Warrior's Moon

by Lucy Monroe

  This wound would leave him bleeding longer than Vegar’s sword tip, Caelis was sure.

  How much had he allowed his own false thinking to cost him?

  * * *

  Shona finished treating Caelis’s cut with the agrimony Abigail had sent back with Audrey along with the witch hazel she’d insisted on. “There, that should stop it swelling.”

  “’Tis barely an injury.” Her nearness called to his wolf and his libido.

  He wanted to take her into the forest and claim her fully. Then she would admit they were meant to be a family.

  Only he could touch her for pleasure.

  Her breath caught as if she knew his thoughts. Perhaps she did. His hardened sex pushed the kilt away from his body.

  She inhaled as if she was the wolf and his scent drew her. “Even the tiniest lesion can sicken.”

  “I am Chrechte.” He brushed his hand down the side of her face. “We rarely take ill.”

  She shivered but held herself back from leaning into his touch. “Need I remind you again? You are no god, Caelis. If Chrechte never sickened, all would still live since the first walked the earth.”

  “Our natures are violent.” And sexual.

  He wanted her until his teeth ached with it.

  “Aye, no doubt. Your people surely have lost great numbers to war, but the fact remains…”

  “None live forever, though we do tend to live longer. And our mates with us.”

  “Even human mates?”

  “I do not know, but surely you have noted that Abigail does not show the aging of a woman with her years.”

  “She’s hardly old.”

  “She is older than her appearance would suggest.”

  Shona looked thoughtful. “Why is that, I wonder?”

  He shrugged. He was only glad that it was. Had the last six years not been difficult enough? He would not consider what old age might be like without his mate at his side.

  Though he could not be sure now that she was not still intent on making him live without her. Last night notwithstanding.

  She’d blamed that on his wolf and her response to the beast nature in Caelis.

  Regardless, life was tenuous enough in the Highlands, even for the Chrechte. In that, Shona was well thought.

  “There are some who live longer than others, by entire decades. Are they all Chrechte?”

  “Aye, for the most part.” He could not think of a single human who lived into his dotage among the MacLeod, but that could have more to do with Uven’s attitude toward humans than anything else.

  Shona sat back on the grass, her attention split between him and the children still searching for bugs near the shallow water with Vegar’s and Audrey’s oversight. The way Shona leaned on her arms put her lovely breasts on display and it was all Caelis could do not to take the unconscious invitation.

  She straightened her skirts, the green velvet no doubt impressive by English standards but not what he wanted to see her wearing. He’d prefer her naked, but barring that, wearing a proper Scottish plaid.

  She gave him a sidelong glance, her hands twisted in the heavy fabric of her skirt. “You said we did not have much time to discuss important matters.”

  Here it was, the moment of reckoning. “We do not.”

  “Why?”

  “Caelis!” One of the Sinclair’s younger soldiers came running. “Vegar! You must return to the keep.”

  Caelis jumped to his feet and then reached down to yank Shona up as well.

  “What is happening?” she demanded as she fell against him, having not expected his move.

  The feel of her body against his pushed against the urgency to follow Talorc’s command and insisted on another urgency altogether. “You heard. The laird has ordered us back to the keep.”

  Shona was not similarly afflicted. “But why?”

  “MacLeod soldiers have been spotted on Sinclair land,” the young soldier answered helpfully with a smile for Shona that made Caelis want to smash his teeth in.

  “What? Why?” Shona’s body went rigid. “They are not welcome?”

  “They are definitely not welcome.” He tugged her along, sweeping Eadan up into his arms on the way. “I told you, the MacLeod’s daughter sought refuge here last year.”

  Vegar carried Marjory already, his free hand fastened around Audrey’s wrist as he pulled her toward the keep.

  “But she is living with the Balmoral.”

  “And these MacLeod soldiers may well be on their way to Balmoral Island.” Not that they would reach it regardless.

