Chapter 10

10

I sobel helped make breakfast for Agnes and Dawy after Libby gathered eggs and Drummond milked the cow, but when she heard a couple of riders approach the croft, she grew concerned.

Everybody stopped what they were doing and looked in the direction of the sound of the riders. Isobel grabbed her sword and hurried over to the window. Conall was right behind her, his heart beating as rapidly as hers.

Then she frowned. Hans arrived at the croft, pulling a horse behind him, and she wondered what was wrong. Was she needed to help pull guard duty?

“He wants you.” Conall set his sword aside.

“Hans?”

“Alasdair.”

As in wanting her as a mate? She shook her head and walked outside to greet Hans, thinking her brother was hopeful when it wasn’t a sure thing.

“Alasdair wishes you to come to the keep to break your fast.”

She glanced at Agnes who had joined everyone at the door.

All smiles, Agnes motioned for her to leave. “Your cousins can help out today. They have been doing a fine job. Conall and you gathered enough firewood and water to last us for a couple of days. Conall said he’s supposed to be doing weapons training later at the castle. I will take Libby and Drummond for a swim then. We’ll do fine.”

“All right.” Isobel was surprised but grateful that Agnes wanted to swim with the children. After all that they had experienced, they needed some time to be children. None of them had even spoken about their da’s death.

Agnes, Dawy, and Isobel’s family all returned to the table to have their breakfast.

Before Hans could make the gesture to help Isobel onto the spare horse, she quickly mounted her. Hans smiled at her, then escorted Isobel to the castle.

“Is there some problem Alasdair wants to discuss with me?” She hated sounding a little anxious.

Hans shook his head. “As far as I know, Alasdair just wants you to make friends with others in the pack. The more they see of you, the more they’ll get to know you.”

“Oh.” And learn she wasn’t one of the vicious marauders.

“Though…we have an issue with Baine and Cleary, and I believe Alasdair wants to speak to you about that.”

“The humans who were trying to learn if Conall and I were Vikings?”

“Aye.”

That Alasdair wanted to talk to her about it made her think the trouble she might have with them hadn’t been resolved.

As soon as they arrived at the keep, Isobel noticed the change in people’s attitude toward her. They were more deferent. More in…awe? She wasn’t sure what it meant.

“Och,” Elene hurried to hug her, then took her hand and led her through the keep and into the great hall. " You wouldna believe what everyone is saying.” She escorted her to one of the lower tables to sit.

“What?” Isobel was concerned that people were revolting against Alasdair for having her and her kin in the pack.

“You should hear the talk. That you swam with his lairdship in the loch last night.” Elene’s eyes were wide. “Did you?”

Isobel’s heart sped up. She couldn’t believe anyone would have learned of it.

“That he is interested in being with you as in mated.”

In disbelief, Isobel shook her head. “I am sitting with you at one of the lower tables, ja ? If Alasdair was interested in courting me, wouldn’t I be sitting at the high table with him?”

Elene shrugged. “Maybe. So tell me. Is it true?”

“Nay. I went for a swim. Even my cousins will be swimming there after they have finished their chores. It’s good for them to have some fun and feel secure after all the danger we’ve faced. And I believe Agness is just as thrilled to swim with them.”

“Aye, I agree.” Elene wasn’t giving up on the topic of her and Alasdair being in the loch though. “I have heard tell that his lairdship was at the loch at the same time as you last eve.”

Isobel sighed. “I was guarding him.” Which was the truth! And enjoying the view. Of course, if anyone had come out to endanger his life, she would have been there to protect him with her life in a heartbeat.

“Nay.” Then Elene laughed. “That is precious.” Then she grew serious. “Three women in the clan are ready to kill you over it. They have tried to catch his eye since their families joined the pack. Just watch out for them.”

Alasdair entered the great hall and took his seat at the head table, where food and drinks were served. He spoke to Hans, who turned and pointed to where Isobel was seated beside Elene.

Isobel didn’t think she stood a chance to be Alasdair’s mate, but she loved a challenge. “The other women will have no chance with him.”

“I dinna think so either.

If they had, Isobel figured he wouldn’t have been eyeing her so at the loch last night or in the great hall now. He probably would have already mated one of the other women if he’d truly felt something for any of them.

“Who are they? Since I am no’ staying at the keep, I am no’ privy to what is going on there.” Which, in a way, was nice. On the other hand, as she was learning now, it was beneficial to have Elene there, who could tell her what was being said.

“Mege is the one who is pushing her plan the most. The pretty dark-haired woman seated two tables over. She is glowering at you even now as we speak. Then there is Marioziota and Theebet. But they may no’ pursue Alasdair unless he does the pursuing. Mege isna one to cross, however.”

“Hmm,” Isobel said.

“She thought she had an in with him and then you came along. Alasdair’s sister has filled me in on all the details. Bessetta is truly fun to get to know.”

“What about you and Alasdair?” Isobel thought that Elene would stand a good chance with Alasdair, even better than she would because Elene was Scottish.

Elene laughed. “I have an eye on one of Alasdair’s brothers. No’ that either take any interest in me, but you definitely have caught the laird’s eye. I think it was when you practically shouted at Alasdair that there had been no one on the beach with us that had intrigued him most of all when we first ran into him.”

