by Terry Spear
Leidolf watched their uncle for a minute, then turned his attention on her. He was heaving with weariness, but anger still filled his soul. His gaze shifted to Darien. He knew. He understood she was his now, and she sensed he didn’t like it. He didn’t have to like it. He’d left them to fend for their own, and she’d found her soul mate.
Uncle Hrothgar pounced again at Cindon, this time snapping his neck in two like Darien had done to his brother, Crassus. For several minutes, no one did anything, the grays watching what the red wolves did next, and the reds eyeing Darien.
“My brother, Leidolf.” Lelandi stood and motioned to the red wolf standing next to Bruin’s dead body. “And Uncle Hrothgar.” She motioned to the other.
Darien panted, then licked Lelandi’s hand and ran up the stairs. Still, no one moved, waiting for Darien’s word.
A few minutes later, he returned dressed in his jeans, while he yanked a shirt on, a trail of blood running down his chest. “Leidolf,” he addressed Lelandi’s brother first. Then he bowed his head slightly at Uncle Hrothgar. “Welcome to my pack.”
The two considered Lelandi, then loped out through the front door.
Darien gave her a weary smile and kissed her cheek. “Change, and get this place cleaned up,” he said to his pack. He looked around and frowned. “Where the hell is Trevor?”
Uncle Sheridan jerked on his clothes and gave a disgruntled growl. “I’ll check into it and let you know.” He took off for his truck.
Darien still couldn’t believe Lelandi’s brother and uncle had arrived so unexpectedly, but he suspected Ural must have sent word to them.
Tall for a red, a man walked back into the house, his chestnut hair tinged red, his eyes as jade as Lelandi’s, narrowed, wary. Darien suspected his height had to do with his royal heritage and the fact he was directly related to the first lupus garou—a gray. His body erect, wiry, ready for confrontation, a proud and sturdy jaw, angry lips and brows deeply furrowed defined him. Again he looked at Lelandi like she belonged to him, and he wanted her back. Lelandi’s uncle walked in afterward, somewhat older, same height, more cautious, a lot less cocky.
“She’s mine,” Darien growled, unable to welcome the intruder like he’d intended, unable to curb his feral possessiveness when it came to his mate.
Leidolf cocked his head slightly, his lips curving upward a hint.
Lelandi stood stock still, not saying a word, but her eyes were wide and expressive. She appeared worried that Darien and Leidolf would fight.
Darien took the aggressive red male’s cue though, and bowed his head as Tom and Jake flanked him. “She is mine,” he reiterated, not about to make any flowery speeches.
Leidolf kissed Lelandi on the cheek, and she appeared to be holding her breath, pale and unsure of herself.
“So it seems,” Leidolf said, his voice a deep, threatening timbre. “I had planned to bring Lelandi home to my pack.”
Lelandi let out her breath. “To Wildhaven? You’ll lead them now?”
“No, in Oregon. Mother and Father have joined me there. Uncle Hrothgar will take on the pack in Wildhaven. Will you come with me?” He lightly took hold of her arm as if to persuade her to follow his lead.
“No, Leidolf.” Her cheeks reddened and she jerked her arm out of his grasp. “You left us two years ago! We could have used your help! You think you can waltz in here and dictate to me because now you’re a pack leader? That would be the day.”
“Then, that’s settled. Several prime-aged reds joined the pack and were looking for a mate and were very much interested when I said my sister was available, but…” Leidolf gave a shrug and cast Darien a seething look.
So, had Leidolf already promised his sister to a pack member? When a pack had a severe shortage of females as many do, bringing in eligible mates could improve a new leader’s standing, not to mention it tied more of the clan’s loyalty with the bond created. Darien folded his arms, trying to appear relaxed, but if Leidolf grabbed Lelandi’s arm again…
“I’m not available. I’m mated. And this is where I’m staying.”
Loving seeing Lelandi’s ire unloaded on her brother after what he’d pulled, Darien agreed.
Leidolf shook his head. “I don’t approve.”
Darien ground his teeth. If Leidolf had any intention of taking Lelandi with him, Darien would shapeshift and change the red’s mind.
