Page 14 of Wolf Alliance

Suddenly, a dark-haired, middle-aged woman burst out of the castle and headed straight for Accalia. “You best leave right now. Turn around and return home to your da.”

“I’m a wolf too, and so is everyone in my clan,” Accalia said, reassuring Cook. “I’m so pleased to see you again.”

Cook’s mouth gaped.

“Is the meal ready?” Erik asked, sounding annoyed with Cook.

Cook gave him a disdainful look. “Aye. Young Dalton already arrived and told me you were on the way and would be putting people—me in particular—in the dungeon, if I didna have the meal ready for you.” Then she frowned at Accalia. “Dinna let him bully you, my lady.”

Accalia smiled at her. “He willna.”

Then Cook nodded and hurried back into the castle.

“This is Accalia,” Erik repeated to his people. “She will be with us for…some time.”

He didn’t say she was a special guest, or that he would mate her. But she suspected his people knew that was why he had brought her there.

“My lady, I will show you to your bedchamber,” Etta said.

“We eat first, and then you can show her where she will stay,” Erik said. “These are my boys: Thorfinn, Hendrie, and Johnne.”

So the little blond-haired boyswereErik’s sons, as she had suspected.

The first thought Accalia had was that they desperately needed a bath—before the meal. But she knew she couldn’t dictate what anyone would do, and having his servants wash up the boys before the meal when it was about to be served, wouldn’t go over well with Erik, she didn’t figure. It wasn’t any of her business. She didn’t believe she would end up being their…mother.

She noticed Erik hadn’t told her the name of the woman who stood close to him in a way that said he belonged to her.

Erik said, “Come. We’ll eat.”

Accalia walked with him into the castle while his staff hurried to join them for the meal. She remembered the grand entryway, and the lanterns on the walls, the only difference was a large tapestry on one wall showing white wolves running through the heather. She smiled to see the beautiful tapestry. The castle was clean, not smelly like before, for which she was grateful.

They entered the great hall where tables were set up vertically from the head table near the fireplace. Erik led her to the head table where she would sit next to him. The redhead sat at one of the lower tables, and Accalia felt smug about it. If she wasn’t mistaken and the womanwastrying to stir up trouble between her and Erik, Accalia would put in her place.

“Who is the woman who came out to welcome you home?” Accalia didn’t want to give the woman any space in her thoughts, but the problem was she kept thinking about Uilleam running off with her friend. What if this woman had designs on Erik and his interest in her was mutual?

“Beathag.”

“And?” She didn’t want to drag it out of him, but if the woman meant anything to him, she needed to know that.

“She’s one of the women with the old clan, and she’s now a member of mine.” He glanced at Accalia as the ale was served. “Why? Do you know her from before?”

“Nay. But she seems to have some interest in you.”

Erik’s mouth curved up a wee bit. “She might, but ‘tis no’ important to me.”

She sighed. She wasn’t about to mention that Uilleam ran out on her before the mating, or mention she was worried about other competition. It would make her look fearful about nothing. If it hadn’t been for Uilleam, she wouldn’t have worried about it.

Erik turned to speak with his brother Logan.

Erik’s boys started chasing each other around their table, trying to catch one another. Why didn’t the boys’ nannies tell them to sit and behave as any child should at the meal? Finally, they took their seats.

Cook smiled at her as she brought the food to the high table, serving Erik, and then Accalia. “This looks as good as when you cooked for me before,” Accalia said to Cook, smiling at her.

Cook beamed with the compliment. She frowned at Erik. “I served the food for Accalia from the same vessel as yours. Do you still intend for me to taste yours?”

Lookingnearlyas serious as could be, Erik motioned to it. “Aye.”

Accalia swore he wore the slightest smile, a sparkle in his eyes when he said it and if she hadn’t been so observant, she wouldn’t have caught it. It was like a secret game between them, and Accalia enjoyed their playful banter. A sense of humor in a partner was a plus for her.

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