Chapter 9

9

E rik ate another slice of bread and pondered how to convince Accalia to sleep with him. Every time he was around her, the ache in his loins grew. He couldn’t believe she had so much spice and distracted him from all his tasks. He wanted her for his own in the worst way.

As much as she was making headway with his boys when he hadn’t been able to since their mother had died, he felt more and more like she was the one who should be his mate. Not only because they needed a mother, but she had a way of helping them to see their worth and he was impressed with her innate ability to do it.

Here he had believed she had to prove she was worthy of joining the pack and mating him . Now he thought he would have to prove to her that he was worthy of her love! He couldn’t believe how upside-down his world had gotten once she came to stay with them.

“I…want to say how much I’ve enjoyed the time spent with you. I hope you are feeling settled here, and not like I tore you away from your family without anyone to object.”

“I’m enjoying my time here with you, your sons, and others.”

“And staying here.” He didn’t ask. He didn’t want to learn if she wasn’t sure about staying here with them.

He was amazed at how she showed them so much affection when their mother had withheld it from them. He could envision all that would lead up to Accalia having bairns with him and loving them.

He eyed the minx. He couldn’t believe Accalia would steal his bread from his plate, shocking and amusing his whole pack. He knew they had been watching to see how he would react. After getting over the initial shock—no one would ever dare to steal food from him—he had wanted to laugh.

She didn’t look in the least bit guilty either. Like she was amusing herself at his expense. She gave him a little smile. He smiled back. If anyone else had done that, he might have taken them to task, but with her, he wanted to congratulate her for winning another round of challenging him.

He glanced at the boys eating fish soup and bread and observing them. He wondered how they had viewed Accalia stealing his bread. They better not try to do that to him themselves.

He noticed they no longer quarreled or threw food at each other or the dogs. The wolfhounds had moved off to another table where younger bairns were accidentally dropping some of their food, as little ones were known to do. His lads were clean and he appreciated her help with that.

“My bed is more comfortable,” Erik said to Accalia, still trying to get her to acquiesce and join him in his bedchamber.

“I was fine on the nanny’s bed in the boys’ chamber. And the guest chamber was adequate. You need no’ worry about me.”

He sighed. “Will you run with me as a wolf this eve?”

“With the boys?” she asked.

“Just the two of us. We’ll have an escort, but the boys will be asleep.”

“Aye, all right. I’ll put them to bed and then join you downstairs.”

He smiled. “Aye.” He ran as a wolf on patrol with other wolves, but running with his potential mate? It was important to be there for each other as wolves and to see how well they worked together. “Dinna tell the boys, or they’ll want to go.”

She smiled. “I will tell them we are, but we’ll do it with them another time.”

He feared she would want to run with the boys and not leave them out. He felt for once, he was making a wee bit of progress with Accalia.

“What do you intend to do after we eat?” he asked.

“Run with the boys as wolves, but we’ll run with you later.”

He chuckled. She was still winning the game.

Once they were done eating, they left the table, and she gathered the boys together. “We run as wolves as soon as your da can gather a guard detail.”

“Yay!” the boys shouted and raced off to their chamber.

Erik thought she was utterly amazing.

The boys didn't bother to check if he was okay with it, they just kept moving. Accalia had a natural knack for handling the boys in a way that made them adore her, even Thorfinn who could be obstinate.

Logan joined Erik before he headed outside. “The lass is a handful.”

“Tell me about it. She’s taking the boys for a run as wolves. Gather a guard force to watch them. You’ll go with them and make sure they’ll be all right. She and I will run as wolves this eve, and you can arrange a guard force for that as well.”

“Aye. You dinna want to go with all of them now?”

“We’ll do it later. I want to run with Accalia tonight without worrying about the boys.”

Logan smiled. “Aye, I’ll get right on it.”

So why did Erik wish he was with Accalia and the boys now? But he couldn’t change his mind now or he would appear indecisive—not a good look for a pack leader.

The more Accalia played with Erik and saw the softer side of his personality, the more she liked him. If he had constantly told her she couldn’t do something, she would butt heads with him.

She was almost considering going to his bed tonight but had to ensure she was doing the right thing. What if she let her wild wolf half take over and decided to mate him? Aye, she was strongly attracted to him. She was fighting with herself to keep the status quo. She didn’t know him well enough yet.

