Wolf Line

Chapter Four

Tessa dragged her around the running track for another loop and Keri groaned. “Aren’t we done yet?”

“Someone smart told me to let the cat nature out. Trust me, I need this. You’re gonna need this.”

Three days. Three long, lonely, tormented days. Keri had managed to avoid any further direct contact with him, even attempting to stop thinking of him. The gift shop had no toys, but happily the tiny bathroom in her cabin had a removable showerhead that was saving her from developing carpel tunnel. The mating urge had settled to a constant throb, as if her entire body were one giant mosquito bite, rubbed with poison ivy then sprinkled with itching powder.

It was actually far more bearable than she’d expected.

Of course, her concentration levels had dropped. She’d managed to avoid giving any too-weird advice, mainly because Tessa had totally picked up the ball and was rocking the job hard. She hadn’t had a single panic attack in the past twenty-four hours, luckily for Keri. Troubleshooting right now would require more mental power than she could muster.

The surface under their feet passed smoothly, the soles of their runners smacking the track with a steady slap, slap, slap. The even rhythm calmed her and slowly the edge of sexual urgency dulled enough she could take a full breath.

All around them were signs this wasn’t your typical Alaskan cruise. A giant grizzly lumbered past on all fours, two cougars sprinted on the far side of the track, their tawny fur a blur of motion. A loud scream of satisfaction rose as one crossed the imaginary finish line a body length ahead of the other.

Keri wanted to smile and soak it all in, to enjoy the sheer joy of being a shifter. If she wasn’t so damn horny, life would be wonderful.

Finally Tessa led them to the stretching mats. Outside the long row of floor-to-ceiling windows, the ocean waves broke against the shore of the small islands the ship passed. The sky was grey today, the horizon and the water’s surface blending in the distance to give the illusion of an endless waterway rising heavenward.

Keri sank to the floor and groaned as her tight muscles protested being flexed. “Right now I hate you, but thanks for hauling my ass out. I needed that.”

Beside her, Tessa cranked out sit-ups, one after another, her voice barely changing as she spoke. “You might need something more than a workout in a minute. This is completely hush-hush, but there’s been trouble.”

“Something wrong?” Couldn’t be too bad, since Tessa wasn’t spazzing like a cat tossed in a swimming pool.

“We have a thief on the ship.”

“Really?” Keri turned to face her friend full-on. “You’ve had reports of missing stuff?”

Tessa nodded. “The first couple were mentioned as ‘we’re not sure if we’ve misplaced it, can we look in the lost and found?’ But there are too many now for it to be a coincidence.”

Oh, this was bad. “Big stuff, small stuff?”

“Easy-to-grab things of value. Watches and jewelry left on counters.”

Keri stared in surprise at her friend. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

Tessa snapped to a sitting position and grinned sheepishly. “You mean why didn’t I freak out on you sooner?”

Kinda. “Aren’t you worried?”

A long sigh escaped Tessa. “I’m past worried. Now I’m mad. But I didn’t tell you because the advice you gave me at the start of the trip was right. I knew what to do. I handled it—I calmed people down and checked the usual systems. But it’s gotten to the point we need to find out what is going on or there will be trouble. I don’t want this cruise to be remembered as the one with the petty thief.”

Keri agreed. “Well, good for you for starting strong, and I’ll do what I can. You have any suspicions?”

A small shrug. “Chad thought the only similarity between—”

“Chad?” Another person she’d been totally avoiding, because trying to explain his touch was now enough to trigger a gag reflex? Tough, not without spilling the beans on her mate being on board. Yet the man was relentless—she hadn’t had to duck into any closets to avoid him, but it had been close. “You’ve talked to Chad about this?”

“He’s the one who reported the first items to me. The head of the housekeeping department has been all over him with news. Often enough that he felt the need to bend his hoity-toity attitude and report to me.” Tessa rested a hand on Keri’s shoulder. “I wasn’t keeping secrets from you, and certainly not keeping them to share with Chad.”

A rush of heat raced over Keri’s face. This was awkward. “Not as if you have to report to me or anything. And you and him have lots in common, after all. Family friend forever, etc. etc.”

“Please. Think about it. Me and Chad? Gack. He’s like the most doggy wolf I’ve ever met.”

“Hey, some girls have a thing for their older brother’s best friend.” Tessa screwed up her face into the most hideous grimace, and Keri laughed. “Okay, yes, I know you’ve said before he’s not your type.”

