Wolf pack, p.9
Wolf Pack,
p.9
Hans helped Alasdair onto his horse and then lifted Isobel behind him to make sure her mate didn’t fall from Hans’s mount. Hans joined Rory on his horse, and two other riders gave both brothers a lift. They said good night to the crofters and Isobel’s family and rode back to the keep.
“I think you did this on purpose,” Isobel said, hugging Alasdair tightly. Not because she thought he might fall off the horse, but because she loved feeling his hard body pressed tightly against her.
“Encouraged your brother to hit me?” Alasdair sounded like he wasn’t following her line of reasoning.
“Aye. So that I’d come home with you tonight and he would stay with the rest of my family, and all would be well.”
Alasdair grunted. “He hit me hard.”
“Aye, but he didna kill you.”
“Which is why I’m taking the lot of them into the pack.”
“Because they can help build your wall.”
“Our wall.” He turned his head to look at her, and she kissed him on the cheek.
She sighed. “I love you. Thank you for taking them in, despite what my brother had done to you.”
“I love you, Isobel. You saved me when I couldn’t save myself. Your quick action both in warning the crofters and the pack proved to me just how invaluable you are. And then telling them that all was well before unnecessary blood was shed? You will make a great pack leader.”
“As fair minded as you, I should hope.”
“Aye. You will be. It is the reason I continue to rule the pack.”
They finally arrived at the keep, and Hans said, “We willna wake you in the morn, but bring food to you in your chamber when you wish to break your fast.”
“And a celebration is in order also,” Rory said.
Alasdair smiled. “Aye.”
“When he is feeling better,” Isobel said.
The brothers smiled at Alasdair. “It seems you have met your match.”
Alasdair chuckled. “Aye, she is perfect for me.”
Then he and Isobel retired to his own chamber, and she helped him to undress. She thought he was just going to climb into bed, but he wanted to help her disarm first, and pull off her shoes, brat, léine, and chemise, then join him in bed.
“Are you truly feeling all right?” she asked, snuggling with him under the furs, worried about him.
“Aye. I canna believe my fortune when your brother came along so I could take you home with me.”
She sighed and kissed his chest. “I’m sorry he hit you. But you have to admit you are adding more able-bodied wolves to the pack.”
He chuckled and kissed the top of her head, his hand sliding down her back in a gentle caress. “You do realize that you have added eight wolves to the pack since your arrival? I have you to thank for that.”
And, she was thinking, she would add even more to the pack with her loving mate in time.
EPILOGUE
Not only was there feasting galore for two weeks straight once the pack learned that Isobel and Alasdair had mated, they had wed each other too. The wall and portcullis were finally finished with the additional help of their new pack members.
Mege wasn’t happy that Alasdair had mated Isobel so she had tried to show interest in the next wolf who was in command after Alasdair and Isobel, should anything happen to them. But Hans wasn’t interested in her, especially since she’d wanted to mate Alasdair first and had threatened Isobel with harm should she have continued to pursue the pack leader. Mege was lucky she was still with the pack. Mege had been saying all along that Isobel would never provide bairns to the clan. Four months later, Isobel proved her wrong.
Only one clan had tried to cause problems for them since Isobel and her family and Elene had arrived, but with Alasdair and Isobel’s extended wolf pack, Isobel’s constant work with the women to prepare them to be part of the fighting force, and the castle fortifications, they had done well against the incursion and their enemies had been vanquished.
The clan had even brought Isobel’s uncle’s longboat hidden in the cave to the loch and refitted it to look like one of their own. Alasdair had fastened the dragon masthead to the wall in their bedchamber to honor the symbol of the strength and bravery of Isobel and her kin and their friend’s journey. The bairns learned to row, to sail, and to fish from it. Isobel’s brother and the rest of her kin continued to stay with the crofters which delighted them and also they were better protected now that her brother was with them.
