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culture so well amazed her. “You’re such a weird human.”
    Caroline laughed.
    Another oooh rose from the crowd as a huge batch of balloons were released into the air, filling the bright sky with a rainbow of colour as the wind got hold of them. Some swirled in circles, back eddying in the twisted currents over the Yukon River before escaping into the higher airstreams and lofting into the north.
    Shelley watched the bits of latex and ribbon spread out, impossible to gather back, each carrying a tiny piece of bright pollution into the vast wilderness of the territory. Pretty, yet destructive.
    The ache inside to belong felt bigger than before, and she sighed. Part of her loneliness was her own choice. Her own decision to live life this way. She’d planned to take the positive with the negative, but the lingering scent of the sexy shifter made her reconsider.
    Perhaps she had a few items on her list she should consider revising. Maybe the next time she met someone who turned her on, she could have a little fun—even if they were a shifter.
    Life was supposed to be about change. It was high time she remembered that.

Chapter Four
    Caroline plopped the steaming coffee down on the bedside table and watched as Evan slowly woke. He rolled over, sniffing toward the rising aroma.
    “You are a goddess,” he moaned.
    With the sheet tangled around his naked body he looked like a Greek god, so they were even for once. “You’re so easy to please.”
    He grinned and rearranged himself until he was level enough to pull back a deep sip. “You know it. I’m a simple man, really.”
    She sat on the edge of the bed and admired him. This whole sleeping-with-the-Alpha thing was working out way better than she’d expected. He was a generous lover, and besides that, their friendship had remained rock solid. “I’ve got news for you, once your brain cells engage.”
    “Spill.” He sat up and leaned against the headboard. Evan crossed his arms behind his head, biceps bulging nicely.
    Hmmm, distracting. Caroline shook herself back to attention.
    “There’s been a rash of hotel bookings. I think you’re right—the bear shindig that was making all that noise up north is moving location from Dawson City to Whitehorse.”
    His relaxed persona vanished. “Damn, really? I mean, hey, about time…”
    She laughed. “You tricky bastard. You were just guessing.”
    Evan grimaced. “No, I figured they’d head here, I just hoped it would be later than sooner. You ever have a crowd of bear shifters around?”
    Caroline thought through previous conventions that had been held in the hotel while she’d worked there. “When I was young my stepdad took us to West Edmonton Mall, and we ran into a huge bear gathering—something to do with the hockey season—but up north? Never.”
    “They aren’t normal guests, let’s just put it that way.” Evan took another swallow of his coffee then pointed his cup at her. “Book them carefully. Try to find out alliances when they call, and place them on different floors. That might help matters.”
    “Don’t think we need to worry. Sounds as if each faction is taking a different part of the city. We’ve got the Harrison clan registering.”
    Evan whistled.
    “That good, eh?” she asked.
    “He’s one of the bigwigs this time around. Last rumors I heard, he might end up in charge of the whole shooting match.”
    “I still don’t believe bears vote to organize their territories.”
    Evan grinned at her over his mug. “Yeah, the wolf way is so much more exciting. Blood matches, throats being ripped apart in surprise attacks…”
    She deliberately yawned. “Right. The buyouts you’re fooling around with right now simply thrill me to pieces.”
    Was she an adrenaline junkie? Maybe it was wrong for her to be energized by a potentially volatile situation in Whitehorse, but this was part of the reason she’d always gotten along with shifters.
    Evan rolled his eyes as he put his cup aside.