The Wolf Wore Plaid

by Terry Spear

  “Maybe he’s worried he can be replaced.” Enrick took another bite of steak.

  “You would be perfect for the part. Better than perfect.”

  Enrick shook his head. “I would never remember all the lines. We all think it’s funny when the actors mess up their lines because they make fun of themselves, too, but they would get tired of all my bloopers if I filled in for Guy.”

  Heather laughed and ate some more of her dinner as the night settled in. “I’m afraid I would be the same way.”

  “Did you get his autograph?”

  “No. Should I have?”

  Enrick was glad she hadn’t. “I thought that was what all women wanted.”

  “Ha! Shows what you know about all women.”

  Enrick smiled. “What do you think about running tonight?” He was thoroughly enjoying having dinner with Heather and didn’t want the night to end, but he was tired, too, though he would never admit that to her.

  “I’d love to. As long as you don’t think the other guys will mind and it’s not too late. You must be tired from all that battling you did today.”

  “I’m fine. We’ll make sure the guys don’t mind. Lachlan didn’t get as much of a workout as the rest of us, so I’m sure he’ll be all for it. If we can’t get your brothers to go, we’ll find someone else to take their place.”

  “Okay, super. That will be fun.”

  Guy’s stunt double suddenly showed up at the restaurant and staggered a little. Larry smiled at Enrick as if he were Guy, and Enrick motioned to the other table where Guy and Missy were sitting. Larry dropped the smile and headed for Guy’s table.

  “Hey,” Guy said to Larry. “Looks like you got started on the whiskey already.”

  Like a little too much. Then another couple of the actors, including the wizard—complete with his naturally long white beard, but no cone hat or long velvety robes—joined Guy and his entourage. Enrick hoped one of the others had driven Larry here.

  It turned out to be a great night, and once they were done with dinner, Enrick, Heather, Lachlan, Callum, and Oran left the restaurant. Jamie was sitting outside eating takeout.

  “We were going for a run at Argent Castle if you’re up for it.” Enrick opened the car door for Heather, and she climbed in.

  “I’m ready,” Lachlan said.

  “Aye, me too,” Oran said.

  Jamie nodded in agreement.

  Enrick suspected they would agree to anything to ensure he dated their sister and made it a mating. But he also figured they wouldn’t want him to show them up if he could do this and they were too worn out.

  “Thanks so much for dinner.” Heather settled back against her seat. “It was delicious. I loved it. And the sunset on the water? It couldn’t have been more beautiful.”

  “I was trying to think of something nearby we could enjoy. The company was what made it so special to me.”

  “This has been grand. I thoroughly enjoyed your company too. I feel like I’m with a celebrity. Thank you.”

  He shook his head. She laughed.

  Heather called ahead to let Ian and Julia know they were coming, and she called Grant to let him know where they were going to be after dinner.

  When they finally reached Argent Castle, they parked in the inner bailey. Heather greeted her cousin Ian, who came out to meet with them. “Some more of the MacQuarrie clan are here who want to run with you, and some of our people too,” Ian said.

  Enrick assumed Grant had told Ian about the trouble they’d had with the Kilpatricks and McKinleys and were concerned about everyone’s safety.

  “Grant said he talked to Paxton McKinley, leader of their clan now, and he said none of what happened was his doing. He wants to keep peace between his people and ours,” Ian said.

  “Then he’d better know what his people are up to and tell them to cease their hostilities. He may be just as vengeful as his brothers that you and your brothers were forced to kill last year to protect Colleen. Maybe he isn’t being honest with Grant about his knowledge of this,” Enrick said.

  “I agree,” Ian said. “I don’t trust the lot of them, though I hope he’s being honest and gets his people under control.”

  “I’ll be down in a minute,” Heather said, and went inside the castle.

  “See you in a few,” Enrick said.

  “You can use the side room in the hall to leave your clothes in and shift. I’m sending more men to your castle to help reinforce your security tomorrow too,” Ian said.

