Midnight Sky (The Wolf's Bane Saga Book 3)

by M. Katherine Clark

  “Nay!” Eithne’s voice came from the woods.

  “Stay back!” Weylyn shouted having caught his wife’s scent earlier and knowing the woman were there.

  “Papa!” Giorsal’s voice was next. “Please! Caylean!”

  Almost like cold water on metal, Caylean came to his senses. He phased back into human form and fell to his knees. Giorsal raced to him and held him close. Aedan had reached his son before her but he relinquished him to her. Caylean looked up.

  “Are you all right?” he whispered.

  “Aye, thanks to you,” she replied. “Are you?”

  “I am nae sure,” he answered. “I donnae remember what happened. All I remember is seeing you being attacked, then nothing.” He looked up and saw Tristan still half-phased. “What happened? What did I do?”

  “Garmhac, I think we all need to go back to the keep,” Weylyn said. “Eion,” he called. The wolf stepped forward. “Take care of the body.”

  Tristan growled at Weylyn, who immediately bowed and said, “with your permission, Alpha.” Tristan nodded once at his younger brother and Eion walked over.

  “Body?” Caylean asked confused as Giorsal helped him stand. “What body?”

  “You saved me,” Giorsal replied. “Galbraith was going to… he was trying to…” her voice trailed off as she buried her head into his neck. Caylean held on to her tightly. Realizing he was without tunic and bare-chested, he pulled away from her for a moment and framed her face with his hands.

  “But he did nae,” he said. “You are all right.” She nodded but his fingers ghosted across the bruise on her cheek. “Are you certain?” She nodded again but tears rolled down her cheeks and she again buried her face into his shoulder. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her tightly to him, when she hissed in pain he pulled away again. Looking down at her wrists, bruising already, his body shook again but he covered the broken bone with his hand and closed his eyes for a moment. Finally, he looked back up at her, but her eyes were focused on her wrist. It was healed.

  “I remember something,” he finally said as Eion dragged the dead mangled body of Galbraith away. Pulling back from Giorsal, he thanked his grandfather for draping a cloak around his shoulders. “I remember seeing the lad over you, hurting you, trying to force you, but then it was like I was unable to control my own body. It was like something possessed me. I donnae ken, but something was nae the same.”

  “We will discuss that later, my love,” his mother said coming towards him. “Come back to the keep.”

  He turned to Tristan and locked eyes with him.

  “I am sorry, Tristan, I ken this means war with the MacRae. I am sorry,” he said.

  “You protected my daughter, Caylean, I am in your debt,” Tristan replied. “Let us go back now.”

  “Tristan, a word,” Aedan called.

  “Go on,” Tristan told Giorsal and the women. Once they were alone, Tristan turned to Aedan. “Aye?”

  “Why did you phase? Were you going to hurt my son?” Aedan asked.

  “That is what you believe?”

  “I donnae ken what to believe,” Aedan sighed. “I donnae think you would do that, but I need to ken why.”

  “I showed him I was Alpha and attempted to help him adjust on his first phase. I tried to help him phase back.”

  “Aedan,” his father started cautiously. “Caylean is a Hybrid.”

  “A what?” Aedan demanded. “What nonsense is this? Of course he is, that is what I am.”

  “Nay,” Weylyn placed a hand on his son’s shoulder. “You are my son and half human, that makes you, if you would forgive me for saying, a half-breed.”

  “I ken what I am, Da’,” he replied. “But that does nae tell me what my son is.”

  “A Half-Breed is the result of a child from the union between a human and a wolf, such as Giorsal and any other of Tristan’s children. But a union between a wolf and a druid…. They are termed hybrids.”

  “None of my other children look like that,” Aedan stated.

  “Nay, that ’tis because he was conceived after your first phase. Your essence was very strong and combined with Isla’s, as high priestess, Caylean was created. You were conceived under the hunter’s moon which means you are blessed. Caylean was also conceived under the hunter’s moon. Since you have a strength unlike any other, Caylean was also blessed by the moon. There has nae been a Hybrid since the premier Alpha couple’s first born nearly one thousand years ago. Caylean is far more powerful than any I have encountered,” Weylyn explained.

