Wolf Fever (5 page)

“Um, yes. I wasn't quite in the market for one of my
pack members, not when the man of my dreams kept coming to me in my sleep.” Lelandi glanced at Darien, who reached for her hand and squeezed.

Carol loved how the two of them looked at each other, as if the world stood still while they searched each other's souls in that powerful moment.

However, the point she was trying to make seemed to be lost, although she didn't figure it had any bearing anyway. Darien would have his way in this, no matter what.

As if reading her mind, he said, “It's our way, has been for centuries. Not all find mates this way, of course, but…” He shrugged.

What was left unsaid was more telling than anything else. Carol sat taller and tried not to frown too much. She had been doing a lot of that lately, and her mother had always said that if Carol continued with it, she'd have wrinkles permanently etched in her forehead. “
But
since I'm newly turned, I have no choice, right?”

“Oh, no,” Lelandi said quickly. “The choice of who you want to see, date, and mate is up to you. Up to
both
of you.” She gave Darien a look indicating he'd better agree.

Jake gave Carol an evil smile. “Mervin's invited, right?”

If the table leg hadn't been in the way, Carol would have kicked Jake.

“Sure, if he's interested.” Darien carried plates to the table for Lelandi and himself, set them down, and then pulled her chair out for her as she brought their mugs of coffee.

“He's interested, all right.
Real
interested,” Jake said.

“Guess that means I'm forgoing my romp in the woods tonight,” Tom said with a sigh.

Avoiding a look at Carol, Darien sat at the table. “No need to. Jake can handle it.”

“I'll help him out.” Tom gave Jake a look like he'd better behave or else.

Why couldn't Tom be interested in her? She'd noticed that when Lelandi and Darien were together, or Sam and Silva, she smelled a distinct sexual attraction between them. She hadn't noticed that special scent whenever any male was near her. Which meant? She guessed no one was
that
interested. Heck, she hadn't had a real boyfriend since she'd started nursing school four years ago, and now that she was a werewolf, she couldn't even excite a bunch of horny wolves who didn't have mates.

The way Lelandi was casting surreptitious looks, Carol knew she wanted to speak to her about something out of the guys' earshot. Probably sisterly wolf advice about meeting with a man alone in the woods. Even if he'd been a wolf.
At first.

Darien quickly devoured his breakfast, kissed Lelandi's cheek, and then said to his brothers, “Come on. The celebration doesn't truly start until we show up.”

She knew that included Lelandi, but… something was being left unsaid.

Jake and Tom glanced at Carol. Yep, the secret society of wolves, and she really wasn't part of it. The men hurried to leave while Lelandi began clearing away the dishes. Carol rose to help her.

“What did he want, Carol?” Lelandi asked casually, but Carol noted the disapproval in her tone of voice.

Trying to appear nonchalant, Carol asked, “Who?”

Lelandi turned and touched Carol's arm in an appeasing way, her eyes worried. “I can't imagine what it's like for you trying to adjust to our ways, but you have to realize Darien only does what's best for you and for our people.

“I hadn't wanted you to be changed against your will or to suffer as you did. But I thank God you survived the attack. You're like a sister to me now, always and forever.” She hugged Carol and breathed in deeply. “Always know that.”

A feeling of belonging washed over Carol briefly. She was glad to have a sister when both she and Lelandi had lost their own. She expected Lelandi to say something more about Ryan, to warn her off him, but for whatever reason, Lelandi continued to rinse the coffee mugs and put them in the dishwasher without saying another word. Maybe she figured Carol wouldn't listen anyway. And she had that right. Carol couldn't be a beta like most of the people in the pack. Most of the time, she wouldn't roll over and play the subservient wolf unless she felt she had no other choice.

The issue of the vision she'd had the day before kept plaguing her. She knew she had to tell Lelandi. Even though the more she considered it, the more she was afraid Lelandi wouldn't believe her.

Keeping her hands busy so speaking about the subject would be easier, Carol rinsed off a dirty dish and put it in the dishwasher.

“Lelandi… I… well, I know it's sometimes difficult for others to believe how I can see things that haven't happened yet. Until they can be proven. I mean, if I give a warning and then whatever I predicted actually
occurs. Then it's perfectly verifiable. I know sometimes you feel that's true even when the vision hasn't come to pass, but sometimes…” She shrugged.

Lelandi set the washrag on the tile counter and stopped wiping off bread crumbs and coffee spills, her expression an attempt at neutral, but her jaw tightened marginally. “What's the matter?” Her voice was even but tinged with concern.

“It's…it's just that I saw Doc shift into a wolf and then, well, he couldn't shift back.”

Lelandi's brows rose, and then she smiled. Any hint of concern vanished, and she went back to wiping the counter. “He changes back. We all do.”

“That one time you couldn't.”

