Guardian Wolf

chapter 9



“So what’s your great idea?” Autumn Katers asked Grace. The four Alpha Force members were back in Grace’s quarters that night. She had contacted the others after her walk with Tilly and said she needed their opinion about something important.

Now they all sipped lemonade that Grace had asked Kristine to bring in for them. The two dogs sat on the floor at their feet, and Autumn’s alter-ego hawk Venus was present in her cage again, too. It rested on the clunky coffee table they had gathered around.

“I’m eager for things to move faster,” Grace said, without any intention of explaining why she wanted to fulfill her mission and move on as quickly as possible. It was becoming much too hurtful to stay around Simon.

Although if they all bought into her idea and it worked, that still wouldn’t resolve her other dilemma of finding the key to Simon’s shifting abilities. She had done some subtle checking, and neither he nor anyone related to him had apparently ever been associated with Alpha Force. Maybe he was friends with a member of the team, but that hadn’t shown up either. So far, Grace had found no indication that anyone had handed Simon a sample of the Alpha Force shifting elixir. Nor did he seem to have any knowledge of what Alpha Force was about.

No, whatever he was doing to control his shifts, it had to be devised by him. Or at least not be from any source she knew about.

She was aware that Alpha Force had conducted an official investigation into whether their elixir had any counterparts or competition. Their covert but thorough research had found other shifters in many U.S. locations, enough to sometimes spur legends like the one around Mary Glen, Maryland—which was why Ft. Lukman, the headquarters of Alpha Force, had been located there. The idea had been to allow normal, sane humans to ridicule those werewolf legends, and therefore add to the unit’s cover.

But although quite a few shifters had apparently attempted to devise control methods, none uncovered in that ongoing research had created any viable ways to manage their shifts in any consistent and reliable manner.

They hadn’t found out about Simon.

“Doing things fast would be good,” Ruby said drily as she peered at Grace over her glasses. “So, like my boss here said, what’s your big idea?”

“Well, though it’s always possible that we’ll see another outbreak of something nasty and infectious,” Grace said, “we don’t know when it’ll happen. My suggestion is that we don’t wait. We contact Major Connell, ask him to get Alpha Force to help set up a fake outbreak of something nasty, then publicize it and use all our resources to catch our bad guys.”

“Not bad,” Kristine said pensively. She sat closest to Grace on the no-style sofa, and Bailey lay at her feet on the worn berber carpet. “What kind of illness do you have in mind?”

“Something from a biohazard level 3,” Grace said. “I’d like to have it rated, but I’d rather have it look like the cause of a disease for which a vaccination exists.”

“You think our bad guys’ll steal stuff that’s not especially lethal?” Autumn sounded dubious.

“People can recover from all the diseases for which they’ve already stolen samples,” Grace reminded them. “At least so far. And that includes most types of shigellosis.”

“They can,” Kristine acknowledged, “but not always. A huge epidemic, if that’s what they intend…well, what do you have in mind? And where would you get it from?”

“I’ll just pass the idea by our fearless commanding officer. If he likes it, he can help work out the details.”

But when she tried calling Drew Connell on the secure satellite phone while the gang was still around, she only got his voice mail. “Please call back as soon as you can, Major.” To make sure he didn’t misinterpret she added, “Nothing’s wrong now, and the air-force security guys have been cooperating with me, even gave me an update. But I have something I’d like to run by you.”



Grace didn’t hear back from Major Connell until the first thing next morning, as she walked toward the medical center. She told him what she’d discussed with the other Alpha Force members.

“I like the idea,” he said. “It would give us better control over what’s going on. What about if we staged the whole thing, brought in a group who only appeared to be sick?”

“As long as the apparent biohazard samples seem real enough, that could work,” Grace said. “But we need to make it look good. What if our bad guys work in or around the hospital and are somehow involved with the testing? If it’s all clearly a sham, they’ll keep their distance and our efforts won’t get us anywhere.”

“I’ll run the idea by some of the guys who are helping me work on the latest version of the elixir. Maybe take it to General Yarrow, too, for advice.”

Grace knew that Drew was also a medical doctor, and he had been the first to devise the prototype elixir that allowed shifters to change at times other than the full moon and always to maintain their human cognition. Since he had helped to found Alpha Force, Drew had also called on other members who were doctors to help upgrade the formulation several times. As great as it already was, it was always subject to improvement.

She considered casually mentioning having run into another shifter here when the moon wasn’t full. She probably had an obligation to do so, and if it had been anyone other than Simon she wouldn’t have hesitated.



But it was Simon. She’d come up with no further ideas about how to get the truth from him, though. If her plan worked and they caught the potential terrorists, she’d either have to confront Simon for the truth…or, when she left, tell Major Connell about it. Alpha Force needed to know.

“That sounds like a good idea to me,” Grace said. “General Yarrow seems to know everyone in the military, plus he has other contacts in the government. I’ll bet that, with your input, he can help find the people and apparent biohazard samples we need.”

