Page 52 of Wolf Alliance

“Aye,” Isobel said.

“How do you feel about having bairns with Erik who will be half-siblings with the boys, Accalia?” Bessetta asked.

“I want them to know the bairns will be needy when they are first born and I will have to take care of them a lot when they are tiny, but I will love the boys just as much. If Erik and I have bairns together, they will not replace my affection for the lads. I must ensure they know that I have enough love to go around,” she said. “But I doubt they will believe it until I prove to them it is so. And that willna happen unless I mate their da and we have bairns of our own.”

“Aye,” Isobel said.

“Did either of you ever meet Erik’s previous mate?” Accalia couldn’t help being curious about the woman, even though Etta had told her what she knew about Willa. But had her friends seen what she was like?

“No’ me,” Isobel said. “She had died before I met Erik.”

Accalia and Isobel looked at Bessetta. She smoothed her gown on her lap, her eyes cast downward as if she was trying to figure out what to say that wouldn’t be too inappropriate.

“You are among friends,” Accalia said. “And we have known each other since we were wee lasses. Tell me the truth.”

“She wasna like you,” Bessetta said, “and I mean that in the best way possible. I asked some of the maids, like Etta, but I didna have to. I saw the way she was. She wasna nice to the staff, making the servants redo her bathwater because it wasna hot enough, or cool enough. She treated them like they were beneath her when she should have treated them like her kin, her packmates, and cherished what they were doing for her. Like you do. Just like any of us do.”

“Aye,” both Isobel and Accalia agreed.

“Erik had to have me make peace with the staff secretly because they were ready to quit. Anyway, she was as bad about the boys. She never ran with them as wolves. They had nannies to do that with them, but of course, she wouldna let them because then they would be having fun. Yet she didna have the boys do chores. She was”—Bessetta shrugged—“all over the place when disciplining them or showing affection. But with Erik? That was a whole other story. I swear she bewitched him with her overly sexy moves whenever he was with his staff, at the head table?—”

“Insincere?” Accalia asked.

“We felt that she was. Etta said she thought he was in love with her, but then she became pregnant with the triplets and that was the end of her ability to be the center of attention. Instead?—”

“Erik’s sons were,” Accalia guessed.

Isobel nodded. “And the whole pack would have doted on them.”

“Aye,” Accalia and Bessetta said.

“Worse, when so many people in the clan became sick and twelve died, including his wife, no one mourned her. The boys didna even cry. Why should they? She had never been affectionate to them. When I saw them and she was with Erik, she wouldna allow them to approach him.”

“I dinna understand it,” Accalia said.

“Me either,” Isobel agreed.

“I didna know why he wouldna have said something about it but I’m sure it was because she held so much sway over him. You are the perfect wife for him and mother to his sons.” Bessetta smiled with tears in her eyes. “They deserve what you can offer.”

“Thanks, Bessetta, for telling me. Erik has never said anything about her, but I suspect it’s because he doesna want to sully her name.”

“Aye, though maybe he will tell you how much he loves you for being you and not being anything like her. Um, have you had trouble with Beathag?” Bessetta asked. “I believe everyone was shocked when Isobel knocked you down with her shield and she laughed.”

Accalia nodded. “I’ve had some trouble with her. I think she realizes she’s no’ chasing me off.”

“She would be crazy to believe she has a chance with Erik,” Bessetta said. “I only mentioned it because I’ve seen how she has tried to intrigue Erik when he has never shown interest in her. Even if he doesna want to mate you, he wouldna mate her.”

“I have told her that.” Accalia didn’t go into any details about how she showed her that either. She suspected the nannies and the lads, who had witnessed the wolf fight between her and Beathag, might have shared the news with others in the pack.

Isobel and Bessetta smiled.

“As to this matter with Freigard, what is his problem? How can he want you for his mate, but not want an alliance with your da? Is he mad?” Isobel asked.

“He believes he will make me his mate and take over my pack. He willna wish my da or uncle to be in command, but instead, replace them with someone of his choosing. Whoever goes along with his new rule will remain with the pack. Anyone who doesna, will be eliminated.”

“He willna be successful. Alasdair told me Erik had had trouble with him on his lands. Alasdair vowed our fighting force to battle any of Freigard’s brigands while we are here,” Isobel said.

“We appreciate it.” Accalia wondered if Alasdair would want Isobel fighting now that he had learned she was carrying their bairns. Most likely not and she wouldn’t blame him.

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