Lelandi paused and looked thoughtful. “Yes, but that only has to do with my strong feelings for certain people. It's only happened twice, each time when my brother nearly died. It took a couple of hours, maybe longer, to turn back into my human form. Then I was back to normal. No one that I've known during my long years of life has had trouble shifting form.”

“Even newly turned wolves?”

“Did you see yourself in that predicament? Unable to shift back?”

Carol slowly shook her head. But she figured the only reason she didn't see that was because she refused to change and was able to fight it successfully. For how long, she wasn't certain. She also noted that Lelandi didn't exactly answer her question. “Have any newly turned wolves that you know of been unable to shape-shift back?”

“Not that I've ever heard of. Besides, Doc's a royal
red like me. No human influences in his roots for generations. So like me, he can change at will.” Lelandi smiled and patted Carol's shoulder. “Doc Weber will be fine. You said your visions were brief glimpses of the future. So he shifts, and you just don't see him change back. He has to shift back eventually, only you don't see a vision of that. That's all.

“Really, Carol. I've explained how I was tied to my sister's and brother's stronger emotions whenever we were in close proximity to each other. That's all the problem was with my inability to shape-shift back. Don't worry.”

But Carol did worry. Lelandi was right that Carol couldn't see a lengthy video stream of what would occur, but just like Lelandi felt strong ties to her brother's emotions, Carol had strong feelings with her visions. And she knew something was horribly wrong. It had to be that Doc couldn't shift back. She couldn't imagine what else the matter could be.

She sighed. Until she could see something more that would convince Lelandi, she knew she'd never get anywhere on that front. Might as well talk to Lelandi about what Carol knew was bothering her. “In the woods last night… Ryan said he had something to ask me. That's all.”

Lelandi stopped rinsing the sink out and turned to gape at Carol. “Ryan?”

“Um, Chester Ryan McKinley, but he asked me to call him Ryan.”

“He changed from a wolf and stood naked in front of you to speak?”

Carol shrugged. “It was no big deal. I'd had a vision
of him, and I needed to know who he was and what he wanted. He couldn't very well answer me as a wolf. And, he was a perfect gentleman, just as he always was with you.”

Her green eyes narrowed, Lelandi gave a ladylike snort and tucked her red curls behind her ears. “He was a gentleman with me because he knew he'd be a dead man if he was anything but. Men are wolves, no pun intended. Lusty wolves.

“If he's got any ideas about you—which he very well may have, now that you're one of us—you'd best stay clear of him. Darien and his brothers will make short work of him if he interferes in pack politics. He's not here by invitation, and last night he trespassed in our territory without permission. Darien's quite incensed about it.”

Her heart sinking, Carol glanced out the kitchen window. She was a healer by trade, and the last time she'd watched out the sunroom windows was when the pack gathered in the meadow to take down a murderer. She couldn't deal with this part of being a werewolf. Maybe subconsciously that was another thing that bothered her about being a part-time wolf. If she changed, would she have the urge to kill?

With shaking hands, Carol put the last of the dirty silverware in the dishwasher. “I'll…I'll see you at the festival.”

She rushed out of the kitchen to warn Ryan to leave right away, if she caught sight of him first.

Lelandi called out to her, “Don't get in the way of Darien's handling of our pack, Carol.”

Right
, when she was already an outsider with so many strikes against her, what did another few matter?

Why did the men in Darien's pack still want her? Were they just desperate? She'd seen them smile as if they were interested. She guessed they hadn't approached her yet because of Darien's ruling. But still, she was bothered by the niggling thought that they would get a lot more than they bargained for if they pursued her. She didn't think any of the beta males could deal with her uniqueness.

She sighed and shoved the sunroom door open.

L
ELANDI SMILED AFTER
C
AROL AS SHE BOLTED OUT OF
the house. Lelandi could talk until she was blue in the face, trying to get Darien to listen to her about Carol's special circumstances, without making a difference. Either Carol's desire to save Chester's—rather, Ryan's—butt would change Jake or Tom's interest in Carol, or maybe Ryan
was
her match.

Whatever Lelandi could do to help, she was ready. She was certain that the right man would work wonders in helping Carol accept what she was now. And time was running out. Soon, Carol would inevitably shape-shift and when it happened, Lelandi prayed that Carol was at home or with their own kind only. Lelandi had convinced Darien to continue to allow Carol to work at the hospital, but he'd nix that before long if Carol didn't shape-shift soon.

Lelandi's best friend, Silva, sauntered into the kitchen, bottled water in one hand and a red ribbon in the other. Her dark curls piled on top of her head, she was wearing short shorts, a pair of thigh-high boots, and a short-waisted shirt that showed off her navel. Lelandi swallowed a grin.

Sam had better get off the fence about making a commitment to Silva, or he was going to have a lot of competition on the playing field today.