  “Thanks. We sure appreciate it.”

  “No problem. You would do the same for us.”

  “I’d better get ready before Heather shifts and runs without me.”

  Ian laughed. “You’re good for her. Have a great run.”

  Enrick headed inside, hoping things worked out between him and Heather and that everyone wasn’t making the assumption they would be together forever. They’d only had their first date, though they’d seen each other enough for a long time. But it hadn’t been a close relationship all those years. Not with her gruff brothers protecting her from wolves who might take advantage of her. And not when Enrick thought they wouldn’t be compatible.

  Several MacQuarrie wolves came out to greet Enrick as he was about to reach the room. Then he saw Heather in her gray wolf coat, bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and ready to run. She woofed at him as if to say he was late.

  He smiled and headed inside the room, stripped off his clothes, and shifted, then joined her and the others.

  It would have been nice to run with her alone, but as wolves, they loved running as a pack too. For now, it was important to run in groups for protection. Though he suspected the McKinleys and Kilpatricks would concentrate on trying to ruin the film production and not bother any of the MacQuarries or MacNeills on a wolf run near Argent Castle.

  The group of wolves ran off, glad to be away from all the mess of the film production and running free as wolves. They ran up the hills over the green grass and down again, into the woods and all the way to the river.

  Enrick was glad it had stopped raining so they could see the sunset earlier and now a full moon hanging in the partially cloudy night sky.

  Enrick’s brother howled, and that set off the rest of the wolves to join in. Heather’s howl was hauntingly beautiful. He hadn’t heard her siren’s wolf call in a while. And it was music to his soul as she lifted her chin and howled again.

  The moon glowed through a smattering of clouds, the night air chillier, the breeze whipping the tree branches about and ruffling their fur. It was amazing how much he wanted to run as a wolf and even forgot how tired he had been. He could go days without running as a wolf, but just the idea that he couldn’t made him long for it more. Running with Heather made it even more special.

  Heather drank at the water’s edge and so did Enrick, each turning to look at the other and bumping noses. Heather licked Enrick’s nose and he nuzzled her face.

  Usually when they went on a run at night, they played, too, but everyone was quiet, listening for trouble, maybe tired if they had fought in the battle scenes today like he had.

  He was reluctant to play with Heather in case she wanted to get used to him first, especially since she seemed reserved. It could have been because so many other wolves were here.

  Then she nipped Enrick’s ear, to his surprise, and he instantly retaliated, pinning her down against the lush green grass. She woofed at him in amusement. He hadn’t meant to react that quickly, or that wolfishly, but if his brothers had done that to him, that was how he would have responded.

  He quickly licked her face and got off her, to let her know he was sorry for startling her, but she nipped at his neck and raced off along the riverbank and the chase was on. This was the Heather he knew! His forelegs were sore from all the sword fighting but playing with Heather as wolves was worth every twinge of pa
in.

  He heard the others running with them, some in the woods near the riverbank, trying to keep up, others behind them, everyone keeping an eye on one another. Except for Enrick, who was mainly focused on Heather, her tail waving at him like a banner saying: Come, catch me if you can.

  Still, he was having a hard time keeping this at a first-date level, not wanting to dash in and tackle her, telling all the other wolves she was his in a courting way. Or offending Heather. Not when he wasn’t sure where this was headed.

  They had run maybe a mile when Heather made a dash for the woods, and then she was circling back to Argent Castle. Everyone was heading in the same direction, eager to call it a night after a glorious run in the moonlight. Enrick moved in beside her and nuzzled her face in greeting. She didn’t smile at him, didn’t nuzzle him back, both of them panting with exertion. He was afraid that because he hadn’t tried harder to catch her, maybe he had annoyed her.

