She could kill him! And gave him a look that showed him so. She swore a couple of muffled chuckles erupted deeper in the crowd.

He slid a few inches away from her and continued to speak to Elgin as if nothing had happened.

Her face still flushed, she was hot all right. Stirred up in the beginning, embarrassed in the end. She couldn't tell from the pack members' smiling faces if they thought she had won the confrontation or Leidolf had.

She shook her head at herself. No sense in rationalizing the outcome. Leidolf had won, hands down. Although she should have been irritated, she couldn't help but admire the crafty wolf. Never had anyone bested her in a situation like this. He definitely was her match.

Nearly finished with her meal, she set her fork on the plate. Leidolf motioned for a bottle of wine, and when Fergus brought it to him, he poured Cassie another glass. Alice and Sarah hurried over to the couch, eager to please her, too.

Sarah stretched out her hands. "Would you like some more of anything to eat? We'll get it for you."

The two girls reminded her of herself and her twin sister when they'd been about their age. Nearly always together, except for when Cassie visited the wolf pack a few times. Recalling the last time she'd been with her sister and cousin while they were still alive, swimming in the river near their cabin one hot summer day, she blinked away the mist of tears forming in her eyes. "Mashed potatoes and gravy and another slice of beef. Thanks, girls."

The girls were too eager. Everyone smiled a little too much. The room seemed to tilt some. Leidolf still talked to Elgin, something about getting a nurse and an accountant in their pack. He'd seen the tears form in her eyes, probably heard the slight hitch in her voice when she spoke to the girls. He seemed more aware of her struggle to keep her emotions in check than anyone else she'd ever known. More than that, he appeared concerned. No one had ever worried about how she felt, and his expression disconcerted her. Much easier to deal with her past regrets when no one else cared a whit about what she was feeling.

He watched her now, and she worried he'd put his arm around her shoulder and pull her close. She didn't need his comfort or his strength. She could deal with her issues on her own just fine, like she'd always done.

Her strength sliding away, she couldn't seem to garner the strength to do much of anything. Against her will, her body leaned back into the couch cushions, her head dropping onto them. The cushions were soft, like pillows filled with fairy dust. Leidolf and Elgin looked at her. And smiled.

Calculating smiles. Traitorous smiles.

The girls returned with another plate full of food, but Cassie couldn't seem to lift her head and sit up, or raise her hands to take the plate. And sometime or another, the refilled wineglass had disappeared from her grasp.

She wasn't hungry, either, anymore. Rather, she felt like her whole being was slipping, slipping, slipping away.

Leidolf's words were muffled as he spoke about all that Cassie had been through and how she couldn't eat any more right now. The girls looked disappointed, but then their sweet expressions faded away.

"She's tired," Leidolf said close to her ear, his words faint, the world swirling in her head, the darkness descending. "The wound, the tranquilizer, the run, the fear of being hunted... she needs to rest."

The wine... too... much... wine... to... drink... or...

She narrowed her eyes at Leidolf, his steady gaze focused on her.

... the... wine... was... drugged.

Chapter 15

Leidolf slipped his arms underneath Cassie's legs and back, and lifted her. Deja vu, just like earlier in the day. Except she was dressed this time in silk, her belly and back exposed.

The minx was hurting more than she was letting on. Laney had warned him earlier, and he'd seen the way Cassie had winced a number of times, subtly a couple of times, not so subtly once, even when they were eating and drinking. In part, that's why he was sitting so close to her, to sense the way her body tightened when she was trying to control her pain.

He knew she wouldn't agree to any painkiller, not when Laney had said Cassie wanted to leave pronto to return to the forest. As agitated as Cassie had been, she meant business. Which was the reason Alice and Sarah had kept her "company" until Laney had returned with a set of clothes. He had meant to have Fergus or Elgin keep an eye on her. The girls were so crestfallen that he figured they wouldn't let Cassie escape under their watch. It had worked out well for all concerned.

No matter what, he wasn't going to allow Cassie to suffer through the pain all night.

"Will she sleep through the night?" Elgin asked Leidolf as he carried her back to his bedroom.

"Hopefully."

"You want me to post a guard?"

Leidolf glanced back at Elgin as he tightened his hold on Cassie. "It won't be necessary."

Elgin raised his brows a bit and smiled a little. "Will you be needing me for anything else tonight?"

"I didn't see any sign of Irving or Tynan at the meal. Did they leave again?"

