Chapter 23

Darien replied, "At least nobody got hurt like the last time."

He noticed Ritka dozing off at the nurse's station. Although she had a tendency to be a little sassy, she always put in a lot of effort.

Why the heck not

Jake violently shook her arm. She is unconscious. Darien's gut tightened as he cast a quick peek down the

hall. Deputy Peter was lying on the floor next to his chair in front of Lelandi's room, while a janitor was dozing off next to a pail of mop water.

“Shit.” Lelandi's door was banged against the wall as a result of Darien sprinting down the hallway and slamming it open. Lelandi was struggling for breath as she was being choked by a black plastic bag covering her face.

"Dentals of Odin!" After a few bounds, he was standing next to the bed, his heart pounding as he dug his fingers into the bag and attempted to rip it open.

Lelandi felt suffocating before she became fully conscious. The room was completely dark, but because to her wolf vision, she should have been able to see perfectly. Her wrists were once more shackled when she attempted to move them. Something crushed against her face, making it difficult for her to breathe. Something that clings and is dark. zero oxygen falling asleep. Where had her guards gone? within a room? Outside…

As someone frantically tore at the plastic, eventually ripping it away, holes started to appear in it. She cried out for air. He kept tearing at the bag as she saw Darien's worried face and the glaring lights of the hospital room.

She tried to approach him while trying to fill her lungs. After pausing to remove the tape from her neck, he took her hand and gave it a firm squeeze. Christ, Leland. Holding her hand and looking into her eyes, he said nothing further.

Jake entered the space quickly. Why the heck not He took hold of her wrist. "Her heartbeat is racing."

"Find out who was present at the hospital, who used the coffee maker in the common area, and whose fingerprints were there."

on the case. If anyone was drugged, how many, and are they all okay? She was finally free of the tape and bag after Darien had finished.

Jake stayed by her side, still holding her wrist. The pulse is more regular.

Jake grabbed the other leather strap and yanked it off as Darien seized the one securing her right wrist.

"I want her to stay at home with us until this investigation is resolved."

Lelandi inhaled deeply as she struggled to make sense of what had occurred.

"Did you see who hurt you like this?" Darien brushed a strand of hair from her cheek, holding her hand again with a firm but tender touch.

The nightmare she was experiencing grew worse. “I must have been sleeping. I was pretty groggy. What happened?”

“It appears somebody laced the coffee that the staff and visitors drink with heavy-duty sleep medicine.”

Even Sam was sound asleep in the chair next to the wall. “Just to get to me?”

Darien ran his hand over hers. “Looks that way.” “Doc said she could be released?” Jacob queried. “Yeah. Check on the others, will you?”

"You bet, man." Jake rushed out of the room. “Why didn’t you tell me you were Lelandi?”

She frowned. “I told… you. No one would listen.” “Tell me who she was mated to.”

Lelandi looked away.

He wasn’t used to being disobeyed and her actions thoroughly compounded his irritation concerning what her sister had done. But it wasn’t Lelandi’s fault, and

he attempted to curb his temper. “I have to know who’s got it in for you. Maybe knowing who she was mated to doesn’t matter at this point, but I can’t help but wonder if he had contracted someone to shoot you. Was that who accosted you behind Hastings?”

“No.”

“Lelandi—” No, it wasn't.

He nodded after taking a long breath. He couldn't believe how much he want her, just like he had desired her sister, and how her gaze held him hostage. He turned to gaze at his perspirant hands. She initially gave him the impression that he was a puppy fighting for a female's attention. He wanted her even though she wasn't even in a wolf's heat, as if he had no right to.

He inhaled deeply one more before turning to face her. "You're living with my brothers and me until I find some answers," I said.

Her lips began to separate, but she quickly sealed them.

He anticipated that she would object or say something. He questioned whether the attempted killer had drugged her as well because she seemed so reclusive. "Everything OK?"

She bowed.

Your jacket and jeans were cleaned by Silva, however I'm afraid your shirt and... Her nipples were forced up against the flimsy medical robe as he cast a glimpse down at her breasts. His brows were raised. She selected a few clothes for you to wear.

She nodded hesitantly.

Did a nurse give you any further medication? I... I can't recall.

Silva moved a wheelchair into the space before Darien spoke. Jake is very stressed out over something,

but he would not specify. He commanded me to bring this down quickly. What is happening? Sam caught her eye. Whoa, I never seen him dozing off while on guard duty before. She got up from the bedside table and picked up the torn-up black plastic bag. What is that?

Lelandi trembled.

A death mask, said Darien. "Get dressed for her. She will arrive at my house shortly.

Sam was awakened by Darien shaking his arm. He looked at Darien with blurry eyes.

"Go ahead. Let's give you some caffeine. What the bloody hell happened, what the...? Sam rubbed his head and grewled while squinting his eyes. I have a lupus-sized hangover and feel like I've pulled an all-nighter.

You've taken drugs, Sam was assisted out of the room by Darien, who then shut the door behind him.

Why was this done? Sam shouted. I will murder them.

"What the hell just happened?" Lelandi was gently assisted by Silva to the bed's edge.

"Someone poisoned the coffee, rendering everyone unconscious. He attempted to choke me.

It's a good thing I don't drink coffee, ohmigod. I hurried home to acquire another book to read because I assumed you would stay for a while. Nevertheless, when I came back, I discovered Jake attempting to wake Ritka and a janitor. Jake berated me and cried, "Get a wheelchair for you!" He remained silent about his concerns. Was it a man or a woman who attempted to harm you?

"I... I'm not sure,"

"Darien needs to catch the idiot,"

Lelandi was sore and weak, despite the fact that she was recovering nicely from her shooting the previous evening. Lelandi's head started to spin into the night as Silva assisted her out of the bed and pushed her back into the mattress.

Silva shook his hands. “Sit. I guess I'll ask Nurse Grey to assist. You're not as steady on your feet as I originally believed. Lelandi didn't require the majority of the hospital staff members who were dressing her, so the woman raced out of the room. She intended to get out of bed, collect herself for a moment, and then dress. But as soon as her feet landed, the table began to sway and her mind and stomach started to float away. She grabbed the table when she began to pass out, but it wasn't tilting, and she pulled it down on top of her.