  Returning through the woods to the castle, they suddenly startled a group of deer, which in turn startled Enrick and Heather. They both faltered, and then the deer dashed off through the trees ahead. The deer soon veered out of the wolves’ path and disappeared. Amused at the way they had both reacted to the sudden appearance of the deer, Enrick smiled at her, but she ignored him.

  He sighed. He detested the courtship game. Even if he wasn’t courting her. With the guys, he could just be himself.

  Enrick and Heather and the rest of the wolves finally reached Argent, no troubles at all on the run, and he was glad for that, though he couldn’t help but feel the tension between him and Heather return. He had thought this would be the perfect way to end the day with her.

  They went inside, and he met her downstairs after they had both shifted and dressed. The other MacQuarrie kinsmen were serving as their bodyguards while Lachlan stayed at Argent with his “wolves” as their handler and Heather’s brothers were staying at their home until they returned to the McQuarrie castle in the morning, bright and early for more battle scenes.

  “I’ll be more careful about nipping your ear in fun,” Heather said on the way back to Enrick’s home, sounding annoyed.

  “Aw, I’m so sorry for pinning you down like I did. I promise you can nip away and I’ll try not to attack you.” Maybe that was what had bothered her.

  She sighed. “I bet that’s what you do with your brothers.”

  “Aye, you know it. But I should have been more careful with you.”

  She just shook her head, looking like he didn’t get it. “Nay. I got the biggest kick out of it, really. I’m sure everyone who saw us did too.”

  “Och, not that I want our packs to know about it.”

  She sighed again. “You just keep being you.” She sounded like that didn’t suit her at all.

  He couldn’t be who he wasn’t. Yet, hell, he wanted to see more of her. They finally reached his castle and he parked his car.

  “Did you want to have breakfast with me?” Enrick still wished he hadn’t missed out on having breakfast with her this morning, but he wondered if she needed time with her women friends instead. Or she was just saying she didn’t want to be with him. He wasn’t sure.

  “You know what they’ll be saying if we keep eating meals together.”

  “And running together, and you saving my life and Cearnach’s earlier today?”

  “Well, true,” Heather said. “I guess it’s too late to keep up appearances, but hey, if you need to sleep in a little like you did this morning, go ahead. I’ll just join the ladies again.”

  Did that mean she did or didn’t want to eat with him? There was no figuring the fairer sex. “I’ll be there.” Even though he didn’t normally set his alarm because he was naturally an early riser, he would tonight to ensure he made it down to breakfast early enough. Still, he wanted to know what had set her off about the run.

  He escorted her inside the keep.

  She sighed again. “I had a lovely evening, Enrick. Thanks for everything. I’ll see you in the morning, either at breakfast or…around.”

  He wanted to kiss her. He knew he shouldn’t, not when things were so up in the air between them. He hesitated. She hesitated. And then she gave him an annoyed little smile and turned on her heels and headed for the stairs.

  Ah hell. He hurried after her, telling himself he was not going to catch her and kiss her. That he was headed in this direction because his chamber was up the stairs too.

  When they reached the landing, he said, “Heather, wait.” He had not intended to stop her.

  She turned to look at him, her eyes a little misty with tears. Ah hell.

  “I’m sorry if…”

  She turned away, but before she could take a step away from him, he caught her arm and pulled her close. And kissed her.

  * * *

  Heather had fun on her first date with Enrick. He was a rugged wolf, and as she’d learned tonight, he had incredibly fast response times, as evidenced by him pinning her to the grass so quickly at the riverbank. She’d loved that. He was truly fun to be with. And a romantic—the dinner and sunset were stupendous. But she hated how reserved he’d been with her after he’d taken her to the ground as a wolf, as if he’d breached protocol in tackling her so completely. No matter how hard she tried to tell him, in her wolf way, that she’d gotten a kick out of it, he wouldn’t bite. He didn’t even come close to catching her in wolf play, when she knew he could have easily caught her. She loved the thrill of the chase, but he had to work for it. Instead, he’d just kept up, and she felt it was out of a sense of protectiveness and not out of a need to play with her in more of a courtship way.

