Wolf Tracks (Granite Lake Wolves, #4)

The group had spread out like they usually did by this time during a hike. The more eager people had stayed high to do a little extra exploring. Keil had begun the downward journey with the slower-moving crew to give them extra time to make it to the parking lot and the picnic supper being prepared for them.

Pam took a swallow from her water bottle and licked her lips, and his cock jerked to life again. He’d been pretty much hard since two nights ago when she’d stripped in front of him. The memory of her naked torso before she’d pulled on a sleep shirt—the image was as clear as a picture and it haunted him. His mate was exactly what he desired in a woman. He’d had to leave before he was too tempted to shift out of his wolf and crawl all over her. No, this was far better. Time alone. That was the goal, wasn’t it? He heard the faint sound of Shaun’s chopper in the distance grow nearer.

“Come on, let’s head to the edge of the meadow.”

She took his hand and he had to ignore the electric shock that flew through him. He wondered if his touch had the same effect on her as on him. There was no doubt in his mind they would be fabulous together. Not just sex, although, hello, that was looking to be spectacular as well, but she seemed so understanding and he was looking forward to the next week. Finding out what it meant to have someone to lavish all his attention on. All his love.

He needed to pull off one last maneuver.

The volume and wind movement increased as the helicopter hovered overhead and Pam hid her face against his chest. His arm around her shoulders felt so good and natural he knew there must be a big goofy grin on his face. He protected her until the runners settled and the door swung open.

His friend Jared jumped out, flashed a thumbs-up and sprinted to the edge of the field. TJ guided Pam and popped her into the cabin, climbed after her and shut the door firmly. She searched for seatbelts and he reached to help her, then tapped Shaun on the shoulder. When the clamor of the props increased to painful decibels, he grabbed the headsets hanging on the sidewall. After slipping hers on, he showed her the buttons to press to talk.

“You comfy?” He rearranged the daypacks at their feet, leaning closer under the disguise of adjusting her seatbelt.

“Great. Where are we headed?”

Paradise, he hoped. “Look out the left window, there’s Mount Logan. Almost twenty thousand feet or six thousand metres, it’s the tallest in Canada and second tallest in North America.”

She leaned across his body to see out his side window and her hair fell like a curtain across him. Sweet smelling. A combination of jasmine and her own natural scent. The one that made his eyes cross and his pants grow far too tight.

“Gorgeous. Is that the glacier you mentioned?”

He pointed out the other window, wrapped his arm around her and carried on with the tour. Every trip he’d done over the past years came in handy as he managed to answer most of her questions.

The tour also helped time to pass. Once out of Kluane National Park, they dipped around Sheep Mountain, leaving behind the Alaskan highway to head deeper into the bush. Thick forest spread under them, rising and falling in endless green waves. Shaun gestured in the air and TJ’s excitement rose. They were almost there. He squeezed Pam’s fingers. Somehow her hand had found its way into his and he didn’t want to let go.

“You want to land?” he asked her.

She grinned at him. “You mean it?”

Outside the window was the foot of a pristine mountain lake, a field of wild grasses stretching from the shore toward the tree-covered foothills of the mountain. Shaun maneuvered his way to the north where a sparkling brook raced into the lake. He settled the chopper in a small meadow, and TJ cracked open the door, hopped out and reached to help Pam.

Of course, when she lost her balance and landed on top of him he was torn between cursing his bad luck and longing to stay there forever.

Stick to the plan. “It’s noisy here. Let’s move a bit.”

“Is he going to stop the propellers?”

Highly unlikely, but he wasn’t going to tell her that. Yet. She laughed as he rolled, bringing her to her feet and running away from the chopper until they could speak without shouting.

“Do we have long enough I can go touch the lake?”

“Sure.” He followed her, and she spun her arms out in a circle, breathing in huge drafts of the air. She looked wild and alive and vital, and he was head over heels in love.

“Race you.” She was off. TJ chased her, catching her before they lost the grass underfoot. He tackled her carefully, twisting as they fell to put her in his arms, resting on top of him. It took a second for the utter shock of having succeeded without breaking bones, his or hers, to fully register.

“Well, hello. Weren’t we here a couple of minutes ago?” Pam teased, resting her elbows on his chest and cradling her chin in her hands.

“I think we were almost here. There’s one thing missing.”