  “You kenned this?” Aedan turned to Tristan.

  “Weylyn was my teacher as a lad, he had told me the story of the premier Alpha couple before. I kenned when I saw Caylean that he was nae like us and my mind went to the story I had heard. Hybrids are recognizable even after so many years. But he is cursed. Cursed with being unstoppable. He could never phase before because it takes a highly emotional circumstance to cause them to phase, otherwise it would lay dormant for the rest of his life. But when he saw the woman he had laid claim to being attacked he embraced his animalistic roots to save his mate.”

  “But they have nae mated,” Aedan said.

  “Nay, no’ physically,” Tristan continued. “But mentally he has already claimed her.”

  “I donnae understand,” Aedan answered.

  “Let us go up to the keep,” Weylyn offered. “We need to speak to him. I am sure Isla kens many things about Hybrids.”

  Eion came up to the small group wiping his hands on his outer leathers.

  “Is the body well off our lands?” Tristan asked his brother.

  “Aye,” he answered. “Down by the loch on MacRae lands with one of his arrows in his back. Pray to the gods it looks like he was killed that way and a pack of wild wolves tore him apart.”

  “Good,” Tristan stated. “Come up to the keep with us, Eion.”

  “I will follow in a moment,” he said. “I must do something before I go back.”

  “Oh?” his brother asked.

  “I promise to be home by the witching hour,” Eion swore.

  “Aye well look after yourself,” Tristan said and watched him walk back into the deepest part of the woods. “Do you think he is happy here?”

  “I believe he is looking for his mate,” Weylyn replied. “He is eighty now, long past the time he should have found her.”

  “I would let him free if that was his wish,” Tristan said then, shaking his head he looked back at Weylyn and Aedan. “Let us get to the keep.”

  Chapter

  Seventeen

  When the men returned, the great hall was abuzz with conversation and women dashing about carrying trays of food, buckets of hot water and blankets. Weylyn went immediately to his wife and took the bucket of water from her.

  “Eithne, that is much too heavy for you,” he said. “Our child—”

  “Is fine,” she answered. “He or she is like their father, strong and stubborn. I will be fine, my love, now go to Caylean he needs your counsel.”

  Eyeing her once more, Weylyn nodded and went to his grandson. Caylean sat in one of the large chairs wrapped in a blanket, his right knee constantly bouncing. His eyes staring into the fire and even when Isla came around him with a cup of whisky, he did not raise his gaze to hers. Giorsal was not in the room.

  Tristan clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention. They all stopped and faced him, all but Caylean.

  “I thank you for your assistance,” he said to the other members of his pack. “My daughter was attacked on her way to the village, but she is well.”

  “Are we under attack, Alpha?” someone called.

  “Was it humans or wolves?” someone else asked.

  “The threat has been taken care of,” Tristan went on. “I donnae believe there is any more threat. But to be safe, gather what belongings you need and we will leave when or if something happens. If any of you wish to part from the pack, you have my full blessing to do so. Until such time as I deem necessary
we will stay. But I wish to thank Caylean, he acted heroically and saved Giorsal from the threat.” Caylean looked up finally but his expression was emotionless. “Now all of you are free to go to your homes, I thank you for your assistance.”

  Once they were alone, Tristan motioned for those who knew the truth of what happened to gather around. Caylean still sat in the chair staring into the fire.

  “How is Giorsal?” Tristan asked Alexina.

  “She is well, thanks to Caylean,” she answered. “She is upstairs bathing and changing clothes. She said she did nae want company but I have asked Blane to stay outside her door. Should she need anything, he will call for us.”

  Caylean stood at that and turned his back to the group. He crossed one arm, his hand resting in the crook of his elbow and cupped his chin with the other.

  “She was unharmed?” Tristan asked.

