He was also torn over the new information concerning the red who could be stalking the women. He really thought it was that cousin of Lelandi’s, Ural, and no real problem. The guy was a nuisance but not a threat.

  If it was the brother or cousin of the one who had bitten Carol, was he after her? Or Lelandi? Either would be a prime target for a disgruntled pack that had lost a battle with the grays. And both male reds could be dangerous.

  Darien would ensure that Lelandi had the utmost security as the pack leader’s mate, and he stayed with her all night, so no problem there. But Carol… Darien couldn’t be serious about having the lame betas serve as bodyguards for her. And the notion that any of the others would stay with Carol during the night… hell, that got his blood pressure up.

  But something more was troubling her. Something had been bothering her in the truck when they’d parked at the tavern. And she wasn’t sleeping, although Ryan hadn’t meant to upset her when he mentioned it. He couldn’t help but notice the circles under her eyes, and he wanted to know what was disturbing her sleep so much. After he mentioned it, he figured he hadn’t quite posed the question in a manner meant to solicit the truth. Instead, he’d antagonized her.

  Might as well get this over with and ask what she thought she’d envisioned, while he tried to keep an open mind. He tilted his chin down slightly, and with his most—or at least what he hoped was his most—reassuring expression, he said, “I’m a reasonable man. Try me.”

  She studied him for several long seconds, and he wondered what tale she’d come up with. She finally took a deep breath and seemed to come to the conclusion that she might as well talk. Humor him, maybe. “Darien shape-shifts but can’t shift back to his human form. Lelandi’s worried sick about it, but I haven’t a clue as to what to do.”

  What she thought she’d envisioned wasn’t possible. He didn’t say anything, and the look on her face said she knew she’d wasted her breath on him.

  “You’ve told them?” He wondered how they had reacted to the news. Not that it would persuade him to believe in something he truly couldn’t wrap his mind around.

  “Of course not. I mean, not Darien. Lelandi, yes.” But from the bleak expression on Carol’s face, he assumed Lelandi hadn’t believed her. He wished that she had, for Carol’s sake.

  “She didn’t think what you had to say had any merit.” Ryan folded his arms, suspecting Lelandi didn’t believe her for the same reason he didn’t. What Carol thought she saw just couldn’t happen. Probably nightmares brought on by all the changes in her life recently.

  She finished her drink and stared at the table, and he figured he might have upset her, which he’d had no intention of doing, by bringing up the subject of recent visions.

  Ryan let out a heavy sigh. “Carol, is this nightmare you’re having about Darien not being able to shift back what’s troubling you and keeping you from shifting? And consequently keeping you from sleeping nights? Because I’ve got to tell you that Lelandi’s case, where she was afraid her brother would die and she couldn’t shift back, is the only case I’ve ever heard of.”

  Carol smiled as if he was so off base it amused her in a cynical way, and then she leaned back against her chair and promptly changed the topic.

  “So if I needed a bodyguard, since you’ve got the qualifications, could I hire you? Since you don’t believe anyone here is qualified. Although it depends on your going rate. I can’t be too frivolous with my hard-earned income.”

  He frowned at her, not liking that she switched the subject, so he had no qualms about changing it again, thinking about what Jake had confided in him about Carol not shape-shifting yet. He didn’t believe she could fight the change for five months.

  “You have shape-shifted, haven’t you? Without anyone being aware of it. You’ve had to run as a wolf and haven’t had time to sleep to make up for it. Am I right?”

  The corner of her mouth inched up. “Sure, I’ve shape-shifted. And you’re right. I’ve been running around in the woods at night, but I have to work at the hospital during the day and haven’t had any time to take a wolfish nap. You really are a great detective. But then I’m sure you already knew that.”

  She was too coy and had switched too easily from being indignant to being complacent. He gave her a small smile. “You can’t be fighting the shift.”

  “Nope, when you’re right, you’re right.”

