Because she’d been turned by one of his former pack, Doc considered Carol like one of his family. Since he’d never had a mate and no offspring, she and Lelandi were like the daughters he’d never had. That meant he kept giving them fatherly lectures. Since Lelandi was mated, though, she didn’t receive as many as Carol did.

  Carol moved a respectable distance from Ryan while Doc examined his wound. “I thought you were posted here as her bodyguard. What happened?” His tone was accusatory. What good would Ryan be if he didn’t stay and watch over her?

  “Tom was keeping an eye on her while I took after the men. By the looks of it, I should have stayed. They’re intent on shooting anyone who tries to stop their mission, but they don’t have the nerve to fight wolf to wolf. You probably know them. Three reds from Lelandi’s and your former pack?”

  The doc peered closely at the wound and shook his head. “The men who were left behind were decent sorts. None of them would do a thing like this.”

  Except North? And the others with him had to be from the same pack.

  Ryan pursed his lips tight and didn’t say anything to Doc, but Carol thought he wanted to. How could the men be “decent sorts” when they had taken Carol from the house like they did? And they had to be from Lelandi’s pack. No other red pack lived in the area. And what about this latest clash with North and Tom?

  “Not a silver bullet, anyway. So it appears they don’t mean to kill anyone,” Doc said.

  “That’s good to know.” Carol’s tone was filled with relief but concern, too, that this wasn’t ending anytime soon.

  A flash of memory of the shooting she’d witnessed at the hospital the previous fall suddenly swamped her with regret. The doctor had lain dead on the exam-room floor, his nurse just as unresponsive. She wasn’t sure what had brought the memory back. The attack on Tom maybe. Or the one on Ryan since he’d been shot, or both. Or the idea that it would happen again and be fatal this time?

  Carol turned away quickly as tears filled her eyes, not wanting Doc and Ryan to see her like this—unable to control her emotions. Everyone expected her to be strong, both in the workplace and around family. She was the one who held up through any crisis. When her sister died, she had helped her parents get through it. She had to be resilient when others needed her.

  Doc cleared his throat. “Just apply some of that salve and bandage it, and he should be back to doing his job.”

  “Yes, Dr. Weber.” Carol tried to hide the hitch in her voice. She hated when she got emotional on the job.

  “Carol,” Doc said, his voice soft and consoling.

  Unable to look him directly in the eye, she fought to hold back the burning tears. “Yes, Doctor?”

  He looked sympathetically at her and then patted her shoulder. “Got another case of the flu to look after.” He walked out of the room, his movement slower and stiffer than usual.

  She wanted to tell him he needed to take care of himself. That he should get more rest, but she knew it would be futile. She wondered, though, what he’d intended to say. That the other doctor and nurse dying hadn’t been her fault?

  No, it wasn’t her mistake, she tried to convince herself. The miner who killed them was the one responsible. But if she’d only raised the alarm somehow before he shot them…

  Still, maybe that’s why the memory haunted her again. That it had been her fault, just like Tom’s having been attacked was, too. And if the reds hadn’t been trying to take her hostage, Ryan wouldn’t have been harmed, either.

  “Carol?” Ryan said, drawing her from her mental self-bashing. He left the exam table and touched her arm. “Are you all right?”

  “They died because of me.” She pulled away from him and stood in front of a supply drawer, staring at it but not seeing it.

  “The former doctor and that nurse?” His voice was gentle, and no matter how badly she felt, his tone was like a mental salve. He ran his hand over her back in a gentle caress.

  Carol let out her breath. “Yes.”

  “I’ve been there, done that, Carol.”

  She turned around and stared at him in disbelief.

  “Yeah. Only it was my job to protect those who ended up dying. In this case, you were an innocent bystander.”

  “Not an innocent bystander at all. I knew they’d come to harm. I didn’t…” She shook her head. “I didn’t save them. Even after they had been shot. I didn’t remove the bullets fast enough.”

