Isobel’s mouth gaped. He was the pack leader? She thought he would want to kill her right there, but he seemed—reasonable—at least at the moment.

  “We mean no one any harm,” Elene quickly said. “We were slaves of an Icelandic clan up north and escaped from there, traveling for weeks to get here.”

  “You are a Scot,” Alasdair said, sounding surprised.

  “Aye. The Norsemen killed my family. I dinna know if any of them survived,” Elene said, with tears in her eyes.

  It was the first time Isobel had seen Elene shed tears and she wanted to hug her and comfort her when the man called Alasdair said, “You are welcome to join us. Where is your longboat?”

  Isobel bit her lip. She didn’t want to tell them about their longboat or about her niece and nephews in case these men turned out to not have their best interests at heart.

  “We were shipwrecked,” Elene quickly said, and Isobel was glad she was such a quick thinker.

  “Oh?” Alasdair sounded like he didn’t believe her. “Is anyone else waiting below the cliffs for you?”

  “Nay,” Isobel said too ferociously and with her Icelandic accent. She shouldn’t have said anything like Elene had told her not to.

  “Just the two of us made it to shore,” Elene said.

  “Who else was with you? More slaves of the Icelanders that chanced to escape?” He sounded like he didn’t believe her.

  Isobel didn’t think that sounded believable either, but she waited for Elene to say something further.

  “You couldna have manned a longboat all that time, just the two of you, and they wouldn’t have brought you to our lands, risking your escape.” Alasdair took a deep breath and let it out, as if he was going to let them off at their word—at least for the time being. “Come, we will feed you and provide you shelter, and you can tell us more about your people.” But he continued to eye Isobel with suspicion, and she knew she shouldn’t have spoken a word.

  She would have to, though, when they questioned them further. She couldn’t pretend to be a mute.

  Then Alasdair shifted into his wolf and motioned for the others to take the women with them.

  At least Alasdair hadn’t shifted and then disarmed them. That made her feel safer. Until a wolf howled from behind her, and more wolves howled beyond the forests and the loch. How many were there?

  She glanced around her, thinking Alasdair was following behind them, making sure they didn’t try to escape, which would have been foolish on her and Elene’s part.

  They had nowhere else to go and if they climbed back down the cliffs, these men would learn who else was down there, find the longboat and their supplies. Isobel and her companions would have lost all of it. She really thought Alasdair would lead the way. Then again, her father had told her that he followed behind their small wolf pack when they were traveling to ensure no one was left behind.

  But Alasdair had disappeared into the woods.

  Alasdair howled for his men in the village to bring his clothes with them to the cliffs. He and a few of his men would descend the cliffs and learn just how many Vikings were down there while the others would take the two women back to their castle. He couldn’t believe the women were wolves and he knew they hadn’t come alone. Though if they were correct in saying they were the only two who had survived a shipwreck, that was possible but not likely. He was certain he would have seen some remnants from a shipwreck also. And neither woman looked like they’d been injured in the least. They were carrying several water pouches, and he suspected they had planned to fill them with water from the loch to return to the others down below.

  They were also carrying bows, arrows, and sgian dubhs so he assumed they had planned to hunt for their meal.

  The one woman was most likely a Scotswoman, dark-haired, dark eyed, very pretty. She was the one doing most of the talking until the other one was afraid he and his men would check the shore for other “survivors” of a shipwreck. It was possible the women were alone, but he had to make sure of it. The other woman, beautiful blue eyes and golden haired, was an Icelander. He was certain of it. Unless she’d been captured when she was very young, and her language had been influenced greatly by the Norsemen who had raised her.

  As soon as his men rode to him on horses, bringing his own with them along with his clothes, he shifted, dressed in his tunic, brat, and boots, securing his belt, sword, and sgian dubh, and mounted the horse. Then they rode from the woods to the cliff’s edge. When they reached it, he and the others dismounted. He peered over the edge and this time he saw a young man and two bairns gathering firewood. The youngest was wearing a brown kirtle and leather shoes, a shawl around her shoulders. A young lassie. The next oldest was a lad, not much older than the lass. He wore a gray tunic and trewes and was running barefoot in the sand on the warm summer’s morn. The older lad was tall, but not well-muscled yet, his tunic a muted green while his breeches were tan in color, and he was ordering the young ones about.

  “You missed a few sticks over there,” he said to the younger lad.

  Alasdair couldn’t believe it. Could just the five of them manage to make it all that way from Iceland on their own? Grown men had to be with them.

  Armed with swords, Alasdair and five of his men began the climb down the cliffs. They would use ropes to bring the bairns up. The younger ones wouldn’t be able to make the ascent on their own.

  The three of them saw the men climbing down the cliffs and dashed off beyond the cliffs, and Alasdair realized there had to be a cave there as the three of them disappeared like the woman had before.

