Destiny of the Wolf

Chapter 22

AFTER SETTLING IN, LELANDI AND CAROL MADE TWO APPLE pies, while Tom and Jake took Darien aside to speak to him privately in his office. He figured there had been more trouble with their new live-in guest.

“Carol tried to sneak a gun into her bag, but I bid her you and your men were the only ones who would be armed. She didn’t like it, but finally gave in.” Tom said.

“She’s going to be a problem. But maybe she can use these abilities of hers to warn us before whoever murdered Larissa strikes at Lelandi again,” Darien said.

A rapping at the door sounded.

“Yes?” Darien asked gruffly.

Lelandi opened the door, her face strained.

“Where’s Carol?” Darien asked, already leaving the office. He was sure the woman would attempt to flee if given the opportunity. She didn’t appear to be the fighting sort.

Leiandi grabbed his arm. “Darien, Silva’s here helping her with the pies. But Carol had a... premonition. A group of men are coming to see you. They’re angry, but they’re not the real problem. Another group is planning on slipping into a bedroom to steal me away. She doesn’t see what happens afterward, just that we’ve got trouble coming soon.”

Darien’s phone rang and Tom grabbed it off the desk. “Yeah?” He looked up at Darien, his expression darkened. Uncle Sheridan says he couldn’t keep the reds at Hastings B&B. They’re on their way here.’

When everyone glanced at Lelandi, she lifted a shoulder. “Carol sees things sometimes. I guess she really does have psychic abilities.”

He was having a hard time believing it, but already adrenaline was coursing through his veins, getting him ready for a fight. “Tom, tell Uncle Sheridan I want him and both his deputies here.” Darien took Lelandi’s hand and kissed it, hoping not to show how anxious he was about her. “I want you and Silva in the bedroom.”

“And Carol?”

Jake said, “She can’t be allowed to see what happens when we have to fight. She’ll be traumatized.”

Everyone headed out of Darien’s office.

Carol would be more than traumatized. Tension filled every muscle in Lelandi’s body. She wasn’t worried that the grays would beat the reds. Well, maybe a little. Bruin and his brothers could be pretty underhanded and brutal. But she was worried about Carol and Silva, too.

“Uncle Sheridan’s getting his deputies and a few others to guard the place,” Tom said. “Do you want me to watch Carol?”

“You’ll be with Jake. Are you ready to play the alpha leader again?”

Jake gave him an evil smile.

“What about Carol?” Lelandi asked, her blood growing cold.

“Ask her. I’m sure she knows what’s going to happen already.” He led Lelandi toward the kitchen. “Have both Silva and Carol go with you to the bedroom. You’ll watch something on television, pretend like nothing is out of the ordinary.”

Uncle Sheridan barged into the house with Peter and Chester McKinley.

“Where’s Trevor?’ Darien asked, his tone annoyed.

“He’s on his way.”

“I want to help even though I’m not one of your pack, if you’ll let me,” Chester said.

Darien glanced out the front window. Several gray wolves were positioning themselves around the estate. “All right. You stay with Jake and Tom.”

Darien amazed Lelandi at every turn. Normally, a pack leader wouldn’t want interference from a wolf he didn’t trust and know well when a serious crisis was at hand.

He kissed Lelandi’s cheek. “Go, move the women upstairs.”

“Hope the pies are done.” She hurried off to the kitchen, praying Darien knew what he was doing concerning Carol and that no one would hurt her in the impending fracas.

“The reds arrived in the drive,” Tom warned.

“Carol, Silva, how far along are the pies?” Lelandi asked, her pulse pounding.

Silva gave her a knowing look. “We brought them out to cool.”

“Super. Why don’t we go up to one of the bedrooms and watch some TV?” She motioned toward the living room.

“Sure, sugar. Sounds like a great idea.”

Carol offered a wary smile. “Love to until the pies are ready to eat. We need to make sure we get some before the guys scarf them up.”

“You’re right about that.” Lelandi waited for Silva and Carol to leave first. She tried to keep the panic from her voice, but she was sure both women noticed.

On the way to the stairs, they headed toward the men gathered in the living room.

Darien grabbed Jake’s shoulder. “Are you sure you can handle this?”

Jake’s face lit up with a sinister cast. “You bet, Darien. They won’t know what hit them.”

“All right. Uncle Sheridan?”

“All set. Go protect the little lady. You know they’ll pull something sneaky to take her out of here.”

“Chester?”

“I’m with you. Thanks for trusting in me.”

“Sam?”

Sam patted Tom on the shoulder. “We’ll take care of Jake in case anything gets out of hand.”

“Where’s Trevor?” Silva asked.

“Late. I’m sure he has a damned good excuse though,” Darien said, his words sarcastic.