“But what’s been done, can’t be undone under our laws. If your mate should ever expire and you want a home with us, you’ll be welcome, Lelandi.” Leidolf turned to Darien. “If you’ll permit me, I’ll take Ural off your hands. He’ll return with me to my pack.”
“Gladly,” Darien said.
She kissed her brother on the cheek. “Be safe, my brother. I’d like to visit you and your pack soon.” She squeezed his hand, released him, then wrapped her arm around Darien’s waist. “With my mate.”
The phone rang and Lelandi gave a little start. Tom grabbed the phone half-buried under the sofa. “Yes, Uncle Sheridan? I’ll tell Darien you haven’t located Trevor yet. Darien wants Ural released into the red’s care and they’re leaving. Leidolf will meet you at the jail.”
“Would you stay and share a meal with us at least, brother?” Lelandi asked.
“Some other time,” he said, his eyes still challenging Darien.
Darien pulled Lelandi out of the red’s path, glad her brother was leaving. Jake finally moved aside, his posture stiff, his gaze intent on Leidolf.
Leidolf smirked at Darien. “You’re lucky you had brothers. Sisters can be so much trouble.”
Darien could imagine.
Turning to Darien, Tom asked, “Should I go with Leidolf?”
“No need,” Leidolf dismissed him with a wave of his hand, then stalked toward the front door.
Darien was glad Lelandi didn’t have any airs.
Leidolf yanked open the door and turned to Darien. “Take care of her, better than you did our sister Larissa.” His conveyed the deadly threat with a look of contempt.
Darien wouldn’t be tested, but Lelandi jerked free from him and slugged Leidolf in the shoulder. “You’re a real bastard. We had to fend for ourselves. You should have protected Larissa from Crassus’s brutality. You! And you should have forced Mother and Father to move before the demon took Larissa as his mate.”
Leidolf’s darkened eyes softened. “If I had, Larissa would have been alive, granted. But you would have been mated to one of my reds, and not to the one you’ve given your heart to.” He bowed his head and stalked out the door.
The phone rang in Tom’s hand, and he lifted it to his ear. “Uncle Sheridan? Sure.”
He handed the phone to Darien. “He’s steaming.”
“That son of a bitch knocked Trevor out and already freed Ural from the jail. Trevor’s tied up like a calf, fuming, ready to kill a couple of reds. But he’s all right. What do you want me to do?” Uncle Sheridan asked.
“Release him.”
“Leidolf?”
“Trevor.”
Leidolf and her uncle got into the Humvee and Ural waved out the window. “See ya later, Lelandi. Don’t be a stranger,” Ural shouted.
Darien pulled Lelandi into his embrace and hugged her hard. “Whenever you want to see your family, I’ll take you.”
“You’re my family now. But I’d like to see my parents. Oh…oh, Carol.”
Darien motioned to Jake. “See how she is.”
Darien moved Lelandi back into the living room where the furniture had been righted and the table with the broken leg removed. Bruin’s body and his brothers’ and the rest of his men’s had been taken from the house. “Where’s the red who gave up the fight?” Darien asked Peter.
“He took off when Bruin died.”
Jake ran down the stairs. “I’m taking Carol to the hospital. Anybody else need patching up, come along with me. Nurse Grey and Matthew will take care of the injuries.”
“Is she…she…” Lelandi swallowed hard.
J
ake scratched his stubbly chin. “You know how a little lupus garou genetics help with the healing process.”
“She’s…she’s turned?” Lelandi asked.
Darien took a deep breath. “That solves one problem.”
“Like hell it does,” Jake said, scowling. “She’s already bitching about wanting to be a nurse at the hospital…again.”
And there would be more trouble inherent with a newly turned lupus garou in the pack—particularly a female. Which of the wolves had so savagely bitten her? A red, because she was easy prey, or a gray to get rid of the threat to their kind. “Who bit her?”
Jake snorted. “One of the reds. Seems red females are going to be overrunning the pack.”
“Hmpfh. Guess you’ll have to get used to it.” Looking up at Darien, Lelandi tightened her grasp on his hand. “Now can she be on the hospital staff?”