  She felt she was doing it all wrong with him. She would never be able to do things the way he thought she should. And that had irritated her. Why should she try so hard to get his attention when it just would never work out between them? And then…he’d kissed her. And that had shocked her to the core.

  He’d cupped her face with his large, rough hands and looked into her tear-filled eyes, which she hadn’t wanted him to see for anything, and kissed her.

  He pulled his hands away from her face, and she could see in his expression, his darkened eyes, that he had to know if this was all right with her. Did he make a mistake in kissing her?

  She brushed away the tears spilling down her cheeks, gave him a lopsided smile, which was all she could manage with emotions enveloping her like a massive storm, and said good night. She wanted to kiss him back, to ravish him. She wanted to tackle him in his bed, make wild and passionate love to him. But she knew that would be folly. He was still way too unsure of her and she wasn’t sure of him either.

  “See you in the morning,” she said, quickly pulling away and hurrying off to the chamber she was sharing with Lana, resisting the urge to skip all the way. She swore her feet barely touched the floor as she headed down the hallway. She didn’t hear Enrick walking away to his chamber, and she turned her head to look over her shoulder to see what he was doing.

  He was watching her, and then he gave her a small, wicked smile. Her heart skipped a couple of beats, and she almost took a misstep. Oh, wouldn’t that be just perfect? Falling on her face because the wolf of her dreams had briefly, very briefly, kissed her.

  Heather cast him a whimsical smile and continued on her way. She finally heard his footfalls as he moved toward his own room.

  She told herself the kiss didn’t mean anything, though her lips still tingled with the feel of the light press of his agreeable mouth against hers, the warmth they’d shared heating her, the exquisite pressure that had made her nipples react. Her whole body had thrummed with sudden need!

  She walked into the chamber feeling practically light-headed, for heaven’s sake. And then she sobered, almost, when she saw Lana brushing out her hair, already dressed in a long T-shirt that proclaimed: GIVE A MAN A HOME, AND HE THINKS HE’S THE KING OF THE CASTLE.

&nb
sp; “I still can’t believe you gave him a thoroughly intimate massage last night,” Lana said, climbing into bed. “I’m glad you didn’t tonight.” She motioned to the lavender lotion sitting on the dresser. “You can’t move too quickly with him. You need to slowly work up to more.”

  “You chided me for it last night, and it wasn’t…intimate. Just a basic rubdown. If I’d wanted to do intimate, I would have gone to other…spots on his body that would have changed the game.”

  “Ha! Touching him in any manner ups the intimacy between the two of you. I bet he was hard with need when he turned over so you could massage the rest of him.”

  Man, was he, but Heather wasn’t going to spill all the details.

  Lana tsked. “Just the way you are blushing tells the whole story.”

  She had Heather there. She had almost said no to a wolf run, figuring he’d had three times the exercise he needed today and needed to rest, but she had wanted to run with him.

  “How was the wolf run?” Lana watched Heather as she combed out her hair.

  “It was great. It’s always good to get out and stretch my legs as a wolf.” She wasn’t about to tell Lana about him pinning her down and then being sorry for it.

  “I heard you bit at Enrick’s ear and he took you down.”

  Heather climbed into bed, blushing furiously. Again.

  Nothing was sacred in a pack.

  But she wasn’t going to tell Lana about the kiss.

  Chapter 8

  Early the next morning, Heather headed down the stairs to the great hall to eat breakfast and figured she would sit with whoever was there first, though she desperately wanted to save a seat for Enrick if he showed up late. She was falling down the same rabbit hole when it came to him. She’d always thought the world of him, and she didn’t want her feelings of infatuation to spoil things between them.

  Lana suddenly shot out of the kitchen to catch up with her. “Don’t save a seat for him if he’s late. You don’t want to look too eager to win his affection. Let him work for it.”