As wolves that night, Isobel and Alasdair ran to the cliffs to see the ocean in all its glory where she had first come ashore and found a new world that had awaited her. The moon in the dark sky shone across the choppy ocean, a storm off in the distance coming in, fog covering the beach. She howled with joy to be here with Alasdair, the beautiful wolf and man combined who had taken her, her kin, and their Highland friend in. And now she was carrying Alasdair’s bairns, unsure just how many—but as wolves, there was no telling. She couldn’t be gladder to be here with him, his family, and the rest of the pack.
Alasdair howled as well, telling the world he was with the she-wolf of his dreams and licked Isobel’s face. She licked his back. He adored her and couldn’t be happier that he had found her and brought her home, that she was having their bairns, and that they finally had a home that was safe from invasion. He loved her family as much as she loved his and he was glad how this had all worked out. He’d always wondered if the clan she’d been with would ever come looking for her and her family, but he felt assured they wouldn’t bother and wouldn’t even know where Isobel and the others had ended up. They probably wouldn’t believe that Isobel and the others had survived the trip, if they even had considered they might come here. But if the clan Isobel and her family had been with ever did show up here, their wolf pack would take care of them.
With the approaching storm growing closer, he and Isobel raced back to the keep, the guards quickly opening the portcullis for them. He loved that they’d finished the wall and the gates, and his people were all the more protected.
He and Isobel ran inside the castle through a special door they’d created for wolves, though the hunting hounds had learned to use it also. Alasdair and Isobel ran up the curved stairs to their own chamber for lots more loving. Other business could wait; this never could.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks so much to Darla Taylor, Donna Fournier, and Lor Melvin who are always up for beta reading something new! Lor returns after finally retiring from her job at the school and I couldn’t be more thrilled! Hope you all enjoy the Medieval Highland wolf novella, something I’ve always wanted to write!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Author Bio
USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Terry Spear has written over a hundred paranormal romance novels, young adult, and medieval Highland historical romances. Her first werewolf romance, Heart of the Wolf, was named a 2008 Publishers Weekly's Best Book of the Year, and her subsequent titles have garnered high praise and hit the USA Today bestseller list. A retired officer of the U.S. Army Reserves, Terry lives in Spring, Texas, where she is working on her next werewolf romance, shapeshifting jaguars, cougar shifters, vampires, hot Highlanders, and having fun with her young adult novels, helping with her granddaughter and grandson and raising two Havanese.
For more information, please visit her website at: http://www.terryspear.com
Blog:
Follow her for new releases and book deals: www.bookbub.com/authors/terry-spear
Twitter: @TerrySpear.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/terry.spear
ALSO BY TERRY SPEAR
Heart of the Cougar Series:
Cougar’s Mate, Book 1
Call of the Cougar, Book 2
Taming the Wild Cougar, Book 3
Covert Cougar Christmas (Novella)
Double Cougar Trouble, Book 4
Cougar Undercover, Book 5
Cougar Magic, Book 6
Cougar Halloween Mischief (Novella)
Falling for the Cougar, Book 7
Catch the Cougar (A Halloween Novella)
Cougar Christmas Calamity Book 8
You Had Me at Cougar, Book 9
Saving the White Cougar, Book 10
Heart of the Bear Series
Loving the White Bear, Book 1