  He’d rather she’d continue to be indignant. Like this, she was too agreeable and toying with him. He took another tack. “I found no sign of your wolf scent in the woods. You haven’t been running through them as a wolf.”

  “Right again. I run around the guestroom at night. Haven’t howled yet, though.” She shrugged. “Not sure how to do that.”

  Ryan lifted a brow. “It comes with the shift. A natural part of who you are. Instinctively, if you’re to howl to let others know where you are, to gather the pack, to warn others away, you howl. If not, you don’t.”

  “Of course. I haven’t needed to howl.”

  He rested his arms on the table and leaned closer, unable to shake loose of what he knew had to be the truth. “You can’t be refusing to shift.”

  She smiled. “Refuse to shift? Of course I can’t. That’s impossible. Everyone keeps telling me that.”

  Hell. She couldn’t be stopping the shift. But then again, the woman was unusual. Intriguing. Maybe she did have the inner strength to fight it. He tried another ploy.

  “How does it feel when you shift?”

  “Furry.”

  He chuckled and then grew serious again. “How are you keeping from shifting?”

  She smiled just a little, her eyes, her lips. Something about that look made him think of a wayward wolf, full of mischief, impish, not to be trusted.

  “Don’t tell me. Your visions are keeping you from…” His mouth gaped as he recalled another incident. “When Mervin grabbed you in the great room, he triggered your need to shift, didn’t he?”

  Her expression froze, and she didn’t say a word.

  Which gave away what truly had happened. “You changed clothes but not to compete with the other women. That wouldn’t be like you. Hell, you were stripping out of your clothes when Lelandi chased you down.”

  Ryan should have been there, not that lame Mervin. Although if he’d seen Carol fighting the shift, he wasn’t sure what he would have done. Tried to convince her to shift, learned what he could about how she was fighting it, maybe.

  “You didn’t have a choice. Somehow you stopped the shift, and to cover up the fact you were in trouble, at least to your way of thinking, you changed clothes. Did Lelandi recognize what you were up to?”

  Carol shook her head. “I can’t get anything past you, can I?”

  Ryan rubbed his chin. No way could Carol stop shifting because of having so-called visions. Yet he’d never heard of anyone so newly turned being able to control that aspect of his or her new condition.

  “You’re a danger to yourself and others, Carol. You have to allow the shift to occur.”

  “You’re right.” Indignant, she rose from the table. “Tom can take me home, and I’ll shift and run around the house for a while. Sorry I couldn’t enlighten you further, but—”

  The tavern grew deathly quiet.

  Ryan rose to stand in front of her, towering over her. She looked up at him, and he swore her gaze pleaded with him to believe her. She looked so vulnerable, a little pale, and the dark under her eyes seemed to show even more now. She seemed tired—tired of the grilling, tired of being made to participate in werewolf activities that she wasn’t used to—and now she had to be concerned that the red might be stalking her.

  “What vision did you have that stopped the shift?”

  “That Darien shifts to a wolf and can’t change back,” she whispered, tears in her eyes. “And I feel guilty because I believe I’ll have more freedom if he is stuck as a wolf for a while, but Lelandi’s so frightened, and I think of how it would be if all of our kind ended up in the same predicament. What then? If I shift, I’ll be doomed to be a wolf forever.” She bit her lower lip.

  “It can’t happen.” He took her hand and squeezed. “Carol, you can’t keep fighting this. It’s part of who we are. It’s our nature. Yours and mine.”

  She swallowed hard, pulled her hand free, and folded her arms tight around her waist. “What better way to learn the truth about my future visions than to hang around and protect me while being my personal bodyguard?”

  Ryan pulled her back to her seat, watching her and pondering the notion. When she retook her seat, he took his, but the conversation in the room didn’t begin again.

  “You’ll tell me every time you have the urge to shift. No matter when or where you are. And you’ll let me know every time you have a vision? No matter what it’s about?”

  She tilted her chin up. “Gladly.”

