to his cup in an attempt to avoid having to talk. To justify why he was sitting here by himself when it would be clear to any wolf in the area that he had just found his mate.
The urge to blurt out something—to explain away what he didn’t really understand himself—was so strong Shaun had to bite his lips.
For once, TJ seemed to take the hint and drop the subject.
“You heading to the hangar in Haines Junction soon? Tad had me go get the aircraft ready for the summer season.” TJ grimaced. “The float plane was easy, but I don’t know what the hell you left in the chopper the last time you flew her. There were like a million mice nesting in there.”
“Sorry.”
“You’re worse than the pack kids. You know, when I dropped in at Tad and Missy’s last week I nearly broke my neck, and it wasn’t me being a klutz. Those kids have enough Lego to build a causeway to Russia. Plus, with the balls and stuffed shit there are times I think…”
Shaun pinched the bridge of his nose. Having TJ not ask about his mate was worse than having the discussion.
He gave up and scowled at the younger wolf. “Met her last night.”
TJ thumped rapidly on the chair back in front of him to produce a drum roll. “Now we’re getting somewhere. You work fast.”
Damn wolf genes. “It wasn’t my idea.”
TJ gave him the look. “Believe me, I know about having choices taken out of your hands. You’re a wolf, mating is never completely your decision.” He glanced around before warning, “Just a heads-up. That excuse, it wasn’t my idea? Like totally gets my ass kicked when I try to use it.”
That was old news. Shaun had never let others get away with that wimpy whine before either, but he still fought the urge to groan. “She’s not from around here.”
TJ whistled, soft and low. “Hmm, that sucks. But, Shaun, while I bet the whole situation looks pretty impossible? Anything is doable. Pam’s south for months at a time as she waits for her transfer to come through. And since having me move to Vancouver with her and bag groceries or pump gas is stupid when I’m needed up here… Yeah, the living-apart thing isn’t fun, but for now it’s the only solution.”
Explaining to TJ what exactly about his mate made his skin itch when he didn’t really know himself made this conversation impossible. “Well, let’s just say we’re working on figuring things out. By the way, you want to pass on a couple of messages to your brother and Tad for me?”
“Sure, what’s up?”
“Tell Tad that I’ve got that flight to the north all taken care of, and let Keil know I’ll be the one guiding the trip.”
TJ frowned. “You want to take over the guiding as well as the flying? But if you’ve found your mate, I’m sure Tad can get someone else—”
“I’ve got it, okay?” Shaun snapped. TJ backed off, his hands raised in mock surrender. Shaun sighed. This emotional rollercoaster was turning him into a psychotic wreck. “My mate is the client, and there’s no way I’m letting her go north without me? So I’ll do the flight, guide her and everyone can be happy. The company, my mate…me. Hurrah. Happy happy happy.”
He forced a grin.
TJ pulled a face. “Don’t push it too hard, dude. I hear you. I mean, I hear more than you think.” He checked his watch.
Shaun did the same, starting to worry if Gem was going to join him or if she had run for the hills after their little enlightening conversation. He’d been a total jerk. Never suspected the extent of an ass he could be, but it was obviously a ginormous one.
TJ finished his cup of coffee and slapped some money on the table. “I need to get going but whatever is bugging you, I suggest you get your head out of the sand quick. This isn’t you. I’ve never heard you whine before in your life. Hell, usually you’re the one telling everyone else to get their act together. Did you wake up this morning and make a shit list?”