  “Aye, she was unharmed apart from the bruise on her cheek and wrist from where he tried to hold her down,” Alexina shuddered and Tristan wrapped his arm around her. “I thank you Caylean. You saved her from something abhorrent.”

  “Aye,” Caylean finally spoke. “I saved her. I killed for her. And I would do it again. But I have also destroyed our life here. We cannae stay… at least I cannae stay. Tell The MacRae that I killed his son. Let them hunt me. I will leave and go back to Erin. It seems like all I have done while I have been here is cause pain and suffering. And now I have taken a life. Granted he was a sorry arse of a man but,” Caylean had to curb his language. He had forgotten he was back in the first century. “He was a rat, a snake and I am nae sorry I took his life, but I cannae live with what I have done to you all.”

  “All druids have a warrior within them, my son,” Isla stepped forward. “I have trained to fight, as has Eithne and all the others of my grove. I ken Dagda has killed before too. You cannae condemn yourself for taking the life of a man who was going to hurt Giorsal.”

  “But would he have hurt her had I no’ provoked him?” Caylean turned to face his mother.

  “You saw into his mind when he arrived, Caylean,” Isla went on. “Only you can answer that. We all sensed his lies as he sat with us.”

  “The lad had an evilness to him that we all felt,” Weylyn said. “None of us wanted Giorsal with him but he was her choice. We supported her.”

  “I saw he would bring destruction, Caylean,” Eithne replied. “Even though my gift has waned since I mated with Weylyn, I still have dreams. I saw a man close to us attack. I could nae see his face but I remember the dream.”

  “You woke in a panic,” Weylyn went on. “I remember, you said something was coming and someone would turn against us.”

  “Aye,” Eithne leaned into him. “You have saved us, Caylean.”

  “He has saved us all,” Giorsal’s voice came from the stairs. Blane, one of the nomadic wolves who had pledged to Tristan, held her arm. The wolf and his mate, Odara had joined them several years ago.

  Caylean immediately turned to her and raced forward. Without thinking, he growled at Blane. Raising his hands in surrender, Blane stepped back.

  “Are you well?” Caylean asked her. She nodded and clutched at his arms.

  “Thanks to you,” she answered. Helping her to his chair, Caylean held her arm. She walked stiffly and nearly groaned when she sank into the oversized chair. “Forgive me,” she said. “I find my body aches.”

  “You have been through a great ordeal, my love,” Alexina soothed her hair out of her face.

  “I am well, thanks to Caylean’s bravery,” she said.

  “’Twas nae bravery,” he spat. “I killed someone. I did nae give him a chance to defend himself.”

  “Ah, now we see what is bothering you,” Weylyn began. “You are upset, no’ that you killed Galbraith but because you did nae give him a fair fight.”

  “Aye,” Caylean shouted. “And I will have to live with that until the end of my days. I have caused war between my pack and the humans. I have caused this. I should never have come home. I should have stayed with Dagda. At least with him I did nae think I was odd or different. I was what I was. I come home, the female I love has found another, my family has moved on without another thought about me, and worse than that, I have changed yet again when I was just starting to accept what I was. I am tired of never being the same. I am nae like anyone else and perhaps I belong with others of my kind!”

  Caylean broke through his family’s circle around him and raced to the door. Throwing it open, he ignored the cries of everyone as they tried to stop him. He only heard Giorsal’s scream for him to stay but he could not, he had to leave. He did not belong there. Dagda! He cried. Why did I ever return? Why did you force me?

  Racing out of the keep and through the village, he reached the gates and opened them with a snap of his wrist. The pack was running after him but with his powers, he slowed them down and found his way to the woods.

  Stopping a moment, the air bit his face and he smelled snow. Wearing only his leggings, a new tunic, and his grandfather’s cloak, Caylean looked for shelter just as the first snowflakes fell.

  “Caylean?” Giorsal’s voice shocked him and he spun around to see her standing before him.

  “What in the name of the gods are you doing here, lass?” he shouted.