  Alasdair and his men finally made it down to the shore and he called out, “We mean you no harm. We will take you in, feed you, and provide you shelter and clothes.”

  They crossed the beach until they could reach the cave entrance, and stood nearby, not showing themselves to whoever was in the cave, just in case they were attacked. Not by the three bairns, but by warriors who could be inside the cave just waiting for them.

  At first, he thought maybe the women were the only two who were wolves, but he smelled the older lad and two bairns had left their scents on the beach and they were wolves also.

  He’d never encountered Icelandic wolves before. But he still wondered if there were more inside, waiting to fight him. “Come on out. We have taken the women back to our keep to feed them,” Alasdair said. “The bairns canna climb the cliffs on their own. The women willna return for you. We are providing them shelter at the castle. You must come with us.”

  The older lad finally came out then, brandishing a sword, a fierce expression on his determined face. He was going to protect the younger ones with all his might.

  Alasdair smiled. “We are wolves like you. And if you are a well-trained warrior, but most of all a hunter and a farmer, we can use you in our pack.”

  The lad stared at him in surprise.

  “I’m Alasdair, the leader of the pack. Our pack is thirty wolves strong. And you are?”

  “Thirty?” The lad looked even more shocked.

  “Aye.”

  The lad stood straighter. “I’m Bodolf.”

  Viking for wolf leader. They were Vikings.

  “I mean…” Bodolf hesitated. “Conall.”

  Alasdair opened his mouth and nodded. Gaelic for wolf. He was a Viking. “And the others?”

  “My sister, Libby, and brother, Drummond.” Conall ducked back into the cave and had to usher them out, holding the girl’s hand, her eyes wide. Conall was still holding his sword so he couldn’t hold the boy’s hand too, but he looked like he wished Conall would.

  Then Alasdair and some of his men had to take a look in the cave to ensure no warriors were hiding in there, but other than finding a seaworthy longboat with a dragon leading the way—which surprised him given how dangerous it was to navigate the narrow passage between the breakers and into the cave—furs, clothes, tools, a brazier, weapons, and food, that’s all they discovered in the cave.

  Alasdair couldn’t believe they had made it all the way here in the small longboat—just the five of them, and two so young, he assumed they would not have been very much help. “We’ll leave the longboat here, in the event you need it at some point, but we’ll bring your supplies with us so you can use them while you stay with us.” Alasdair wanted them to know they were free to stay with the pack or leave as they wished. They didn’t take slaves or force wolves to join them.

  “This is my brother Hans and when I’m not in charge, he is. And Rory, who is with the women, is my other brother. We also have a sister, Bessetta, and she’ll help look after your needs. Let’s get you up the cliffs.” Alasdair had the men carry their supplies to the cliffs and while they hauled them up, they made a harness for the younger lad first.

  Conall stayed with his sister while his brother was hauled up, looking like he was unsure what to do. Conall didn’t appear to want to leave his sister alone with the strangers, nor did he want his brother taken away from him either. Alasdair completely understood how he was feeling.

  “We can take your sister up now and you can climb on your own, aye?” Alasdair asked.

  “Ja. Aye.”

  They had learned to speak Scots well and Alasdair wondered if it was because the one Scotswoman had been a slave and taught them their language. That would make it easier for all of them to understand each other in the pack and as long as they didn’t cause trouble among his clan, he welcomed them as family.

  After they finally had the bairns up on top of the cliff, along with their older brother, each of them rode with one of his men and they headed back to the keep. “So tell me, how did you come to be here?” Alasdair asked. “The women didna say their names. How are they related to you?”

  “Elene was a captured slave. And Isobel is our aunt,” Conall said.

  Conall explained all that had happened—his father attempting to kill the chieftain with the support of others who hated the chieftain, but then they turned on his father and killed him instead. Their mothers and Isobel’s father dying while fighting earlier clan battles. How Isobel had had a twin brother who had been lost at sea. How they had befriended Elene who had been taken prisoner before Conall and his kin had joined the chieftain’s clan and befriended her because she was a wolf like them.

  “You really have thirty wolves in your pack?” Conall asked, sounding in awe.

  “Aye, and if the five of you stay with us, that will make five and thirty.”

  “I dinna know about my aunt and what she wants to do. Or Elene. She said she’d stay with us for now, but she might want to look for her family.”

  “Aye, well, you are all welcome to stay.”

  “I am a good hunter and a fighter,” Conall said.

  “And you are good at taking care of your family. That is what’s so important also in a wolf pack.”

  Conall nodded sagely, looking pleased at the praise. From what Conall had told Alasdair, he had already seen so much death in his young life. Alasdair knew he understood the importance of being there for family.

