Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

D awn snuggled suggestively against her husband, the thin shift she wore barely a barrier to her nakedness.

Cree snagged his wife in a tight embrace, keeping her pressed flat against his side. “We will not couple even though my shaft disagrees and continues to ache me. It has been too long for us both and that will result in my giving you a good pounding?—”

She smiled and nodded, the thought appealing.

“Nay, we will not take the chance. The fog has lifted these last two days, and you have healed nicely thus far. I will not take the chance of disturbing your wounds and delaying our departure. I want to go home and once home I will pound you until you are well satiated.”

She shrugged and traced a cross on her chest.

“Aye, I promise to pound you relentlessly,” he said with a chuckle.

A knock sounded at the door and Cree called out, “Enter.”

Olwen walked in with Dawn’s garments draped over her arm. “They have been washed and dried, and are ready to wear, my lady. No scent lingers on them.” She draped the garments over a nearby chair. “The morning meal is waiting, and Lord Tiernan will be joining you, and your horse will be made ready for you.”

“Eager to see us leave, Olwen?” Cree asked, keeping a slight smile to his lips and shocked to see the woman return it.

“It is time for you to return home to your family, but your unexpected visit here will remain memorable.” Her stoic expression returned. “Do not take long. You need to fortify yourselves with food for your journey home.”

“Home,” Cree said with longing as Olwen closed the door behind her. “I can’t wait to get there.”

Cree helped his wife dress to avoid her disturbing her bruised side that had healed well with rest and no worry to disturb her sleep the last two days. But he would take no chances with their departure so close at hand.

With hands held tight, Cree gave one last look to the bedchamber before shutting the door. “I shall not miss it.” And Dawn agreed with a nod.

They entered the Great Hall, Lord Tiernan standing when they approached the dais.

“You both look well rested, and I imagine you are quite pleased that you will be taking your leave after you eat,” Lord Tiernan said.

“And I imagine you will not mind seeing us go,” Cree said and assisted his wife to sit.

“Actually, Lord Cree. I am grateful for the opportunity to not only have met you but to now call you a friend.” Tiernan held his arm out.

Cree locked his hand around Tiernan’s forearm and Tiernan did the same to Cree. “Aye, Tiernan, Clan Carrick and Clan MacMadadh shall always be friends.”

“That pleases me more than you know,” Tiernan said and sat after Cree did.

“Have you heard any news about Lord Clouston?” Cree asked, pleased to see his wife eagerly reaching for a quail egg and a piece of meat, hardy choices to keep her full while traveling.

“Aye, and the news is most unfortunate,” Tiernan said, nodding as he spoke seriously while a glint of satisfaction shined in his green eyes. “Lord Clouston fell prey to a wolf. They say his body was torn to shreds and while some called for the wolf to be hunted, there weren’t any who volunteered to go after such a ferocious beast. More unfortunate news, I’m afraid. It seems that Lord Clouston’s niece perished as well, attacked by a wolf in the woods. Clan MacMadadh was kind enough to bury the poor young woman so no one had to review her remains. The nephew, due to inherit Lord Clouston’s sizeable holdings, was only too eager and grateful to accept our help.”

“I am sure he was with such an abundant inheritance waiting to be gained,” Cree said. “I am curious about Penn. Dolan mentioned he was an old friend. Was he part of your clan?”

“He was years ago. He challenged my leadership and lost. He set out to form his own pac… clan but never succeeded. He was alone, on his own. That can be devastating to someone who was used to a strong bond of family. The lonely years turned him bitter, vengeful, and foolish. I wished things could have been different for him, but he sealed his own fate.”

“Larkin believed he was in command, but all along Penn was. He never had any intention of taking Lynall to Clouston. His goal was to kill you and take over leadership of the clan.”

“Even if he had succeeded, he would have never led this clan. He would have had to challenge Sim for leadership and that would not have gone well for Penn.”

“And the men that were fooled by him?” Cree asked, their fate never mentioned to him.

“They will tell no tales,” Tiernan said.

Sim and Lynall entered, smiling like only young people in love could.

“I’m to be a da,” Sim shouted.

Tiernan hurried out of his chair to go and congratulate his brother in a huge hug and a firm slap on the back. “I am thrilled for you and look forward to being an uncle, the favorite one.”

Dawn stood to go to Lynall, but the young woman waved at her, “Please stay where you are Lady Dawn. I will join you so we may talk.” She looked at Tiernan. “If that is all right with you, my lord.”

“Of course it is, Lynall, and you need not ask permission. You are my brother’s wife, which grants you a place at the dais.”

“Thank you, my lord,” Lynall said with a smile, then she brushed a kiss on Sim’s cheek and hurried to sit in the chair next to Dawn.

