Karen and Peter rode along quietly as they left the hospital after giving Jenny a goodbye hug and voiced relief that Jenny was fine and that everything would turn out okay, all things considered. The two then rode quietly back to the Talbot home, and found that the lights were mostly off when they returned. There were some signs of a few small lamps being left on, for Karen's benefit as while most weres had excellent night vision, regardless of being in their human or were form, normal humans decidedly didn't. And Leon and Regina likely hadn't heard that this agent of Dieter Wilhelm's had been caught after his drive by shooting that morning, which would mean they probably expected Karen to come back as per the safety concerns they had for Karen's safety from this agent. The only room that looked like it was more well lit Peter knew to be his parents' bedroom.
"I didn't think we were there that long," Karen spoke as she noted the dimly lit areas near the entryway and the decided lack of activity that she could see in the house.
"It isn't too late," Peter answered slowly, "just the end of the hospital's visiting hours."
"So... where..." Karen began.
"If they're here, my folks are probably in bed... either watching late night TV, reading, or engaging in the affairs that all married/mated weres enjoy," Peter answered.
Karen shrugged at that. Sex seemed to be something everyone liked. The only real difference between Moon Lake's were population and the normal human population around it was that Moon Lake's weres fit the physical body types that people found attractive and that weres more easily turned on. From what she'd read and from what Peter had told her, it fit a higher libido than what normal humans had, but she'd also noticed that Moon Lake's weres seemed have full control over themselves. Peter didn't walk around with a permanent erection and trying to have his way with her. In fact, Peter had wanted to do things right even more than Karen did. That demonstrated self control and Karen loved that.
"If they're not here... mom could be hunting and dad could simply be out for a walk... or they're walking together or enjoying themselves in the woods," Peter finished, to which Karen nodded.
"Well... your parents have looked happy together, so it's their right to love each other however they wish," Karen answered, "Just how I'd hope they let us love each other how we wish."
"And they well," Peter promised and soon found Karen wrapping her arms around him in a firm hug.
Peter held her to him and was more than willing to return the the hug that Karen gave him. As he looked down to her, he noted that her face looked like she had some worry still on her mind. Some of that likely related to what had happened with the Jenkins family and with Jenny, which Peter figured was understandable. And while Peter agreed with his parents that being involved in affairs that were really only for the Jenkins family might not come off in good taste, he knew that Karen had placed a great deal of value in her friendship with Jenny and it was that friendship that drove Karen on. And in the end, the Jenkins family proved to be fairly welcoming of his and Karen's presence and he had shared with both Harry and Henry Jenkins Sr. that some elements of the Pride's males would give the Skulk some additional muscle should Dieter Wilhelm or Jenny's parents prove to be difficult.
"Are you okay?" Peter asked, actually feeling Karen tremble a little.
"Physically... I'm fine," Karen answered with a sigh and rested her head on Peter's shoulder and held him tightly. That gave Peter the impression that mentally, Karen was not fine.
"I wasn't asking about your physical health," Peter answered and slowly stroked her back, "and it's clear that something is bothering you."
Karen only sighed. Part of it was from contentment at Peter being close to her and rubbing her back in a way that betrayed great strength while being quite gentle at the same time, but it was also from some of the frustrations and worries that she had. She was glad that Huck Jenkins was going to be okay and that the police had the shooter in custody and might even have the evidence to get Dieter Wilhelm behind bars for a long time, but the fact that the man had been brought so close to death by a gunshot that not even Huck's being a were could save him on its own unnerved her. Peter was big and strong, but if a gunshot could do that, a part of a her now feared that Dieter Wilhelm might be better armed than the police could be prepared for and nervous thoughts of Jenny or Harry and Peter being gunned down at the wedding flashed in her mind.
"It's all that happened," Karen answered as she looked up to Peter, "this agent and what he did... Jenny and Harry both said that from what they knew... that if it weren't for Betty and the officer that had been tailing the agent, he would have died there! And if this Wilhelm guy has sent two agents and one actually carried out a shot... who is to say that he won't try to shoot Harry or Jenny in person? Who is to say he won't try to shoot you or me?"
Peter only held her tightly and let a low rumble escape his lips. Werelions and weretigers, like mundane lions and tigers couldn't purr, or at least not in the way a house cat could purr, as their vocal chords were geared to roar. The closest that werelions and weretigers could approximate to a purr was to try and give a low rumble, usually on the exhale. It wasn't a purr but it worked for werelions and weretigers.
"Everything will be fine, I promise you," Peter promised.
"But what if Wilhelm is armed?" Karen commented, "I'd thought that only silver bullets..."
"Weres aren't invulnerable," Peter admitted, "but we're STILL tough to kill and can recover from a lot. Harry and Jenny even told you that he'd be well enough to be discharged from the hospital Saturday morning at the absolute latest, which would be far sooner than what a normal would spend in a hospital with a similar wound... provided they even make it to the hospital."
"But I don't want to see that happen to Jenny or Harry... or to you," Karen spoke as she looked up into Peter's eyes.
"And it won't," Peter promised and held Karen to him tightly, "the police caught the shooter and have the evidence to arrest Dieter Wilhelm in relation to calling for Harry's murder. And we will all be paying attention to make sure that you, Harry, and Jenny are safe. Everything will be fine. Harry and Jenny will get their happy wedding..."
Peter paused to run a finger under Karen's chin, "and then you and I can have our own happy rendezvous."
Karen smiled at that and ran one hand down Peter's chest. It was well sculpted and she could easily feel the strength in his pectorals through the shirt he wore. If she weren't so worried and nervous about Dieter Wilhelm being better prepared than the Moon Lake police, she might have seriously considered getting her pills from her purse and give Peter a wonderful night and become his lioness. But she was still fairly nervous. Peter's confidence and warm embrace helped, but until Jenny became Mrs. Harry Jenkins, Karen was certain to remain on edge.
"I hope so," Karen gave a weak smile, "a lot of this just has me so completely on edge. Jenny deserves some happiness in life and parents should allow for that. My parents did for me... but from everything I've heard... Jenny's parents haven't. It's unbelievable... and the guy they have chosen isn't someone Jenny likes and has already demonstrated that he isn't above criminal action to get what he wanted. It just has me nervous and fearful that things could get worse."
"With some luck, it won't," Peter promised, as he finally let her go and turned out the lights as he then lead Amy to the room that had been set as a guest room for her. Once there she moved halfway through the doorway, turned and looked to Peter while holding the door with one hand.
"Promise me you'll be careful," Karen said to him, "I stand by my support for helping to protect Jenny... but, I don't want you to take any unnecessary risks."
"I will be careful," Peter promised and hugged Karen again. He then backed away a bit and bent down enough to give her one soft kiss, "because you are just as important to me as I am to you. And I don't want to miss out on our own happiness."
"Good night, Peter," Karen smiled, "I love you."
"I love you too," Peter smiled back and the two parted ways. Karen going fully into the guest room and Peter turning back to his own room.