Chapter 16

16

A fter Accalia had finished talking to Bessetta, she began eating more fish stew and Erik turned to speak with her. “Archery competition between the packs is next on the agenda. Are you game?”

“Aye. And the lads?” Accalia asked.

“Certes. And tonight?”

She smiled. “I’ll stay with you. ‘Twas a pleasant eve we had.”

He smiled. “Aye, I will do everything to ensure it is as enjoyable as last eve.”

“Oh, aye, you had better, and I will do the same for you.”

If he could make her happy, he would be pleased.

They finished breaking their fast and then Erik’s people went off to do their work while Erik, Accalia, and the boys went out to practice archery with the others.

Isobel showed the ladies and the boys how to use the bow this time while the men were shooting at other targets, trying to beat each other. Erik loved the competition but enjoyed seeing Accalia and his boys working hard to improve their archery skills.

Isobel loved teaching them and she was helping them to do better. He was glad she wasn’t so far along in her pregnancy, that she could still show off her skills. He knew Isobel loved that she could. The boys were enjoying learning more too.

After that, they all ate the nooning meal. Then they planned to take the boys as wolves to a creek to fish and everyone had fun doing that. While Erik was ensuring they had a proper guard escort, with some men from Alasdair’s pack offering to guard the families, Accalia had slipped away to strip off her clothes, shift, and ensure the boys were ready to go. Even the wolfhounds were joining them this time.

Erik had missed the opportunity to be alone with her in his chamber until after the evening meal.

When they reached the stream, the boys pounced on several fish but often lost them. Even so, they caught more than they did while fishing in the loch. Swimming, diving, and trying to catch fish in the loch had been a lot more strenuous.

But now they were struggling to keep hold of the fish they had pounced on, the slippery-scaled trout getting away. Accalia, Bessetta, and Isobel watched the boys in their wolf coats, appearing amused.

The dogs were splashing in the stream, playing with each other, scaring some fish a little way off.

Erik continued to help the boys catch the fish, enjoying showing them how to do it. Everyone participating caught enough for their pack and the visiting one for the evening meal. He was glad he had taken the time to work with his sons. They were so determined to catch the most fish.

He glanced at Accalia and saw her standing with Bessetta and Isobel on the rocky shore, smiling at him and the boys as wolves would. He smiled back at Accalia, figuring he had impressed her while working with his sons on this fishing excursion, and showing he could be patient with them for once. For the first time, he realized he had never worked so hard to impress a she-wolf as he wanted to with Accalia.

Once they had enough fish in the baskets carried on the horses’ saddles, they all gathered to return to the castle.

Erik ran with Accalia and his sons with the others, while she nipped at his neck and then tackled the boys each in turn. Which made the trip back take quite a bit longer, but everyone seemed to enjoy watching the five of them in wolf play. Even Erik had played with Accalia and the boys, careful not to be too rough.

They reached the outer bailey, and the portcullis and double gates were shut for the night. Inside the keep, Cook hurried to prepare the fish for the evening meal while everyone who had gone fishing as wolves retired to shift and dress, then join each other downstairs. Again, Erik missed being alone with Accalia when Logan took him aside to discuss work on some of the fortifications that needed to be done.

When he managed to shift and dress, he found that Accalia and the boys had already left their chamber, and he met them in the great hall. “Fantastic catches,” he told the boys before he led Accalia to the high table. “At your age, I didna catch half as many fish.”

They glowed with pride and Accalia smiled at him as if she thought the world of him for praising his sons. He realized he didn’t do that often with them and he would be better at it in the future. Especially when he saw how happy the boys and Accalia were that he had done so.

Then he ruffled the boys’ hair, took Accalia’s hand, and led her to the head table.

“About this eve,” Erik said to Accalia.

She glanced at him and gave him the most mischievous smile. “Aye?”

“You still plan to sleep with me, aye?”