  When they finally arrived at the village and the castle keep, the outer walls still being built, he saw the two women were now wearing léines and brats that made them appear as though they were some of their own Highland women, which he was glad for. He didn’t want to have trouble with Highlanders passing through who might cause difficulties for them because they had Vikings living with his clan.

  As soon as Elene and Isobel saw them arrive in the inner bailey, they ran to give the bairns hugs. The young lass and lad gave them hugs back, glad to see the women were safe. Conall tried to look more warrior like and stiffened when Isobel and Elene hugged him, but the women didn’t seem to care. They were just glad to see their companions safe and sound.

  “We will hunt, and then eat,” Alasdair said. “Bessetta is my sister. She’ll take care of the bairns if you want to hunt with us.” He meant for Elene, Isobel, and Conall to go with them if they wanted to.

  Elene said, “Some other time, if it pleases you. I’ll stay with the bairns and get to know your sister. I think they’ll be more comfortable if at least one person they know is with them.”

  And trust, which Alasdair understood.

  “I will hunt,” Isobel said, and Conall definitely wanted to hunt, to prove he had what it took to be part of the pack.

  “Did you know they have thirty wolves in the pack? With us, five and thirty?” Conall asked Isobel.

  She glanced at Alasdair for confirmation.

  “Aye, if you will stay with us, that’s what we’ll have. It is good that you changed your names. You’ve changed your garments, but you still sound Icelandic when you speak with your distinctive brogue. Which we can work on. You blend in with us otherwise. Your nephew mistakenly said he was named Bodolf at first.”

  “It will take some getting used to. Dinna fault me if I dinna answer to my new name sometimes either,” Isobel said.

  Alasdair smiled. “Believe me, I would be the same way.”

  “Hey,” Hans said, riding up to join them. “We have visitors. And they could be trouble. It’s Baine and his brother, Cleary.”

  “God’s wounds.” They were trouble. And Conall was wearing Icelandic clothes still!

  4

  Isobel wondered if the visitors coming to see Alasdair would mean the trouble had to do with them. With her and her kin. She was thinking that she, her niece, and her nephews might fit in with this pack. After hearing their story, Alasdair’s people had been kind to her and her family, even trying to help her improve her Gaelic so that no one would think she was a Viking. Providing them clothes so they appeared to be Scots too was a godsend. Though Conall needed clothes also.

  “Dinna speak to anyone,” Alasdair warned her and Conall. “Hans, I’ll go talk to them. Keep Isobel and her nephew here.”

  “Aye.”

  But two men came riding up to greet them before Alasdair could meet them away from Isobel and Conall. Were the brothers gossipmongers who would tell anyone who would listen that the pack had taken in the enemy? Or had they suffered at the hands of the Vikings—as well they might have—and would want to kill anyone who had Norse blood?

  “Alasdair,” one of the men greeted him.

  “Cleary,” Alasdair said, inclining his head a little, then acknowledged the other man, “Baine.”

  “We heard you were going on a hunt. May we join you?” Cleary asked, looking over Isobel and Conall, but she didn’t like the way he observed her. Then his eyes widened as he considered Conall’s clothing.

  “We have enough clansmen on the hunt. Another time,” Alasdair said.

  Cleary again eyed Isobel with speculation. “It appears you have gained some new clansmen.”

  Alasdair smiled at him. But it was a look that told the men to leave. That he didn’t want them involved in his pack business. The two men were human so they wouldn’t know Alasdair and his people were wolves then.

  Alasdair told Hans, “Take Isobel and Conall on the hunt with the others. I’ll join you shortly.”

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

  She was ready. So was Conall. They would take down a boar for the meal to prove they could provide for the pack, and she was eager to get out of these men’s sights.

  They were riding through the woods searching for game, but she still 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 they were out here hunting. Then she heard hounds barking and she wondered if they were Alasdair’s. She hadn’t seen them before, but she suspected they were alerting the hunters that they had found a boar. She and her nephew hurried to find the 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 up with him to speak with him. Pack leader business.

  After they spoke, Alasdair rode up to join them and Hans was in charge of the men bringing the beast to their keep for the meal.

  “Hans said you and your nephew 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 as they rode in the direction of the keep.

  “Their parents were killed by Viking raiders. 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 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 and foremost.”

  “Thank you.”

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

  When they arrived at the keep, he 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.” He motioned to Rory. “He’ll show you what you need to do.”

  Then Hans left Isobel’s nephew with Rory and took 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 to do or want to do.

  “Your niece and younger nephew are milking the cows and gathering eggs from the chicken coops.”

  “They love animals.”

  “They do, and your younger nephew, Drummond, wants to handle the dogs.”

  “Will he be allowed to?” She figured someone Alasdair had trained would be the one to do that.

  “Aye. We start them out young and Drummond has a real gift with the animals already.”