“Totally. Besides, I thought you and him were making googly eyes at each other. Did you find someone else who’s keeping you busy in your cabin for hours on end?”

Keri didn’t think her time away had been for long enough to be noticed. Good thing her excessive water usage couldn’t be traced. “No, no one. But tell me more about this crow in our midst. What was Chad’s observation?”

Tessa stepped close to the window and peered out. “He wonders if someone in maintenance might be involved.”

Keri’s stomach fell, bounced off the floor and rebounded into her throat. “Maintenance?” she squeaked.

“So far most reports have occurred sometime after one of the crew went to do a job. And Keri?” Tessa wrinkled her nose as she turned, shoulders resting against the glass. “The Fedoras asked if you happened to spot a brooch when you were in their suite the other day. They put back the things that fell when the bookcase shifted position, but Mrs. Fedora only noticed today she can’t find her diamond-and-ruby brooch.”

Panic rushed through Keri like a shot of neat tequila, numbing even as it loosened her tongue. “I didn’t take anything.”

Tessa frowned. “Of course you didn’t. But we need to figure this out. I don’t want to have to call in the police at any of our ports of call. There’s the shifter-only issue, plus the cruise line doesn’t need any negative publicity.”

Keri backpedaled fast. “Definitely not. No worries. I mean, yes, worries, but we can deal with this. I mean, I’ll try. I mean…”

Babbling. Not good.

Her friend raised one brow high, suspicion all over her face. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“Me? Nothing. Everything is fine. Thanks for the run and, gee, look at the time.” Keri snapped her wrist up in front of her face.

She wasn’t wearing a watch.

Tessa snorted. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you had a hot date or something. You sure are acting weird.”

If she was going to get out of this without the legendary cat curiosity pulling everything out one secret at a time, Keri needed her best academy performance, and now.

“Sorry. It’s nothing…” Time for a new tactic. Redirection. “…but can I say how impressed I am? It’s as if you’re a different cat than the one who nearly shook me apart that first day. I’m proud of you for not panicking.”

“Thanks, but I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve become resigned to the trip being a disaster and I’m simply ‘whatever’, or if I’ve reached a magical point of nirvana and just trust it will work out.”

Keri pointed out the window at the crowds playing and relaxing on the deck below them. There were couples reclined on deck chairs, sipping drinks. People lawn bowling. A group of wolves in furry form batted a ball around while a half-dozen big cats lay draped over railings and in specialized hammocks, their enormous paws twitching as they slept.

“That doesn’t look like a disaster to me. Looks like a lot of people having fun, thrilled to be here. We’ll deal with the thefts, I promise.”

Tessa lifted her hand, knuckles outward. “You’re the bestest.”

Keri returned their usual salute, making a huge effort to appear perky and positive. “Let me know what else you hear, okay? I’m going to grab a shower. See you at supper?”

“Save you a seat.”

They left the track area in opposite directions, Tessa toward her office, Keri supposedly toward her room. But the instant she rounded the corner out of her friend’s sight, she turned. Raced down a side stairwell that led to the lowest levels of the ship and the crew quarters.

What the heck was her mate up to? Was he really a thief?

She stared at his cabin door for a full minute debating what she was about to do. It wasn’t breaking and entering—she had full permission to access the staff quarters on the ship. But the fact she was going in because she suspected he’d…

No. She wasn’t even going to think it. She wasn’t. It was bad enough to wonder how they would manage everything else, like where to live and meeting each other’s families, and which pack to join and what all, without also speculating if her mate was used to spending time behind bars.

Keri screwed up her courage and knocked loudly.

When there was no answer, she glanced both directions down the hallway then used her pass card and slipped into his room.

First impression—her knees nearly gave way as his scent hit her fully for the first time in days. The lingering aroma made her mouth water, and all her beaten-down lusts sprang up with an energizer-bunny enthusiasm.

She clung to the wall and closed her eyes as she brought her body back under control. This exploration of his room was for not only their sakes as future partners, but Tessa’s as well. If Mark was stealing, she could replace the items as soon as possible, and they could move on from here. She’d tie his ass to the bed for the duration of the trip if she had to—and didn’t that lovely mental image bring on more hot flashes—but she’d keep him out of jail and allow the cruise to finish up positively.