  They had trespassed on Sinclair land without permission after their laird had declared enmity with the clan. The warriors would definitely be detained, but allowing Shona and her family to remain outside the keep’s walls was not an option.

  “Why are we rushing so?” Audrey asked breathlessly. “Would they not have been spotted a long ways off, as we were?”

  “We do not know how far away the enemy is and we cannot be certain the Sinclair’s watch accounted for all who crossed our borders.” Vegar tucked Marjory more securely against his side and increased his pace.

  Audrey tripped and nearly fell. Vegar did not slow down, but reached around her waist with his forearm, lifting her and carrying her as he did the child. Only he kept the woman’s front away from him, her backside pressed against his hip.

  Audrey’s outraged cry cut off with an oomph as Vegar shifted her into a more secure position as well.

  Caelis looked down at Shona and she glared back. “Do not even consider it.”

  He bit back his grin, but made no move to lift her from her feet.

  Audrey was busy complaining, but from what Caelis could see, his eagle friend completely ignored the Faol’s furious demands to be let down.

  “Vegar is a strong warrior,” Eadan said, admiration in the boy’s tone. “Audrey is bigger ’n me.”

  “Aye, she is at that. And louder,” Caelis answered after the woman in question let out a frustrated shriek.

  Shona harrumphed. “You don’t know how loud she can get, but your barbarian friend will discover it soon enough if he doesn’t have a care.”

  * * *

  Caelis’s laughter at her warning should have annoyed Shona, but she found herself wanting to smile instead.

  The man was too arrogant by half. So why did she find it so difficult to remain irritated with him?

  Mayhap it was the way her son joined in his father’s amusement.

  Without warning, Vegar dropped Audrey and Marjory to the ground, pulling his sword from its scabbard in almost the same motion.

  Caelis let go of Shona’s wrist and withdrew his own sword from the scabbard on his back. “Get between us.”

  “What’s happening?” Shona demanded even as she moved to obey his urgent instruction.

  “Trouble.”

  She’d figured that much out when he’d drawn his weapon. She resisted the urge to say so though.

  She and Audrey instinctively placed the children between them, turning with small daggers in their hands to face whatever trouble was approaching. It never occurred to her to doubt that something dangerous was indeed coming. If the man who shared his nature with a wolf said it was so, and his friend who could take to the skies as an eagle agreed, there could be no doubt in her own mind.

  The Sinclair soldier stopped and turned back. “What are you doing? We must heed the laird’s orders.”

  “We’ve a wee bit of trouble to take care of first,” Caelis answered, his keen gaze fixed on the treeline to their left.

  The soldier’s eyes widened and he looked around as if expecting the bogeyman to jump out from behind a rock. He too seemed more than willing to take the warrior’s word for it.

  Audrey whimpered and Shona’s craned her neck to see what had her friend so upset.

  It was not the bogeyman. Rather, it was six enormous wolves coming at them from all directions, each one giving a low-throated growl.

  “These are more of your bret
hren, I take it?” Shona asked, proud when her voice did not waver with the fear she felt.

  “They are no brothers of mine,” Caelis barked. “Not now.”

  Vegar spit on the ground. “Nor mine.”

  The young soldier started praying, his eyes going wild, his muscles tensed for flight. Or mayhap he intended to fight alongside the Chrechte warriors. He’d drawn his own dagger, but his fear was much more pronounced than Shona’s.

  “Get you between us,” Caelis ordered the young man. “You will protect the women in case one of these rogue wolves gets past Vegar or me.”

  Shona didn’t think the clearly untried soldier would be much defense, but she said nothing. Caelis was giving the man a way to relative safety that would spare his pride.

  Somewhat.

  “Can’t he run for help?” Audrey asked, her own voice trembling, the terror there turning Shona’s own trepidation to fury.

  The past months had been difficult enough on the young Englishwoman, Faol or no.

  “He would never make it before they tore him to pieces,” Vegar growled.