Lelandi thought Silva had given up on that worthless Trevor. What now? “Is Jake going to be all right?”

“Jake will be fine. Every time I have to leave town, he takes over.” Darien looked at Peter. “Ready?”

“Yes, sir.”

A knock sounded at the front door and Darien took Lelandi’s hand and rushed her up the stairs with Silva and Carol following, and Peter bringing up the rear. “You were supposed to be upstairs already,” Darien scolded.

But as soon as Darien and Lelandi reached the landing, he shoved her against the wall, and she smelled the reds’ scents, too. “They’re here,” he whispered. “Must have slipped in before my guards were in place on the property.”

Carol’s eyes looked like they were going to pop out of her head. Silva and Lelandi breathed in deeply and listened, trying to sense where the reds were located.

Darien nodded to Peter and they both began stripping out of their clothes.

“Where do you want us to go?” Lelandi asked Darien, knowing he planned to shapeshift and soon couldn’t tell her anything.

“Where do you need to go?” Darien deferred to Carol.

She looked too stunned to answer.

Lelandi shook her hand. “Carol. Where do you see that we need to be?”

“We’re in a big blue bedroom with a sitting area.”

“Darien’s bedroom.” Lelandi led Carol down the hall with Silva trailing behind.

“A security monitor is in the room. Hit the green switch for the living room. We should be able to hear the conversation,” Silva said.

Carol glanced back at Darien—both he and Peter were now naked. Lelandi pulled her into the bedroom so she wouldn’t see them shapeshift. No smell of the reds in here. They must have broken into Jake’s or... or maybe the guest bedroom, thinking she was still staying there.

In their wolf pelts, Darien and Peter loped after them and Carol cried out.

“Good pet wolves,” Lelandi said, patting Darien on the head.

Carol hadn’t seen the men transform, but she did see their clothes lying on the floor in the hallway, and Darien and Peter had vanished. She knew.

Lelandi closed the door and Peter sat next to it, his ears perked up, listening.

Silva motioned to one of the two chairs. “I’ll put something on. Like comedies?”

Carol nodded heartily, but her attention was glued to Lelandi who flipped on the monitor switch, then took a seat on the bed. Darien jumped up on the mattress and nuzzled her hand with his nose.

She scratched his head and smiled. “Want me to rub your belly, too?”

Peter and Silva glanced back at them.

A wolf that would bear his belly to another showed his complete trust in the other, but Darien pushed his nose into her crotch and sniffed. Smiling, Lelandi shoved his head away. Silva chuckled and turned on the television.

Peter observed Darien and Lelandi for a minute more, then when Darien laid his head on her lap, Peter concentrated on the door.

“I’m Bruin Stillwater,” the red pack leader said to Jake downstairs.

Even hearing Bruin’s dark voice sent chills streaking down Lelandi’s spine. Carol watched the monitor with rapt attention. Silva turned the TV lower.

“I’m the pack leader of Wildhaven.”

“Darien Sliver of Silver Town. I understand you already know Larissa died,” Jake said, his tone conciliatory with a hint of gruffness.

“One of your people murdered her, you mean,” Bruin corrected.

“We don’t have conclusive evidence either way. It’s possible even a red murdered her for mating a gray when she was mated to your brother already. Which of these gentlemen is your brother, Crassus?”

“I’m Crassus.”

Lelandi’s skin crawled. Whispering, she said, “That’s not his voice.”

“Then he intends on coming for you,” Silva said.

“Crassus,” Carol whispered. “The one I saw in the vision.”

Lelandi had figured the bastard would come for her, afraid someone else would fail. And, too, she assumed he wanted to show her how she couldn’t escape him. He’d find so much more satisfaction in returning her home if he did so himself.

“As I’ve already relayed to you through the sheriff, Lelandi belongs to the pack. Now that her sister is confirmed dead, Crassus will mate her. Has in fact—in absentia—as is our right.”

“When was this done?” Jake asked.

“You question my honor?”

“I mated her as soon as she arrived here,” Jake lied. “You see, we were dream mated. For months we’d made love in our dream states, and she came into her first wolf heat when we met. So you see, we’re soul mates. And we won’t be separated.”

Lelandi glanced at Darien. He had told Jake about her wolf heat? If he’d been in his human form, she would have slugged him.

“You stole Crassus’s mate from him. You will give Lelandi back or else...”

The sound of growling came from the hallway. Carol jumped from the chair she was sitting on. Lelandi and Silva rose. “They can’t open the door.” Lelandi said under her breath. Then she belatedly realized they hadn’t locked it and dashed for it.

The door slammed open, throwing her against the wall. She recognized the two reds right away. Carruthers and Connors, the black-haired twin cops from Wildhaven, the two lupus garou that had guarded her back home before she escaped, looking smug, their lips curled up slightly, their amber eyes revealed a small sense of delight in bringing her the news. “You’re coming with us. Bruin says.”