Isobel sighed. “I hadna meant to make the outburst. He immediately knew I wasna Scottish and that others were on the beach then.”

“And once he learned who they were, he respected you for trying to protect them. But also, the word has spread how you killed the Viking guard in charge of the hostages and longships and that you wished to pull guard duty. That has intrigued no’ only Alasdair but many of the bachelor males of his clan.”

Isobel laughed. “I didna need to flash my eyelashes at a man to gain his attention, no’ that I would ever do such a thing.” Then she thought about something else that Elene had said. “Which brother are you interested in?”

Elene laughed. “I willna say unless things change between us. By then, I’m sure you’ll know yourself. Though if I return home, I’m sure naught will come of it.”

Suddenly, Lorne stalked into the great hall to speak with Alasdair. Everyone quieted, and Isobel figured a problem had arisen since he oversaw the guards.

Isobel wondered if she would if Alasdair needed her to help other guards in defense of the keep. The clan still had a long way to go to make the wall fully secure after it had suffered damage. She thought she could help rebuild it when she wasn’t doing guard duty or helping the MacEachens.

As much as everyone was watching Alasdair and Lorne, she knew it must be serious.

Alasdair glanced at her, his look stern. Was the trouble over her ?

Instantly, she worried that the chieftain of the clan she, her kin, and Elene had lived with was here—ready to fight Alasdair and his people so he could take revenge against Isobel, her kin, and Elene.

“Did you tell Alasdair that the guard you killed was Ari?” Elene asked, worried.

Alasdair knew he would have to deal with Cleary and Baine one way or another. They wanted to join his prosperous clan. They couldn’t unless they were wolves. He didn't want issues between them and Isobel and her kin.

“Cleary and Baine want to eat with us,” Lorne said.

“Turning them would mean they would have difficulty controlling their shifting during the full moon and couldna shift at all during the new moon,” Alasdair reminded Lorne.

“Aye.”

Those with fewer human roots were known as royals and could shift at will. Alasdair wondered if Isobel was a royal wolf. They must be since they were living with a human clan.

“They came with a cache of fish,” Lorne said. “Do I accept the fish and send them away?”

Alasdair let out his breath. “They are trying to learn if Isobel and her kin are from the north.”

“Aye. They’ve tried every way they can to ingratiate themselves to the pack before that though,” Hans said. “I say we turn them and make them part of the pack.”

“What about Isobel and her cousins? If we turn Cleary and Baine and they become part of the pack, I still believe they will want them dead because Viking raiders killed their family,” Alasdair said.

The men were likable, hard workers, even working on the wall once the storm had damaged it. Alasdair didn’t want to eliminate them. They were good hunters, having brought venison for the pack before; fighters, when they’d had skirmishes with a neighboring clan; and fishermen, bringing a fresh catch to them when they had enough.

But Alasdair couldn’t allow them to harm anyone in his pack.

“They can help repair the fortifications again,” Rory said. “And if they try to harm Isobel and her family, we’ll eliminate the troublemakers. You know they’re not going to stop trying to join our clan, and at the same time, learn if Isobel and her kin have Viking heritage.”

“I agree. Thank them for the fish. Ask them to join us for the meal. Beyond that, they can become part of our clan, and they can help repair our wall, among other things. They’ll stay in the barracks with the rest of the bachelor men and eat with us during the meals. But make room at a table farthest from Isobel,” Alasdair said.

“Aye, we will.” Rory hurried off to have some of their people make room at one of the lower tables, and Lorne went to fetch Cleary and Baine.

“When do we turn them?” Hans asked.

“Make sure they work hard on the wall today. Then tonight, in the barracks, you and I can turn them.” Alasdair ate some of his venison. He didn’t make the decision lightly.

As leader of their pack, he and his eldest brother, his assistant leader, would take full responsibility for these men. If either of them went rogue against their pack, Alasdair would handle it himself; he wouldn't leave it up to others to deal with the consequences.

“Aye.”

They made a conscious effort to avoid turning anyone into one of their own kind unless absolutely necessary, such as in cases where a human had been accidentally bitten by one of their kind or had witnessed a wolf transforming. In those situations, they were left with no choice but to either eliminate the human or turn them into one of their own kind.

Due to the scarcity of their numbers, they preferred not to resort to elimination unless it was unavoidable. For instance, if the person belonged to an enemy clan and would not coexist peacefully with their pack if turned into a wolf.

There were advantages to being a wolf shifter—increased longevity, faster healing powers, and of course, their heightened wolf senses. For newly turned wolves, the shifting issues were the problem. Neither of the men had any family, so that helped Alasdair decide what to do with them.

Alasdair watched the two men as they entered the great hall with Lorne and were escorted to their table. Actually, everyone did. Cleary and Baine glanced around the room until they spied Isobel. When they saw her, they observed her. Alasdair hadn’t figured they would show that much interest in her—unless they assumed the worst about her.

Both men began to eat and drink the food and ale that women brought out for them.