“I heard McKinley sneaked around the grounds last night to see Carol,” Silva said, brows raised.

Lelandi shrugged.

Silva grinned. “He did!” Then she frowned. “Ohmigod, the bachelor males will be out for blood if he shows up at the festivities.” Silva leaned over the kitchen sink and looked out the window. “You should be with her, don't you think? I mean, both of us. If we chaperone her, McKinley won't come near, and Darien and his brothers won't have to hurt him.”

She turned to Lelandi. “So what
did
happen last night? I heard Carol was in the woods with him.
Alone
.”

Not about to tell anyone what Carol had shared with her in confidence, Lelandi sighed. “What about Sam? Is he going to protect you in the game of tag?”

Silva laughed. “Hell, if he doesn't, it's his problem, not mine.”

But Lelandi knew Silva wanted Sam, and he truly wanted her. She wasn't sure how to get them to finally capitulate and become mates. Lelandi rubbed her stomach absently. She thought she'd gotten the two of them going in the right direction.

“Come on, Silva, let's have some fun.” And she prayed that fun was all they'd have—and no male battles of wills.

Carol backed up closer to the woods, where maybe Ryan could sneak out and talk to her while everyone was busy playing tag. But then she saw four men combing the woods. Ryan would never manage to talk with her alone again.

“Come on, let's get a ribbon,” Lelandi said, joining her and tugging at her arm to get her to move
closer to a group of men and women, mostly men, who were dividing up ribbons. Blue for one team. Red for the other.

“Smile. The world isn't going to end. We play games like this all the time, both as wolves and as humans, although not in mixed forms. It's our nature to show solidarity, teamwork, and cooperation. It's who we are and how we survive. Besides, Darien's brothers will protect you from the big, bad wolves.”

Carol wasn't worried about the game as much as she was worried about the battle that might ensue if Ryan showed up. And now she felt as though she was a pawn in the scheme of things—the much sought-after conquest of a bunch of mate-hungry bachelors.

Laughing at herself over that, she told herself she'd believe that when she saw it.

Lelandi motioned to Sam, Silver Town Tavern's bartender. “He'll watch that the males don't get too frisky with you.”

At six-four, Sam was a formidable foe. He stroked his black beard, his dark eyes surveying the crowd, the breeze tugging at his shoulder-length ebony hair. He looked more like a grizzly than a wolf in disguise.

Carol was actually hoping for a bit of friskiness. Anything to show she was still alive. She didn't think Sam would watch her as much as he would his waitress. Already, he was eyeing Silva with lustful interest as she joined Carol and Lelandi.

“Are we ready to play, ladies?” Silva winked at Carol. “Ryan McKinley is one determined wolf, so I'm betting he'll be here. Despite,” Silva said, motioning to the woods, “Darien trying to ensure he doesn't come
that way again.” She waved her red ribbon. “What team are you all going to be on?”

Lelandi waited to say until Carol spoke. Carol let out her breath and took off toward the table. “Blue.” She glanced over her shoulder at Silva. “Then I can steal
your
tag. Without getting myself into too much trouble.” She smiled.

Silva laughed. “You'll be fine, sugar. Never doubt yourself.”

His expression dark, Jake appeared out of nowhere. From the look on his face, Carol figured no one had seen any sign of Ryan yet. Jake headed in her direction, and she assumed that was the end of playing any game. But he gave her a small smile and took a blue ribbon from the ones piled on the table. “I'll watch your back.”

That's when Darien showed up. He saw Jake with Carol and then chose a red tag. Lelandi smiled and then tied a blue tag around her belt at her back. Since Darien was making Carol attend some archaic gathering that evening, she changed her mind about going after Silva's tag and intended to target his instead.

Squeals from the kids—playing the same game but for junior-sized participants in another field—drifted to where Carol was, and then the signal came for the adult game to begin. Tom rushed to get a tag to join Carol's team. She should have known the two brothers would be her knights again.

At first, it was a mad race, with everyone running everywhere to grab tags. Some of the more beta bachelor males didn't look directly at Carol, but she had a sneaking suspicion they'd target her every bit as much
as the ones who eyed her with a smile. That's when Sam joined her, and she gave the bachelors a devious smile. She had a whole team of alpha male bodyguards to watch her back.

Darien observed Lelandi, who was eyeing him with a challenge. But as soon as he ran for her, she darted to get a tag from one of the bachelor males who went after Carol. Carol forgot about Ryan, about Darien's desire to have her mated, about the bachelor males' interest in her. She forgot about the gathering tonight and about shifting. All she thought about was getting Darien's red ribbon while he attempted to get Lelandi's blue one.

Close enough for her to hear, Jake chuckled and said to his younger brother, “Normally, no one but Lelandi would have the nerve to go after Darien's tail. Except for you and me when the time is right.”

Deep down, Carol wanted the pack leader's ribbon, if only to prove he wasn't as much in charge of her as he thought.

