Page 20 of Wolf Pack

They couldn’t let anyone know they were wolf shifters. When they battled it out with other clans, they only did so in their human form. If they were wholly outnumbered and could slip away into the woods, they could remove their clothes, hide them to return for them later, shift, and run as a wolf.

Alasdair noticed then that Bessetta had left the great hall, and he looked around for her.

“If you are looking for Bessetta, she is off to shift in her chamber so she can run to the cliffs and see if you were right or no’,” Hans said.

Alasdair let out his breath and leaned over closer to speak to him more privately as other conversations were shared over the meal about catching dragons in the water, seeing the fair folk, and other such things.

Alasdair shook his head. “Go with her to ensure no one has breached the cliffs. If everything is quiet and you see no trouble, you can leave her to her task and return until it’s your turn to be a lookout, Hans.”

“Aye, will do.”

Alasdair trusted his sister to do a good job watching for trouble, but if the trouble had already breached the top of the cliff, he didn’t want her to have to run for her life.

Alasdair and Hans left the great hall, where the villagers they had taken in were still eating and drinking. They met up with Bessetta as she descended the stairs from her quarters. A blond wolf, her belly and chin white, woofed at him.

“Go and be vigilant. Hans will go with you to make sure no one has already climbed the cliffs unbeknownst to us.”

Not that Alasdair thought anyone would have, or that anyone was down below the cliffs, or he would have seen a longship on the beach or heard it wrecked on the rocks, but just to be certain, he wouldn’t risk his sister’s life.

Then she licked Hans’s hand, and the two of them left the castle.

When Alasdair returned to the great hall to finish his meal, Rory huffed.

“You sent Hans with her but no’ me.” Rory sounded miffed as if Alasdair hadn’t trusted his younger brother to keep her safe.

But Alasdair did. “Aye, but only to ensure everything’s fine, no’ to stay with her.”

Appearing to understand Alasdair’s reasoning, Rory nodded. “I want to go as a man when I serve on guard duty.”

Alasdair shook his head. “As a wolf. Spread the word privately to our people. Everyone will go as wolves who serve on guard duty. They can howl, warn us of trouble, and outrun an arrow if they’re quick enough. On their own against a bunch ofVikings, if they’re armed only with their sword and shield, they would no’ be able to stand against them.”

Alasdair hoped he was wrong about spying a longship in the ocean—that he had only imagined it. He’d had the strangest dreams of late, though he hadn’t shared them with his brethren, afraid they might see them as a bad omen.

He’d been fighting with a beautiful, golden-haired Viking shieldmaiden. Swords clashed, and she was damn good at it too. A worthy foe. He’d seen wolves that were not his own in attendance, ready to protect her and he was all alone. Maybe that’s why he thought he’d seen a smaller Viking longship.

It was all just a manifestation of his dreams. And yet—he swore the shieldmaiden looked like the woman he’d seen kill the Viking guard on the beach.

Isobel and Conall'sfaces were downcast, and their brows furrowed in disappointment as they gazed at their empty fishing nets. The pink rays of the sunrise danced across their faces, casting a warm glow in the crisp morning air. Their small boat sat on the calm waters, bobbing gently in the slight breeze.

“Canna we stay out a little while longer?” Conall asked. “I’m sure if we cast our nets a little longer, we’ll catch something.”

“Nay. The Scots could be watching the ocean, and we canna risk being seen.” They had sailed as close to the rocks as they could, then took the sail down.

Her arms strained as she pulled the oar through the water, her body tense with determination as she steered the ship towards the dark cave entrance. Conall's face was grim and determined, and his muscles rippled as he matched her rowing speed.

“No fish, so now what?”

“I’ll have to climb up the cliffs and see if it’s safe for us to go that way.” Isobel was worried about getting her younger cousins up the cliffs. She wasn’t sure about Elene either. She knew Conall could manage.

“I should go,” Conall said.

She shook her head. “I brought you here. If something happens to me, you must take care of your brother and sister, and you will make the decisions from then on.”

As they approached the mouth of the cave, the waves crashed against the jagged rocks, creating a white foam that covered the dark gray surface. The sunlight danced off the water, creating a sparkling effect in contrast to the rough and dark cliffs.

This time, they managed to row the ship inside the cave without hitting any rocks and tied it up to the same rock column.

Elene had piled timber up near the brazier and looked hopefully at them.

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