Chapter 23
EARLY THE NEXT MORNING, LELANDI TOOK A DEEP BREATH AS she and Silva headed for Carol’s hospital room, hoping Carol would be awake this time.
“Nobody’s turned a human in the last one-hundred and thirty years in Silver Town,” Silva said, her voice hushed. “I can’t even imagine what she might be feeling.”
“Angry maybe. Frustrated. Probably scared. I still can’t believe the bite turned her instead of killing her since she lost so much blood.”
“Carol’s a fighter.” Silva sounded proud of her.
“Good thing, too.” Lelandi was grateful Carol had survived but worried about how she would accept all the changes.
Guarding Carol’s hospital room, Trevor looked pissed.
Silva straightened and put on her hopeful-smiley look, and Lelandi wanted to slap her. Trevor didn’t look at Silva once, but glowered at Lelandi.
“No visitors,” Trevor snapped.
“Try and stop us,” Lelandi said.
Silva turned her head to conceal a smile.
Immediately, Trevor rose to his six-foot height. “The sheriff said no visitors unless Darien approves.”
“Considering the circumstances, he means no human visitors,” Silva contradicted him.
“Or, maybe he’s concerned for her safety, but we’re not a threat,” Lelandi said.
Trevor stood firm, his hand resting on the pistol at his hip.
Not wanting to delay seeing Carol and tired of this macho bull, Lelandi stiffened. “Move, deputy, or I’ll call Darien. You don’t want to explain to him why you won’t let his mate see the patient.”
His eyes flashed murder, but he shoved his hand at Silva, stopping her from entering. “You’re not authorized.”
“She’s my bodyguard today, Trevor. Don’t make this hard on yourself.”
He didn’t budge.
Palm up, Lelandi extended her hand to Silva. “Phone?”
Silva dug around in her suitcase-sized leather bag. Trevor still wouldn’t move, but as soon as Silva found her phone, Trevor growled. “I’ll report this to the sheriff.”
“Do,” Lelandi said with a lift of her chin. Jerk.
Grudgingly, he half-moved out of the doorway so that Lelandi had to brush past him to get into the room. She thought about shoving him out of the way, but rather enjoyed pushing his buttons in a more feminine way. Silva shut the door after them.
Carol watched them from the bed. Sitting up, her face was glum and she turned away. Her neck was bandaged and a light stain of red colored the cloth. Her skin was pale, her blonde curls tangled around her shoulders as if she’d had a bad night’s sleep.
Her skin was icy; Lelandi hated being in unfamiliar settings. Dealing with a newly turned lupus garou made her particularly uncomfortable, no matter how hard she tried to shake loose of the feeling. But she couldn’t leave the poor woman in isolation either. She wished Silva would help her out, like she usually did in a tense situation, but Silva seemed as unsure as Lelandi as to what to do.
“Carol, we came by to…sit with you for a while,” Lelandi said.
“He won’t let my parents see me,” Carol said softly, blinking away tears.
“Darien?” Lelandi pulled a chair close to the bed.
“Who else?”
“He…he’s afraid you’ll tell your parents what happened.”
Carol gave a derisive laugh. “My parents would have me certified. Just as crazy as my sister. That would really go over well.”
“Would you like to see your parents?”
Carol’s dull blue eyes sparkled.
Silva wrung her hands.
“One of us will have to stay with you while they visit,” Lelandi warned.
Carol quickly nodded.
Silva let out her breath. “Are you sure Darien will approve?”
“Only one way to find out.” Lelandi called his cell phone, but there was no answer. Carol’s jaw tightened. Lelandi smiled. “Always another way to get around the big boss.” She punched in another number and was instantly rewarded.
“This is Tom.”
“Lelandi here, visiting Carol at the hospital. She’s pretty down. Can you authorize her parents’ visit if I stay in the room while they’re here?”
“Silva can stay, too,” Carol hurriedly said.
Silva smiled and pulled up another chair.
“I’ll check with Darien and get back with you.” Tom sounded so concerned, she wondered what was up.
“Where is he? I tried calling, but there wasn’t any answer.”
“The silver mine. An accident occurred with one of the tourist cars on the train.”
“Is anyone hurt?”