Then all hell broke loose. Darien lunged for Carruthers and Peter went for Connors. But three red wolves dashed into the room. Carol screamed. Silva grabbed for a lamp while Lelandi searched in Darien’s sock drawer. He hadn’t put her gun back here. Damn it. Why didn’t he tell her where it was? Too late. She and Silva could shapeshift, but Lelandi wasn’t any match for a male, gray or red. She was sure Silva wouldn’t be either. She seized the other bedside table lamp.

“Get into the bathroom and stay there!” Lelandi shouted at Carol.

But Darien had one of the wolves by the throat, pinning Carol into a corner.

Then Crassus stalked into the room like he owned the place, his strawberry blond hair unbound, his dark eyes challenging her. For an instant, she felt an inkling of terror. He could snap her neck in two and end her life easily. But even worse, he could claim her for his own if he could kill Darien.

Lelandi moved in Carol’s direction, her lamp readied, her eyes challenging him back. Cowering before the son of a bitch was not an option. But her heated blood ran cold now. He was bigger, stronger, and meaner than she could ever be. He wouldn’t hesitate to take her.

Like most of the reds in his pack, he wasn’t tall, but he was bulky, like a football player in his prime and was always itching for a fight. His older brother, Bruin, was the only one stronger, more deadly.

The sound of fighting was going on downstairs, and she hoped Jake and the rest would win against Bruin and his men. More than six reds had come into town.

As if he had no worries, Crassus folded his arms, and his lips rose in a gloating sneer. “Your father wouldn’t give you to me. I suspected it had to do with your temper. Would have made our mating much more—challenging. Or it might have been because you hadn’t come into a wolf’s heat yet, and he was afraid you wouldn’t be worth having.” His eyes as cold as ash, he added, “But Larissa is dead and you will now be mine.”

His words cut through her like an icy blade, but she tried to act nonchalant and waved a hand at Darien who was tackling another wolf. “Meet my mate. You’re already too late, Crassus. Live with it.”

He reached out to touch Lelandi’s hair, but she slapped his hand away. He laughed from the gut, sinister, cruelly. But before she could react, he grabbed her by the throat and slammed her against the wall. A streak of pain slid down her spine, and she dropped the lamp. “You hoped Bruin would give you to another pack member—another subchief, even though your father insisted, but Bruin wouldn’t. Not unless I told him I didn’t want you. You can’t have a gray, You’re mated to me, albeit in absentia. But we’ll get to the good part after we rid ourselves of the grays.”

She struggled to twist free, his meaty hand tightening on her throat. Her vision darkened, she gasped for air, then Darien chomped down on Crassus’s arm.

Darien’s focus had to remain on the wolves in the room first, more deadly with their powerful bites, more of a threat than any of those in their human forms. But as soon as Crassus grabbed Lelandi’s throat, Darien had to get rid of the wolf he was fighting, then he aimed for the bastard. No contest existed between a wolf and a human, and he’d hoped the beast would have changed so he could take care of him wolf to wolf.

As soon as Darien bit Crassus’s arm, he screamed and released Lelandi. He ripped off his shirt, though his swarthy face exuded pain, and he struggled with the effort, his arm dripping with blood.

The twin cops who had entered the room initially, quickly turned wolf to deal with Peter now that the other reds were dead. Darien bit one of them while he waited for Crassus to change.

Lelandi was still clutching her throat, trying to draw air into her lungs when Carol cried out. She slid to the floor, her eyes dazed, her throat dripping with blood from a nasty gash. Lelandi skirted around the four wolves battling each other and reached Carol, her hand on her throat, stemming the blood. “Ohmigod, Carol. You’ll be... all right.” Some reassurance. It didn’t matter that Carol’s death would be the easiest solution now that she knew they were lupus garous. Lelandi desperately wanted her to live.

Silva was already on the phone. “Angelina, call Nurse Matthew right away and dispatch him to Darien’s home. We have multiple injuries.” She clicked off the phone and punched in numbers. “The new male nurse is on his way,” she said to Lelandi. She paused. “Charlotte? It’s Silva. Come right away to Darien’s house. We’ve got casualties, but the fight’s still ongoing.”

Silva hung up the phone and climbed over the bed to get to Lelandi, while Crassus ditched his trousers and shapeshifted. “Is she going to live?”

Lelandi yanked a pillowcase off one of the pillows and applied pressure to the wound. She didn’t think Carol was going to make it. The woman’s heartbeat was fading, and she was bleeding too much. “I... I don’t know what to do.”

“I’ll get some of that leftover bandaging Doc gave me to use on your wounds.” Silva climbed back over the bed and raced into the bathroom.