She believed she was free to grab his tag when two men appeared in her peripheral vision, heading straight for her. They were not only protecting their teammate, but their pack leader, while also taking the chance to get her tag.

Like a hefty football player, Sam tackled the one man, landing the guy flat on his back with an “oof.” Jake went in for the kill, so to speak, with the other guy. Smiling, Jake winked at Carol in the interim, which gave her the go-ahead to try for Darien's tag again.

Lelandi whipped around and danced in front of Darien, keeping him distracted as he tried to get her ribbon so Carol could snag Darien's.

By accident, Carol groped his buttock, her face heating with embarrassment. Then she went for the ribbon prize with one last-ditch effort. And came away with… air.

Leaning against one of the tables piled high with ribbons, his arms folded across his chest, Ryan McKinley watched Carol glide and shift and dodge the brutes who went after her, her whole body in motion like a swiftly twirling exotic dancer. Exquisite and mesmerizing. He couldn't recall a time when he'd enjoyed watching a game this much. Normally he preferred playing. Spectator sports were not his thing.

Carol, not any of the other women playing the game, was the one who captured his imagination. Her cute little ass wiggled in her tight jeans as she leapt back and forth, her hands outstretched and ready to grab Darien's tag. Her agility, her quickness, and the laughter in her smile and eyes made her a pleasure to watch.

Her eagerness to go after the real prize, when no one else would dare, made Ryan smile. Too bad he was here just to clear up the matter of this psychic business. Although the mystery business with the red in the woods the previous night was another situation he needed to clear up by letting Darien know about it, if he didn't already.

A man tried to reach Carol, shoving at Sam to get by him, and every muscle in Ryan's body tightened. He fought against dashing out into the playing field to protect her. She already had such a force of bodyguards that she didn't need him. And he didn't want to dwell on why that bothered him.

He hadn't expected her to play the game so enthusiastically. More reserved, a non-participant, maybe. But not as a wildcat going for the gold. And that gold was Darien's ribbon. She had nerve, or maybe she didn't realize what taking on the male alpha leader meant. The fact that she doggedly went after him showed real strength of character. Ryan couldn't help being impressed. Damned impressed.

She ducked another man—an eligible bachelor, no doubt—and whipped around, stripping him of his ribbon instead. Already, she had three tucked in the front of her waistband, the vixen.

Lelandi caught Ryan's eye, raised her brow, and smiled. At least
she
wasn't against his being here. Her gaze shifted to where Carol was maneuvering again around Darien's backside.

Silva suddenly noticed Ryan and shook her head. Then a tall man wearing barber's quartet clothes attempted to approach Carol, but too many others blocked his path. The man danced around like a red-and-white barber's pole, minus the blue stripe, as he tried to reach her.

Jake saw Ryan, stopped playing the game, and stalked toward the outsider, his eyes narrowed and his jaw taut. Ryan figured Jake would tell him to leave. But instead, Jake joined him, leaned his backside against the table next to Ryan and then folded his arms.

“What are you doing here?” Jake's voice was dispassionate, which surprised Ryan, as if Jake had half expected Ryan to show up and didn't care one way or another.

But Ryan didn't take Jake's tone for complacency. All three of the brothers could easily be provoked if
they thought any of their pack members' welfare was in jeopardy.

“I'm here to finish my report. Couple of details I wanted to clear up with Carol.”

“Nothing more than that?” Jake sounded skeptical and turned his attention back to Carol. “I never expected her to be like this… so spirited. Or to enjoy herself so much. I'm glad to see it finally.”

Surprised she'd been unhappy with the pack, considering how cheerful she looked, Ryan frowned. His first thought was that Darien's pack members weren't treating her well. He quickly reconsidered, thinking it might have to do with her having been so recently turned.

“She's not content with being one of us?”

“She's learning to adjust.”

That didn't bode well. When Jake didn't say anything more about the matter, Ryan asked, “What are the problems?”

“Everyone's different in how they handle being turned. Some embrace the changes. Some don't.”

That didn't settle the unease Ryan felt about the situation. “And she's fighting it.”

“You could say that.”

Ryan had never considered that Carol might not like being a werewolf, nor that anyone would be unhappy with his or her newfound abilities. Quicker healing properties, the ability to see at night, and heightened senses of smell, sight, and hearing. Increased longevity. Wolf's stamina. Of course, he'd been born a
lupus garou
, so it was hard imagining someone dealing with the changes overnight.

He rubbed his chin and watched her further, seeing
the way she really was getting into the game. From his observations of her, he couldn't visualize her as a woman who was at odds with her werewolf half. She looked like she was having the time of her life. Even last night when she had hunted him down, she had to have appreciated her wolf's nocturnal vision and enhanced sense of smell, which had helped her to locate him in the dark.