Page 28 of Wolf Pack

“Aye.” Then Alasdair motioned to Isobel and her cousin to head out with them.

She was ready. So was Conall. They would hunt for the meal to prove they could provide for the pack, and she was eager to get out of the human’s sights.

While she and her cousin rode with Alasdair’s men through the woods searching for game, Isobel wanted to know what Alasdair would say to Cleary and Baine.

She wondered where the men were from. Probably not far from the pack’s territory, or they wouldn’t have known theywere out here hunting. Then she heard hounds barking, and she wondered if they were Alasdair’s. Most likely.

She hadn’t seen the hounds before, but she suspected they were alerting the hunters that they had found game. She and her cousin hurried to find it, realized it was a wild boar, and helped take it down. She was elated, and so was Conall.

She realized Alasdair hadn’t rejoined them. She hoped the men he’d been talking to had left and wouldn’t cause any difficulties. Then she saw Alasdair, and Hans joined him to speak with him. Pack leader business, she suspected.

After they spoke, Alasdair rode up to join her and Conall while Hans oversaw the men bringing the beast to their keep for the meal.

“Hans said you and your cousin helped to take down the boar,” Alasdair said to her.

“Aye. What was the trouble with Baine and Cleary?” She wanted to know what she and her kin were up against if the men were going to be trouble for her as they rode in the direction of the keep.

“Viking raiders killed their parents. They have made it a vendetta to kill any Norsemen or women they see in the Highlands.”

“So we’re no’ safe here.” Isobel figured being here with Alasdair’s pack was too good to be true.

“You are safe here with the pack. We wouldna give you up to the men, no matter what. You are wolves, first.”

“Thank you.”

“Aye. You saved a Scotswoman because she was a wolf and freeing her would have endangered you and your kin. We do the same for you and your kin.”

Isobel was glad he saw it that way and not that they were the same as those they had lived with. She’d never participated in a raid, only in trade when she was young.

“Conall told me something of your family. I wanted to know why you killed the Viking guarding the longships.”

“For the same reason you killed the other, I suspect. To burn their ships and free the hostages. I couldna in good conscience allow raiders to take anyone else hostage.”

“You must have swum around the cliffs to reach the beach where the longships were.”

“Ja, aye, we’re very good swimmers.”

“And a very good fighter. The guard didn’t have a chance to defend himself.”

“That was the only way I could fight him when the other was still prowling on duty.” She appreciated Alasdair for the compliment.

She praised her cousins when they did exceptional work, but no one else in the clan, including her uncle, ever praised them.

When they arrived at the keep, Alasdair said to Hans, “You’re in charge of finding work for our new pack members.”

“Aye,” Hans said. “Conall, you can help with building the wall for now.” He motioned to Rory. “He’ll show you what you need to do.”

Then Hans left Isobel’s cousin with Rory and escorted Isobel into the keep. “Can you cook?”

“Elene can. She’s a good cook. I’m a fighter, a hunter.” Aye, Isobel could cook, but she would rather fight.

Hans smiled. “If Alasdair is agreeable, you can guard the keep or the wall walk.”

“Good.” She was glad they wouldn’t just put her to work at something she didn’t know how or want to do.

“Your younger cousins have washed up and are milking the cows and gathering eggs from the chicken coops.”

“They love animals.”

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