She arrived at her bedchamber and hurried to remove her clothes. When she was at home, she wasn’t allowed to run as a wolf as much as she could here. She was loving this. And she knew the boys were as thrilled that she was taking them for a run.

She shifted and raced out the chamber door, then took the circular stairs to the bottom and ran until she reached the main doors to the keep. A guard hurried to open it for her. She loved seeing all the wolves in their various fur coats, mostly white. If she stayed here, she would eventually know all of them and their howls too. But for now, she was clueless.

She saw the boys chasing each other across the inner bailey. They would wear themselves out before they even went for a run. Two wolves approached her. One she recognized as Logan from his scent. Then Erik’s other brother Finlay joined them with eight men on horseback.

She had thought they would all run as wolves, but these men were ready with bows and swords in case they had to fight brigands. And Logan and the other wolf were there to help protect her and the boys as wolves, if they ran into trouble. She appreciated that Erik would let them run and would be fine with allowing some men to guard them when they probably had more important business to attend to.

She ran at the boys and nipped at them, encouraging them to run with her. Panting, they chased after her and Logan. The other wolf followed them.

But then they were in the woods running together, the men on horses riding in front of them, on their flanks, and behind them to protect them. She hoped that all the men weren’t necessary, but with Freigard trying to disrupt her da and Erik’s plans with her marriage to Erik, if it came to that, she understood the concern.

Also, the boys were young, and being with her would be a worry. But they had to stretch their legs and learn to be capable pack members too even at this age.

She didn’t figure they would run as far as she would with Erik tonight, especially after having fishing lessons earlier. She suspected they would be ready for bed tonight and not give the nannies any trouble.

They had run through the woods for some time when the lead guards suddenly slowed down and stopped. She suspected they had heard or seen trouble in the forest. The guard hairs raised on the nape of her neck and down her back.

Logan and the other guard wolf’s ears were perked up like hers and the boys’ were. The guards behind them had turned around and looked off to their rear. The guards on their flanks were facing out, circularly surrounding the wolves.

Then Logan and the other guard wolf tilted their chins up and howled. She lifted her chin and howled too. The boys followed suit. She loved their little howls. She hoped there was no need for concern, but she worried there was and now she regretted the decision to take them on a wolf run like this, despite it being broad daylight and running on pack territory that should be safe.

She licked each of their faces to make sure they weren’t afraid. She could smell their anxiousness, even Thorfinn’s. She thought they should return, but the men weren’t moving, and she suspected they felt they could protect them better if they stayed where they were.

But then they heard horses coming in their direction. Her heart and the boys’ were beating like crazy. Were the riders friend or foe?

Logan howled and someone coming in their direction howled back.

They saw a dozen riders and a half dozen wolves, Erik in his white fur coat leading the pack. This was the second time he had come to her rescue from villains, though she still hadn’t seen or smelled anyone else in the area. He looked magnificent, a leader of men, a wolf to fear.

An arrow whizzed toward them through the trees and instinctively, she flattened herself against the ground, barking at the boys to do the same. She felt her first real sense of fear. She attempted to appear brave in front of the boys, but they could smell her anxiousness.

Another three arrows shot out overhead and the boys skittered. Hendrie whimpered. She nuzzled him and the other pups to show them she was there for them. Five more arrows were set free and then Erik’s clansmen sent their arrows through the woods to hit their targets and hopefully take out the brigand archers.

She suspected Erik’s guards hadn’t done so before because they had been waiting for additional support to ensure they could hit a target. Three men cried out in the woods several yards away and a couple of horses rode away from Accalia and her party.

Erik’s men began shooting back. More horses galloped away from Accalia’s party. Then some of Erik’s men rode off after the brigands in hot pursuit.

Erik, Logan, and the other wolves stayed with her and the boys, which she appreciated. The boys were scared, and she feared for their safety. The men who surrounded them on horseback remained stationary.

After what seemed an eternity, one of Erik’s men who had taken off after the archers howled, letting them know it was safe to take her and the boys back to the castle. She hoped he wouldn’t be upset with her about running with the boys, even with a guard force, and put them in harm’s way. These men were bold. She knew Erik was angry. Hopefully, he was furious with just the men who had attacked their party.

