Chapter 14

14

O nce they’d caught enough fish for a grand feast for the nooning meal, everyone returned to the keep. Still, Erik was a little worried that Accalia was perturbed with him over talking to the boys about being with her when she wanted to do that herself without his interference.

Erik was over the moon when Accalia had agreed to stay with him. He had to prove to her that she would remain with him not only this eve but from then on moving forward. He meant it when he said he loved her. He’d never felt that way about another she-wolf after his mate had died and he had every intention of not losing Accalia. And he still wanted to take her to see the sunset when he could.

At the meal, his sons were excitedly talking to each other, and he was curious how they felt about Accalia staying with him tonight. Accalia had enjoyed fishing with him and the boys, but she was quiet at the meal now.

He reached over, took hold of her hand, and squeezed it, showing how he felt about her. Was she upset with him for not giving her a chance to talk to the boys beforehand about staying with him? He hoped his impatience hadn’t ruined things between them.

“I’m sorry I spoke in front of the boys about you staying with me this eve before you had a chance to,” he said.

“Nay, you are no’,” she said matter-of-factly.

All right, she was correct. He hadn’t been.

“’Tis all right though. I worried they would believe it was a mating between us and would be disappointed if it wasna. I didna want them to get their hopes up if it didna work out between us.”

He was certain it would work out between them, but he understood her concern. “Aye, lass. I’m sorry. I want it so much, I wasna thinking.”

She let out her breath then, and he was sure something else was on her mind. “Since my da seemed to have told you everything about me, did he tell you I was to be married, but the cad took off with one of my companions instead on our wedding day?”

Erik closed his gaping mouth and shook his head. “He didna mention it.”

“That’s why I didna have a maid with me when you came and stole me away.”

He hadn’t even considered that when he had seen her sitting upon her horse looking as regal as a queen.

“My da was afraid you would fall for the maid instead of me.”

Erik scoffed. “The man is daft to give up such a treasure as you. No other lass would have stolen my attention like you have done.”

She relaxed her shoulders a bit. “My da said it was my fault.”

Erik shook his head. “He is wrong. If the wolf was so callous as to mate another lass when he pledged his love to you, he is the one to blame. Is that why you were worried about Beathag?”

“A little.”

“I’ve never shown any interest in her.”

She nodded and changed the subject then. “I had fun today, both at the sparring competition and fishing. We could run as wolves this eve.”

“Aye, we would have double our forces, and Alasdair and his people would love it.”

“What about your sons? I promised them we would all run together the next time.”

“As a family. Aye, we will do so.”

Then she smiled. Good. She didn’t seem too miffed with him for telling the boys that she would stay with him tonight before she’d had a chance to talk to them privately about it. And he noted she didn’t correct him when he called them a family.

“After we return from the run and have our meal, I will speak to the boys alone,” she said.

“Of course. If”—he let out his breath—“if they are unsettled about us staying together tonight, we can hold off.” But it was killing him to suggest it.

She chuckled. “You are stuck with me in your bed tonight. And they would be disappointed if we went back on our word.”

He smiled broadly. “Aye, as you say.” He was sure glad for it.

After the meal, the ladies visited while the men discussed politics and other matters. Not that the women weren’t interested in what the men were discussing, but they wanted to talk about different things for now. The wolfhounds had gone after the boys, and she wondered if they were playing with them.

“So, is Alasdair looking to find a mate for you, Bessetta?” Accalia assumed he would want her married off soon because of her age.

“We’ve been discussing possibilities, but nothing is written in stone,” Bessetta said, “but Isobel has some noteworthy news.”

Accalia glanced at her.

Isobel smiled. “Aye, I’m with child. I thought so a few days ago, but ‘twas your midwife confirmed it after we went fishing.”

“Oh, how wonderful. How many?” Accalia asked, surprised she had practiced fighting when she carried bairns in her belly and glad she hadn’t hurt Isobel during the practice.

“’Tis too early to say, though the midwife believes ‘tis more than one as big as I’m growing so early on. Alasdair was having fits when he tried to help me into the boat and saw my expanding belly.”

The ladies laughed.

“Can you run with us this eve?” Accalia believed so. They often ran as wolves until they were about to deliver. It seemed to make the delivery easier for them.

“Aye, up until the last week or so. It depends on the wolf. Some canna manage, some might move more slowly, but they continue to walk as a wolf until the end. Knowing Alasdair, he will watch me constantly until I have the babies.”

