“Thanks. I’d like that.” Laurel was so anxious, she wasn’t sure she could drive on the icy roads, but she was relieved that CJ would be okay. At least she hoped he was. They ended the call, and she looked up to see her sisters’ anxious faces. She explained what had happened, and her sisters gave her grief for not telling them beforehand.
“Do you want us to go with you?” Ellie asked, taking Laurel’s hand.
“No…he’s okay. He’s at the vet’s office.”
“Vet’s office?” Meghan asked. “Remind me never to get sick or injured here.”
Laurel managed a smile. “Yes. They brought him in as a wolf, and the vet took him to the clinic to check him over. Brett’s coming to pick me up and take me there.”
“Good. We’ll keep trying to find any hidden places in the highboy and blanket chest.” Ellie looked at the highboy. “I don’t know. Maybe neither of the pieces of furniture has secret compartments.”
“Maybe not. Or we might have to find a furniture refinisher or cabinetmaker and see if he can locate a hidden compartment,” Laurel said.
“Are you sure you’re going to be all right?” Meghan asked. “You looked like a ghost when the color drained so quickly from your cheeks.”
“Yeah. I’m just worried about CJ.”
“From the sound of it, he’s fine. We’ll let you know if we locate anything.” Meghan frowned. “Is he going home tonight?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, if he needs someone to stay overnight with him, I’ll volunteer you.” Ellie smiled. “Don’t think about me doing it.” She glanced at the old grandfather clock. “Speaking of which, I need to go to bed.”
Meghan agreed. “We can look these over again tomorrow. It’s time to sleep. We’ll take care of the hotel in the morning, so don’t worry about rushing home from CJ’s place.”
“He may not even be going home.” And since when did Laurel’s sisters decide what she was going to do?
A knock on the door sounded, and Ellie hurried to get it. “Your chariot awaits,” she said, then opened the door. “Hey, Brett, I hope your brother is all right.”
Laurel stared at Ellie. Her voice sounded sweet and demure, and Laurel swore her sister was looking coyly at Brett, like a she-wolf who was interested. Laurel wondered if that had anything to do with her involvement with CJ. Maybe Ellie felt it was okay to start dating a wolf too.
“CJ will be fine. Kind of growly, but he wants to go home,” Brett said. “If Doc releases him, he’ll want someone to watch over him.”
“That would be Laurel,” Ellie said, nodding sagely.
“I’m certain one of CJ’s brothers will be vying for the task.” Laurel joined them, giving her sister a look to behave. Ellie just grinned back at her. “Night, Ellie, Meghan. I’ll see you in the morning.” After making sure that CJ was okay, she would return and retire herself. To her bed this time.
Brett escorted her out to his car.
“Will the doctor release him?” Laurel climbed into Brett’s car.
“Yeah, if someone will watch over him.”
She really thought one of his brothers would.
Brett shrugged. “Between you and me, if he has a choice, he’s going to ask for you to stay with him. He’ll be on his best behavior. Believe me. With me, he’ll be a growly wolf to live with. Especially if you won’t go home with him.”
She chuckled. “I doubt it.”
“Yeah, well, he won’t show that side to you. Just to his brothers.”
“Is he really all right?”
“He was knocked out when he fell, bruised, and scraped up, but all that will heal in the next few days. He’ll be fine. The doc just wants him watched overnight.”
“What happened exactly? Lelandi said he saw the white wolf across the river and then told Darien he was going after it. She just said you all had found him.”
“He did go after the wolf. He swam across the river and then started searching for the wolf, but before he found it, he stepped on top of snow-covered deadfall rigged to cover the top of a killing pit.”
She felt her stomach drop. “How’d he survive?”
“Other animals had broken off the stakes.”
“Thank God for that. So he never found the white wolf?” Not that the wolf was as important as what had happened to CJ. She couldn’t imagine anything more terrifying.
“No, and neither did we, but then we began to search for CJ instead because none of us had run across him. Then he howled, and we knew he’d either found something or he was in trouble.”
“But he’s really okay.”
“Yeah. Just grouchy.”
She smiled, glad he was just ill-humored. That could be resolved with a little tender loving care.
Chapter 16
When Laurel and Brett arrived at the vet clinic, Brett went to see CJ while Doc Mitchell took Laurel into his private office and told her what he wanted her to do in case CJ began feeling bad. She hadn’t even said she was going to take care of him! She’d been torn between wanting to and not letting on that she wanted to while she let one of his brothers take care of him instead.
After Dr. Mitchell talked with her, he led her to a pet exam room where CJ was sitting in a chair in his human form, fully dressed, his eyes closed. As soon as CJ smelled her scent in the room, he opened his eyes. Brett was quietly leaning against the wall, waiting for her and Doc to get there. CJ smiled a warm, loving smile. Some of the knots in her belly untangled. He immediately stood, but wavered a little.
She rushed to steady him, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He wasn’t clinging to her as if he needed help standing, rather like he wanted to feel her touch and hold her close. Vastly relieved, she realized how much his disappearance had affected her when she had been trying so hard not to jump to conclusions. She slipped her arm around his back and gave him a squeeze, looking up at his darkened eyes and assuring herself he truly was fine.
“Sorry that we don’t have wheelchairs here. My patients don’t normally need them.” Doc Mitchell gave CJ a broad smile.
“I can walk,” CJ grouched, and Brett immediately winked at Laurel.
She smiled a little. She understood why CJ was irritated, probably feeling emasculated in front of her.
“Come on,” Brett said. “I’ll help you out to the car, and Laurel can get the doors for us.”
She thought she could have managed to help CJ all on her own. Then again, if CJ suddenly collapsed, Brett would be better able to handle him.
Once CJ was settled in the backseat of Brett’s car, she climbed into the front and Brett said, “I didn’t think to mention it, but we better run by your place so you can pack an overnight bag.”
“Uh, yeah, I guess so.” Laurel should have considered it, but then again, she hadn’t wanted anyone, her sisters included, to believe she had planned to stay with CJ all along. Yet, witnessing his bright smile when he saw her arrive, she had felt her heart flutter with happiness. How could she have done anything but agree to stay with him?
When they arrived at her place, she hoped to slip into the house and not wake her sisters, but being wolves, they both heard her shut the front door and had to investigate. She wasn’t certain if they wanted to ensure it was just her returning to the house, or if they wanted to know why she had returned and not remained with CJ.
As if choreographed, both of them opened their bedroom doors and peered out, frowned, and said, “What are you doing back here?”
She almost laughed at their growly looks.
“Don’t worry. I won’t ruin your plans. I’m grabbing an overnight bag.”
Instantly, their expressions brightened. “Oh good,” Ellie said. “Here I thought I’d have to go over there and stay with CJ instead.” As if Ellie would even consider such a thing!
They followed Laurel into her bedroom.
“You both can sleep. No need to keep me company. I’ll only be a second.” Laurel hurried to grab a change of clothes and some pajamas.