  Caelis nodded without looking away from the wolves. “He is not Chrechte.”

  That must have been for Shona’s sake as he would know Audrey would already be aware of that fact. Her friend must be truly frightened out of her mind to have made the suggestion, knowing, as she did, the wolf abilities better than most.

  The Sinclair soldier visibly shook at the idea of being torn to pieces by wolves as he rapidly made his way to stand with the women. Shona did not blame him.

  And she held even greater respect for him when he helped her and Audrey create a triangle barrier around the children, his dagger to the ready, further supplications to “On High!” falling from his lips.

  She was surprised the children were being so quiet. She spared a glance down and her heart swelled with pride.

  Eadan was comforting Marjory, his arms around his sister. “All will be well, Margie. Da will protect us.”

  Then he started singing to her and his sweet little boy voice about broke Shona’s heart. How incredibly blessed was she to have such amazing children?

  She looked up and around, noting that the wolves…all six of them…had gotten closer.

  No matter how intimidating they appeared in both size and number, she refused to believe Caelis and Vegar would not win in the coming confrontation.

  When they were but a few yards away, the biggest of the wolves shifted to his human form. Right before their very eyes. The snarling expression on his face was just as malevolent as it had been on his beast. “For your sins against the Fearghall, you will die this day, Caelis the Betrayer, and everyone with you.”

  Caelis stood firm, no sign of fear or even anger at the insult showing on his features or sounding in his voice. “The Fearghall are wrong, Maon. Chrechte are meant to be brothers, no matter the race.”

  Maon snarled, “Only the Faol are strong enough to survive.”

  “Explain then, my people living all these generations despite the Fearghall’s most despicable efforts.” Vegar was clearly angry, but like with Caelis, no sign of intimidation showed in him.

  “Dirty Éan!” the big—and naked—warrior spat.

  “I am a Chrechte warrior with true honor. Something your laird has no knowledge of. He withheld Caelis from his true mate.”

  The MacLeod Chrechte sneered. “So you say.”

  “So I say.” Shona spoke up, all the anger she felt at how these miscreants were frightening her children and Audrey in her tone. “I am his true mate and my son is proof of that.”

  “You told a human about us?” Maon asked with disgust. “She will have to die.”

  “You already said that,” Shona pointed out, her own tone scathing.

  Audrey elbowed her. “Do not antognize them.”

  “Why not? They’re bent on attacking us, aren’t they?”

  “I don’t know why they would be,” Audrey said and looked at Maon. “Your laird’s daughter is not with us.”

  Either Audrey had forgotten the denouncement of Caelis made only seconds before in her agitation, or she was deliberately ignoring it.

  “We’re not here for the female. She had no wolf, no value to the pack. Not like you. We’ll take you back with us and you can breed for the pack.”

  Vegar let out a sound that sent chills down Shona’s spine.

  Maon acted as if he had not heard. “Uven received word that two of his soldiers who had been sent here live but are no longer loyal.”

  “I still wear clan colors.” Caelis stood proud, in no way intimidated by the other man’s indictment.

  “You have no right to them!”

  “I have more right than Uven, and soon enough, you’ll know it.”

  “When you are dead, I’ll shred the plaid you wear and burn it on top of your corpse.”

  Now that sounded like a man who had been trained by Uven. Shona didn’t say so though, since Caelis had been as well, initially.

  The sound of her son humming loudly gave Shona the comfort of the hope that her daughter at least could not hear the awful words spoken. With his enhanced hearing, Eadan was bound to have.

  And still he remained strong and brave.

  Motherly love and pride burned in her chest.

  “Am I so valuable that Uven sent six of his strongest warriors to wreak his twisted justice?” Caelis mocked.

  “A warrior does not have to possess honor to be a formidable foe.”

  “He has more honor in him than you,” Shona spat. “He does not threaten innocents and children.”

  “He has cast you in the shadow of his guilt. Blame the betrayer for your fate.”