It took a moment, but Keri pulled it together. Surprisingly, it was her wolf who provided the strength she needed. The beast was chomping at the bit to get out, but instead of frustration the strongest sensation was approval. A sense of peace poured from the beast at being enveloped with her mate’s scent. Keri breathed out slowly, and her wolf rumbled in satisfaction, content for the first time in days.

Like she was waiting.

Keri shook her head. Being a shifter was cool, but confusing. The wolf was her, and she was the wolf, but there were times the lupine side made no sense to the human brain.

A quick peek around the room showed nothing unusual, so Keri moved to explore more thoroughly. She opened the closet, surprised to find how little clothing hung there. The green Crocs she’d seen him wear were on the floor next to a brand-new gym bag. The threadbare jeans he’d looked so yummy in that first day hung next to a shirt. A price tag from the ship’s shop dangled from the sleeve.

There was nothing else. No coat, no extra clothing. Keri opened dresser drawers and found a couple packages of underwear, a package of socks and a T-shirt, also tagged from the onboard store. The receipt lay next to them, and she looked closer at the sale items listed.

One pair of pants, the shirt, a pair of runners. Toothpaste and toothbrush. Package of razors. Shampoo and soap. A gym bag.

Had he not brought a single thing onto the ship with him?

She remembered the running man back on the dockside, and once again considered if Mark could have been him. But why had he stayed on the ship?

The lack of clothing was suspicious, but as she searched further, there were no signs of any jewelry. Nothing hidden anywhere—with so little in the room that detail was simple enough to ascertain.

He wasn’t the thief, or he’d hidden the items elsewhere. Regardless, there was something fishy going on.

Keri looked longingly at the bed. The sheets were rumpled, his half-assed attempt at straightening the covers leaving it borderline messy. She gave into her longings and ditched her shoes. Her own scent was everywhere so he would already know she’d been in his quarters. Maybe a clear message would be enough to make him smarten up if he was involved in something illegal. A “don’t look now, but I’m watching you” message.

Oh, bullshit. She wasn’t trying to pass on any warning, she just wanted to root around in his bed for a minute to drive herself crazy. She crawled under the top sheet and pulled it over her head, surrounding herself in his scent like a kid diving into a swimming pool. The itching, aching, pulsing need of her wolf soothed and heated at the same time. She needed to have him come and strip her down. To bury his face between her legs and lick her until she screamed. Needed to feel him mount over her and take her, to feel his teeth sink into her flesh as he claimed her.

Keri let the sensation overwhelm her as she lay panting with desire. Only one minute more, then she’d pull herself away and get on with her search for the thief.

Jared cursed as he attempted to wiggle farther under the sink. Stupid cruise ships with their teeny tiny bathrooms. Stupid fucking cruise ships with their never-ending list of maintenance jobs, of which he seemed to get all the shitty ones—and he knew exactly who to thank for that.

Three days. He’d been stuck on this ship for three bloody days, and so far there hadn’t been any decent chance for him to escape.

The first time they’d made port he’d been tangled up with another couple of the crew repairing the pumps on the swimming pool, which luckily he knew how to fix. Unluckily, he was the only one who did, so it wasn’t as if he could abandon the other guys and flee to shore. Even though it was tempting to escape and book a ride back to Haines on a speedboat—heck, he’d buy himself a boat to get home if he had to—the others in maintenance were on the ship for a real job. They needed the money, and he wasn’t going to make them lose needed wages.

His damn martyr complex had turned this accidental excursion into a hell of a lot more work than he’d done for years. Coupled with the fact he’d rubbed Chad’s ass the wrong way that first day…

Yeah, the ability to make friends and influence people, he had it. His parents always warned him that his quirky sense of humour was going to get him in trouble someday, and it seemed someday had arrived. Chad escorted him to the dirtiest jobs and subtly gloated how if Mark was fortunate and worked hard, maybe someday he too could be one of the upper class and not the slave labour.

Jared wanted to buy the bloody cruise ship and shove it up Chad’s upper-class ass.

So now they were on day four, nearly halfway through the cruise, and he wondered if it was even worth trying to ditch the ship. The work sucked, he missed his coffee maker, but if he left, there was another concern to think about, also involving Chad.

Keri.

He’d watched her from a distance when he could. Which was creepy as all get out in a way, and not totally his idea. He was uneasy about Keri, and making sure there was nothing bad going on with Chad was important. But more than that, stalking her in his few spare moments was the only way he could make his wolf happy enough to get any rest at all. The creature was insistent they go drop in on the woman. Maybe shred a few layers of clothing off her body. Put a real smile on her face—and his wolf had resorted to making the images popping to mind as specific as possible, which was totally dirty pool on the beast’s part.

