Page 76 of Wolf Pack

Then when she ran for the croft, anyone watching from the woods could surround the house and take her hostage. She hadn’t thought of that.

But then she saw Leif look out the window. She instantly felt some relief, knowing he was alive and there. Depending on howmany raiders were in the woods, they might be able to fight them until Alasdair and the others arrived.

The only way to the house was to cross the open meadow. She would be exposed and vulnerable, but there was no other option. With determination in her posture and fear in her heart, her shoulders straight and chin up, her sword in her hand, she strode towards the small building, ready to confront whatever awaited her.

As she drew closer, she saw Leif watching her through the window, his expression one of surprise and concern. He shook his head slightly, trying not to alert whoever was in the house that he was warning her to stay away. She didn’t have a choice.

Alasdair and the others would be here soon to help her, but she had to try to stall the hostage takers from harming her family and Dawy or, in the best-case scenario, free them.

She grabbed the drop latch, feeling the cold metal in her hand, hesitating to pull it to open the door. Her heart beat like crazy, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the latch. She feared what she would find within.

Now or never.

She opened the door slowly, and it creaked, announcing her arrival. She half expected to see Vigge holding everyone hostage. Instead, she saw Ari’s cousin, Olafur, holding a sword on Libby, his meaty arm around her shoulders. The scent of fear filled the air, as did Olafur’s aggression. Isobel’s heart dropped to her stomach.

Drummond and Dawy were sitting on the floor, tears in their eyes. Dawy was tied up. Drummond and Libby were free. Everyone was helpless, their tears starkly contrasting with Olafur's narrowed eyes, filled with suspicion and malice.

Leif’s hands were tied behind his back, and Olafur said, “Sit, Leif.” He motioned to the bed.

Lief sat down on the box bed.

Olafur was blond, with a thick blond beard and shaggy brows. His blue eyes were hard and calculating. “Shut the door, or Libby dies.”

Without hesitation, Isobel closed the door behind her. “Throw your weapons on the floor.”

She dropped her sword close by. She wasn’t a fool. If she had any chance of using it on Olafur, she would.

“Yoursgian dubhalso.”

She pulled hersgian dubhout of her boot. Could she quickly throw it at Olafur and hit him fatally in the head before he killed Libby? She desperately wanted to eliminate him and free her family and friend, but she couldn’t risk it. She dropped hersgian dubh, but like her sword, not too far away from where she stood.

Olafur had a temper, and she didn’t say anything, not wanting to provoke him.

“I dinna know what Vigge sees in you. Who would want a woman who doesna want him back, eh?” Olafur shook his head. “We stay here until he arrives. He is with the others, ready and waiting for the Scots from the castle to come through the woods.”

She prayed that Alasdair and all the others were eliminating the Vikings in the woods, and none of them came to harm. If anyone did, she would feel it was her fault because they wouldn’t be there if it weren’t for her.

“So if you think they will come to your aid, they willna. We didna believe you would come here alone. Unless you didna get word that your kin were being held hostage so that you would go with Vigge and return home,” Olafur continued.

She held his dark-hearted gaze with one of her own. “So you have me. Let the others go. Vigge doesna care about the rest of them.”

“Mayhap no’, but Funi will. Where’s the slave?” Olafur and the others in the clan never called her by name. She was considered less than human.

Wouldn’t they be surprised to learn that she was more than human?

“Elene has returned to her family.”

Olafur didn’t need to know she was nearby at the castle, though she would be safe enough. She was glad Agnes was safe there also.

“We’ll have to return her home and take any others who managed to survive our last attack.”

In her peripheral vision, she saw Conall stand. Her heart began skipping beats. He was just out of Olafur’s view, so he ran for it and leaped out of the window where the shutters stood wide open.

Olafur swore and yanked Libby to the window. “He willna get far because my other men are waiting in the woods there.”

She prayed his other men wouldn’t kill her cousin if they ran into them.

But when Olafur was distracted, Isobel grabbed hersgian dubhoff the floor and threw it at the back of his head.

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