  He pulled her into his arms and held her tight. The patient comforting the nurse. It was wrong. Everything about this was wrong. But she couldn’t push him away. She needed this. She needed him. The warmth. The security. No pressure. Just concerned friendship. For the moment.

  His hand swept down her back, massaging the tension from her stiff spine. “You didn’t know what they were, what we were. You didn’t know that the silver could kill or that if you’d removed the bullets quickly enough, they might have survived. You reacted the way your nurse’s training had prepared you. You couldn’t have known that Doc and the nurse were different from you, or how to take care of an injured lupus garou. You did the best you could under the circumstances.”

  She looked up at him through tears and saw his face frowning with concern. “I wish my visions had told me that part of the equation. But they’re irritatingly scant and…” She shook her head. “It’s a curse I have to bear.” Just like having to shape-shift against her will was now. And damn, if she could keep it at bay, she would. She turned, opened the drawer, and retrieved antibiotics and a bandage.

  She motioned to the exam table. “Do you want to sit up there?”

  “I normally hate anything to do with hospitals,” Ryan said, his tone lighthearted, as if he was trying to change the somber mood. He sat on the table and smiled. “I’ve changed my mind.”

  She shook her head, trying for professionalism again. “Here I thought you were going to be a difficult patient.”

  “With you tending to me?”

  With as light a touch as she could manage, she dressed his wound with the antibiotic and then wrapped the bandage around his arm. He stiffened, but when she looked up to see if he was hurting, he cast her an elusive smile. “On the scale of one to ten, the pain is nonexistent. Your hands are cold.”

  She frowned at him and secured the bandage. “I didn’t touch you with my cold hands. You don’t have to be macho for me. I know it has to hurt.” She handed him his shirt.

  He pulled it on while she watched, ready to help him if he needed further assistance.

  “Do you know why Darien and the others shift in the visions but can’t shift back?” he asked, surprising her.

  She thought he already believed her. She folded her arms, unable to avoid feeling defensive. “I don’t know. That’s why it’s so frustrating. I thought you believed me now.”

  “Let’s just say I normally don’t put much stock in psychic abilities. Not in supernatural entities, ghosts, or any of that stuff.”

  Just as she suspected. “Then if I told you I’ve had a ghostly experience, you wouldn’t believe me?”

  His mouth curved up a hint, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “My Aunt Tilda sees them all the time.”

  “Ahh, and you don’t put much stock in your Aunt Tilda.”

  “Quite the contrary. I find her about the most well-grounded of my family.”

  “Except for the ghostly visits.”

  He shrugged and winced, and then began buttoning his shirt. “She needs lots of attention. I imagine she conjures them up when she’s lonely.”

  Carol leaned in between his legs to fasten a couple of buttons on his shirt. “And me?”

  He touched her hair in a loving way. “You’ve just had the one experience?”

  “Three, but who’s counting?”

  “I do have faith in your abilities, by the way.”

  She closed her gaping mouth. She had hoped, but… she hadn’t realized he thought she’d told the truth. Tears filled her eyes again. “You really do?”

  He pulled her close, rubbing her shoulders in a gentle manner. “Yeah, Carol. I really do.”

  “Thanks.” She sighed deeply. “You don’t know how much that means to me.”

  “I imagine I do.” He leaned down to kiss her lips, but she pulled away before they got too involved again. “I’ve got another patient to see, last one of the day. Another case of the sniffles. Everyone thinks they have the deadly flu when most of the cases are colds or allergies. I’ll see to him while you finish dressing.”

  His expression hardening, Ryan went back to buttoning his shirt and followed her into the hall. “How am I going to guard you if I’m not with you?”

  She harrumphed. “And just how did you get that?” She pointed at his bloody sleeve.

  “I was trying to protect you away from your workplace.”

  “Admit it. You’d rather chase down the bad guys than play the wait-and-see game.”

  He smiled darkly.

  When she called out the name from the chart and Ryan saw who her next patient was, his dark expression lightened up a lot.

  The gray-haired old man shuffled toward Carol and gave her a small smile. “You brighten an old man’s day, young’en.”