Alasdair told Rory, “Hans and I will turn them tonight in the barracks. We want to have other men on hand if we should have trouble with them. And they have to be disarmed.”

“Aye. They are already showing way too much interest in Isobel. Do you think ‘tis because she is so bonny?” Rory asked.

Why hadn’t Alasdair thought of that? He’d been thinking the men had heard Isobel and her kin were Icelanders and staying with his clan now. Mayhap their interest in her went in that direction instead.

“We will keep an eye on them. Mayhap, once they are wolves, they’ll understand we’re all wolves under one roof, and we’re here for each other. If they canna live with the rules, we’ll have no choice but to eliminate Cleary and Baine. If we dinna turn them to see if they come around, I’m afraid they’ll target them when we’re least expecting it.”

“Aye.” Rory nodded.

“If they are only interested in the lass because of how comely she is, they could still turn on her once they learn she’s not a Scotswoman. We’ll have to always have eyes on them.” Alasdair thought of the children playing in the meadow, or Conall and Isobel with them on the hunt and accidentally being killed.

Or that Isobel might bathe in the loch again on her own and the brothers could catch her at it. But Alasdair certainly thought of her and her kin being in danger where these men were concerned unless turning them changed their outlook.

Rory had purposefully made sure Cleary and Baine were sitting next to Lorne. He would listen to anything that was being said. Alasdair wished he could listen in on their conversations himself. Until Cleary and Baine had arrived, he had been concentrating on Isobel smiling and chatting it up easily with Elene.

They appeared to be best friends, and he was glad to see it after what had happened to Elene.

His sister, Bessetta, had tried to befriend Isobel also. He hadn’t heard how that was working out. Bessetta was sitting at the head table with him, as she should be. He was hoping she and Isobel would become good friends.

Elene seemed to fit in with the other women. From what others had told him, she hadn’t said anything about leaving the clan to find her other pack members if any of her kin were still alive. They would help her locate them when they were able to if she wanted to.

First, though, he wanted to ensure they finished repairs to the wall, to make it more secure before they left the keep for any length of time. Alasdair kept worrying about Cleary and Baine, though he knew everyone would keep an eye on them.

After they finished eating, everyone cleared out of the great hall to do their work except Alasdair, who made a beeline to speak to Isobel to ensure that she understood what was happening with Cleary and Baine before she heard it from anyone else.

He walked her outside the outer bailey, beyond the castle walls where men, including Cleary and Baine, were already adding stones and mortar to the damaged wall. When they were far enough in the meadow, out of anyone’s hearing, Alasdair said, “We always have Cleary and Baine under watch. Hans and I are turning them tonight.”

Isobel nodded. “Good. They’ll have more control over their shifting right now.”

“Aye, between the full moon and new, they will. This is partly why I wanted to do it now but mostly because they seem to be interested in you and your kin, and I canna have them giving you trouble. They’ve always wanted to join the clan, but since they’re no’ wolves, I couldna allow it before.”

Isobel bit her lip, and he tenderly rubbed her chin. “Mayhap I am mistaken, and they are only interested in you. But I couldna have that either.”

She raised her brows. “Nay.”

He smiled. “’Tis possible.”

“I doubt it. I imagine ‘tis more likely that they believe we’re from the north and they would like to destroy us. They saw the way Conall was dressed when we were on the earlier hunt. And they appeared angry about it.”

“We hope turning them will change their opinion once they learn the truth about you and your family, but if it doesna and they wish to harm you, we’ll take care of them.”

“Thank you, but if they come after us and I’m there, I’ll protect my kin.”

“You have all of us for that from now on.” He suspected it would take a while before she believed his people would protect her and her kin.

She nodded, but he didn’t feel she believed it.

“How are you and your kin fairing at MacEachens’s croft? Do you need anything?”

“Nay. We’re comfortable, and they’re appreciative.”

“I want to gift you with the horse you rode here on," Alasdair said. "Conall may also have one, so you may return to the castle quickly whenever needed. If any of your family members encounter trouble, they can seek refuge at the keep.”

“You are gifting us each a horse?” Isobel sounded a little wary.

He smiled. “Aye. And if Dawy or Agnes have trouble, you can ride here with a warning.”

“I thank you for the gift of the horses. It’ll help when I return here to pull guard duty.”

“When are you going to start that?”

“In a few days, sooner, if you are desperate to have me here.”

He smiled.

“To guard.”

He couldn’t help but smile more broadly. She could guard his body anytime. And he would be happy to reciprocate. “Aye.”

“I’m returning to the croft now to ensure my cousins are doing their chores.”

“I’m sure they are doing a great job without you being in charge.” He suspected demanding work was engrained in them. Especially Conall since he was practically a man.

“Aye. But for now, I think it will be a good idea for us to avoid Cleary and Baine until you turn them, maybe even after you’ve turned them.” She took a deep breath. “We should probably return to the keep so I can get on my way before more rumors begin to spread about us.”

“What rumors?”

Her cheeks blossomed with color. “Naught that would interest you.”

He laughed. “If it’s about the two of us, I’m interested.” Then he suspected what it was about without her revealing what had been said. “Ahh, about the loch.”

Isobel blushed anew.