Chapter 18

18

E arly the next morn, Accalia was eager to see her da and the rest of her pack members, but she was so tired. She worried about everything—how the boys would manage on the long journey, how Isobel would do. And ultimately, the reception that her uncle would give her mate.

They needed to get on their way that morning, and after Erik and she dressed, kissed, and hugged, Erik said, “I’m going to give some more orders to those who will be going with us.”

“I’ll get the boys ready.”

“You will have the tougher time of it.”

Accalia chuckled. “Aye, I know I will. After our wild night last night, the lads will be tired. Do you want to switch tasks?”

“I would never manage it.”

She loved him. No alpha male would ever admit she had the harder job, and he couldn’t handle it. He followed her out of the bedchamber, and she turned down the hall to wake the boys.

Bessetta hurried to join her. “I should have gone to bed earlier. I probably fell asleep before you and Erik did though.”

Accalia laughed. She knew Bessetta wanted details, but she wasn’t giving her any. Then they reached the boys’ chamber and peered inside. The boys were sprawled out on their beds, sound asleep.

“Who’s ready to take a trip and have more fun?” Accalia asked.

The boys opened their eyes slowly and groaned, stretched, rubbed their eyes, and yawned.

“Come, come, ‘tis time to break our fast and get on our way. You dinna want to be left behind, do you?” Accalia asked.

The boys started getting out of bed and dressing in a hurry.

Accalia and Bessetta began helping the boys to dress. Once they were done, the boys tore out of the bedchamber, raced down the hall, and hit the stairs running.

Accalia and Bessetta hurried off after them. “I hope they dinna waste all that energy before we get to where we’re going for the night.” Accalia was sure their burst of liveliness would wane on the long ride.

Bessetta smiled. “I wish I had all their vigor.”

“’Tis wasted on youth.”

“I agree.”

As soon as they reached the great hall, the boys were already at their table, ready to eat. She hoped they wouldn’t get too tired on the long journey ahead.

“We’ll take turns carrying the boys once they are too tired to ride on their own.” Erik ate some of his capons. “I was surprised to see the boys down here ahead of you.”

“All I had to say was that we would leave them behind if they didna hurry and dress.”

Erik laughed. “You have such a wonderful way of persuasion.”

She smiled. “You have to know the right words to say.”

Cook came up to the table and said, “The food is packed for your journey.”

“Thanks be to thee,” Erik said.

“I did it for the lasses…and your lads.” Cook winked at Accalia, then hurried off.

“I’m glad she at least likes you,” Erik said.

“You know she likes you, but she doesna see how to show it.”

“Aye. On the journey, the boys and you will sleep together in a tent. Isobel and Bessetta, if they would like.”

“What about you?”

“I will be sleeping outside the tent as a wolf for any eventuality.”

“Aye, okay.” She and the boys might sleep as wolves then. They would be warmer on the chilly nights.

After the meal, there was a flurry of activity as they prepared to saddle up and leave.

They left as the sun was beginning to rise. Accalia was excited about seeing her da and the rest of her kin. But she had to admit she wasn’t looking forward to the long journey. Then they would have to return here again. It was important to see her da and finalize his alliance though.

Their guard detail surrounded them while the women and children rode in the middle. The weather was fair, and chilly, the sky lightening with every step they took, the boys talking away to each other, happy, excited. For now, they were sitting tall in their saddles. She wondered how long that would last.

Erik told Accalia, “I’m watching our surroundings if you could keep an eye on the lads. They’ll stay in formation, and probably be good for a while, but I dinna want them falling from their saddles should they go to sleep.”

“Aye. Bessetta, Isobel, and I will keep an eye on them. You watch for any brigands.”

“Aye.” Then he moved away from her and continued to guard them.

“What do you think your da will say about…” Bessetta inclined her head toward the boys.

“I dinna know. He may welcome them as his kin, or no’. He will for certes want me to have my own. But I’m hoping he will love them too.”

“What about Freigard?” Bessetta asked.

“Word will spread that I have mated and wed Erik and that he has allied with my da, though I’m sure that’s why Erik and the others are being so vigilant. They want to ensure that he doesna attack us on our journey.”

“He might no’ know that you have two packs in alliance riding together.”

