Chapter 19

19

E xcept for those guarding the castle and the ones riding with him, Alasdair was glad that everyone else was abed when they arrived at the castle so that he could share the news when they broke their fast in the morning. Mege better not cause any issues over it.

The sooner they let everyone know about it, the sooner Mege and her friends knew Alasdair wasn’t available to mate any other she-wolf. “We’ll celebrate on the morrow. And we’ll let everyone know you’re a co-leader of the pack.”

“I know Bessetta has managed the staff in the past. I dinna want to take her position. I dinna want her to feel as though I’m pushing her out of the way and taking over.”

“It is your choice, and I can tell you’ll be a good pack leader already. Bessetta has always been prepared for the day I took a mate, and she could step down from her responsibilities.”

Isobel smiled. “I’ll talk with her and make sure she does what she wants, and I do whatever I need to do. I will be fine making sure no one causes trouble and does their jobs, but I will be just as happy teaching the women and older children how to swordfight.”

“Aye. I knew you were the one for me.” He kissed her cheek.

Then she frowned. “What will your people think when they see your head bloodied? What if they’re afraid when they learn that my brother did that and think he’s just another wild Icelander?”

“They’ll also know that he thought he was freeing you from being one of our slaves—so he thought. Besides, they know you and your family are here helping the MacEachens. And now your brother is. You also brought in some Highland wolves to join our pack. If they work hard, our people will be pleased. I’ve been trying to increase our numbers for years.”

“Well, if anyone gives you trouble over it, let me know, and I’ll take care of them.”

He chuckled and ran his hands through her golden hair. “That’s why I love you. You will fight my battles for me whenever I’m no’ around to handle them.”

“And at your side to help you fight them even when you are there.”

“Aye. That’s another reason why you are the only one for me. We’ll break our fast…”

“And more.”

“We’ll prepare a celebration?—”

“I mean more than that.”

He laughed. “Aye. We’ll slip away to my chamber for certain when no one notices.” He hugged her again.

“I’m glad my brother showed up. I didna want you to leave, but the croft had too many people already, and we wouldna have any privacy. So this is perfect.”

He kissed her. “I love you, sweeting.”

“I love you.” Then she gave him one last kiss and cuddled with him.

Isobel was elated to be here with Alasdair in his bedchamber as his mate. She never thought she would have been mated, not when they were living with a human clan. And for him to be a Scot? But then she remembered that she needed to tell Alasdair that she and her kin had stayed with the Viking clan in Iceland that had raided the area.

She hoped he wouldn’t be angry with her for not mentioning it before now. But she’d been so wrapped up in wanting to mate him, and he’d shown her he felt the same way that she hadn’t thought of it.

“I have something I need to tell you.” Her voice sounded dark and serious, and she hoped Alasdair wouldn’t be upset with her when she explained that Ari was part of the clan they’d belonged to.

“Aye?” Alasdair sounded like he was trying to keep his voice even, but she thought he might not like what she had to say.

“The guard I killed on the beach? He was Ari.”

Alasdair tensed, and he frowned at her. “Ari? How do you know him? Was he from a neighboring Icelandic clan?” He ran his hand over her arm, resting on his chest in a soothing way.

“Worse. He was from the clan we lived with, and he was the chieftain Funi’s cousin.”

“ Gods. Why did you no’ tell me this before?”

“At first, I didna think it mattered.”

He looked down at her with a disapproving look.

She sighed. “I was afraid you would believe we were one of them. As in, we were there raiding like the others.”

“You wouldna have killed Ari then.”

“Unless I hated him for some reason.”

“You wouldna have risked it when your family was hidden in the cave. Before you arrived on our shores, did you know they were raiding our region?”

“Nay. To tell the truth, I was shocked to see their ships on the shore beyond the cliffs. Even so, we didna know whose ships they were. We only saw the ships’ sterns.”

“Then why did you risk your life to kill the guard?”

“I wanted to see if they had taken slaves. I wanted to destroy their ships and free the hostages. I didna want anyone to be enslaved like Elene had been.”