  “Hmm, Luciso, you always make my day.”

  Luciso glanced at Ryan, took in his bloody shirtsleeve, and shook his head. “Is he the one everyone’s saying is hitting on you?”

  “My bodyguard,” she corrected.

  Luciso snorted. “Looks like this business with the reds is going to get real nasty. You tell Darien if he needs an old guy to help out, I’m ready and willing.”

  “Thanks, Luciso. I’m sure he’ll appreciate the offer.” She heard the doc coughing and glanced down the hall. “Are you all right, Dr. Weber?”

  “Going home to get some rest, Carol. Pulled an all-nighter.”

  “Sleep well,” she said, but then a sickening feeling washed over her as she envisioned the doctor shape-shifting into the wolf to knock out his illness. She hurried after him, leaving her patient behind in her haste, figuring Ryan would catch up to her. But she had to warn Doc not to shift. He’d think she was crazy, but she just had to warn him.

  “Wait, Dr. Weber! I need a word with you!” she said as the door slammed shut.

  Chapter 19

  “HELL, NORTH, ALL YOU DID WAS GET US INTO DEEPER guano by stirring them up at the hospital,” Galahad said, pacing across the meadow, at least thirty miles from Silver Town.

  “At least I got a shot off at that outsider gray. Once that happened, the majority of them turned around and hightailed it out of there,” Hank said grinning. “We might not be as good in a fight with them wolf to wolf, but they can’t argue with bullets.”

  North shook his head. “If it hadn’t been for Darien’s brother watching over Carol, I would have had her. The others guarding her were clueless.”

  “Well,” Hank said, “I didn’t want to injure the gray that badly. I just want to get Carol. Hell, they’ve got the damned hospital watched, every entryway inside and outside. No grabbing her there from now on, it looks like.”

  “Yeah, unless some of them start having the same trouble we’re having,” Galahad said. “Both Marilee and Becky went in today since they’re feeling so poorly. At least they shared the flu at the gathering last night, although they should have arrived earlier to expose more folks. If nothing else, when Darien’s people get sick, they’ll have to try and find a cure. Damn that Miller anyway. He promised the vaccine he gave us beforehand would keep us from getting sick and be a cure for those who already have the virus.”

  “I blame Connor for paying the guy to create the virus in the first place. I wonder if Miller lied to us about staying isolated from the rest of us while he tries to find a vaccine that works this time. Hell, what if he already has one and inoculated only himself against the virus?” North asked. He’d kill the guy.

  “What good would it do him if all of us came down with it but him?” Galahad asked.

  “Yeah,” North reluctantly admitted, shoving his hands in his pockets. “You’re right. Unless he figures he’ll rescue those of us he wants to when the time is right and leave the rest of us to deal with the condition. As wolves, except for trying to kill him, we wouldn’t have any way to resolve this issue. What if Carol ends up having the same problem?” He scowled in the direction of Silver Town.

  Galahad threw his hands up in an aggravated posture. “What about Doc? Surely he’ll know we weren’t troublemakers and he’ll help us out.”

  “Yeah,” Hank agreed with his brother. “He’ll probably help us.”

  “After I took a swing at Tom, I doubt Doc will be very agreeable. He’s there because the other doctor died and because Lelandi’s mother wants Doc Weber here for Lelandi when her babies are due. The town needs a doctor right now. He’s not going to leave his responsibilities behind.”

  Hank cleared his throat. “Not for long, North. But maybe he’d have some ideas. What can it hurt? We can just call him.”

  “All right. But as soon as we do, he’ll know who we all are and who’s been trying to grab Carol. Just remember that. His loyalty is to Lelandi and her family, not to us.” North snapped open his phone and punched in Doc’s number.

  * * *

  Mervin jumped up from his chair at the back door of the hospital. He prevented Carol from leaving by blocking the door with his body as she tried to reach Doc Weber before he took off in his car. Luckily, Mervin didn’t grab her this time.

  She scowled at him. “Let me through, Mervin. I have to speak to Doc.”