“You trying to flatter both your commanding officers, Lieutenant?” Drew’s voice sounded amused.

“Yes, sir,” Grace said smartly. She had reached the front steps of the medical center. “How is Melanie doing?”

“She and the soon-to-be little one are getting impatient. Me, too. Otherwise, things are fine.”

“Great! Well, I’m nearly on duty here now. I’ll discuss the plan with you again later, if that’s all right.”

“Fine, Grace. Time for you to go cure some patients.”

He sounded wistful, and Grace knew that despite his own medical background, Drew had been too busy to practice hands-on medicine for a while.

“I’ll try to save a few for you,” she said, and hung up.



That afternoon, Grace asked the nurses in the pediatric wing to bring some of the young patients to the same visitors’ lounge on the second floor where Tilly had performed before. She slipped the service dog vest over her eager pup once they arrived in the area, where several children were already waiting. A couple had been there the last time, but the other three boys and a girl did not look familiar.

“Which of you is Eddie?” Grace asked. The youngster she’d have guessed was Simon’s shy patient raised his hand. He had wild, longish hair and his gaze mostly settled on the floor. “This is Tilly.” Grace had her dog approach the boy slowly, then sit near him. “She wants to shake hands with you.”

“Really?” the boy squeaked.

“Hold out your hand and we’ll see.”

That was the beginning of a performance that seemed to awe the kids and delight the nursing staff observing it. Grace, too. Tilly adored the attention, and she danced and bowed and sang in a whine on command as if that was her main purpose in Alpha Force.



Grace was especially pleased to see that Simon was there as well, watching from just outside the lounge area. He caught her gaze and sent a smile in her direction, the first she’d seen from him since…well, since they’d both been doing a lot of smiling, and more, in bed together.

The memory had turned bittersweet, and Grace firmly cast it aside as she continued to give Tilly commands.

She ended the show after about twenty minutes. Both Tilly and the recuperating kids were obviously growing tired.

She still had Tilly shake hands again with each of them. When they got to Eddie, Grace said, “She really likes you and would love to tell you so if you’ll ask her to speak.” Although Eddie had clapped and cheered with the rest, he still seemed to favor watching the floor when Tilly was between tricks.

The child looked into Grace’s face briefly. “What do I do?”

When he looked back down again, Grace said, “You’ll need to look her in the eye so she’ll know you’re talking to her.”

Slowly, Eddie raised his head and looked straight at Tilly’s eyes. The dog stuck her tongue out and began to pant slightly, which caused Eddie to grin. “She looks silly.”



“She’s tired and a little thirsty, but she isn’t going to get her drink till I tell her it’s okay.” Grace had put a bowl of water on the floor for the hard-working pup. It was behind a nearby chair. Of course she wouldn’t keep her dog from a drink for long, but another minute or two wouldn’t hurt. “First, tell her, ‘Speak.’”

Eddie did so, and Tilly barked, startling the boy so he stepped back.

“That’s how she speaks, honey. She can’t say your name.”

“I know that.” Eddie looked at Grace in a manner that suggested he felt smarter than she, at least at that moment, and Grace gave him a hug.

“I know you do. Now it’s time for us to go. Say goodbye, Tilly. Speak!”

Tilly barked once more, then sat still while the kids all gave her a farewell pat. The nurses, too.

As Tilly finally got her drink of water, Simon joined Grace at the side of the lounge. “That was great,” he said. “I’m really pleased to see how well Eddie did. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Their gazes locked for an instant, and her insides stirred with heated memories and current desire. But reality and practicality ruled. They had to. “Are you…has anyone asked you any questions?”



“Not today,” he said. “I appreciate your concern, but—”

“But you think it’s unnecessary. And you’re not going to tell me otherwise. I get it, Simon. Just be careful. See you around.”

“I don’t suppose you’re having dinner in the cafeteria tonight.”

She looked at him in surprise. “Is that an invitation?” She hesitated. “I’m taking Tilly over to the other wings she visited before. After that, well—I’m not sure what my plans are other than to take Tilly back to our quarters.”

“If you’re interested, I’ll probably be there around six.”

Grace was definitely interested. But she didn’t know if her heart or sex drive would be able to stand another difficult session with Simon, where they remained so distant from one another. “Maybe I’ll see you there,” she said noncommittally.

Or not.



Only four senior citizens were in the spacious lounge where Tilly had last entertained the group instead of the six who’d been there before. All were still hospitalized and doing relatively well, the nurse in charge assured Grace when she asked. The ones not present had been scheduled for additional tests that afternoon.



Tilly didn’t seem to mind having a lesser audience. Her show here once again brought attention and laughter. She took a particular liking to one of the elders in a wheelchair and kept showing off in front of him, until he chortled even louder and held out his hand, patting her on her service-dog vest.

Tilly’s enhanced interest concerned Grace. She approached the patient and inhaled softly, sensing immediately what she had feared.