“What about you?” Bessetta asked Accalia. “She’s staying with Erik tonight,” she told Isobel.

“Oooh,” Isobel said, smiling.

“It will no’ be a mating, just a way to see if we are…uhm, compatible.”

Bessetta and Isobel shared smiles. “I dinna believe there is any chance you willna be ‘compatible,’ the way the two of you give off pheromones so hotly when you’re around each other,” Isobel said.

“I worry about the boys and how they feel,” Accalia said.

“Believe me, they will be all for it,” Isobel said. “You have proven to them how much you care about them, and they have shown how they feel about you. I was afraid when I knocked you down with my shield—which I hadna planned—they would have all three taken me to task.”

The ladies laughed.

“Thorfinn first,” Bessetta said. “He is the alpha of the brothers. The others waited until he went to Accalia’s aid first.”

“Aye,” Isobel said.

“How do you feel about having bairns with Erik who will be half-siblings with the boys, Accalia?” Bessetta asked.

“I want them to know the bairns will be needy when they are first born and I will have to take care of them a lot when they are tiny, but I will love the boys just as much. If Erik and I have bairns together, they will not replace my affection for the lads. I must ensure they know that I have enough love to go around,” she said. “But I doubt they will believe it until I prove to them it is so. And that willna happen unless I mate their da and we have bairns of our own.”

“Aye,” Isobel said.

“Did either of you ever meet Erik’s previous mate?” Accalia couldn’t help being curious about the woman, even though Etta had told her what she knew about Willa. But had her friends seen what she was like?

“No’ me,” Isobel said. “She had died before I met Erik.”

Accalia and Isobel looked at Bessetta. She smoothed her gown on her lap, her eyes cast downward as if she was trying to figure out what to say that wouldn’t be too inappropriate.

“You are among friends,” Accalia said. “And we have known each other since we were wee lasses. Tell me the truth.”

“She wasna like you,” Bessetta said, “and I mean that in the best way possible. I asked some of the maids, like Etta, but I didna have to. I saw the way she was. She wasna nice to the staff, making the servants redo her bathwater because it wasna hot enough, or cool enough. She treated them like they were beneath her when she should have treated them like her kin, her packmates, and cherished what they were doing for her. Like you do. Just like any of us do.”

“Aye,” both Isobel and Accalia agreed.

“Erik had to have me make peace with the staff secretly because they were ready to quit. Anyway, she was as bad about the boys. She never ran with them as wolves. They had nannies to do that with them, but of course, she wouldna let them because then they would be having fun. Yet she didna have the boys do chores. She was”—Bessetta shrugged—“all over the place when disciplining them or showing affection. But with Erik? That was a whole other story. I swear she bewitched him with her overly sexy moves whenever he was with his staff, at the head table?—”

“Insincere?” Accalia asked.

“We felt that she was. Etta said she thought he was in love with her, but then she became pregnant with the triplets and that was the end of her ability to be the center of attention. Instead?—”

“Erik’s sons were,” Accalia guessed.

Isobel nodded. “And the whole pack would have doted on them.”

“Aye,” Accalia and Bessetta said.

“Worse, when so many people in the clan became sick and twelve died, including his wife, no one mourned her. The boys didna even cry. Why should they? She had never been affectionate to them. When I saw them and she was with Erik, she wouldna allow them to approach him.”

“I dinna understand it,” Accalia said.

“Me either,” Isobel agreed.

“I didna know why he wouldna have said something about it but I’m sure it was because she held so much sway over him. You are the perfect wife for him and mother to his sons.” Bessetta smiled with tears in her eyes. “They deserve what you can offer.”

“Thanks, Bessetta, for telling me. Erik has never said anything about her, but I suspect it’s because he doesna want to sully her name.”

“Aye, though maybe he will tell you how much he loves you for being you and not being anything like her. Um, have you had trouble with Beathag?” Bessetta asked. “I believe everyone was shocked when Isobel knocked you down with her shield and she laughed.”

Accalia nodded. “I’ve had some trouble with her. I think she realizes she’s no’ chasing me off.”

“She would be crazy to believe she has a chance with Erik,” Bessetta said. “I only mentioned it because I’ve seen how she has tried to intrigue Erik when he has never shown interest in her. Even if he doesna want to mate you, he wouldna mate her.”