  Ryan joined her and shook his head. “What part of I’m to protect you at all times don’t you remember, Carol?”

  “Tell him to let me out of the building so I can talk to Doc!”

  Ryan opened the door and stepped outside. “His car’s gone. He’s already headed for home. What did you want to speak with him about?”

  “It’s personal.” She headed back down the hall. “I’ll see my last patient and then call Doc.”

  “What is it about?” Ryan appeared concerned.

  “What I envisioned would happen to him. All right? He might not believe me either, but I have to warn him.” “Why now? Why not before?”

  She appreciated that he really wanted to know how this early warning system worked. “Because I feel like it’s going to come to pass soon. Sometimes I have this impending feeling of doom, and all of a sudden, the scene I’ve envisioned becomes a reality. That’s why.”

  Trying to hide her frustration, she finished working with her last patient and grabbed the work phone as soon as he left the exam room. When she auto-dialed Doc’s number, all she got was his answering machine. Discouraged, she put the receiver back on the base.

  “He looked exhausted,” Ryan offered, running his hand over Carol’s arm in a consoling way, but she couldn’t relax. He rested his hands on her shoulders and considered her glum expression. “He needed to sleep. And that’s probably just what he’s doing. You do also, after you get a good meal.”

  She was wired, and no amount of consolation was going to change that. She had to warn Doc. “I want to run by his place before we go home.”

  Jake and Tom joined them in the waiting room, while Mervin reluctantly went with Christian, who was dropping him off at his place.

  “Ready to go?” Jake asked, noting the tension between Ryan and Carol, she thought.

  “Carol’s worried about Doc,” Ryan said, his hand lightly rubbing her back.

  “He appeared not to be feeling well. I want to check on him.” Carol gave Ryan a look like he’d better not say one word about her warning Doc about shape-shifting. Even though she didn’t think Doc would believe her, she had to tell him anyway. Just in case.

  “He worked all night. He’ll be sleeping. You know how he is,” Jake said.

  Carol frowned at Jake. “He was coughing.”

  “He’s a doctor. He’ll know to take care of himself,” Jake countered. “Besides, with our faster werewolf healing ability, he’ll be fine in no time. And if he has the flu, he can shift and that will take care of it.”

  Which was precisely what she was afraid would happen!

  Carol stalked off for the hospital entrance. She continued to be plagued by the overwhelming fear that Doc could be in trouble. “In your P.I. business, you get hunches, don’t you, Ryan?”

  “Sure.”

  Jake and Tom followed behind, and she knew they were listening to her conversation, even though she kept her voice low for Ryan’s hearing and not for anyone else’s. But their hearing was too darned good. And when she was upset, they took notice. Probably figured she might all of a sudden shift into a wolf.

  She slowed her walk. Hell, what if being highly distressed, more than the physical manhandling she’d had to endure when Mervin roughly grabbed her, could trigger the change? She took an unsteady breath and said to Ryan, “Think of my premonitions as a hunch.”

  “Carol.”

  “I’m serious.”

  They exited the building, and Tom and Jake paused to see Carol safely to Ryan’s truck. She climbed inside and folded her arms, not about to be stopped from completing her mission.

  “Drive me to Doc’s place. It’ll only take a moment. I’ve got a key to his house because I care for his houseplants when he visits Lelandi’s old pack on occasion.”

  “Carol.”

  “I’ll only use it to make sure he’s okay.”

  In a humorous way, Ryan arched a brow. “What if he’s got a girlfriend over?”

  Carol rolled her eyes.

  He smiled. “Never know. Can never judge a person’s sex life by their age.”

  “Well, he won’t.” Although she wished he had, but as haggard as Doc had looked, she was sure he’d be alone.

  Ryan started the engine. “All right, give me directions.”

  She breathed a sigh of relief, although she wasn’t sure she was going to make any headway with Doc. He’d never said one way or another if he believed in her abilities. She figured he’d be like Ryan… a man of science, having to see it to believe it, which made her wonder why Ryan finally believed her without proof positive.