Cree liked Lynall for treating Dawn no differently from anyone else and that she talked and understood Dawn more easily than most when first meeting his wife. The healer had a kind heart, though he did wonder how she ever got involved with werewolves. But he was not curious enough to ask.

“I wanted to thank you, Lord Cree,” Sim said. “You refused to leave Lynall behind with Penn. You put yourself in more harm’s way than you know, and I am forever grateful to you.”

“You should thank Dolan as well. If it wasn’t for him, I would still be wandering around in the fog.”

Sim laughed. “I already have thanked him. Dolan is a good man with a kind heart, and I am glad the clan accepted him as one of us years ago.”

Another human who lived among werewolves. Cree simply did not understand it. But then he didn’t understand how he could believe that the fabled creatures he only knew in tales were actually real.

“I am pleased to let you know, Lord Cree, that your warriors are headed this way,” Sim said. “Your tracks must have been found and they follow them here. They should arrive in an hour or so.”

“Olwen,” Tiernan called out. “See that more food is prepared for Lord Cree’s warriors. They are probably hungry after so many days spent in the fog.”

“Aye, my lord,” Olwen said and hurried off.

“I appreciate that, Lord Tiernan,” Cree said.

“Come and let us sit, eat, and talk before the time comes for your departure,” Lord Tiernan said, and the three men settled at the dais.

Time sped by and Cree was pleased to see his warriors had survived well and from the smiles on their faces, he could tell how pleased they were to have found him and Lady Dawn.

“A few of the men feared we would return home with dreadful news, when we did not locate you right away,” Dylan said. “Of course, the constant howls of the wolves didn’t help. But I told them that we would find you and Lady Dawn safe and that you would have it no other way.”

Cree slapped Dylan on the back. “And I knew I could count on you finding us. You have learned to track well from Henry. He will be pleased to learn of your success.”

Dylan’s chest widened from the praise and pride of Cree’s compliments. “I will never let you down, my lord.”

“And you have proven that, Dylan. Now drink and eat, for we leave here by noon.”

Talk and laughter filled the Great Hall and tales of wolves were told and listened to with great interest. But when the time came to leave there was no hesitation. Cree, Dawn, and his men wanted to go home. Even Cree’s horse was eager to leave, stomping the ground and snorting when Cree approached him.

Cree lifted his wife up onto the horse without protest. He thought she might argue wanting to ride her mare, but she didn’t. She was feeling just as he was that she didn’t want to be parted from him during their journey home.

He gave her leg a squeeze, then turned to Lord Tiernan. “Again, I will be forever grateful for your generous hospitality.” He lowered his voice. “I don’t quite know the truth of what happened here, and I don’t care to know for sure. As far as anyone will know, Lady Dawn and I were treated graciously and generously at Clan MacMadadh, and Clan Carrick now calls Clan MacMadadh its friend. You are welcome in my home anytime.”

“I am grateful for your friendship, Lord Cree, since your friendship offers our clan a degree of protection.”

“Don’t make me regret giving it to you. Tread wisely with your secrets, for as you told me once a secret is shared it is no longer a secret.”

“Which is why I was careful with my words to you, but rest assure you will never now or in ever regret pledging your friendship to Clan MacMadadh.” Lord Tiernan rested his hand on Cree’s shoulder. “Safe journey, my friend.”

“Kee! Kee!” Tade cried out, running toward Cree and Sim, Lynall and Brigid running behind him trying to keep up but failing.

Tade would have taken a tumble he was running so fast if Cree hadn’t caught him and swung him up into his arms, Tade giggling through it all.

Once settled down, Tade pointed to Dawn. “I come say good-bye.”

Cree lifted him closer to Dawn.

The little lad pulled out a flower, nearly squashed, that was tucked in his sleeve and handed it to Dawn. “For you.”

Dawn smiled as she took it from him, tapped her chest, then leaned close to kiss his cheek.

Tade tapped his chest and kissed her on the cheek, and said, “Friends.”

Dawn nodded.

As Cree lowered him to the ground, Tade tapped his chest and said, “Friends too.”

“Aye, Tade,” Cree said, “friends always.”

More goodbyes were exchanged and a few tears from the women, then Cree turned his horse after one last wave, and positioned his stallion in front of his men, lined in pairs, and led them out of the village.

It wasn’t until the village faded from view that Dawn looked at her husband, scrunched her brow, and shrugged.

“I think the same, wife. Were we truly in a den of werewolves? We never saw anyone there turn from a human into a wolf and yet all we learned about Clan MacMadadh leads us to believe that we took shelter in a den of werewolves. I think it is better for us to never truly be sure, to only think of them as our friends and pray for them, for I fear for the future of Clan MacMadadh.”

The End

Not really.

If you would like to know what happens to

Clan MacMadadh and Lord Tiernan in the future (present day)

read

The Sexual Appetites of Werewolves