Free Wolf Line by Vivian Arend Page A

discovered the brooch lying on the floor, her heart had not just fallen but shriveled and rolled under the bed, alongside the hastily shoved jewelry.
    Mates were chosen by their wolf side. They should be exactly what the other needed, but…she needed a thief?
    The evidence lay there, unmistakable and real.
    She wanted to scream. In agony, in confusion, in sorrow. Maybe he had a good reason, but wasn’t that going to be one of the toughest conversations ever? “You know how you said you couldn’t smell? Cool with me. But do you have some financial issues? Are you part of a gang? What’s up in your world and will we have to have relationships on visiting days after you’re caught and booked for grand theft?”
    She was supposed to be acting as a troubleshooter—oh my, there was an issue as well. What was she going to tell Tessa? Hey, no worries, I’ve found the thief. But you can’t arrest him.
    There had to be a way to solve this that didn’t end up involving conjugal visits at the pen every other week.
    She tucked the jewel into her desk drawer and got a drink of water. There was time to think. He’d join her, they would visit and she’d manage to get out of him the whys of his situation. Together they would solve this problem.
    But first? A little advance chaos control on his behalf.
    Tessa answered on the first ring. “Dudette. It’s your dime, spill it.”
    Keri snorted in spite of her worries. “Lay off the Diet Coke, babe.”
    “Shoot, you think?” A steady squeak, squeak, squeak echoed in the background. “Fine. But if you tell me I have to stop the chocolate, there will be serious discussion happening between my nails and your body.”
    “Oh, hell no, I’m not getting between a cat and her chocolate.”
    “What’s shaking? Other than your tail?”
    “Har har.” One small step, that’s all she could take right now. And the most important thing was to deal with her suspicions quickly and quietly.
    The fact that she needed to roll her mate into bed and crawl all over him a dozen more times before she was anywhere near sated was another matter altogether.
    “Tessa—if you don’t mind, I’m taking the rest of the day and hiding out.”
    Squeak, squeak, squeak. “Something wrong? You feeling okay?”
    The buzz of need between her legs said one thing. Keri forced her mouth to say another. “I’m fine but need a bit of time away from the crowds. I’ll be back in the swing with you tomorrow. Deal?”
    “Sure thing. You… Hey, you want me to tell Chad you’re not well or something? He stopped in here again a few minutes ago and was asking where you were.” Squeak, squeak, squawk.
    Chad. Gag. “Is he the reason you’re doing double-time on the rebounder?”
    “Yip. He’s like this stick in my side with his constant checking up on me. I’m pretty sure he was never this anal with my brother. Oh, Keri, why can’t I be a normal girl and drool over my big brother’s friends? Instead, Chad makes my nose itch, and I’m so damn tempted to throw balls every time he comes near to see if he twitches with the urge to play fetch.”
    The image of ultra-cool Chad clutching a ball in his mouth and sitting at attention made Keri laugh out loud. “Hate to tell you, you are normal. Chad is not your type. Mainly because he is being annoying.”
    “You were planning on doing him earlier. I take it that plan has changed?”
    Like whoa. “I’ve discovered other interests.”
    “Oh, really?” The squeaking came to a dead stop, and Keri swore softly at even giving the smallest of openings to the cat’s curiosity. Tessa could dig and dig and dig given half a chance. “Keri—what are you doing? Or should I ask, who are you doing?”
    Nope. Not going there. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
    “That’s not a denial.” Happy giggles rose on the other end of the line. “I expect a full report, because if I’m not getting any action I need to live vicariously through your sexual