“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!”
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. Somehow their canoe had flipped over completely and TJ clung precariously to the bottom, his arms and knees spread like he was in his wolf form. Erik snickered in appreciation at Darren’s expression until a change in the roar of water alerted him. They all spun to see the towers of rock rapidly approaching. They grabbed their paddles and slid back into position.
“Draw on the right, Maggie. Jared, forward on the left. Don’t panic, we’ve got time.”
“What about TJ?” Maggie asked, concern tingeing her voice.
“He’s probably going to get wet. We figured it was a very real possibility from the start. Hard! Paddle hard!” Erik judged the distance to the approaching rocks. Finally they were in the correct line. Good. They still had time. “Back paddle. Now.”
The rush of water forced them forward no matter how much they struggled against it, but there was enough difference in momentum that the canoe carrying TJ caught up to them. It could all be for nothing if this didn’t work. Erik knelt on the bottom, his knees spread wide to try to reduce the coming rocking. “When I call out, brace yourselves.”
Erik took a deep breath. He reached out his hand and grabbed TJ’s wrist. “Now!” One solid yank brought TJ flying across the space between the canoes, his arms and legs flailing wildly. He landed in a heap in front of Erik, gasping for air as the other canoe flipped and filled with water.
“Erik!” Jared shouted a warning.
There was no time to do anything but pick up his paddle and slam it into the water. Erik leaned hard, using the blade like a rudder, steering them away from the rapidly approaching rock formation. Jared whooped as a sudden cross-eddy dragged them past the jagged rock edges to the safety of the downstream side.
They all sat back and let the current carry them, the canoe spiraling in a gradual 360-degree circle. Erik sucked in a calming breath and stared up at the sky. The adrenaline rush faded, his pounding heartbeat slowed.
A loud cheer rose from the people watching along the observation platforms as Granite Lake crossed the finish line. Erik brought them into the docking area set up farther down the river, more than satisfied with his team’s efforts. Maggie and Jared scrambled out first, chatting excitedly as they waited on the dock for him to join them. He picked Maggie up and spun her in a circle, his heart jumping as she gave him a big juicy kiss then hung onto his neck, grinning with delight.
“That was awesome. Can we do it again?”
He laughed. “I knew you had an adventurous streak. You didn’t even throw up.”
She dropped her head on his shoulder and spoke quietly. “I’m not happy about being with the other wolves, but being with you feels better and better. I…like you, Erik. I like your sense of justice.”
Her confession thrilled him more than finishing another challenge. He squeezed her tight before carefully putting her down, keeping one arm draped around her shoulders to block her from the other teams walking by. Glancing into the bottom of the canoe, he found TJ still lying there with his eyes closed, a huge grin pasted on his face.
Erik squatted by the side of the dock. “You planning on coming with us? Because I can send out for a pizza or something if you’re staying the night.”
TJ opened his eyes and let out a big contented breath. “I didn’t screw up, did I?”
Erik laughed. “No. You did just fine.”