Wolf Fever by Terry Spear

too late for Darien. Too late for the doc.
    â€œCarol, you have to do something!” Lelandi pleaded, her voice strained, choked with emotion.
    The feelings of inadequacy swamped Carol, as they often did when she had no control over future events. The fear of what could happen to her increased her resolve never to shift.
    The door lock clicked open, instantly shattering Carol’s vision. Lelandi had to have used a hairpin to unlock the bedroom door, damn it.
    Her lips parted, Lelandi stared at Carol wearing only her peach lace bra and panties. “Oh, Carol.” She quickly shut the door as more footsteps tromped their way down the hall. “Don’t fight the change. It’ll only make things worse.”
    How did Lelandi know?
    A knock sounded, heavier, more masculine.
    â€œWe’re all right,” Lelandi called out in her most assertive way.
    â€œDid Mervin upset Carol? I’ve got an outsider gray who’s ready to tear him apart, not that I sure as hell won’t take Mervin to task,” Darien growled through the door.
    Lelandi raised her brows at Carol.
    She shook her head. “No.” Although she thought Mervin’s grabbing her arm had resulted in the urge to change, he really hadn’t done anything to her to warrant all the fuss. Oh hell, she had to find a way to control the compulsion to shift in case something like this happened again.
    â€œAre you certain?” Darien asked, his control slipping.
    Lelandi studied Carol, but she shook her head and frowned again.
    â€œNothing’s wrong,” she whispered.
    Lelandi didn’t look like she believed her. “I’ll speak to you later, honey,” Lelandi said to Darien, “but she says no.”
    â€œAll right. But I want her returned to the party posthaste.” Darien stomped off.
    Carol was sure he didn’t believe her, either.
    â€œWhat happened to trigger the need to shift?” Lelandi asked in a soothing way, as if Carol was fragile and would break if Lelandi wasn’t gentle.
    Carol clenched her teeth. If there was one thing she wasn’t—fragile was it. “I wasn’t getting ready to shape-shift.” She went to her closet and yanked out a sparkling peach dress with a low neckline and a gored skirt that caressed her legs when she walked. She slipped it on. “I just didn’t feel dressy enough.”
    Lelandi gave her a slight smile. “The other women are not any real competition, you know. The men are much more intrigued with you, especially after you played so aggressively on the field this afternoon. And taking Darien’s ribbon?” Lelandi gave a bright laugh. “They loved it.”
    â€œEveryone was shocked into silence.”
    â€œWell, all right. At first, sure. But once they saw how good-naturedly Darien took it, they loved how you stood up to him. No one would have dared. Although Silva does from time to time. As to the men, they still don’t know about the other women. You’re more of a known commodity.”
    â€œThey don’t like it that I haven’t shifted.” Suddenly a thought occurred to Carol. Why couldn’t she just pretend that she had shifted when she was alone? Then they’d quit worrying about her. “Not that I haven’t shifted when no one is around to see it.”
    Lelandi tilted her head to the side and gave her a look that said: Get real . “I know you haven’t shifted. If Darien learns you were having trouble with it tonight, he’ll want to know what brought it about and how you managed to stop it.”
    Carol was dying to know how Lelandi suspected she had never shifted. Must have been a werewolf thing. She zipped the low-cut back of her dress and slipped into a pair of slinky heels, still feeling underdressed but like she was on a manhunt.
    â€œI love the dress, Carol. You should wear clothes like that more often.”
    â€œI bought it to go to a party held by one of the