Carol grinned. “I can see living with a gray pack, but being a red, is going to cause me problems already.”
Lelandi patted her hand and whispered conspiratorially, “The reds came first. That’s all you have to remember. I’ll fill you in on the rest later.”
Silva gave her a devilish smirk. “I’ll bet Darien’s never heard that version before. Wonder what he’ll think.”
“He’ll agree with me.” Lelandi turned to Carol. “But I have a question for you that’s been nagging at me. Darien said you must have seen what happens when we ditch our clothes and mate in the woods. That you didn’t see humans wearing animal skins like you said.”
Carol’s cheeks blossomed with color, and she began playing with her thin blanket. “I... I did see you as werewolves. I was trying to find out if you were one of them. I... I wanted to protect you. I knew it was too late for me.”
“Too late for you?”
Carol looked steadily Into Lelandi’s eyes. “When I had the vision, the scene was set in the woods at night, but I could see as if it was a cloudy day. Just like last night in the hospital room. Which could only mean one thing.”
“When the scene you envisioned finally occurs, you would be one of us,” Lelandi said.
“Wow.” Silva said. “You really can see into the future?”
Sam burst into the room, slamming the door against the wall, his look feral. “Darien read the riot act to the pack. You are not to go anywhere unescorted.” he directed at Lelandi.
Silva got up from her chair, sauntered over to Sam. and ran her hands over his sweater-covered chest. While Trevor was watching from the hail, she kissed Sam on the lips. “I missed you, too.”
“You know. Silva, you’d think you were afraid of letting our relationship go too far, the way you get me worked up in public, and cool it when we’re in private.” His hands cupped her face like she was a precious porcelain doll, then he kissed her lips, gently at first, then building up the momentum until her hands pressed against his back, encouraging him to go further.
Lelandi smiled. Trevor looked disgusted and closed the door.
Sam broke the kiss, his breathing labored, and so was Silva’s. “Next time, we’ll get a room,” he promised with a caddish wink.
“Who says I’d be your mate?” Silva’s lips curved up a hint, her eyes sparkling.
He chuckled darkly, released her, and motioned to the door. “I’ll be right outside while you visit Carol.” He gave Lelandi a warning look, then stiffly walked out of the room and shut the door.
“As to your question, Silva, yes, I see glimpses of the future.” Carol said, smiling. “You won’t be getting a room.”
Silva frowned. “Meaning?”
“You two were some of the... pack members I saw in the woods that night.”
Lelandi laughed. “Good, that means Trevor’s out of the picture.”
“That one’s dangerous.” Carol warned.
“What do you mean?” Lelandi asked. “Do you see his complicity in all this?”
“Can’t you hear the threat in his voice? I wouldn’t trust him one iota.” Carol sipped some water. “Has he ever been treated as a suspect?”
“No.” But Carol’s comment made Lelandi think of Chester’s words. What if it was someone Darien trusted? Someone close to him. “I doubt Darien would suspect him of wrongdoing.”
“Was he ever noticeably absent when you needed help?” Carol set the empty cup on the table.
Lelandi refilled ft. “When Darien fought Bruin’s brother. But my brother had tied him up at the jail cell to free my cousin. Ural. So Trevor was truly all tied up.”
“What about when you were shot? Was he with any of the search parties? Also, what about the shooter who killed the gunman? Was Trevor’s gun checked?”
“Trevor was taking care of mudslide victims on the highway. And... uhm, I was the shooter,” Silva explained.
Carol gave her a puzzled look.
“Long story,” Lelandi said. “Silva can tell you about it later. But Chester McKinley discovered another bullet and casing. He thought your bullet fell short, Silva.”
Silva’s jaw dropped. “You’re kidding.”
“He gave it to the sheriff to check out.”
Carol frowned. “I don’t remember reading about any mudslides on the highway in the Silver Town Express. The shooting was important and would make the headlines, but if anyone was injured in the mudslide, it would have been mentioned. What about when that maniac took you hostage? Was Trevor looking for you with the rest of the pack?” Carol asked.
“He was helping the sheriff watch my old pack at Hastings Bed and Breakfast,” Lelandi said. Although he’d had perfectly good excuses every time, the feeling there was more to the story made her skin tingle.
“I don’t know. I wouldn’t trust him.”
“Thanks for the warning, Carol. Believe me. I don’t.”
Silva didn’t say anything for several seconds, then she abruptly stood. “Will you two be all right? I’ll ask Nurse Grey when Carol can be released.”
“Sure.” Lelandi exchanged a look with Carol.
Silva gave one of her faked smiles, attempting to hide her anxiety and hurried out of the room. “Be right back, Sam.” She closed the door, and her boots clicked down the hall.
“Something’s wrong, don’t you think?” Carol asked.
“Yeah. Like Silva suddenly became suspicious of something.”
“Considering Trevor, right?”
Lelandi took a deep breath. “Since she’s had such a crush on him. I think so. She constantly kept tabs on him, until she switched her affections to the one who really counted.”
“Sam,” Carol said, dreamily. “She couldn’t do wrong by him. I have another question though.”
Lelandi figured she’d never hear the end of them, although she couldn’t blame her. She hadn’t even given Carol the spiel concerning the semi-immortal part. And she figured Carol wasn’t a virgin. But Lelandi had to warn Carol that she couldn’t have casual sexual relations with a lupus garou. That if one acted interested in her—and with shortages in most packs she’d have lots of interest—if she responded in the same way toward a male, she could be mated and it would be a done deal, for life. But this wasn’t the time or place to talk about it.
“The bullets that killed Doc Oliver and Ritka were silver, weren’t they?” Carol asked.
“Yes.”
“But how are werewolves able to work in the silver mine? I mean, they do, don’t they? Wouldn’t it kill them?”
“No. It’s only deadly if it strikes the heart or brain and isn’t removed immediately. Silver doesn’t bother us otherwise.”
“I’m sure you’re going to get tired of all my questions.”
“Carol, this is such a big change for you. Feel free to ask me anytime. Darien will want you to stay with a pack member until you adjust. The moon’s out and whenever it is, the pull to shapeshift can be strong. But since you’ve been only recently changed and are still injured, you might not experience it for a while.”
“Oh, I have to shapeshift then even if I don’t—”
“We’re here to see our daughter. Carol Wood,” a woman said beyond the hospital room door, sounding brusque and noticeably upset.
Lelandi patted Carol’s shoulder. “Will you be all right?”
Tears misting her eyes, Carol nodded. “Darien gave me a cover story.”
He would. Although Lelandi trusted Carol not to tell her parents what she’d become, she had to stay with them in the room until they left. But she was dying to see what Silva was up to. And she wanted in the worst way to question Angelina.
Sam opened the door and allowed Carol’s parents to enter. Their eyes widened when they saw Lelandi with Carol.