Epilogue

“ I want to see Isobel now,” Accalia said to Erik. Several months had passed since they had seen them. She wanted to see Isobel when her babies were born, to be there for her. And she wanted to visit Bessetta again also.

Niamh was just as eager to go and planned to help her watch the lads on their travels. She had great fun with them, and admirers galore. Beathag wasn’t happy to see another woman catch the bachelor wolves’ eyes.

“You want to tell her you’re with child now too,” Erik said.

She smiled up at him. “Aye. They will be close in age when ours are born. Besides, I want to know what she has.”

“But she might no’ have them right away. Or she might have had them already,” he warned her.

“Aye. So if that’s the case, we willna have to wait.” She smiled, then frowned. “You dinna have to come with me.”

“Oh, I do. I wouldna think of you leaving without me.”

“What about our sons?” She wanted to take them with them but knew how tired they would get on that long journey.

“We will leave it up to them. They can go with us or stay here with Logan or Finlay.”

“That sounds good.” Better than either she or Erik deciding this.

Erik ran his hand over Accalia’s growing belly. “This is another reason you want to go now.”

“Aye.” She was afraid when she was too far along, she wouldn’t be able to travel all that well.

“We can take you in a wagon.”

She gave him a get-real look. Prisoners, wounded, or the infirm rode in a wagon.

He smiled. “All right. We leave on the morrow.”

“Really?” She was surprised he would agree so readily to leave.

“Aye. I’ve already made the preparations. I knew you wanted to go soon. You’ve told everyone, including me, enough times already.”

He’d paid attention! She smiled. “I love you.”

“I know.”

The boys ran to join them, and Thorfinn said, “We saw men getting ready for a journey on the morrow. Where are we going?”

“I guess we have our answer.” Accalia hugged the boys. They were excited about her having babies that would be their brothers or sisters. The midwife wasn’t sure how many she would have, but at least two.

The lads knew they would be boys, but no one knew.

Two days later, they arrived at Isobel and Alasdair’s castle where she was in labor. Erik couldn’t believe that she would be. It was as if Accalia had known that Isobel would be.

Accalia joined her in her bedchamber where Bessetta, the midwife, and several other women were helping with the delivery. Erik and his boys kept Alasdair occupied, though he continued to return to Isobel’s and his bedchamber to check on her. Erik would do the same thing when Accalia was having their babies.

One of the maids ran into the great hall where Alasdair was waiting with an ale in hand with Erik, his lads, and their brothers.

“The first bairn is here—a male,” the woman said.

Alasdair handed his tankard to Erik, but Erik handed their drinks off to one of the men celebrating with them and hurried after him.

Once they arrived at the chamber, Erik could hear a wolf woof. Isobel was having her babies as a wolf. He peeked in and saw that they had a second pup.

“Another male,” the midwife said.

“Two sons,” Alasdair said, looking a little faint.

Erik patted his back. Bessetta and Accalia were smiling at them. The pups were nursing.

The midwife said, “She’s having triplets.” And then the final pup was born. A little girl.

Alasdair held the female pup, smiling down at her, then placed her on her momma so she could nurse too. He leaned down and hugged and kissed Isobel. “I love you.”

She woofed at him.

Erik hoped things worked out as well for him and Accalia when their babies came.

For a week, they stayed at the castle, Accalia helping out. Isobel was so glad that Accalia was having bairns too and promised to join her when the time came. Though her babies would be so young, Accalia said she didn’t expect her to.

But when that day came, Bessetta and Isobel were there for her, Alasdair making sure he could support Erik as he was anxious while Accalia was having their babies. Etta and Niamh were on hand as well.

Isobel had a nursemaid with her to help with her triplets. Even Accalia’s da and aunt were there. Everyone was waiting to learn what happened, including Erik’s sons, now six summers, and Erik’s and Alasdair’s brothers.

Then the news came, though Erik was outside their bedchamber the whole time. The boys were right there with him. So were Erik’s brothers and Accalia’s da. The wolfhounds were also, eager to go to Accalia and check on her.

The midwife came out and smiled at Erik, handing him a male wolf pup. He showed the pup to the boys who smiled at him, carried him to Accalia, and let him nurse. Then he kissed her, but she was panting heavily, and he figured the next baby was coming. The baby was a little female. Just like he was with his new baby son, Erik was thrilled.