  “You sound like Uven, taking no responsibility for the evil you commit.”

  Maon’s eyes darkened with something that might have been doubt, but he shifted back to his wolf before Shona could be sure.

  Suddenly, with no signal she could see, all six wolves leapt to attack.

  Chapter 14

  No good will come from Chrechte fighting Chrechte, but human nature must be appeased.

  —ANCIENT SAYING ATTRIBUTED TO FIRST CELI DI

  The battle was bloody, but Vegar and Caelis were amazing warriors, tossing the giant wolves away with one hand each and slashing at them with swords in the other. They drew blood but made no deep wounds. It was clear Caelis and Vegar were actually trying not to kill the wolves, but the MacLeods had no such compunction.

  One managed a deep claw strike to Caelis’s chest as another three attacked Vegar at once, bowling him down under them.

  Audrey screamed, the horror she felt testament to the mate bond already forming between her and the eagle shifter.

  One of the wolves scratched at Vegar’s thigh, drawing blood.

  Audrey broke away from their defensive triangle and ran toward the pile of wolves and warrior. She stabbed with her dagger at one of the wolves. He turned on her with a snarl and took a swipe at her, sending her stumbling back with blood soaking her dress from gashes in her shoulder and arm.

  An inch over and the wolf would have cut her artery. Shona’s dearest friend would have bled out, Chrechte or not.

  Fury-tinged horror washed through her, but unlike Audrey, Shona would not move from her position of protector to her children. She could not.

  One swipe of any of the wolves’ lethal claws and her children would be dead.

  That would happen over her own dead and bloodied body, and not one second before.

  Audrey shifted into her wolf, a beautiful white creature about half the size of the ones trying to kill them.

  Her dress fell away from her and despite the difference in their sizes, she attacked the wolf again, this time with teeth and claws.

  Vegar erupted from the pile of wolves, a battle cry resounding in the air around them. One went flying. The other rolled in the opposite direction. His sword came down and straight into the heart of the wolf still fighting with Audrey. So much bigger, and obviously with greate
r experience, the now dead MacLeod wolf could have killed her in a moment, but hadn’t.

  Shona could not make sense of it.

  Despite the chaos of the battle around them, Vegar pushed Audrey gently away. “Return to your heart-sister. I thank you for your help.”

  The uncouth man rose just slightly in Shona’s estimation in that moment.

  Audrey the wolf obediently trotted back, the blood on her fur attesting to the fact that shifting had not immediately healed her wounds. That was a question Shona would have to save for another day. It was clear, however, that her injuries were not bleeding near as profusely.

  Still in wolf form, Audrey again took up her position as protector to Shona’s children.

  Vegar had returned to battle already, the glint of death in his eyes for those who might go near his mate again. The two wolves he had tossed away now fought for their lives, rather than trying to take his.

  Caelis had been fighting with the other three, but his obvious desire not to kill them was doing him no favors. There were small nicks all over his body from fang and claw, but nothing grievous. Shona’s heart rejoiced and she did her best to convince herself ’twas because he stood between her children and the wolves that would harm them.

  While two kept him occupied, the other came running toward Shona, its sharp, drooling fangs bared.

  The young Sinclair soldier moved in front of her just as the wolf reached them, taking the first bite to his forearm. He grappled with the wolf valiantly, but Shona knew he would not hold the beast off for long.

  She readied her dagger. She could not send her children running, though the temptation was great.

  There was no way little legs could outrun those intent on doing them harm. Eadan and Marjory had grown quiet. Their eyes round with shock, they clung to each other and huddled near Audrey.

  They should have been terrified, but they seemed more dazed and clearly held no fear of the woman who had become a wolf.

  Though Shona’s son had been seeing such things in his dreams, for goodness knew how long.

  Audrey moved closer to the children, standing over them protectively. Her own teeth bared, growls sounded from her throat that were suspiciously similar to those Audrey used to make when she was angry with the baron.