“Aye, but if he knows about the marriage, he might know you were visiting us.” Accalia hoped Freigard wouldn’t try anything on their journey to her pack’s home. She wanted this to be a joyous journey, not filled with danger. Especially with the lads and her friends traveling with them.

“True.”

They had traveled for miles when Erik said it was time to stop, water the horses at a loch, and rest them. Everyone took the opportunity to eat bread and cheese and drink mead. The boys had done well until now, but once they had to mount their horses again, they groaned and moaned.

“’Tis a shorter distance to return home, if you wish,” Accalia told them, Erik smiling at her.

“Will you return with us?” Thorfinn asked.

“Nay. We must see my da and give him the good news. He needs to meet you.”

“Aye,” Thorfinn said, though he didn’t sound enthusiastic about it.

Then they began riding again, but only an hour into the ride, Accalia noticed Johnne was nodding off. “Johnne, wake up, lad,” Accalia said, and his eyes popped open.

But then she saw that Hendrie was fighting falling asleep, and she called out to Erik. “Your sons are getting sleepy.”

“Aye.” Erik called to Logan, “Can you take Hendrie on your saddle?”

Logan rode over to remove him from his horse and sat him on his lap, while another man rode up and took hold of Hendrie’s horse’s reins.

“Finlay! Johnne needs a lift.”

“Aye, coming!” Finlay rode up to Johnne’s horse and pulled him onto his horse, one of Alasdair’s men grabbing Johnne’s horse’s reins.

Thorfinn sat up taller on his saddle and Erik smiled at him, and they began riding again. But Accalia watched him like a hawk, sure he would drift off before long. He had to prove to his brothers that he was stronger than them. He was still young, and his eyes began to drift shut.

“Erik,” she called out, but he was riding closer to them now and she assumed it was because he figured his eldest triplet would fall asleep in his saddle eventually.

Erik took hold of Thorfinn who didn’t protest—though she had thought he might—and he settled his son on his lap while another man took control of Thorfinn’s horse.

Other than chasing off some red deer, they didn’t see any sign of anything in the woods that would be a danger to them. Not during the day. As darkness settled in, that could be another story. They found a clearing and some of the men prepared campfires when a wild boar ran through one of the tents they were setting up.

Then the chase was on as several men on foot and Erik and Alasdair on horseback raced off to take down the boar for this eve’s meal. The boys wanted to go with their da, but he wouldn’t allow it. They were too little for such a dangerous hunt.

Instead, they had to help the others in camp set up the tents. Some of the men gathered water. The women and the lads remained in camp so that no one would grab them, or a wild boar would charge them. After they had nearly set up all the tents, and the boys and the ladies had gathered more twigs and branches for the fire—their wolves’ night vision helping them see what they needed to without the aid of lanterns—the men returned from the hunt.

They had enough smoked food to see them through to her da’s castle, but it was nice that they had fresh meat for this eve.

The boys were eyeing the boar on the spit in anticipation of eating their share of the meat.

She was amused because as hungry as they looked, she knew they wouldn’t have enough room in their bellies to eat a lot.

Everyone was talking about battles they’d been in, fascinating the boys. Accalia asked Isobel how she was doing, worried a little about her traveling such long distances when she was pregnant.

“Good. Thanks for asking. Alasdair has been way too anxious. We can ride for months until it gets closer to when the baby, uh, babies are born. No’ that I would probably be riding too late into the pregnancy. I’m sure Alasdair wouldna allow it, even if I thought I could ride. I understand his concern and I would do naught to harm our bairns.”

They all enjoyed their dinner and retired for the night, most of the men sleeping outside of the tents, some as wolves, others on guard duty as humans. Isobel, Accalia, and Bessetta slept with the exhausted lads. Despite that, they were so excited that they were able to sleep with the ladies in the tent, they had a time getting them to settle down and fell asleep. Accalia wished she was snuggling with her mate though. Once she had him, she wanted to be with him always.

But she loved being with the boys and her she-wolf friends too. It didn’t seem long before she smelled cooking, and she glanced at Isobel who smiled at her. “Time to rise, it appears.”

“Aye.” Accalia hoped she didn’t fall asleep on her horse while traveling this time. She’d been up so late making love to Erik the two nights earlier and then last eve, stopping so late after riding most of the day, she was exhausted.

“Is it me, or are the two of you ladies as tired as I am?” Bessetta asked, plaiting her hair.

“Oh, I am,” Accalia said.