“I willna have it any other way. You already told me that you would make it worth my while. Just as I said I would do the same for you.”

“Aye.” He couldn’t be gladder for it.

“You did well with the boys while teaching them how to fish.”

“They needed more practice.”

“Aye, and they loved proving how good they could be. Did you know they worked hard in the stables—cleaning it out, feeding the horses, and exercising them?”

“Aye, they have you to thank for that. Everyone has seen how helpful they are and willing to have the boys do various tasks to make them better men someday.”

“If we mate and marry, what will I wear?” Accalia asked as Cook set fish soup out for them.

Cook gasped but then smiled. “Etta has made a gown for you since he didna allow you the time to prepare for this.” She emphasized that the “he” was Erik, the brute.

Erik hadn’t thought that far in advance. But then he realized what Accalia was saying. She meant to mate him and wanted a wedding. He smiled and took her hand and kissed it. “You will make the most beautiful bride.”

She smiled. “Thank you. We must have two wedding ceremonies. My da and my kin will want to celebrate this mating and marriage.”

Even though wolves didn’t need them to profess their love to each other by having a wedding, for outsiders, it was important to show they were together for other reasons. And he would sign an agreement with her da that he and her da had an alliance through marriage.

“Aye, of course.”

“I already have a wedding gown back home.”

He felt remorseful because he took her away from her home without staying there to learn if they suited each other and then married her. But he couldn’t have. Not when he had to know if she would be a good mother to his sons.

“Aye. I will do anything to make you happy.”

She smiled at his comment.

Bessetta poked her in the side. “Well?”

Accalia laughed. “We’ll announce it on the morrow.”

“Cook will have a thing to say about that.” Bessetta was smiling and shook her head.

Then they wrapped up the meal and instead of having ale with his brothers and Alasdair and his brothers this eve before he retired to bed, he told them, “I have an important duty to perform, and we’ll celebrate tomorrow.”

Accalia slipped out of the great hall to take the boys to their bedchamber. He wondered if he should intrude or what she intended to do. Tell the boys? Should he be there?

He headed up the stairs and took the route to the boys’ chamber.

Beathag was heading that way and he said, “Hold!”

Beathag whipped her around, her red hair flying, her green eyes wide, surprised to see Erik coming up behind her.

“Do you wish a stay in the dungeon? I dinna usually send our women down there, but in your case, it would be well-deserved.”

“Nay. I…um, just, um, wanted to tell Accalia that I was sorry for troubling her.”

Accalia stepped out of the boys’ chamber, the boys and the nannies joining her. “Aye?”

“I’m um, sorry.”

“No more, aye?”

Beathag glanced back at Erik and he gave her one of his sternest looks that said she would end up in the dungeon if she continued to harass Accalia.

“Nay, no more.” Then Beathag looked back at Erik to see if she was free to go.

Accalia said, “You may go. But I dinna want to see you in this tower again.”

Beathag nodded, hurried off as fast as she could, and rushed down the stairs.

Then the nannies ushered the boys into their chamber to bathe. Accalia took Erik’s hand, and they walked inside.

Thorfinn was first in the tub. They all looked a little surprised to see their da join them. He was surprised to see Thorfinn in the tub first.

“Your da and I have some news,” Accalia said. “We’re mating tonight and we’re getting married.”

The boys’ mouths hung agape for a moment, then Hendrie and Johnne looked at Thorfinn as if he should show them how they should feel about it and he whooped and splashed water out of the tub accidentally. His brothers whooped and hollered then too and hugged her.

The nannies were all smiling.

Thorfinn left the tub, and the nanny wrapped him in a towel. He hurried over to give Accalia a wet embrace, and the boys hugged their da. Erik pulled them all into a warm hug, including Accalia, showing them they were all his family.

Erik couldn’t have been happier to see the boys and Accalia desire this.

