Page 42 of Wolf Alliance

She loved exploring the area with Erik by her side. She had envisioned doing this with him back at her castle. Then she started moving in case the storm overtook them. She wanted to see all the pack’s lands with Erik, but she figured they would have to stop early because of the coming storm. When he took her to a burbling stream, she stopped on the bank while he started to cross the water.

When he saw she hadn’t followed him, he returned to her. She was looking for fish—somewhere the boys would have more success catching in a shallower creek bed. Then she saw good-sized trout moving downstream, and she smiled. This would be perfect for a future fishing trip.

Then she moved across the stream with Erik, and he nuzzled her face, and she nuzzled his. He almost seemed afraid to be too intimate or playful with her as a wolf. He was a big wolf, and she realized he might never have had the opportunity to play with a female.

She was a big gray wolf, smaller than him. But she could tackle a male. She’d done it so many times with Bessetta’s brothers. Yet she wasn’t sure that Erik would appreciate it, she realized. He seemed to want to rub his cheek against hers in a wolf way that said he was loving this with her.

But she had to know that he could play with her like he could with his boys. So she licked his face, but that got a lick back on her nose, kissing, not playing, more serious-minded, intrigued in a mating relationship. She sighed and her wolf’s breath was frosty on the air, though she hadn’t felt it was chilly because of her heavy wolf coat.

She bit the ruff of his neck. He had a thick neck and dense fur, so it was like she’d mouthed him rather than had bitten him. He glanced at her, his smile wickedly fun, like he attempted to figure her out. Poor old wolf. Her da had given up long ago on trying to do so.

She whipped around and went for Erik’s tail and nipped it. He glanced back at her as if she had barely tickled him and he was trying to guess what she was doing. A couple of his men on horseback nearby, watching their surroundings for them, chuckled.

She was about to give up on Erik when she realized he was twitching his tail ever so slightly, covertly watching her over his shoulder, and she smiled. Aye! He was waiting for her to initiate the play again—making sure that was what she was up to.

They stood motionless—all except his tail—him watching her, while she was pretending innocence slightly behind him, observing his swishing tail with her peripheral vision, hopefully not indicating she was going for it again. Then she boldly leaped for his tail so he couldn’t mistake her intent. He likewise whipped around to grab her, she yelped in joyful surprise and fun and tore off, and the chase was on.

The wolves with them were running full out, keeping up with them, protecting them, while Accalia and Erik were having the time of their lives. She hoped this would never end, yet the old fear of having a potential mate leave her for another woman at the last moment did come to mind.

Why did she even have to think about that at a time like this?

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When Accalia gave Erik’s neck a love bite, he was amused and very interested. She had a way of making everyone love her. But when she nipped at his tail with a featherlight touch, he thought she wanted to play with him.

He had never done so with a she-wolf and didn’t want to hurt her because of his size or become too enthusiastic during wolf play like he could be when fighting with his brothers or other kin and pack members. Certainly, his late wife had never wanted to.

The notion encouraged him that Accalia wanted to deepen their relationship. She eyed his tail again as covertly as she could. He observed her without being obvious about it. He was ready to play the game. His tail swished back and forth, teasing her, encouraging her to try and make another attempt at nipping at him.

The instant she turned and leaped for him, he swung around to his right and meant to tackle her. Once he turned, she recognized the game was on and dashed off. He wanted to laugh, she was so cute, but he was in hot pursuit. Despite her legs being a little shorter than his because she was a female, she was fast.

All the guard wolves ran off with them, keeping their distance and ensuring Accalia and Erik could play without anyone causing problems for them. Likewise, the soldiers on horseback continued to protect them, smiling at the change in activity.

Again, Erik wasn’t sure what to do. He could catch her, but he was afraid he might be considered overzealous or injure her if he pounced on her. She didn’t give him a chance to think about it for long. She whipped around to her right and when she did, she opened herself up to an attack and he tackled her.

Catching prey was instinctive. He hadn’t given it another thought, just pounced on her since she was within his reach. Down she went, and he was on top of her. She didn’t fight him back, her chest heaving with exertion. He listened to her heart pounding, as her tongue lolled out of her mouth. Her lips curved slightly into a grin, while her eyes were bright with excitement.

He still had her pinned down and she didn’t even try to unseat him, appearing happy to be under his control—for the moment. He smiled down at her, licked her cheek, and nuzzled her face.

She nipped at his chin and woofed—a happy woof that said she was very pleased with how he played with her. He sighed with relief, his breath turning to fog in the cool night air.

They had been running, loping, and walking for over an hour. Thunder rumbled and he glanced at the storm building off in the distance. Lightning flashed across the dark clouds billowing into a massive storm system, appearing more ominous. The wind began blowing hard and they could smell the rain coming. Thunder followed from a distance again, but the storm was getting closer.

Erik was enjoying the run with Accalia and playing with her, and she didn’t appear to want to quit anytime soon. He wished they could have stayed out here longer. But he knew the boys would be afraid of the storm and fear that she and he were still out in it. Maybe not so much that he was, but that Accalia was. They would believe he could manage any adversity.

As much as he loved pinning Accalia down because she appeared to be content with it and he loved the wolf intimacy between them, they needed to return home. He worried about her safety.

He knew the boys’ nannies would do their best to soothe the boys’ fears during the storm, though he hoped his sons would overcome them soon enough. It didn’t help that a fortnight ago they had been in the stable playing in the hay when lightning had struck the wooden frame and set it on fire.

Between those rescuing the horses and the boys, and others putting out the fire, his sons were well-traumatized. Erik had been upset with them and their nannies that the boys were playing where they weren’t supposed to be in the first place and the nannies hadn’t been watching the boys. If they’d been safe in the castle, none of that would have happened as far as them being afraid of storms, that was.

He nudged at Accalia to return home with him and let her up and they raced in the direction of the castle. Though she tried her best to beat him to the castle, he was sticking by her side the whole way. He was so glad it had been just the two of them and that they hadn’t been running with his sons or they would have wanted him to tackle them instead. Wolf play with his future mate—because Erik wasn’t letting her go—was the best thing ever.

Before they reached the portcullis, Erik howled to let the gate guards know they were almost home. They reached the open gates and headed inside, the guards shutting and locking them after the last of the pack members were inside. Everyone howled to let the others know they had returned. They heard a few howls from the barracks and the keep, acknowledging them with a greeting.

Erik and Accalia were near the castle doors when the rain began to fall in a deluge, but their guard hairs kept their soft, downy inner coat dry. Guards hurried to open the doors for them, and they headed inside. Lightning was overhead now, and he was glad they were safely inside.

Accalia sprinted through the castle and up the stairs. Before settling in, Erik ensured everyone who had joined them on their excursion had entered the keep. After completing the task, he wondered if Accalia would stay with him now that she saw he could play with her as a wolf. He sure hoped she would.

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