Warrior's Moon

Chapter 17

“You would deny me?” Caelis asked, his dizziness after shifting nothing compared to the swirling in his head now.

Was she intent on denying his claim on her and their children? “Is it because you have seen my conriocht and now find marriage to me too frightening a prospect?”

“It is not your conriocht I find objectionable.”

Meaning what? It was his wolf she found unpleasing? No. She’d claimed to trust him in animal form and had behaved near entranced by his beast when Caelis had shared the wolf with her.

His man, then?

He had never heard of such a thing. How could she find the form most like her humanity unacceptable?

“Because it was the man who betrayed me and who seeks to run roughshod over my feelings and rights as an independent widow now.”

What rights as a widow?

“Those recognized by the law; while not near the freedoms granted a man, they are far superior to those of a never-married woman.”

She was right. Having questions he had not uttered aloud answered would take some getting used to. He had thought the question, though. Mindspeak seemed limited to directed thoughts and he would have to guard his own if he did not want to share them with his mate.

Chrechte were taught that though mindspeak was a benefit of a true bond, it did not always happen immediately upon bonding with one’s sacred mate. It was like other gifts of the Chrechte, bestowed in its own time and growing stronger with use. Just as his ability to shift had been.

“What have these legal boons granted to your status to do with my claims to our children, or you, my mate?” he demanded, more confused than he’d ever been.

Talorc had once given the opinion that women were more different from men than the Chrechte from their human brethren. The man obviously knew what he was talking about.

“Everything!”

“Mama?” Marjory asked around a mouthful of berries. “You mad at our new daddy?”

Expecting Shona to deny it to protect her daughter from upset, he was shocked when she nodded her head without hesitation.

“I am, sweeting. Very angry.”

“Oh.” Marjory went back to eating, taking a bite of her bread and cheese, apparently unworried.

Why this was different than her mother’s upset before, he did not know.

Shona turned her glacial green gaze back on Caelis. “Well?”

He had no idea what it was she was expecting. “You can invite anyone you like to our wedding,” he promised, hoping she didn’t have anyone in England she’d want brought north to witness their vows.

They needed to marry quickly, as he had to return to the MacLeod lands and wrest the pack and clan from Uven’s control.

“There. Isn’t. Going. To. Be. Any. Wedding.” Each word came out with precise enunciation, her voice as cold as the look in her eyes.

Unexpected pain lanced through Caelis. “You are denying me my mate and my children?”

There was no softening in her expression, but she shook her head with firm decision. “No.”

“You said—”

“There will be no wedding or mating ritual, or any permanent bonds acknowledged between us until you have done what needs doing.”

“What needs doing?” he asked with genuine confusion.

The way she reacted, it was clear she believed he was being sarcastic. Shona’s eyes narrowed, her body going rigid as a distinct string of words came across the mating bond.

She’d called him a half-witted son of a mange-ridden dog inside his head.

The expression on her face said she was proud of herself, too.

Unamused, he opened his mouth to let her know just how little he liked being called names by his mate when he spied the way Eadan watched them with wide-eyed interest. Caelis snapped his mouth shut.

“I will have a proper proposal, Caelis, as I should have six years ago after you convinced me to give you what only my husband had a right to.”

He had no answer to that. He should have married her six years ago and the young man he’d been had had every intention of dropping to one knee and asking her properly. Of course, he’d also been sure of her positive response.

He’d no desire to drop to one knee before her now. She was as likely to kick him in the teeth as she was to agree to marry him.

“If you believe that, there is a great deal to be learned between us before you ask such an important question.”

“Stop reading my thoughts,” he ordered.

And then felt the futility of the demand. Their mate bond only strengthened each moment they were together.

“Furthermore, you will go to my relatives and state your intentions before asking for anything further from me.” She got up from the table, her movements precise and deliberate, her expression and thoughts closed to him. “Make sure the children both take a nap. They have been through an ordeal.”

And with a whirl of velvet skirts and flying auburn braid, Shona flounced out of the great hall.

“Uh-oh…” Eadan looked worried.

“Aye?” Caelis asked his son, hoping the five-year-old understood what had just happened.

Because Caelis did not.

“You’ve gone and made her cross now.”

That Caelis knew. “She becomes irate easily these days, I think.”

Eadan shook his head and Marjory stared at Caelis mournfully. “You’s in trouble. No pudding for you after supper tonight.”

Caelis would have laughed, but he was beginning to suspect his situation was far from amusing.

“Mum only gets scrunchy-faced angry and all quiet when you do something very bad. What did you do, Da?” Eadan asked.

