Page 4 of Wolf Pack

Her uncle never praised his children nor showed them any affection. Nor did he show any kindness to her, his niece. They were to be warriors from the time they could walk. She suspected that Bodolf’s da didn’t tell him his plans because he didn’t trust him to keep them a secret.

“I know where he hides his coins. I can sneak them out and return them if he wins. If he loses, then we will have them already. And we’ll give the money to Bodil?” Bodolf asked.

“Ja.” She was certain Bodil wouldn’t trade his ship for any amount of money in the world, even if he rarely used his ship.

“What if he doesna want the money and wants to keep his ship?” asked her cousin.

“You will serve him enough mead that he will fall asleep. We’ll leave the coins with him and take the ship.”

Bodolf nodded. “Will we succeed?”

“Gods willing, we will.” She didn’t want to tell Bodolf that she knew for certain that they would die if they stayed, but thechance that they would make it across the vast ocean to Scotia was slim to none.

If, by some miracle, they made it there? They would be at the mercy of the Scots.

2

Alasdair stared at Mege, not believing their midwife had gone missing when they desperately needed her. “Who can deliver a baby? Anyone?”

They hadn’t had any luck in finding someone trained as a healer and had been taking care of their own the best they could. At least they healed twice as fast as humans.

Mege shook her head while wringing her hands.

“Tell the lass to shift and have her babies as wolf pups,” Alasdair finally said. “If you canna deliver them, the houndsman can take care of them.”

Mege’s eyes grew huge. “Oh, my laird, he canna deliver the babies. He trains and takes care of the hounds for the hunts.”

“He willna be delivering babies, but wolf pups,” Alasdair corrected her. “He delivers the wolfhound’s pups when the dame needs help.Go. Speak with Absalom.”

“But—”

Alasdair said to Rory, “Speak with Absalom and tell him he’s needed in the women’s chambers.”

Rory nodded. “Aye.” Then he hurried off.

“Go see to the lass and tell her to shift,” Alasdair ordered Mege.

“Aye.” She rushed back to the castle.

Hans smiled.

“What? ‘Tis no different to deliver a wolf pup than a wolfhound.”

Hans just shook his head.

If no one had thought about the circumstances much, Alasdair still would not have believed it was too different. “Come. Let’s help the others prepare.”

Hours later, everyone was taking a break from preparations and eating a meal when Rory howled from the direction of the cliffs where he’d been on watch, having relieved another man who had relieved Bessetta.

She had returned to the castle, learned about the weaver having her babies, and hurried off to see if she could help with the bairns since they hadn’t appeared yet.

Once Rory howled, Alasdair told Hans, “You’re in charge here.”

Then Alasdair and ten of his men mounted their horses and rode off to the cliffs. When they arrived, they dismounted, moved low to the ground, and peeked over the edge to see the ocean.

Rory shifted, lying down with them in the tall grass. “They sailed to the north and will land some distance hence. The water is too rough for them to land near our shore. Their longships would break up on the rocks.”

They could attempt to ambush the raiders in the forest, as they were more familiar with the terrain than the Vikings. However, they would have greater protection behind the walls of their castle. He was reluctant to divide their forces, as splitting them up would leave the rest of his people more vulnerable.

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