“I have told her that.” Accalia didn’t go into any details about how she showed her that either. She suspected the nannies and the lads, who had witnessed the wolf fight between her and Beathag, might have shared the news with others in the pack.

Isobel and Bessetta smiled.

“As to this matter with Freigard, what is his problem? How can he want you for his mate, but not want an alliance with your da? Is he mad?” Isobel asked.

“He believes he will make me his mate and take over my pack. He willna wish my da or uncle to be in command, but instead, replace them with someone of his choosing. Whoever goes along with his new rule will remain with the pack. Anyone who doesna, will be eliminated.”

“He willna be successful. Alasdair told me Erik had had trouble with him on his lands. Alasdair vowed our fighting force to battle any of Freigard’s brigands while we are here,” Isobel said.

“We appreciate it.” Accalia wondered if Alasdair would want Isobel fighting now that he had learned she was carrying their bairns. Most likely not and she wouldn’t blame him.

“Are we taking the boys with us on the wolf run?” Isobel asked.

“Aye. ‘Tis important for them to feel they can do this with their da. The last time, archers attacked us, so they need to prove they have what it takes to run with us.”

“I so agree,” Bessetta said.

“Ja, that’s the way of our life and the best way to prepare for it is to prove ourselves worthy,” Isobel said.

Accalia could only imagine the hardships that Isobel had gone through while growing up. Accalia had to admit she was torn between wanting a lovely wolf run with the two packs and the boys feeling perfectly secure, and the chance to take down more of Freigard’s men should they try to fight them further.

But before she went on the run with the other wolves, she went to speak with the boys in private.

Their room was as neat as when she had first moved everything out of the chamber and the boys hadn’t once complained about wanting their things back. She suspected she had kept them so busy that they were worn out when they returned to their chamber at night, retired to their beds, and playing with toys didn’t cross their minds. She figured it was time to return their toys to the room.

She wasn’t sure what they had been doing while she had visited with the ladies, but as soon as she walked into the room, she dismissed the nannies so they could take a break, and the boys ran to give her hugs.

“We fed all the horses,” Hendrie proudly said, looking up at her, his eyes bright with pride.

“And cleaned out their stalls,” Johnne said, wrinkling his nose.

“And walked them too,” Thorfinn said, all eager to tell her how they were sharing in doing chores at the castle, waiting for her praise.

“My, you have been busy.” She didn’t want to praise them for a job they would normally do without any thought of praise, but she couldn’t help herself and hugged them. “Well done.” They beamed with joy. “You are coming on a run with us as wolves tonight.”

“Aye!” the boys shouted.

“Your da and the other pack wolves and your own will run together. Should we have any trouble with any brigands?—”

“We willna cower and whimper,” Thorfinn said.

“You will stay with the ladies and me, and we’ll all get low to the ground to protect ourselves. As wolves, we canna attack the arrows, if they fight that way again. And if they are on horseback, we stay low, away from the sweeps of their swords.” She would leap up to unseat a rider, but she didn’t want the boys doing that. They were too little. “I want to speak about tonight.”

“You mean when you sleep with Da?” Thorfinn asked.

“Aye. You do understand about a mating, right?”

They waited to hear what she had to say about it. As soon as she mentioned it, she realized she had bitten off more than she could chew. She had thought they knew all about it!

“All right, well, wolves mate for life. Your da and I are going to sleep together, but we’re no’ going to mate. No’ tonight.”

“He will kiss her for sure,” Thorfinn said to his brothers.

“Aye,” they both said.

“But you will be our mother?” Hendrie asked, his voice hopeful.

“We will see.”

“He better want you to be our mother,” Thorfinn said, sounding angry, as if he would have to persuade his da if he wasn’t already convinced.

Their da wasn’t the holdout. Accalia was, but she didn’t know how to explain it. “I believe with all my heart that it will all work out.” But she was beyond pleased that Thorfinn and his brothers wanted her to be their mother and tried to hide the sudden tears glistening in her eyes.

“Aye, we knew it would,” Thorfinn said, assuredly, his brothers agreeing. “Did Da get mad at Beathag or you for the wolf fight outside our chamber?”

“Your da was mad at Beathag. She had no business attacking me first. All right, well, let’s go for a wolf run, shall we?” she asked.

They immediately began to strip off their clothes.

“I’ll meet you downstairs.” This had been a fun day for them all. She hoped tonight wouldn’t be filled with danger.