His wolf wanted the woman, or more correctly the woman’s wolf, with something close to obsession.

Keri wasn’t happy. When she smiled, it never reached her eyes. And while he hadn’t been around all the time, he’d seen enough to notice that the few times he’d had her under observation, she’d ducked away from Chad like he was bad business.

Had they had a lovers’ spat?

Jared didn’t trust the guy. Seemed the type to take things out on a girl to get what he wanted.

There was nothing to be done about it now but wait out the rest of the voyage. At least he was due some time off—the schedule clearly put him free for the rest of the day after he finished this job. Even slave master Chad couldn’t change the master calendar without approval and paying overtime. Which the asshole wouldn’t do because Jared suspected the extra cash would be considered a wonderful thing.

Jared cranked the wrench a little harder. Yup. This afternoon he was going to go find a quiet place on deck and suntan. Sleep. Maybe buy a beer and chill…

Ah, who was he kidding? He was going to have a shower, jerk off—again, then find Keri and try to silently follow her. Again.

Obsessed. It wasn’t just the beast who had it bad.

He tightened the bolt one more time, and the upper arm of the pipes broke apart, cold water spraying everywhere. A shot struck him directly in the eyes, and he grasped blindly for the water shut-off.

By the time he’d managed to stop the spray, he was soaked, and his only moderately dry item, his work pants, he used on the puddle at his feet. Jared sat forlornly on the floor, wishing he was five and could enjoy a good pout. Damn cruise ship. Damn water taps.

He chuckled. Poor baby Jared. He snapped himself out of his funk, sopped up the floor and put things into place the best he could before using his walkie-talkie.

“Sorry, guys, the master line snapped. Someone needs to bring extra parts to replace it.”

One of the team he’d worked with earlier responded quickly. “I can finish it up for you. It’s your afternoon off. Which room you in?”

Jared told him then looked down at himself. “If I leave my wet stuff here, can you take it for me?”

His co-worker laughed. “You did that good a job, did you? No worries. I’ll bring a cart with me to clean up. I’ll hang your things in the staff-room bath.”

“Awesome. I’m heading back to my quarters for dry gear. I don’t think the passengers would appreciate seeing me streaking with a pile of dripping clothing soaking the carpets in my wake.”

“Yeah, the carpets would be tough to explain to management.”

Jared tucked his wet things into the tub before shifting to wolf. He could probably have walked the halls naked—most shifters were pretty cool about stuff like that—but he wasn’t sure of the exact rules regarding crew and passengers, and at this point, it wasn’t as if he wanted any extra attention his direction. Walking in his wolf form? No one would take a second glance.

He grabbed his work belt in his mouth. That was the one item he couldn’t afford to leave behind. Chad would probably charge him triple to replace it if anything went missing. It wasn’t the money; it was the gloating Jared couldn’t stand to anticipate.

He got himself out of the room and trotted downward, taking the stairs, slipping past the restaurants and games rooms. Something wonderful was being cooked for lunch, and he paused to enjoy the rich aroma on the air.

Hmmm. Dry clothes, lunch, then stalking.

With his entire afternoon schedule planned, he resumed the trip into the depths of the ship and his cabin. The wonderful smell of lunch faded, only to be replaced by something else even more mouthwatering. Jared sped up, the tools in his belt jingling as he trotted forward, following the most incredible scent he’d ever experienced. It made his fur stand on end and all kind of happy little pheromones leap to life.

Every step increased his need. His eagerness to discover what exactly was before him drove him to a near run. He only slowed enough to stop the tools from shaking free from the tool belt and smacking him in the face.

Incredibly, the trail of scent led directly to his cabin door. He lowered himself to the floor and sniffed cautiously. A cloud of the most potent aphrodisiac surrounded him, and he barely contained his howl of delight.

His mate?

Was that scent tantalizing him really his mate?

His wolf side roared to life and urged him to get his ass in gear. He shifted back to human, and his ability to smell cut off abruptly, as usual. The lack of olfactory input in this form allowed him to control his hands enough to sneak his room card from his tool belt and undo the lock.

Jared pushed the heavy door open and stared into Keri’s wide eyes as she sat in the middle of his bed, tangled in the sheets.