Thorfinn, Johnne, and Hendrie looked at the wolf pups nursing and Thorfinn said, “But it’s going to be forever before they can play with us.”

Erik laughed and Accalia smiled at them and gave a little woof. The boys hugged her around her neck. Baldur and Davina did as well.

Finlay said, “Do you want me to announce the arrival of your son and daughter?”

“And another son,” the midwife said, as she delivered the last pup.

“I knew you could do it,” Baldur said, sounding like a proud grandpa.

“Three little dears,” Davina said, smiling.

Erik smiled, glad he had taken Accalia home with him and that he’d made enough right decisions to win her love.

Erik was eager to show off his new son and daughters to the rest of the pack, but Accalia gave him a wolf’s growly look, telling him they stayed with her for now. He smiled and kissed her furry head, then ushered the boys out of the chamber.

“I’ll be down to announce our new arrivals,” Erik said to Alasdair, their brothers, and her da, “in a moment.”

Then his brothers and Baldur smiled at Accalia, congratulated her, and left the bedchamber. Isobel and Alasdair did as well and took their leave. Niamh, Bessetta, Etta, and Davina stayed with Erik as Accalia shifted, and so did their pups, now sleeping but in human form.

Etta, Bessetta, and Davina swaddled the bairns. Davina cuddled the little girl and said, “She looks like you when you were born, Accalia.”

Accalia smiled.

Erik gave Accalia a warm embrace and kissed her lips. “I love you. You are amazing.”

“You are pretty amazing yourself and I love you with all my heart.” She was tired, but also relieved the babies were all well. She still couldn’t believe they had three more children to call their own.

“I will eat with you while the whole pack and our friends celebrate,” he said, taking hold of her hand and kissing it.

She smiled. “You need to be down there bragging about our bairns. While they are asleep, take them down to the great hall and show them off, but the ladies will help you with them.”

Bessetta said, “We will bring you food and sit with you.”

Accalia nodded. She was hungry but she’d be nursing the babies again soon, and she needed to sleep.

Then everyone left, carefully carrying the babies down the stairs to the great hall. The wolfhounds were eager to see the babies, but no one cheered or said anything she could hear. Then she slept. She woke to the smell of wild boar and honeyed mead. Cook smiled as she set the feast on the table.

“Congratulations, my lady,” Cook said as Bessetta, Etta, and the midwife returned with the bairns.

They set them in a cradle together, and servants brought more food for the ladies.

“If you need anything else, send someone to ask for it and we’ll bring it to you.” Then Cook and the servants left the bedchamber.

“I didna hear anyone cheering about the news of the bairns,” Accalia said.

“Upon threat of going to the dungeon,” Bessetta said. “Erik made sure no one shouted a word and woke the wee bairns. Your da even held one of the babies up like a proud grandfather.”

Accalia smiled, but her smile brightened when she saw Erik return to the bedchamber with his meal. “Everyone is so busy celebrating the wee bairns’ births, they dinna even notice I was gone.”

“Sure they do and they know what a remarkable da you are. And a husband to me.”

“As you are the only one for me.”

Then they heard running footfalls toward the room and wondered what the matter was.

Thorfinn said, “Hendrie, quit running into me or I’ll drop my food.”

“Shhh, we have to be quiet, or da will put us in the dungeon,” Johnne said.

“He might anyway for going to our mother’s bedchamber to eat with her,” Hendrie said.

Then the boys entered the room, their meals in hand and they saw Erik sitting beside the bed, Bessetta, Etta, Niamh, and Davina eating at a table and their mouths gaped.

“Come, eat with us, but keep your voices low,” Erik said. “The bairns are still sleeping.”

The boys hurried over to the bed and sat at the foot of it, not exactly what Accalia had expected. When Erik looked at her to see if she was all right with it, she smiled. She adored her family.

“’Tis good to have the whole family together for this special occasion, dinna you think?” she asked Erik.

“Aye,” the boys all said, then looked at the bassinet to ensure they hadn’t awakened their new brother and sisters.

“Aye,” Erik said, “as it should always be.”

The End

Want more of the Highland Wolves of Old? Check out Wolf Heir .