Claiming the White Bear, Book 2
The Highlanders Series:
Novella Prequels:
His Wild Highland #1, Vexing the Highlander #2
Winning the Highlander's Heart, The Accidental Highland Hero, Highland Rake, Taming the Wild Highlander, The Highlander, Her Highland Hero, The Viking’s Highland Lass, My Highlander
Other historical romances: Lady Caroline & the Egotistical Earl, A Ghost of a Chance at Love
Heart of the Wolf Series: Heart of the Wolf, Destiny of the Wolf, To Tempt the Wolf, Legend of the White Wolf, Seduced by the Wolf, Wolf Fever, Heart of the Highland Wolf, Dreaming of the Wolf, A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing, A Howl for a Highlander, A Highland Werewolf Wedding, A SEAL Wolf Christmas, Silence of the Wolf, Hero of a Highland Wolf, A Highland Wolf Christmas, A SEAL Wolf Hunting; A Silver Wolf Christmas, A SEAL Wolf in Too Deep, Alpha Wolf Need Not Apply, Billionaire in Wolf’s Clothing, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, SEAL Wolf Undercover, Dreaming of a White Wolf Christmas, Flight of the White Wolf, All’s Fair in Love and Wolf, A Billionaire Wolf for Christmas, SEAL Wolf Surrender (2019), Silver Town Wolf: Home for the Holidays (2019), Wolff Brothers: You Had Me at Wolf, Night of the Billionaire Wolf, Joy to the Wolves (Red Wolf), The Wolf Wore Plaid, Jingle Bell Wolf, Best of Both Wolves, While the Wolf’s Away, Christmas Wolf Surprise, Wolf Takes the Lead, Wolf on the Wild Side
SEAL Wolves: To Tempt the Wolf, A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing, A SEAL Wolf Christmas, A SEAL Wolf Hunting, A SEAL Wolf in Too Deep, SEAL Wolf Undercover, SEAL Wolf Surrender (2019)
Silver Bros Wolves: Destiny of the Wolf, Wolf Fever, Dreaming of the Wolf, Silence of the Wolf, A Silver Wolf Christmas, Alpha Wolf Need Not Apply, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, All’s Fair in Love and Wolf, Silver Town Wolf: Home for the Holidays
Wolff Brothers of Silver Town Wolff Brothers: You Had Me at Wolf
Arctic Wolves:Legend of the White Wolf, Dreaming of a White Wolf Christmas, Flight of the White Wolf, While the Wolf’s Away
Billionaire Wolves: Billionaire in Wolf’s Clothing, A Billionaire Wolf for Christmas, Night of the Billionaire Wolf
Highland Wolves: Heart of the Highland Wolf, A Howl for a Highlander, A Highland Werewolf Wedding, Hero of a Highland Wolf, A Highland Wolf Christmas, The Wolf Wore Plaid,
Red Wolf Series: Seduced by the Wolf, Joy to the Wolves, Best of Both Wolves,
Novellas: A United Shifter Force Christmas
Highland Wolves of Old: Wolf Pack (Book 1)
Heart of the Jaguar Series: Savage Hunger, Jaguar Fever, Jaguar Hunt, Jaguar Pride, A Very Jaguar Christmas, You Had Me at Jaguar
Novella: The Witch and the Jaguar
Dawn of the Jaguar
Romantic Suspense: Deadly Fortunes, In the Dead of the Night, Relative Danger, Bound by Danger
Vampire romances: Killing the Bloodlust, Deadly Liaisons, Huntress for Hire, Forbidden Love, Vampire Redemption, Primal Desire
Vampire Novellas: Vampiric Calling, The Siren’s Lure, Seducing the Huntress
Other Romance: Exchanging Grooms, Marriage, Las Vegas Style
Science Fiction Romance: Galaxy Warrior
Teen/Young Adult/Fantasy Books
The World of Fae:
The Dark Fae, Book 1
The Deadly Fae, Book 2
The Winged Fae, Book 3
The Ancient Fae, Book 4
Dragon Fae, Book 5
Hawk Fae, Book 6
Phantom Fae, Book 7
Golden Fae, Book 8
Falcon Fae, Book 9
Woodland Fae, Book 10
Angel Fae, Book 11
The World of Elf:
The Shadow Elf
Darkland Elf
Blood Moon Series:
Kiss of the Vampire
The Vampire…In My Dreams
Demon Guardian Series:
The Trouble with Demons
Demon Trouble, Too
Demon Hunter
Non-Series for Now:
Ghostly Liaisons
The Beast Within
Courtly Masquerade
Deidre's Secret
The Magic of Inherian:
The Scepter of Salvation
The Mage of Monrovia
Emerald Isle of Mists
Terry Spear, Wolf Pack