“I probably shouldn’t be telling you this, Lelandi, not until Darien approves. But, Angelina and Hosstene were on the car that Darien said was rigged to break free. The car tumbled down several hundred feet, striking a number of trees before it impacted with a boulder.”
Lelandi stared at Silva in disbelief. “Were…were they injured badly?”
“Hosstene was decapitated. Angelina is on her way to the hospital now.”
“Why would they have been riding on the train? Only the tourists take that trip, right?”
“Meeting someone? We don’t know.”
“Murder.”
“Seems that way. Darien suspects Angelina, Hosstene, and Ritka were three of the ones blackmailing your sister. He believes whoever rigged the accident is the fourth and wants to eliminate his partners in the crime.”
Lelandi sat down hard on the vinyl chair next to the bed. “How bad is Angelina?”
“Several broken bones. Internal bleeding. Not sure of the severity of all her injuries until a doctor takes a look. Darien didn’t want to tell you until he was more certain of the women’s guilt. Let me speak to Doc Mitchell, will you?”
Lelandi’s face warmed. “He’s…well, he had to check out Mrs. Fennigan’s dog who was having symptoms of a stroke.”
Tom didn’t say anything for a moment. She was in trouble now. “Who’s watching you?” Tom’s voice was deep with barely repressed anger, and he sounded like Darien, except he would have sworn.
“Silva.”
“Damn it, Lelandi. The murderer is still out there and someone has to watch you at all times. Why the hell didn’t Doc Mitchell call in someone else? Forget it. He would have. But you didn’t wait. Who’s watching Carol’s room?”
“Deputy Trevor.”
“Fine. Stay there until I can get someone else to the hospital to escort you straight home after your visit.”
Not liking that she had to be constantly watched, Lelandi clenched her teeth. “Will do. What about Carol’s parents?”
Tom grumbled, “Darien will go ballistic when he learns you’ve been running around without protection. I’ll make arrangements for her parents’ visit. But don’t you leave there until I have a security detail for you.”
“Yes, sir.” She smiled and hung up the phone.
“I could hear Tom’s voice all the way over here,” Silva said.
Carol was frowning so hard, Lelandi took her hand and gave her a reassuri
ng squeeze. “Tom will make the arrangements.”
“You…you risked your life to be with me?”
“Nonsense,” Lelandi said.
But Silva disagreed. “Yes, she did. We were all set on coming here when Doc Mitchell got the emergency call. Peter was supposed to meet us at the house, but when he didn’t show on time, Lelandi insisted we get to the hospital. She worried about you and didn’t want to wait any longer, assuming Trevor would be here in case anyone threatened her.”
“You shouldn’t have risked it,” Carol scolded.
“How are you feeling?” Lelandi hated that everyone worried about her like she was a child who couldn’t deal with adversity.
“My throat still hurts. Tom gave me blood and I’m feeling a little better, but…” She laid her head back against the pillow, her eyes soggy, dark circles coloring the skin.
“Do you…want to talk about it?”
Carol inhaled deeply. “It’s driving me crazy. Like Silva, I heard everything Tom said over the phone, he was so angry. I heard him say Hosstene was dead. And Angelina’s in a bad way. That Darien thinks they were in on the blackmail. That the car they were riding in was sabotaged. I can even hear your heart beating rapidly. The smell of antiseptics in the room is overwhelming and burning my eyes. Even when the lights were out last night, I could see as if it were daylight. Although it wasn’t exactly like daylight. More like a dark day when the clouds are getting ready to dump rain.”
“I’m sure it’ll take getting used to.” Lelandi wished she could give her better advice.
“Is this how it felt when you were turned?” Carol asked.
Silva shook her head. “We were born as lupus garous. In fact, you’re in the presence of a royal.” Her voice full of pride, she motioned to Lelandi with a bow of her head, and Lelandi rolled her eyes at her.
Carol’s eyes grew big. “A royal?”
“What Silva means is I’m a direct descendent of the original lupus garou. We believe he was a Norseman, although no one knows exactly how he contracted the lupus garou condition.”
“Some say a wolf bit him but instead of dying, his blood fought off the infection by mutating,” Silva suggested.