He nodded, appearing to believe her. “Is there anything else you wish to tell me that you havena yet?” He didn’t sound happy with her.

Trust between mates was so important. She should have told him about all of this already.

“I thought Ari had already taken ships and crews out to raid, though I didna know where they were going. But then I wondered if mayhap they hadna been away but had secretly been hiding when Funi turned on my uncle, knowing full well my uncle had planned to take over. Ari would have been there as his backup, which makes sense.”

“You believe the ships sailed after you and your kin?”

“Aye. Well, no’ totally, because they were planning on making a raid somewhere. But they might have done so after they were assured that Funi eliminated my uncle. Chasing us down after that would have given them an additional incentive on their journey.”

Alasdair rubbed his face, then kissed her forehead. “First, I want you to know that you can tell me anything?—”

“And you willna be angry with me?”

He chuckled. “It depends on the circumstances. I canna always say I will no’ be angry if the situation warrants. I want you to be open with me about anything. In this situation, it could mean more trouble for us if they want to eliminate you and your cousins.”

“I didna mean to bring trouble to your shores.”

“They never saw your ship in the cave. They had already landed, and then Erik and I burned the ships. So they didna follow you here. You didna bring the trouble here. I’m certain that once they didna see you on the open ocean, they went about their business of raiding the coastal villages and monasteries. They could still be in the area, putting you, your cousins, and your brother at risk.”

“Aye. I’m sorry.”

“Nay, dinna be. I worry about you and your kin and keeping them safe.”

She loved him for feeling that way about them.

“They’ve already been this way, having stolen from the villagers near your territory. So they wouldna be returning. They would have stolen everything they wanted. You have no ships, so it’s no’ like they would return to steal them. I’m sure other lords would try and track them down as they went into their territories and eliminate them.”

“Aye. We believe the same.”

She touched his temple. “How is your head feeling?”

“Better. ‘Tis good we are wolves.”

“Aye. You’re no’ upset with me for no’ telling you about Ari sooner?”

“Nay. I love you.”

“As I love you.”

The next thing she knew, Alasdair kissed her, whispering in her ear, “Are you ready for me to tell the pack we’re mated?”

She smiled, stretched, and kissed him. “Aye, let’s do it.”

Then they dressed and hand in hand, went down the stairs to the great hall.

She was anxious about how the pack members would receive the news. Even though she could fight any battle, winning people over in a pack was different.

Bessetta quickly headed straight for her, forget protocol, and hugged her. “You are my sister now. I’m so thrilled. You will teach me all you know about fighting.”

Some of Isobel’s anxiousness melted away from that little gesture from Bessetta. Isobel said, “I will.”

She looked around to see where her brother, cousins, and the MacEachens were. None of them were there.

“My family isna here. Neither are the MacEachens.”

“They are probably late in arriving.” Alasdair squeezed her hand with reassurance, but then Lorne rushed into the great hall.

“Agnes rode Isobel’s horse here. There’s trouble at the croft.” Lorne’s face was red with anger, and Isobel worried something had happened to the children, or Dawy even.

She hurried off to speak to Agnes, Alasdair right beside her.

Hans, Rory, Erik, and his brothers all raced out after them.

Looking flushed, Agnes was breathing hard, sitting on steps, trying to catch her breath, tears filling her eyes. “They said…they said they would take the children and kill Conall and Leif if you dinna come. A man named Vigge said you were his, and he’d take you home. He didna care about the rest. He only wants you, but he knew you wouldna come unless he threatened them.”

“I will kill him,” Isobel said.

Alasdair said to Lorne, “I want twenty of our warriors.”

“You will have mine as well,” Erik said.

“And mine,” Baldur said, joining them and overhearing the demands.

Alasdair told Rory, “You are in charge of the castle and our people until we return. Shut the portcullis after we leave.”

“Aye.”

Then, everyone hurried off to retrieve their weapons, including Alasdair and Isobel.

“I want to go with you,” Agnes said.