  He smiled and finished his beer and then stretched his hand out so they could shake on it. She sighed and offered her hand. He gave it a firm shake, felt the heat and a spark of electricity, and saw the hope in her eyes, those large pools of liquid blue. He felt that if he looked into them much longer, he’d drown in them with pure pleasure. He released her, severing the connection. Somehow touching her made him feel as though he might be able to coax her to shift when others in her pack hadn’t had any success.

  He scoffed at himself. She needed a mate who would encourage her to capitulate.

  Silva immediately hurried over with another beer and their sandwiches. “Ohmigod, McKinley, you can’t be planning to stay.”

  “You didn’t hear our whole conversation, did you?” Carol asked, her voice a little shaky.

  “Well, no, I have been waiting tables, and Darien, who is on the opposite side of the tavern, asked me a few questions. Despite what everyone says, I don’t have hearing that sharp. But I did overhear you ask if Ryan would be your bodyguard.

  “He hasn’t gotten Darien’s approval,” Silva warned. “And you know how he is with outsiders interfering in pack business.” She sighed. “You and Lelandi sure know how to stir up a pack. Did you need anything else to go with the sandwiches?”

  Privacy. Ryan cleared his throat. “Looks good to me. Thanks, Silva.”

  Silva barely waited for Carol to answer, and when she shook her head, Silva stalked to the bar to grab another tray of drinks and sandwiches, and then hurried to drop them off at a table. After that, she rushed to Darien’s table.

  “If you want anyone to know your business, tell Silva. She’ll spread the word,” Carol said.

  Ryan had already gotten that impression. He watched Darien’s reaction as Silva spoke to him. Darien’s eyes narrowed a bit.

  Jake immediately looked in Ryan’s direction and gave a knowing smile. He must have realized Ryan was up to the challenge. Tom flat-out frowned. Ryan had expected that. Lelandi smiled. Darien shook his head, gave Ryan a stern look, and then listened to something Lelandi said to him. He leaned over and kissed her lips.

  “So what do you think? Was that a yes or a no?” Carol asked.

  Ryan felt as if she was testing him, but he turned the tables on her. He wouldn’t let up until he knew the truth. “You’re the one with future visions. What do you see?”

  She smiled at him. This was going to be a real test of wills. She lifted her sandwich. “Nothing in any future visions, but I’d say Lelandi convinced him to give you a chance.”

  “He’ll allow it,” Ryan confirmed, no hesitation in his response. “Either that or he’s going to have to put one of his deputies or his brothers up to the task of protecting you. They’ll be concentrating on Lelandi, in the event she’s at risk. Because no matter what, he has to consider that someone from her old pack may want revenge. And stealing Darien’s mate may be just the notion they have. So until it’s proven otherwise—”

  “I’m more expendable.”

  Ryan raised his brows, not believing she would think that. No one in a pack was expendable. “I’m very capable of protecting you.” He took a deep breath. “What I was trying to say is that until it’s proven otherwise, both of you need to be watched.”

  “All right.” She took a bite of her sandwich, then set the rest of it down on the plate and eyed Ryan. I wasn’t sure why I’d seen you in a vision before. They’re always important for some reason and have some connection to me. Maybe this is it.”

  He arched a brow. “You saw me in a vision?”

  “Yeah, I mentioned it before, but you weren’t paying attention.”

  “What was I doing?” He tried to sound like he believed her. He wondered if she was one of those people who told stories to get attention. He had a friend like that from Texas that he swore didn’t even realize he was embellishing the truth because he believed in his own stories to such a degree.

  “I envisioned you watching me from the woods as a wolf. That’s why I went to the window and looked out. That’s why I went outside when I saw you standing there and then followed you. I wanted to know who you were and what you wanted. Now I suppose it was because you spied the red wolf and are going to protect me from him.” She smiled, the expression sweet and innocent, yet he was sure it was a façade.

  She was cute and good. But he didn’t believe it. Although he had wondered what had brought her to the window. And why she had come to see him in the woods. “You seemed irritated with me at first.”

