Terry Spear’s Wolf Bundle (58 page)

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 brother’s, 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 hall, 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.

“Lelandi!” Silva 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 Leidolf 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 Bruin’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 it 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 male’s 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 Wildhaven? 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 leader’s 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 red’s 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.”