“Nay.” Isobel grabbed her hand before she entered the keep. “You stay here, be strong. We’ll bring them here for safekeeping and kill the brigands before we’re done.”

In truth, Isobel would give herself up to Vigge just so her family would be safe. Did she trust him to keep his word? Not one bit.

“I know what you have on your mind,” Alasdair said as he and Isobel raced up the stairs to his chamber.

“Oh? And what is that?” She rushed into the chamber and sheathed her sword. Her sgian dubh was already tucked in her boot, which she always wore for emergencies.

“To give yourself up to them so they would free your family.” He slid his sword into its sheath and rushed out of the chamber.

“They would no’ honor their pledge. I know them well enough to know that.”

“Aye, my thoughts exactly.”

They hurried down the stairs.

“What do you propose we do besides have a big show of force?” She was trying to wrap her mind around what they could do.

“They’ve lost a few men and they dinna have any ships to carry them home unless they have stolen some. If that’s the case, they’ll have men guarding them, probably more this time, thereby reducing the number of men they’ll have to fight us.”

They reached the door to the keep and hurried outside, where everyone who was going with them was mounting their horses, ready for battle.

“They will kill my family and Dawy then, using them as shields.”

“You are no’ going with Vigge. I dinna understand though. Why would they make a stand against a larger force if they only want to kill you?” Alasdair asked.

“Vigge wanted to marry me. My parents wouldna allow him to. And once they were gone, my uncle wouldna.”

“Because you’re a wolf.”

“Aye, but he didna know that.” She twisted a braid of hair between her fingers. “We canna hit them head-on.”

“But we have the superior forces.”

“We have to use their tactics.” She paced across the inner bailey. “They must have found a ship, and it would be nearby. It’s the only way they would hope to pull this off and take me home.”

“This is your home,” Alasdair reminded her. “One of our ships couldna be pulled up onto the beach like yours can. They would have to leave it in deeper water.”

“Aye. What if it’s out there?” She motioned in the direction of the ocean beyond the cliffs.

“Or, what if another Viking longship is on the shore?” Alasdair said. “Mayhap another had been with the convoy but was delayed by storms or some other reason.”

Hans said, “We could send a couple of men to check the cliffs to see if a ship is anchored out there.”

“We stay together. I dinna want our men picked off,” Alasdair said.

“We could see the sterns of the longships from the cave where our longship is anchored,” Isobel said. “Just like they didna expect us to approach them from swimming in the ocean, they wouldna this time, either.”

Alasdair was still listening to her, which she appreciated. Back home, no one in the clan, nor her uncle, ever listened to her.

“We could destroy them if they have more longships beached there. Most likely, when they returned and found the hostages gone and ships in ashes the last time, they believed you had reached them from the cliffs—which you did. They wouldna expect you to come from the ocean.”

“All right. We’ll go to the cliff and see if there is a ship anchored. If no’, a dozen men will climb down the cliff face and head to the cave to see if they can observe any sign of the sterns of longships on the beach where they were before. Let’s go.”

Isobel couldn’t believe Alasdair would follow her plan, but she was glad he had. She just hoped they found longships on the shore that they could destroy.

The force of sixty men and one woman headed for the cliffs, but when they reached them, they saw no sign of any ships on the horizon or beyond the breakers. Isobel leaped off her horse and headed over the cliff before Alasdair could assign men to accompany him.

He quickly dismounted. Hans and Erik joined him with eight other men and began the descent. As soon as they were at the bottom, Isobel shot off for the cave. Alasdair and the men raced after her.

But when she approached the cave, she was much more cautious. She listened to make sure no one was in there now, hiding, waiting for her and her family to return for their longship.

Alasdair went in front of her with Hans and Erik to check the cave out. “Clear,” Alasdair said.

Then they moved along the wet, slippery rocks where the surf was striking the surface and peered around the cliffs. Isobel carefully made her way to where they were standing, not saying a word, just staring.

Gods, two longships were sitting on the shore just beyond the cave, not on the beach beyond this one. Half a dozen Viking warriors were sitting and talking at various positions around the beach, guarding the three ships.