“I am, but only because of the bairns I’m carrying,” Isobel said.

“Oh, aye, I imagine that’s tiring.” Poor Isobel. Accalia had seen a woman with child who was tired in the beginning, then seemed to get over the tiredness after a few weeks. “Are you feeling well enough to travel otherwise?”

“ Ja. ‘Tis naught. I’ll be back to my old self soon.”

“Good.” Then they woke the boys and helped them to dress.

They were tired, grumbly, and it wasn’t easy getting them up this morn. She hoped they would feel better once they had something to eat.

As soon as they stepped out of the tent, Erik and Alasdair were waiting for them, and each gave their respective mates hugs and kisses, appearing as though they had missed being with them last night.

Accalia loved that Erik was always loving toward her. She had never seen Alasdair in that light either when it came to being with a mate. He ran his hand over his mate’s belly, the first time she had seen him do that and she smiled. So did Bessetta.

Erik looked at his sons who were rubbing their eyes, looking angry at the world.

“Come on, lads. We eat and then we ride again.” Erik ruffled their hair.

They sat with everyone, ate porridge and bread, packed camp, and left.

“While you watch the boys and make sure they dinna fall asleep on their saddles, can you do the same for me?” Isobel asked.

Accalia laughed. “Aye, as long as Bessetta watches me.”

Logan said, “I’ll keep an eye on you lasses.”

“You will have us to watch then,” Accalia said.

“It will be my honor to keep all of you upright in your saddles.”

Accalia glanced at the boys. They had hardly started their ride when they looked about to drift off.

Erik joined Logan and the ladies and the boys. “How is everyone doing this morn?”

“Could we have no’ have started later in the day to ride?” Thorfinn asked, surprising Accalia.

She had assumed he would try to let on that he was the toughest of the triplets.

Hendrie and Johnne agreed.

“Nay,” Erik said. “We need to get a good day’s ride in today, and we’ll be there tomorrow."

“Tomorrow? Aye!” Johnne said.

Accalia suspected it would be later in the day, unlike when they had arrived at Whitehaven because they hadn’t had to stop as much as they had with the boys. She had hoped they would get in early, partly because she worried about the boys and Isobel.

Isobel, Alasdair, and their pack would have to return to their castle after the celebration, which would mean another couple of days of travel. Accalia assumed if Isobel hadn’t been carrying twins, she could have ridden forever without any trouble.

Halfway along the way, the boys were already drifting off, unable to stay awake. But this time, Logan had some other men carry them on their saddles while he watched the lasses to make sure they would make it fine until the next break. Which they appreciated.

At one point, they saw some men take off into the woods. Accalia was on high alert then. Isobel had readied her bow, and Accalia was amazed that she could ride and shoot, simultaneously. Accalia couldn’t do that. She had only practiced shooting at a stationary target. But she suspected Isobel assumed there was trouble, not that the men had gone on a hunt for the next meal.

Bessetta glanced at Isobel. “Do you think there is trouble?”

“Aye. The men wouldna have taken off like they did.”

Erik stayed with the women, boys, and most other men, but when the scouting party returned, he called for everyone to take a break. Some men took care of the horses, while the boys woke and, Thorfinn asked, “Are we eating soon?”

Erik laughed. “You have been sleeping half of the journey today.”

“You woke me too early this morn.”

Smiling, Erik shook his head.

“What happened when the scouting party took off through the woods?” Accalia asked.

“A couple of the men thought they had seen something in the woods, but when they looked, they couldna find anyone. ‘Twas a good thing.” Erik offered Accalia a slice of his bread.

“Thank you.” Accalia took the bread, amused that he offered it to her even while they were journeying to her castle. “They would have smelled someone if men or wolves had followed us.”

“Aye.” Erik glanced at his sons. “Can you stay on your horses until we stop for the night?”

“Aye,” the boys all said, looking a little sheepish that they had fallen asleep so early on their journey.

But Accalia would watch them so they didn’t fall asleep again.

Then they ate dried fish and bread, without campfires this time. They would have them this eve when they stopped for the night.

Once the horses had enough of a break and everyone had had their fill of food, they continued their journey, the boys riding on their horses again.

Logan stayed nearby, but only a short while into their journey, Isobel said she had to take a break. Once Alasdair helped her down from her horse, which was a first that Accalia had witnessed, she couldn’t keep down the meal that she had eaten earlier.

