Wolf Fever by Terry Spear Page A

playing field to protect her. She already had such a force of bodyguards that she didn’t need him. And he didn’t want to dwell on why that bothered him.
    He hadn’t expected her to play the game so enthusiastically. More reserved, a non-participant, maybe. But not as a wildcat going for the gold. And that gold was Darien’s ribbon. She had nerve, or maybe she didn’t realize what taking on the male alpha leader meant. The fact that she doggedly went after him showed real strength of character. Ryan couldn’t help being impressed. Damned impressed.
    She ducked another man—an eligible bachelor, no doubt—and whipped around, stripping him of his ribbon instead. Already, she had three tucked in the front of her waistband, the vixen.
    Lelandi caught Ryan’s eye, raised her brow, and smiled. At least she wasn’t against his being here. Her gaze shifted to where Carol was maneuvering again around Darien’s backside.
    Silva suddenly noticed Ryan and shook her head. Then a tall man wearing barber’s quartet clothes attempted to approach Carol, but too many others blocked his path. The man danced around like a red-and-white barber’s pole, minus the blue stripe, as he tried to reach her.
    Jake saw Ryan, stopped playing the game, and stalked toward the outsider, his eyes narrowed and his jaw taut. Ryan figured Jake would tell him to leave. But instead, Jake joined him, leaned his backside against the table next to Ryan and then folded his arms.
    â€œWhat are you doing here?” Jake’s voice was dispassionate, which surprised Ryan, as if Jake had half expected Ryan to show up and didn’t care one way or another.
    But Ryan didn’t take Jake’s tone for complacency. All three of the brothers could easily be provoked ifthey thought any of their pack members’ welfare was in jeopardy.
    â€œI’m here to finish my report. Couple of details I wanted to clear up with Carol.”
    â€œNothing more than that?” Jake sounded skeptical and turned his attention back to Carol. “I never expected her to be like this… so spirited. Or to enjoy herself so much. I’m glad to see it finally.”
    Surprised she’d been unhappy with the pack, considering how cheerful she looked, Ryan frowned. His first thought was that Darien’s pack members weren’t treating her well. He quickly reconsidered, thinking it might have to do with her having been so recently turned.
    â€œShe’s not content with being one of us?”
    â€œShe’s learning to adjust.”
    That didn’t bode well. When Jake didn’t say anything more about the matter, Ryan asked, “What are the problems?”
    â€œEveryone’s different in how they handle being turned. Some embrace the changes. Some don’t.”
    That didn’t settle the unease Ryan felt about the situation. “And she’s fighting it.”
    â€œYou could say that.”
    Ryan had never considered that Carol might not like being a werewolf, nor that anyone would be unhappy with his or her newfound abilities. Quicker healing properties, the ability to see at night, and heightened senses of smell, sight, and hearing. Increased longevity. Wolf’s stamina. Of course, he’d been born a lupus garou , so it was hard imagining someone dealing with the changes overnight.
    He rubbed his chin and watched her further, seeingthe way she really was getting into the game. From his observations of her, he couldn’t visualize her as a woman who was at odds with her werewolf half. She looked like she was having the time of her life. Even last night when she had hunted him down, she had to have appreciated her wolf’s nocturnal vision and enhanced sense of smell, which had helped her to locate him in the dark.
    Carol went after Darien’s ribbon again.
    Ryan smiled at the determination she exhibited and the way Darien appeared not to mind and even seemed amused. “I