Standing as a wolf, Crassus bared his teeth at Darien. Crassus looked so damned arrogant. Didn’t he know he was no match for a gray alpha pack leader?

The two circled each other while Peter and the remaining red stopped to watch the fight between a leader and a subchief. Silva returned with the bandaging and she and Lelandi bound Carol’s wound. Darien lunged at Crassus, but the wolf twisted away so hard to avoid Darien’s snapping jaws, he fell on his butt, then quickly retreated.

“Hell, there’s more of them!” someone shouted from downstairs.

Lelandi took her eyes off Darien and Crassus to look at Silva. She looked as worried as Lelandi felt.

“No, they’re going after the reds.”

Lelandi’s mouth dropped slightly. What reds in their right mind would fight Bruin and his pack here? Then anger welled up to volcanic proportions deep inside her—not her emotions, but her brothers, the symbiotic reaction she had when her sister or brother’s feelings ran high. Leidolf was here.

Darien took a chunk out of Crassus’s ear, and he fell away in a panic, his ear bleeding. But Darien didn’t wait for another run. He cornered the red, bottled him between the sofa and the wall and leapt in the air.

Crassus yelped before Darien planted his teeth into his neck. It was the last sound the bastard would ever make as Darien’s canines snapped the wolf’s neck in half, then released him.

“Where are you, Lelandi, Silva?” Nurse Grey cried out from downstairs as lamps and tables crashed downstairs.

“Upstairs, end of hail, Darien’s room. Hurry.” Lelandi shouted.

Darien eyed the lone red wolf standing next to Peter, but he tucked tail and lay down on his stomach.

Nurse Grey and Matthew bolted upstairs with a medical kit. “Oh my, what’s happened?”

“Can you take care of her?” Lelandi asked, holding Carol’s hand.

“Yes, let me get in there and I’ll see what I can do.”

“I’ll... I’ll be right back.” Lelandi dashed out of the room and down the hall.

“Leiandi” Sllva shouted. “No, wait!

Darien chased Lelandi down the stairs, and she was sure if he could, he would force her back into the bedroom to keep her out of harm’s way. But her brother was in the thick of it, and she couldn’t let anyone in Darien’s pack kill him, mistaking him for the enemy.

“No!” she yelled, trying to get beyond the grays to get closer to her brother, but one of the grays snapped at her, keeping her away from the reds battling each other. Her brother was fighting Bruin, and the grays were letting him? Then she saw another familiar red, her uncle, tearing into Bruin’s youngest brother, Cindon—as mean-hearted as Crassus and Bruin. It was rumored their father was a real psycho and bullied them until they became just like him.

Her uncle turned his head in her direction briefly. He shielded bared teeth instantly, his look shifting from her to Darien standing next to her, his stance protective. Her heart lifted to see both her uncle and brother back together again. But then she cringed when Bruin knocked Leidolf on his hip.

Leidolf quickly recovered and dodged the heavier wolf’s lunge. Bruin weighed at least forty pounds more than her brother, was shorter and stockier and thicker necked. But Leidoif had a regal way of moving, swiftly, silently, dangerously. He’d taken down a stag without a sound, killed a bear that had attacked her mother when they were living in the mountains, and now he seemed even more serious, determined, deadly.

Darien watched, as if he was ruler of all the land, and the tournament was for his and his courtiers’ sport. Everyone’s tongues panted from exertion and blood tinged a fair amount of the wolves’ pelts. A couple sat down. The rest stiffly observed, wary of the fight, promising to take on the pack leader and his brother if the reds who fought them lost the game. Old Mr. Hastings, who had shouted that her brother and uncle had arrived, was the only one in human form.

Darien glanced up at Lelandi and licked her hand. She crouched down next to him, wrapped her arm around his neck, and gave him a hug. “Thanks for avenging my sister’s tormenter.” She spoke loud enough for Bruin to hear.

He jerked his head in her direction, and Leidolf slammed into him, knocking the pack leader off his pads. He crashed into a table and broke one of the legs. Leidolf growled low at Bruin, then savagely attacked his throat. Bruin bit back, but Leidolf held on for dear life, growling. After several seconds that felt like hours. Bruin sank to the floor, dead.

Uncle Hrothgar seemed to smile, then he tackled Bruin’s last living brother, biting him in the face when Cindon turned his head to protect his throat. None could be left standing if they were to oust the red pack from their lands.

Two more of the grays sat down, the fight nearly ended.

Silva came down the stairs and gave Lelandi a somber nod. But Lelandi didn’t know how to take the message. She wanted to check on Carol, but she had to see her uncle win against Brain’s brother.

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 ft 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 males 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 Wlldhaven? 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 leaders 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 reds 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.

Jake 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?”