“I willna replace your mother. She will always be the one who birthed you and loved you. But I will do all I can to be that for you as I love you to the moon and back. ‘Tis entirely up to you if you want to call me mother, or if you want to refer to me as Accalia.”

“Mother,” Hendrie and Johnne said, not waiting for Thorfinn to decide.

“You are our mother,” Thorfinn said, agreeing with his brothers.

Erik was thrilled that his sons were accepting Accalia to be their mother, and she was crying as she hugged them. He ruffled his sons’ hair and said, “Finish your baths, dress, and go to bed. We’re off to bed now.”

“To mate,” Thorfinn said, smiling.

His brothers smiled too.

“Aye, and we wish you the most pleasant of dreams.” Then Accalia kissed them on the cheeks, took hold of Erik this time, and pulled him out of the bedchamber.

The boys whooped again, and Erik hoped they would go to bed without giving their nannies any difficulty. Down below, they heard people laughing and talking, already celebrating the momentous occasion which was to be expected.

Erik smiled down at Accalia, hurrying him toward his bedchamber. He scooped her up in his arms and was so glad she hadn’t delayed a mating with him any longer. He knew this was the way it should be. His sons had shown him just how important Accalia was to them and he loved them for wanting her to be their mother.

When he reached his bedchamber, he sat Accalia on the bed. She laughed at him. “You wanted me here right away.”

“Aye, as soon as I could, once I realized you were the one for me.” Then he began removing his clothes and she removed hers, only this time, she took off her léine so that they were both completely naked.

She was beautiful in both her human form and her wolf coat. He ran his hands over her skin and touched her rigid, rosy nipples, and she sighed with happiness. He licked her nipples and kissed them, loving how intimate they could become now. “Beautiful, lass.”

She slid her hands over his chest, touching his nipples in the same way. Now that was an amazing sensation, he didn’t think he would ever have felt. He smiled, lifted her face to his, and kissed her warm and luscious mouth.

“You are the only one for me. I love you, Accalia,” Erik said, kissing her cheeks, forehead, and mouth.

“I love you with all my heart.” She took hold of his hand and pulled him toward the bed. “I couldna imagine anyone being more perfect for me than you are.”

She climbed onto the bed, and he joined her, pulling her into his arms, and began to kiss her. She wrapped her legs around his, opening herself to him. But he wanted to pleasure her like he had done previously before she became his mate. He kissed her neck, making her shiver, and she licked his ear and ran her fingers over his nipple. His pheromones and hers spiked in an instant.

She rubbed her soft heel against the back of his calf. His staff rose in anticipation as she continued to rub her graceful body against his. She was amazing and made him feel that way too.

He started to stroke her between her legs, enjoying the way she moaned and writhed under his touch. He met her mouth with his, then deepened the kiss, while she sucked on his tongue, firing up his blood as hot as the armorer’s fire in his forge. Her hands clung to his shoulders with a death grip as he continued to caress her. Need and desire were coursing through his blood as he smelled her pheromones reach a fever pitch, matching the wildness of his own.

He couldn’t imagine not taking her for his mate and how terrible it would have been had he not convinced her they were right for each other. She groaned out loud and he kissed her soft, warm breast, ready to make this mating official. But was she?

Accalia loved how Erik always made her feel so good first, and she was ready for this mating to go forth. She pulled at his hip, to encourage him to join her. His eyes glistened with hunger, and she knew he couldn’t wait to mate her.

Just like she couldn’t wait for their union either. He pushed slowly into her, then he began to thrust deeply. His hot hard body was making her body hotter. She wrapped her legs around him, wanting to hold him even closer, wanting to show him that he was hers. Her legs tightened around his, and he groaned.

They were kissing each other gently at first, and then more like he was claiming her, and she swore his kissing her was even more passionate than usual if that was possible. Her heart and his raced and she was feeling a little lightheaded, but she enjoyed the feeling of him deep inside of her, their bodies joined, a union made in heaven. His kiss deepened and she sucked on his tongue like she had before, which made him pump into her even faster.

