Page 41 of Wild Wolf

“Team Nicolina.”

The two glared at each other, and I rolled my eyes. Dante chuckled. “Pick me for your team, Declan, and don’t pick Elliot. I want to play, and it’s no fun if Elliot’s on my team. We should take Vicky, because Vicky would have a great time toying with Elliot.”

Elliot shrugged. “Sounds like a plan to me. Richard? Stop arguing with your mate and finish the first team selection. We have enough people to start the game now. We’ll keep count during the negotiations and set up a point system. Winner of the first round gets to enjoy having the other team play servants in Beijing.”

“I automatically win that one, Elliot. I have the highest rank among us in Beijing by default. And anyway, they have a rules on hierarchy in Beijing, and we can’t change that because we’re playing a pack game. Pick a different prize.”

“Loser has to bake and cook a grand feast for a combined Seattle-Yellowknife gathering at your lodge,” Elliot suggested.

“I will crush you ruthlessly, Declan,” Richard announced. “And when I win, you have to spend winter with Amber at the cabin I’m building for you and cook for me once a week.”

“What do I get when I win?” I demanded.

“I will upgrade the kitchen of both of your cabins and add an expansion to both, plus I’ll handle cooking and baking for the grand feast. Either way, I’ll be a gentleman and slate Amber for you to court, which will end the problem of single women trying to hunt for you in packs. Amber won’t mind being sacrificed or courted, and since she’ll be off the operative roster for at least six months, you’ll protect her from amorous men.”

“Can we have that as a general condition win or lose?” I asked.

“Good point. Right. Scratch that. I’ll sacrifice my wallet and take you to the best cooking store in the world, and you can buy everything you want for both of your kitchens.”

I didn’t have to think on that for long. “Deal.”

“As I heard your planning, I’m taking Elliot as my next team member,” Richard announced. “Don’t feel like you have to claim Dante as your next pick, Declan. I don’t want him. Taking him would ruin half the fun. I recommend you take Sanders, Frank, and Alex for your next picks.”

“Frank and Alex?”

“Alex is my brother and the Second in my pack. Frank is my Third. They live for defeating me at every opportunity. I should take Wendy, Sara, and Evelyn, too. You should take Vicky, as that will make our teams even more competitive.”

“Dante?”

“Evelyn is my mate, Wendy is Desmond’s mate, and Sara is Sanders’s mate, so us taking Frank, Alex, and Vicky is a good balance. We should also take Vivian, who is Frank’s mate. Vivian has wanted a chance at Richard for a while. While Frank and Vivian are fun on opposite teams, Vivian is a great general teacher, so she’ll be good to have with us. The goal is to help you learn the ropes, after all.”

Richard rubbed his hands together. “I’ll take Anthony and Lane.”

I narrowed my eyes and considered my friend and the SEAL, who were still passed out and showed no sign of waking. “What are the odds they’ll get hurt during this?”

“Zero, and they’ll have fun competing with you.”

Unlike his daughter, Desmond emerged from my bedroom wearing his own clothes. “My daughter tore through your bedroom in her desire to be scandalous in her clothing choices, and I can’t guarantee how much of it survived her antics, so I owe you a shopping trip. Let Lane and Anthony be on the other team. They’ll have a good time, and so will you.”

Desmond’s daughter sniffed and headed into the kitchen, grabbing a plate and dishing out some rice and curry. “If his clothing doesn’t survive us, he has to come back home where he belongs, and we have a good custody sharing program in place. You will get him half of the time, and I will get him the other half of the time.”

“Just because he’ll be at his cabin up in Yellowknife does not mean he will cook for you all of the time. You have a mate who is just as good at cooking.”

Richard grinned. “Thank you, although I’m going to go out on a limb and say Declan’s better.” Joining his wife at the stove, he dished out a serving, which he handed to me. “I will be expecting you to eat a second plate when you’re done but start with that. You’re stressed and not sleeping, so you need the extra calories. I’ll ask the Chinese to bring you something loaded with calories for you to snack on, too. You and Amber both need it. And don’t argue, because if you argue, Desmond will surely annoy you far worse than I will.”

“I really will.”

Rather than argue, I took the plate into my bedroom, closed the door behind me, and made short work of breakfast before hunting through my clothes. I had no idea how the woman had found time to fling everything everywhere, but she had an opinion about my pants, which she’d stuffed under the bed.

The rest of the day would be interesting, especially if Amber and Nicolina decided to attend the talks wearing nothing but one of my shirts. What would happen if the Russians stared at them for their apparel choices? With my clothing of choice tucked under my arm, I dropped off the empty plate in the kitchen before staging a retreat to the bathroom to clean the blood and grime off.

Only after I’d changed into my clothes, one of many variants of my work apparel, I regretted not owning a suit. While in the bathroom, everyone had opted to dress appropriately, and the men all wore suits, and Nicolina worked to straighten ties, adjust cuff links, and do a full head-to-toe check of their attire. She wore a black gown with heels, and diamond studs glittered in her ears.

“Can I stay home? I’m underdressed.”

“Nope,” Nicolina replied. “You’re going to stand still with your arms out while my father and Richard measure you, and those measurements will go to the Chinese, and you’ll be in appropriate attire by tomorrow. Amber will be wearing your shirt, because there’s no way I’m tossing her into her gown. Our original plan had been to show off and buy clothes after. She’ll be fine wearing your shirt. It’s like a short version of a dress, especially if you add a belt.”

I’d purchased pajamas at some point after moving to Russia, and I went to the bedroom, dug through the scattered laundry, and located them, taking them to Nicolina. “Amber deserves to maintain her dignity in some fashion. These have a draw string, and it will be warmer than just my work shirt.”