She had been right. The clan she’d been with could be as predictable as they were unpredictable.

Isobel, Alasdair, and the others ducked back into the cave and returned to the shore.

“Six men guard two longships on the beach beyond the cave.” Alasdair signaled to the men on the cliff to tell them what they had found—six men, two longships, beach next to this one. He held up one hand, indicating five, and motioned for the extra men to join them.

That would give them sixteen men, enough to manage the Viking guards. Five men began the climb down the cliff.

Isobel pushed her wind-driven hair out of her eyes. “We would have to swim around the cliffs to reach the shore. Another thing we could do is use my longship to reach the shore. It’s smaller, and we could row there faster with the sail down, so it wouldn’t be noticed as easily.”

“Aye.” Alasdair pondered both possibilities.

“If any men move toward that section of the beach, they’ll see it, but your archers can shoot some of the guards. Still, swimming would be stealthier.”

Either could be difficult to do. But if one lass—shieldmaiden and a lad could do it, able-bodied Scots warriors could.

The five extra men landed on the beach and ran to join them.

“Once we reach the rocks near the beach, they afford us a hiding place until we see the way is clear to take out a guard who is looking in our direction,” she said, ready to do this.

“Aye, let’s swim. But I want you to stay here.”

She shook her head. “Nay. I will show you the way.” She quickly returned to where she jumped into the water before and began swimming.

Alasdair was right behind her like Conall had been before. Except this time, they had another fifteen men with them.

She was at the place she had viewed the beach before to make sure it was clear when no one had been there the last time. The waves tugging at them, Alasdair hugged the rock next to her and observed the man closest to them, sitting on a smooth-topped rock near the first of the longships. He was sharpening his ax.

A man standing closer to the cliff was in the direct line of sight of the sitting man. If they ran up to kill the man on the rock, the other would see them and shout a warning to the rest of the watchmen.

“I’m swimming to the other side of the ship to see what I can see,” she said quietly, though for the waves and wind, no one on the beach could hear them. “If I can take out a man between the ships, then that will be one less to fight.”

Alasdair shook his head, not wanting Isobel to fight anyone on the beach.

She kissed his cheek and before he knew what she would do, she dove under the water. God’s wounds, the woman would be the death of them both.

He told Hans, “You’re in charge of the men here. If you see an opening, take out the guard sitting next to the longship. If we see it’s better to swim in the direction Isobel is headed, I’ll motion for you to send some more men.”

“Aye.”

Then Alasdair swam underneath the water to reach the stern of the ship, creating shadows over the water, and joined Isobel. She was waiting for him and whispered, “No one is here. We can sneak up on the beach and see where everyone is positioned.”

Alasdair signaled to Hans to send five men in his direction.

Erik and four of his men swam toward Alasdair and Isobel.

Suddenly, Hans swam to shore, two others following him. Alasdair prayed they would be victorious and not sound the alarm.

They next saw Hans and the other two men tossing a body and an ax into the water. Both sank to the bottom of the ocean. Hans and the men quickly swam back to the rocks and hid themselves behind them again. The guard near the cliff must have moved out of the sitting guard’s line of sight.

Once the five men reached Alasdair and Isobel, they all crept up on the shore and moved between two of the longships, hiding them from the guards’ view.

When a redheaded and bearded guard started to walk by, he saw them in his peripheral vision and turned, his jaw dropping. Immediately, Isobel threw her sgian dubh at his forehead before he could shout a warning to the other watchmen. He began to topple as if a giant had shoved a mountain back.

Before the dead guard could fall beyond the longships and into any of the other guards’ sights, Erik and Alasdair dashed forth, grabbed him, and yanked him between the ships. Alasdair retrieved Isobel’s sgian dubh , cleaned if off the dead man’s sleeve, then handed it to her.

She quickly took hold of her knife. “Thanks.”

“You’re a wonder,” Alasdair said, his voice hushed.

Some other men helped drag the dead Viking into the ocean, and the guard sank beneath the waves.

Then one of the Vikings shouted, “To battle!”