  “You’d awakened me. I had worked a twelve-hour shift at the hospital, and I was trying to get some much-needed sleep.” She didn’t sound sincere, and she wouldn’t look him in the eye. Something had kept her from sleeping.

  “I’ll try to be more considerate next time. But in the future, if you spy a wolf in the woods and don’t know who he is, don’t seek him out.”

  “In the future.” The way she spoke indicated to him, that if she felt driven to do so, she’d take off into the woods again and check him out.

  That made his gut wrench with concern. He’d prefer the damsel in distress to be agreeable. Made his work so much easier. He ate the last bite of the tender roast beef sandwich, the meat melting in his mouth. Then he wiped his fingers on the napkin and drew up taller.

  “I’ll have to return to Green Valley to pick up some clothes and other articles. Darien and his brothers can keep you safe until then. At most, three hours, and I’ll be back.”

  “Thank you.”

  Striving for professional, which he sure as hell had lost sight of when he’d first kissed her and then danced with her, Ryan said, “I have a job to do. No need to thank me.”

  Her lips curved up slightly. He had the sneaking suspicion she saw right through him. Damned if the more primitive side of him didn’t want to haul her out of her chair and kiss her again. Forget professional.

  She gave him a hard nod. “Right. Where will you sleep?”

  “Close. No sense in being your bodyguard if I’m not nearby. And, Carol?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Wear something other than that silky nightgown you wore last night. I don’t need the distraction.” He cast an elusive smile at her, winked, and rose. Then he slipped his credit card back in his wallet and deposited money on the table instead.

  “I’ll speak to Darien and then be on my way. Don’t leave the tavern without Darien or his brothers’ escort home.”

  She glanced at their table. “I’m sure they wouldn’t think of my leaving without one of them accompanying me.”

  Watching Ryan and Carol, two of the bachelor males rose from their seats. “Christ,” Ryan swore under his breath and offered his hand. “Come on. We’ll talk to Darien together, and you can sit at his table until you’re ready to leave.”

  Hell, what was wrong with him to get so possessive with her when this was strictly business? But he couldn’t help worrying that this was all turning into a real nightmare.

  Chapter 11

  AFTER GETTING DARIEN’S APPROVAL TO BE CAROL’S bodyguard, Ryan returned home to grab a few days’ changes of clothes and called on his sub-leader to watch the pack and his sister and to take over mayoral duties as his assistant mayor until he returned.

  But his sister was giving him major heartburn. If he hadn’t figured that she’d be more trouble if he took her with him, he’d have left her at the B&B in Silver Town so she would be close by and he could check on her periodically. But her nursery sales were skyrocketing with the advent of spring, and he knew she wouldn’t want to leave her business for anything.

  “Chester Ryan McKinley,” Rosalind scolded, as she continued to decorate the fireplace mantel in the living room with greenery, the fragrance of burning lilac candles scenting the air. “Don’t you walk away from me when I’m trying to discuss this with you.”

  Ryan stopped in mid-stride and turned to frown at his sister, the only one in his pack who could get away with talking to him like that, but only in the privacy of his home—and she damn well knew it. “The discussion is over.”

  “Why? You speak about that woman constantly. You can’t get over how she discovered who the murderer was, when you were investigating the crime just fine with your tried and true scientific methods. Why can’t you believe she’s psychic?

  “According to Bertha, the owner of that bed and breakfast you stayed at, you not only went to the games to watch Carol but to the gathering and took her on a date. Now you’re going to be her bodyguard? Admit that you feel something for her. Besides, you can use her on that case you can’t solve.”

  “You remember the last time you insisted I use a psychic? What a disaster that was?”

  Rosalind’s lips and amber eyes smiled. “All right. So Madame Dulaney was a bona fide fraud. No big deal.”

  “No big deal?” His voice rose although he meant to curb his temper, but the false psychic could have cost him everything. “Hell, if I hadn’t agreed to go out with Bennagin’s spoiled-rotten daughter, he would have sued me for everything we own.”