Page 53 of Wolf Pack

Alasdair looked so sternly at her that she wondered what he was thinking. A stay in the dungeon for a time for her disobedience?

“You and Conall will each take one of the wolves in hand and supervise them for a few hours during the day when you are no’ doing your normal duties or helping out the MacEachens. I believe it will help to bury your differences.”

“Aye. And at night?”

Alasdair raised a brow. “They will stay in the barracks, and others will watch over them. Have you ever turned anyone?”

“Nay.”

He let out his breath with a heavy sigh. “You will have your work cut out for you. Take care that you dinna decide to do anything further to this extent before you have been told to do it.”

“If Libby had been a Scot and your kin, and an Icelander had accosted her?—”

“I would have cut them down with my sword.”

“You are a man, and I’m sure perfectly capable. But they were holding Libby hostage. At least Cleary was. And he could have used her as a shield if I’d tried to fight him with my sword.”

Alasdair inclined his head. “How is Libby doing?”

Isobel was surprised he had changed the subject and asked after her cousin. “Her arm is bruised from him holding her so roughly, shaken, but she finally fell asleep.”

Alasdair shook his head. “This should never have happened.”

“I agree.” Isobel couldn’t believe the laird was letting them off so easily.

She suspected the rest of the clan may not be so generous with them on the morrow. She was sure the word had already spread throughout the pack about what they’d done. But she felt Alasdair owedheran apology for not keeping his promises.

Alasdair bid her a good night, still looking perturbed, mounted his horse, turned, and headed back to the keep. He was tall, handsome, the kind of braw man who would suit her disposition well if she hadn’t ruined it by turning the brothers.

Yet she wouldn’t have done anything different to free Libby from Cleary’s clutches. As soon as she bit him, he’d let go of Libby. Baine had gone for his sword to protect his brother, but Conall bit his arm, and Baine dropped his sword. They had done the best they could at the time.

Though Alasdair hadn’t punished her and her cousin like he could have.

She returned to the croft, angry that this had happened because Alasdair and his people hadn’t done what they promised!

Conall opened the door for her. “Are we banished?”

“Nay.”

“Well, what then?” Conall asked.

“We must watch Cleary and Baine when not performing our other duties.”

“That could be punishment enough.” Conall headed for bed.

Dawy, who had been quiet until now, said, “I will speak on your behalf if you need me to.”

“We both will,” Agnes said.

“Thank you. I dinna think it will be necessary.” At least, Isobel hoped it wouldn’t be.

Isobel and the others breathed in a tentative sigh of relief. Who knew how tomorrow would be when they broke their fast at the castle?

When Alasdair reached the keep,his brothers and his sister were waiting to hear how it went.

“I hope you didna give her too much grief,” Bessetta said. “As a warrior, she will be a good fighter, dinna you think?”

“It wasna her place to turn the brothers. That’s all I’ll say, except that she and Conall are to watch the brothers when their own duty is done.”

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