Elgin shook his head in an annoyed way. "No one's seen them since you spoke to them earlier. When they return, they'll be placed under house arrest for disobeying you without notifying anyone where they're off to again. In the meantime, we've got a couple of men searching for clues of what they've been up to. One thing, Fergus said he had a man check the bunkhouse and their rifles are gone. Maybe they went hunting again for the cougar?"

Leidolf didn't like the news, worried that the two of them might get into some real trouble with all the hunters most likely searching for the red wolves. Leaving the pack behind without any word to the others and neglecting their ranching duties wouldn't be tolerated, though.

"All right. Take Laney home. If Felicity needs anything, her mate can take care of it. Everyone else can retire for the night. I've got everything here under control."

"Will do." Elgin gave him a knowing half smile, turned around, and headed back to the great room. Leidolf knew Elgin would clear the place out in an hour or two so he could have peace and quiet. Although for now, Fergus was staying with Sarge in one of the guest rooms and Pierce and Quincy in another until they learned to behave.

He imagined pack conversations would center on Cassie and Leidolf, while others would speculate about the other mystery female red wolf. If he didn't have some planned hunts to try and locate her soon, he knew his bachelor males would do so without him. Which could turn into fights between them or unsafe, frantic searches. So first thing in the morning, he'd schedule the searches and hoped they'd locate the other wolf without further incident. A hunt for the cougar was also in order. And for Irving and Tynan, if they didn't show up soon.

He looked down at Cassie's sleep-filled features as he walked her into his bedroom, her expression so peaceful that he almost could envision she was his already, but he knew the fight lurked just beneath the surface. He shut the door with his hip and strode toward the bed.

When he had overstepped his boundaries with her as they sat beside each other on the couch, as subtle as his actions had been, he had loved her response. He could tell from her expression that she would have dumped the wine on him, too. She continually tried to hide the fact she desired him as much as he desired her, which triggered his interest in her even more.

He had wanted to sense if she was hurting during the meal; he was testing her also, to see her reaction, to learn whether she was willing or not. Just like a wolf would his mate--becoming more affectionate with nudges and kisses, with bodies pressed together when walking, with licking and nuzzling. His actions were as much instinctive as they were driven by need.

Now the feat was in convincing her that she wanted him for a mate, forever. He knew what it was like being a loner. If she truly was a loner, and he suspected she was, he understood her needs. And he would respect them. As much as he could.

After laying her on the mattress, he unbuckled the belt--his belt--at her waist. He shook his head. He assumed only the minx herself would have been bold enough to retrieve it from his closet. Which further emphasized the fact she was an alpha and perfect as his mate.

He removed the belt and slipped Laney's gaudy shirt off Cassie's shoulders. He ditched the pants next, the busy pattern and brightness enough to keep him awake half the night. He took the clothes and tossed them in a hamper. He'd rather Laney or someone else give Cassie other clothes to wear for tomorrow. Although Laney had asked him about taking her shopping, Leidolf wouldn't allow it. Not until he knew Cassie wouldn't take off.

He covered her with the comforter and considered the bandage on her shoulder. Tomorrow, he'd take a look at her injury. He touched her forehead with the palm of his hand. She felt cool enough to the touch, so he didn't think she was having any ill side effects, a fever, or chills. He hoped the pain would soon subside.

Then he took off his clothes, laid them on the desk chair, and turned to observe the redheaded beauty, her face tranquil in sleep, her eyelashes fluttering, her breathing soft and steady. To wake to such a dream the rest of his days would make staying with the pack all the more rewarding. He could even deal with the financial mess they were in and Quincy, Pierce, and Sarge's shenanigans. And the other two--Irving and Tynan, whatever they were up to.

He took a deep breath. Something about the girls had disturbed Cassie, though. At first, he thought his pack members had unduly upset her, possibly because of their enthusiastic interest in her being their pack leader's mate when she wasn't ready to commit. And being a loner, she might have been overwhelmed with all the members of his pack greeting her at once, all excited to meet her.

He again regretted so many of them showing up to check her out without his express permission. But he didn't think it was that. She seemed to feel some connection to the girls. Which bothered him somewhat. Carver was looking to have a mate. What if the girls really did need a mother? And Cassie was right for him?

Leidolf shook his head. Cassie had the hots for Leidolf, not for anyone else. Carver could have the other red female if she was truly a lupus garou and they could locate her. And if she was free to mate and agreeable.