When she saw the castle towers, she had never been so relieved to see a fortification looming before her. They reached the castle gates and ran into the outer bailey. It was one thing to be concerned about the men protecting them and herself, but the little ones were her charges, and she had feared for them. Erik licked Accalia’s face, and she realized he wasn’t upset with her. She licked him back and then nuzzled each of the boys. They were panting, looking worn out.

Erik barked at them to stay at the castle, and Accalia inclined her head and ushered the boys into the keep. She figured he would go after the brigands and ensure his men weren’t injured. To get the boys’ minds off the scary wolf run they’d had and onto what they could do in the future to protect themselves, she would elicit help to teach the boys archery skills.

They probably knew some, but after what they had witnessed a short while ago, she suspected they would be eager to practice archery to protect their clansmen and themselves in the future.

She took them to their chamber and then hurried off to hers. Once she had dressed, she returned to their chamber to check on them. They were dressed but sitting on their beds looking worried.

“Come. We’re going to archery practice.”

They brightened and rose from their beds. “Da will be vexed with us for getting into trouble on the run,” Thorfinn said.

“‘Twas no’ our fault, but the men’s who attacked us.”

“Where is Da?” Johnne asked.

“He went to help his men take down the brigands who were shooting at us,” she said.

“Did he say we can practice archery?” Hendrie asked.

“Aye, though I believe he thought we would do it at another time. But after what happened, I think this is a good time to practice our skills. I need to practice them too.”

“We can beat her,” Thorfinn said to his brothers, sounding sure of himself.

She laughed. “Aye, you probably can. Let’s go find someone who can help teach us archery.”

Johnne led the way down the stairs and out of the inner bailey where men were building the wall. “Rob can teach us.”

“Teach you what, lad?” Rob asked, scratching his red beard. He glanced at Accalia and winked at her.

She felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment. She wasn’t used to men plying their charms on her. At home with her pack, her da wouldn’t allow it.

“Archery. And the lady,” Hendrie said, his small chin held up high. “She needs it the most.”

“She does, does she? Does his lordship approve?” Rob asked Accalia.

“He does. He said we could do this. After what had happened while we were on a run, we need to prove we can protect ourselves when the time comes.”

“Aye.” Rob slapped another man on his back. “Come, let us teach the lads and lass some archery skills, Fenton.”

“Aye.”

They all headed to the inner bailey where a couple of older lads set up targets. And then Rob said, “Who wishes to go first?”

Accalia wanted the boys to go first, but they all pointed at her and smiled.

“I guess I’m going to go first.” Accalia took the bow. She nocked the arrow and shot at the circle on the target made of straw rolled in a large coil. She hadn’t used a bow for a couple of years so she was glad she had shot the arrow near the center. She glanced at the boys and their jaws hung slack.

She wanted to laugh. “Who is up next?”

“I’ll go,” Thorfinn said. He had a smaller bow designed for the lads and lasses who were beginners at learning archery.

Fenton helped him with his form and then Thorfinn hit the outer coil of the target. “Nay!” He stomped his foot, his brows furrowed. He sounded frustrated. Probably because Accalia had done so well, and she was just a lass.

But she had been practicing on and off since she was their age so she had been doing it for several years. “This is why we’re practicing. Rob or Fenton, can you show us how to hit the bullseye?”

“Aye.” Rob took up the bow and aimed and hit the bullseye.

Then Fenton did the same thing right next to Rob’s arrow.

“Hendrie? Johnne? Are you ready to practice?” she asked.

“Aye.” Hendrie lifted the smaller bow, and Rob showed him how to aim. Then Hendrie released his arrow and struck the target in the ring next to the outer ring by Thorfinn’s.

Thorfinn folded his arms across his chest, scowling. She needed to teach him to be a better sport when he wasn’t coming out on top.

Then Johnne went next and hit the halfway mark inside the target. Pumping the bow in the air, he shouted out with glee.

She was so proud of them. “Let’s go again.” One time wasn’t enough. They had to do it until they were too tired to hold their bow.

She kept wanting to look in the direction of the portcullis, to see if Erik and his men were arriving yet, but she didn’t want to worry the boys.

After an hour or more at practice, the boys sagged, but they had improved by the end. She glanced at the entryway to the inner bailey, worried that Erik and the others hadn’t returned. She didn’t want to concern the boys, but as soon as she looked in that direction, they did too.

Why hadn’t the men returned yet?