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They were nearly to the kitchen Carol turned off the teakettle, but she didn’t knohat else to do It hurt to stand or sit or even lie down Her joints all ached Her throat was sore She felt miserable

"Don’t conored her and entered the kitchen, each carrying a brass container of red roses Rosalind earing a pale pink sweater andbrown hair bounced on her shoulders, and her amber eyes sparkled with excitement Her smile eeter than Ryan’s and not as devious as his often was

Her red hair tied back in a bun, Lelandi wore a loosely fitted emerald sweatshirt and sweatpants Carol wondered if Lelandi’s jeans were getting a little too snug around her waist with triplets on the way Lelandi gave her a knowing sahtheaded Tears blurred her eyes Even if Ryan had found the vaccine, it would only protect olves fro the virus, not cure those who had it already

"What are you doing here, Rosalind? You shouldn’t be here," Carol said, defeated though hopeful that Ryan did find the vaccine and that it would help those eren’t sick

"I couldn’t stand being in Green Valley and not knowing how this was all going down Lelandi told reenhouse and wanted to bring all kinds of fresh herbs for you to use in your search for the cure"

Carol sighed "You shouldn’t have coet sick, too?" Then she frowned and looked at Lelandi "If Ryan found the vaccine, hoould I have beaten hiame?"

Lelandi beamed, then crossed the floor, pulled Carol froed her soundly Carol wanted to break loose and dash away froth Was Lelandi idly and grinning from ear to ear, Carol wondered if it was because she knew for sure Ryan and she wereif she didn’t find a cure!

"Darien shifted a fewher eyes "God, Carol, you did it That first remedy you tried--the one he balked at and I had to force hier tea? Coht that he growled at ether worked It just took a while, but… he’s back to his usual self Well, a little gruffer than usual He would have come down here personally and thanked you…"

Tears strearasp the ramifications of what she’d done, and she wasn’t sure she could accept it What if they turned back? What if this didn’t last?

Rosalind joined them "Ryan found a jehen he fell in love with you," she said, and tugged Carol into a hug "I’ve alanted a sister who could beat hiame She embraced Rosalind back, pleased to have another sister to add to her family in any event She reached over and drew Lelandi into an all-girls’ hug

"Are you sure, Lelandi?"

Tears streaked down Lelandi’s cheeks now, too, and she nodded vigorously

"Oh, hell yeah He’s giving orders, yelling at To you to let North into the exarief for shape-shifting and getting stuck, even though he knew it couldn’t be helped; and scoldinghim know first"

She sht when Ryan takes you home to his pack?"

Rosalind took Carol’s hand and squeezed "Silver Town’s not that far froht"

"For the all-girl-night parties," Carol said, trying to s "Sounds like those could get out of hand, and I’ht and no one frorinned even more broadly "…You can co to a condo in town, closer to arden shop The house will be yours and Ryan’s He’ll say no, because he wants to keep an eye onto be perfect"

"I… I--"

"Darien is so proud of you," Lelandi said "So very proud of you He’ll tell you hi everyone around At least those who haven’t shifted yet" She motioned to the doorway "Ryan ran the vaccine to the hospital, and Charlotte and Mattheill be giving vaccinations to anyone who isn’t sick Rosalind and I were already vaccinated

"Doc also shifted back--we suspect maybe even earlier than Darien We didn’t know it until just a few h the whole thing He’ll help with the vaccinations and wants to tell Ryan to join our pack and forget taking you away

"Of course, Darien would say no to that It’s one thing for Ryan to come here to help us out with an important matter But it’s another for Darien to have to butt heads with him all the tiot good news! We found the vaccine"

S, Lelandi and Carol wiped away residual tears as the women all waited for Ryan to enter the kitchen

Ryan’s smile faltered when he saw Rosalind and Lelandi with their arot waylaid at the hospital and thought the two of you had gone home," he said to Lelandi

"We were on our way there when Darien called Lelandi with the news Carol found the cure," Rosalind said, proudly "So we had to tell her right away Once you and she are cured and ready to coht with the world"