  “You ran, I followed,” she replied. “I could nae let you run thinking you were at fault. Galbraith attacked me aye, but I was the one who let him into the pack. He used me to get to my family and that hurt me but no’ as much as seeing you run away.” She took a step towards him and raised her hand to stroke his cheek. Stepping away and turning his face from her touch, Caylean shook his head.

  “You should nae have followed me, lass,” he said.

  “It seems I do several things that you donnae agree with,” she stated. “But I did and I am here and I will nae apologize for it.”

  “And why are you here? You could have waited for me to return to tell me thank you.”

  “Aye, I could have,” she shrugged. “Perhaps I needed something from you that only you could give me.”

  “Such as?” he demanded.

  She stepped into him and framed his face with her hands.

  “Love,” she whispered and gently, slowly, leaned her face into his. The touch of her soft lips against his, forced him to close his eyes as a low moan came from his lips. He had dreamt of her kiss for years, some days the memory of it was the only thing that kept him sane. She was tentative in her kiss, but it stirred his blood more than any time he was forced to bed the druid women of his grove. Slowly she pulled back from him and looked up, confusion on her face.

  “What is it?” he could not help himself from asking.

  “Have we… have you… kissed me before?” she asked. “I swear the dream I had was a dream but the feel of your lips…”

  Sighing softly, he raised his hands and gave her the memory back of their first kiss. She gasped and looked up at him.

  “We have,” she breathed. “We have kissed before. You took that memory away from me? Why?”

  “I had to,” he replied. “I did nae want you pining for me, lass. I wanted you to be free.”

  “I donnae want to be free, Caylean!” she cried. “I want, have always wanted, to be yours!”

  “I cannae take you, lass donnae you understand?” he took her arms and gave her a gentle shake.

  “Why? I donnae understand, I thought you loved me,” she wept.

  “I do,” he swore. “But I cannae take you to mate.”

  “Why?” she demanded.

  “Dammit, Giorsal I am nae pure,” he shouted. Giorsal froze and stared into his eyes. Sighing harshly, Caylean released her and stalked away. Pausing at one of the trees, he rubbed his face. “To reach the highest of priesthoods within the druid circle, it was required of me to please the gods by taking the women of my grove to bed. I had to do this whenever the gods decreed it was needed. To prove my worth, my loyalty, and my sacrifice. I thought of you when I was first told and I told Dagda
that I could nae do it. But because I was nae pledged to you, I would have to or be released from my training. Kenning you would never want me after that first time, I stayed in Erin.

  “My training was finished nearly ten moon cycles ago but I stayed as Dagda’s second in command. It was he who told me to return. But when I look at you, all I can remember are the women I had taken for the gods and I could nae think of you like that. When I first heard of Galbraith, I thought good, perhaps he will make you happy as I never can, but when I read his mind and realized how dark his thoughts were, I kenned I could nae give you up to him. You ken what happened next.”

  “The maggots,” she breathed. “In the wine.”

  “Aye,” he hung his head. “’Twas me. He was nae worthy of you.”

  “And the chandelier falling?” she demanded.

  “Me as well,” he replied. “I love you, Giorsal but I cannae let you pledge to me. I can never mate as a wolf. If the gods require it I would need to go back to my grove. I can never have a wife, one mate, I just cannae.”

  “But that is unfair of the gods,” she whispered.

  “Aye well they have never been kenned for their fairness,” he said.

  “Could you nae step down?” she asked.

  “This is what I do, who I am,” he replied. “I could nae step down just as you could nae stop phasing.”

  “But…” her voice trailed off.

  “Nay, Giorsal, it is what is,” he said. “Now go home, leave me be, forget about me.”

  It was a long time before he heard any movement behind him, he thought she had left but when her wee hand slipped into his, he knew he could never deny her.

  “I am staying with you, mate or nay,” she said. “I love you.”

  Closing his eyes against the joy and agony he felt at her words, he nodded and lowered his head. Slipping her hand under his chin, she raised his face to look into her eyes.

  “All will be well,” she said. “I donnae care if you have bedded lasses before, Caylean. I only ask that you donnae leave me again.”