She approached the head nurse, drew her aside, and said, “Like a lot of dogs, Tilly’s senses allow her to smell things way beyond what humans can do. The way she’s hanging around that patient suggests that Tilly may smell some diseased tissue—cancerous, perhaps. If he hasn’t already been checked thoroughly, I’d suggest you have it done. Or even do it again, in case it’s been missed.”

Grace had come in contact with many infectious diseases thanks to her medical specialty, as well as those that were not infectious. Even with her advanced senses, she seldom diagnosed a problem based solely on what she smelled. But she had often known there was a problem, like that shigellosis outbreak. And now she, too, sensed something that wasn’t right. The older gentleman needed to be checked out.

“I’ve heard of dogs doing that,” the middleaged nurse said with her eyes wide. She smelled of disinfectant. “I’ll make sure that Mr. Thomas is examined again. He’s here for an injury he suffered when he fell at his military son’s quarters at Zimmer, so he was probably not examined for anything besides injuries and infection.”

Grace felt doubly glad to have brought Tilly to this area today. The dog who was her backup might have helped not only to enrich the lives of the people she’d entertained, but might also have saved a life. In this, Grace had been Tilly’s backup.

She exited the door to the geriatric area and made sure it locked behind her, then led Tilly to the wing where patients admitted for psychiatric issues were located.

Once again, she had called ahead. The nurse in charge whom she’d met before, Ellie Yong, had acted delighted to hear from her. As a result of her call, the same PTSD patients Tilly had entertained before were in the lounge area, minus the one Grace had asked not be invited, Sgt. Norman Ivers. Several new ones were there, as well.

Pvt. Alice Johns wasted no time dashing to Tilly, kneeling and giving her a hug. One of the other two soldiers who had reacted most to Tilly before, PFC George Harper, stayed back a little, as if embarrassed at how he had embraced her before. Sgt. Jim Kubowski, who had acted indifferent until Tilly gave him her paw, required no handshake now to greet her enthusiastically.

Tilly’s performance this time was brief and again got these psychologically damaged soldiers to laugh and cheer.

Grace eventually noticed that the unwelcome Sgt. Ivers had appeared after all, standing behind the crowd and watching Tilly’s show with a scowl. Grace kept her eye on him. She would not let him get close to Tilly. Fortunately, he remained at a distance.

Tilly danced and rolled over and put on as good a show here as she had at their two other venues that day. When she started slowing down, clearly exhausted, Grace decided it was almost time to end the show.

Because of what had occurred with that one senior citizen, Grace first had Tilly dance around among the soldiers, just in case she sensed something inside any that required additional attention. Tilly didn’t act differently toward any members of her current audience.

Grace, on the other hand, let her senses go wild—and, as she had before here, she picked up on some of the meds being used to help in the detox of these hospitalized mental patients.



She felt sorry for them. They had been to hell in their military experiences and were still recuperating. Some might never fully recuperate, and could remain addicts as well for the rest of their lives. Grace wished she could help them even more than simply having Tilly entertain them. But she knew they were being treated well at Charles Carder.

Soon, after goodbyes were said, Tilly and she headed for the locked door that would lead them back into the hospital.



Cheering up a bit once they were outside the psych wing, Grace had an urge to talk to someone about what she had experienced with Tilly. To pat her dog—and herself—on the back for possibly helping to find a previously undiagnosed disease in the elderly patient. Alpha Force members would get it. But another shifter with similar characteristics to hers, like an enhanced sense of smell in human form, would get it even more. That left out Autumn Kater, the shapeshifting hawk, despite her fascinating talents.

On her way back to her quarters with Tilly, Grace called Drew Connell. The major would definitely relate to what Grace had experienced.

He didn’t answer, so Grace left a message. Then she called Lt. Patrick Worley, who also shifted into wolf form. Patrick had recently married a nonshifter whom he’d met while on an Alpha Force mission in Alaska, an assignment in which his medical background had been irrelevant. He had investigated some really bad stuff going on around certain glaciers. He’d not only found answers, but true love, too.

Patrick answered right away. “Sorry, I can’t talk right now. Alpha Force emergency. I’m on my way to the nearest base hospital—Melanie’s gone into labor.”

Translation: Drew’s non-shifting wife was having their baby, and the doctors who worked at the military hospital where she was in labor weren’t Alpha Force members. Patrick was going to help keep the unit’s true nature secret, as well as to do anything to assist in the birth of Drew and Melanie’s baby, which was likely to inherit his abilities. Not that they would be apparent so early. But doctors with their knowledge needed to be there in case of complications.

Which meant that neither of them would be around for a while to hold a discussion with Grace.

Not that what she had in mind was urgent. She didn’t really need a pat on the back. Even so, she felt a sense of isolation. Sure, she could get together with fellow Alpha Force members here, but none would fully get it.

That was when she realized she was just giving herself excuses. There was someone else here she could talk to. In fact, a substantial part of her mood was undoubtedly the result of wanting to talk with him.

Not that she could really tell him what she had experienced, and why.

But seeing Simon just might make her feel less alone.