“Are you all right?” Accalia asked her, rubbing her back gently.

“Aye, ‘tis the bairns in my belly giving me issue.” Then Isobel smiled. “I feel better. Let’s ride.”

Alasdair looked worried about her, but she patted his chest. “I’m fine. I wish to travel as far as we can the rest of the day so tomorrow will be a much shorter journey.”

That’s what Accalia had hoped for, and a nice rest at her family’s castle when they arrived on the morrow before they began celebrating again. She had envisioned only one marriage would have been celebrated—at Hillshire Castle—when she was mated to a wolf.

Never that she would have two celebrations at two different castles. She figured that if she and Erik had married at her castle first, he would have wanted to do the same at his castle with his pack afterward.

The boys seemed well-rested for the journey, though Accalia, Bessetta, and Isobel were worn out. By the time they stopped to camp, Accalia was ready for Erik to help her down from her horse. Some of the men took care of the boys, and Rory lifted his sister from her saddle and set her on the ground.

“Alasdair told you it would be a long journey,” Rory said.

Bessetta shook her head. “I wouldna have missed out on either of Accalia’s marriage celebrations for the world.”

“Will we get in early tomorrow?” Thorfinn asked as the boys and lasses and some of the men helped them erect tents. Or at least Bessetta and Accalia did. Alasdair made Isobel sit down and watch all the activities as others made campfires or set up a perimeter watch.

“Only if we can leave early in the morn,” Accalia told him.

Hendrie groaned. “We willna see you married again and then travel home, will we?”

“Nay,” Erik said, joining them. “We will stay a while and visit with Accalia’s pack.”

Accalia was glad to hear it. She feared he would want to return home as soon as possible to rejoin his people. “When you sent word that we were mated and married and visiting with Da and my people, did you mention we were bringing Alasdair, Isobel, and some of their pack members?”

“Nay,” Erik said, “but we will all fish and hunt to help bring enough food to feed all of us.”

“Oh, good. I imagine my uncle having fits over all the extra mouths to feed.” Accalia’s da would be fine with it, particularly since he was allied with Alasdair’s pack. If her da were to take some of his pack members and drop in on Alasdair’s territory, Alasdair and Isobel would be as gracious about it.

They ate their meals and rushed the lads off to bed, Bessetta going with them, while Isobel had a moment with her mate, and Accalia had the same with hers. She heard Isobel say, “Aye, aye, I’m fine. And I could have helped Accalia and Bessetta set up the tents.”

Erik smiled at Accalia and led her to her tent. “I wish I could sleep with you this eve.”

“I wish the same.” And she knew Isobel and Alasdair wanted the same with each other. But Accalia knew Erik and Alasdair had their safety in mind. “The scouts didna find anything amiss?”

“They didna or I would have told you.”

“Aye.” But Accalia worried the same.

“Get your sleep, lass. I love you and I’ll see you in the morn.”

Too early, she was thinking. “I love you too, Erik. On the morrow, we’ll be able to stay in my bedchamber for the night.” She so looked forward to it.

“Aye, I canna wait.” Then he hugged her and kissed her cheeks, forehead, nose, and then her mouth.

She kissed him deeply, then gave him a parting kiss. “Night, my love.”

“Night, sweeting.”

Then she ducked into the tent and saw the boys’ eyes open as they watched for her to enter the tent. She had thought they would be asleep by now.

“Do you think someone is out to harm us?” Thorfinn asked.

“No one smelled anyone—wolves or humans—in the area. Remember to use your nose to identify trouble. Now go to sleep before it’s time to wake and you’re all grouchy because you didna get enough sleep.”

“We willna need help staying awake tomorrow on the ride,” Hendrie said.

“Aye, we’ll be wide awake, watching to see your castle,” Johnne said.

“Sleep, boys. The morn will be here before you’re ready.” Accalia pulled her furs over her shoulder. “Pleasant dreams.”

“Is your castle as big as ours?” Thorfinn asked.

But Accalia didn’t answer him as she thought of being with her wolf mate—playing with him as wolves in the woods and then making love to him in his bed, knowing if she continued to speak with the boys, none of them would sleep.

A sense of dread filled her though. They’d been lucky so far, but what if Freigard tried to intercept them on the last day of their journey before they reached the safety of her da’s castle?