He slowed down, and she thought he was finished, but then he started thrusting into her again. She slipped her hands onto his hips and felt his powerful thrusts. She hadn’t realized that mating her wolf would feel this amazing. But then she felt the delicious climax lift her and shatter her. At the same time, he exploded deep inside her, and he groaned with a heavy sigh of relief.

He was still inside her when he rolled over on his back, taking her with him and then he stroked her hair. “I never could have hoped for a more beautiful mate than you. You make me feel complete and so blissful.”

She smiled and kissed his chest. “You are an amazing lover. I never thought being mated to a wolf would be this astonishing. You make my world complete as well. I’m glad we are mated.”

“Aye.” He smiled. “How long did it take for you to realize I was the right wolf for you?” Erik asked her, gently running his hand over her arm.

“Hmm,” she said, snuggling against him, and kissing his chin. “No’ long. I was more concerned about how the boys would feel if we mated.”

“They love you.”

“And I love them, and you too.”

“The feeling is mutual.”

She ran her fingers over his chest with a light caress. “When do you want to have a wedding?”

“As soon as possible. I dinna know when Alasdair, Isobel, and their pack are returning home, and I want them to be here when we celebrate. ‘Tis time, dinna you think?”

“Aye. Everyone will already know we are mated. There’s no sense in waiting. And the boys are ready for it.”

“We’ll most likely travel with Alasdair’s pack as we return to your home, and then they’ll split off and travel to their home. Or even come to your kin’s celebration, if they have time and are so inclined. They may need to return to their pack though.”

She kissed his cheek. “We celebrate our marriage today and then tomorrow, we travel to my home”—she smiled—“former home, and then we will have their company and they can come to both celebrations. My da would be delighted since he is in alliance with them.”

“All right. I’ll talk to them about it then. I…well, I want to tell you something about Willa, my late wife. I’m sure some of the staff might have told you something about her.”

“You and she loved each other. You have already said so.” Accalia realized she didn’t need Erik to tell her anything more about his deceased mate than that.

“If I’d had the pleasure of meeting you first, everything for the last five years would have been even better. She didna hold a candle to you in so many ways. The boys feel the same way even though she was their mother. I couldna be any happier that we mated. We were meant to be together.”

She sighed. “Aye, some told me a little about her. The boys deserve all the love in the world, just as you do. And your kin are my kin and deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.” She patted his leg. “Let’s dress and make the announcement.”

“Aye. We’ll get the boys too.” Erik sounded relieved that he had gotten that off his chest. She was glad that he felt he could and that it had made him feel better. She felt better about it too.

Then they dressed, headed to the boys’ chamber, and found them still asleep.

“What? No celebrating today?” Erik asked, in a teasing manner. He had changed so much in his reaction to them from when she had first arrived here. She thought she was helping him to see that he was as important in their lives.

The boys scrambled out of bed in a hurry and dressed. Then they gave their da and Accalia hugs. She cherished them and could see from Erik’s smile, that he did too.

“You are our mother now?” Hendrie asked.

“Aye, that I am. Forever and ever.”

The boys hugged her again. Erik and Accalia left the room. The boys ran past them and bounded down the stairs.

“We made the right choice,” Accalia said, holding Erik’s hand and he leaned down and kissed her. She was so glad he had stolen her away to his castle. If he hadn’t, she might not have agreed to mating him.

“There was no doubt in my mind.”

She laughed. She thought he’d had a wee bit of doubt about it when he’d tried so hard to get her to join him in bed and she had been fighting the notion.

When they arrived in the great hall, everyone waited, and they cheered. The boys were ecstatically cheering with the rest of them. Accalia knew this was where she belonged and Erik kissed her in front of his pack to show them how much she was one of them, cherished and home.

She hoped when they traveled to her home, they wouldn’t run into trouble with Freigard and his men though.