Page 58 of Wolf Alliance

When he managed to shift and dress, he found that Accalia and the boys had already left their chamber, and he met them in the great hall. “Fantastic catches,” he told the boys before he led Accalia to the high table. “At your age, I didna catch half as many fish.”

They glowed with pride and Accalia smiled at him as if she thought the world of him for praising his sons. He realized he didn’t do that often with them and he would be better at it in the future. Especially when he saw how happy the boys and Accalia were that he had done so.

Then he ruffled the boys’ hair, took Accalia’s hand, and led her to the head table.

“About this eve,” Erik said to Accalia.

She glanced at him and gave him the most mischievous smile. “Aye?”

“You still plan to sleep with me, aye?”

“I willna have it any other way. You already told me that you would make it worth my while. Just as I said I would do the same for you.”

“Aye.” He couldn’t be gladder for it.

“You did well with the boys while teaching them how to fish.”

“They needed more practice.”

“Aye, and they loved proving how good they could be. Did you know they worked hard in the stables—cleaning it out, feeding the horses, and exercising them?”

“Aye, they have you to thank for that. Everyone has seen how helpful they are and willing to have the boys do various tasks to make them better men someday.”

“If we mate and marry, what will I wear?” Accalia asked as Cook set fish soup out for them.

Cook gasped but then smiled. “Etta has made a gown for you sincehedidna allow you the time to prepare for this.” She emphasized that the “he” was Erik, the brute.

Erik hadn’t thought that far in advance. But then he realized what Accalia was saying. She meant to mate him and wanted a wedding. He smiled and took her hand and kissed it. “You will make the most beautiful bride.”

She smiled. “Thank you. We must have two wedding ceremonies. My da and my kin will want to celebrate this mating and marriage.”

Even though wolves didn’t need them to profess their love to each other by having a wedding, for outsiders, it was important to show they were together for other reasons. And he would sign an agreement with her da that he and her da had an alliance through marriage.

“Aye, of course.”

“I already have a wedding gown back home.”

He felt remorseful because he took her away from her home without staying there to learn if they suited each other and then married her. But he couldn’t have. Not when he had to know if she would be a good mother to his sons.

“Aye. I will do anything to make you happy.”

She smiled at his comment.

Bessetta poked her in the side. “Well?”

Accalia laughed. “We’ll announce it on the morrow.”

“Cook will have a thing to say about that.” Bessetta was smiling and shook her head.

Then they wrapped up the meal and instead of having ale with his brothers and Alasdair and his brothers this eve before he retired to bed, he told them, “I have an important duty to perform, and we’ll celebrate tomorrow.”

Accalia slipped out of the great hall to take the boys to their bedchamber. He wondered if he should intrude or what she intended to do. Tell the boys? Should he be there?

He headed up the stairs and took the route to the boys’ chamber.

Beathag was heading that way and he said, “Hold!”

Beathag whipped her around, her red hair flying, her green eyes wide, surprised to see Erik coming up behind her.

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