“I wish I knew.”

“Men!” Abigail exclaimed, reminding Caelis she was still there.

“You know why my mate has just abandoned me with our children?”

“Of course I do. The wonder is that you do not,” Abigail retorted, frustration with him turned to pity in the blink of an eye. “As to leaving the children, it’s the one aspect to this situation that can give you hope.”

“Aye?”

“Oh, yes. A woman of Shona’s caliber does not leave her children with someone she does not trust.”

Put that way, but no. ’Twas small compensation in the face of her clear refusal to marry him. “She’s furious I want to wed.”

“No, you idiot, Shona is angry you didn’t ask her properly. She said so. She’s also terribly disappointed she wasn’t here to witness the vows between Vegar and Audrey. Your mate is upset and overwhelmed by all that has happened. It is your privilege and duty to make that better.”

That was a simple pronouncement for the Sinclair to make. She obviously did not understand how impractical Shona’s demands were. “She wants me to travel to Balmoral Island and approach relatives she has never even met to state my intentions toward her.”

“That is not an unreasonable request.”

“Mayhap not on the face of it, but every day I put off returning to my clan, Uven does more to destroy it from within.”

Abigail’s brows rose and then her eyes narrowed. “You have spent the last year training and did not resent the time taken to do so.”

“That is different.” She was a laird and pack alpha’s mate; she should understand that without Caelis having to point it out.

“How?”

“It was necessary.”

“Oh!” Abigail’s expression turned every bit as outraged as Shona’s had been. “You truly are an imbecile. Good fortune on winning your mate with that attitude. You will need it. Desperately.”

And then the laird’s wife was gone, leaving Caelis in a rarely empty great hall.

“Did you make the lady angry, too, Da?” Eadan asked with something like awe.

Caelis rubbed his hand over his face. “Aye, son, I believe I did.”

“I think Margie is right. You aren’t getting any pudding tonight.”

“We don’t serve pudding with supper every evening,” Caelis pointed out reasonably.

Only this apparently was not something small Marjory wanted to hear, because she immediately started crying. “I wants pudding.”

Caelis had no idea what to do.

“You’d better pick her up,” Eadan pointed out as if speaking to a simpleton.

Mayhap that was exactly what Caelis was because he had no idea how he’d managed to upset three females in as many minutes.

Calming Marjory only required a trip to the kitchen for a honey stick, but he worried it would not be so easy to appease Shona’s upset.

Dressed in clothes dusty and stained with blood from the battle in the forest, Audrey crept on silent feet toward the door of Vegar’s room.

Shona had not come to see her all afternoon and Audrey needed to know how her friend fared. Was she angry about Audrey’s wedding, such as it was?

Had she been too traumatized by the sight of Caelis in his conriocht form? Was she still angry at Audrey for hiding her own Faol nature for the years of their acquaintance? Had Audrey revealing her own wolf given Shona a disgust of her?

The door swung inward just as Audrey reached it, Vegar carrying a tray of food on the other side.

She jumped back, blushing at being caught even though she should be allowed to leave the room if she wanted to. “Vegar.”

“Mate.” He frowned. “You are dressed.”

“I could hardly wander about the keep in my altogether.”

“You are not supposed to be wandering anywhere. You are to be resting.”

“I was resting.” She bit her lip and tugged at her sleeves, noting a tear she had not noticed when donning her dress. “Now, I am going to my bedchamber.”

“This is my room, therefore it is your room.”

“That is hardly an acceptable living arrangement. I could not help noticing that this bedchamber is prepared for multiple soldiers to live in it. I cannot make my home with a gaggle of strange men.”

“You are not making your home with anyone but me.”

She looked significantly at the neatly stored belongings on the other side of the room. The yellow-and-black plaid with narrow red stripes in the pile was the same color as the one Caelis wore. She thought Vegar must share the room with Shona’s mate, but it was quite apparent the small room was meant to house a group of soldiers. Each of the four walls had a small chest against it, which a single soldier might use or share with another. There was room for multiple bedrolls on the floor, though the soldiers would be crowded.

Vegar set the tray down beside his sleeping furs. “Caelis will be staying with Shona.”

“They are not wed.”

“They were not wed last night, but he still marked her with his scent.”

Audrey huffed in consternation. “I thought we had washed away his marking scent.”

“A human would not know.”

“But you are not human.”

“Nor are a good number of the Sinclair’s soldiers.”

“The Chrechte are more plentiful than my mother led me to believe.”

Vegar shrugged. “I dinna know about that, but our numbers are not near what the stories claim they once were.”

“I have never heard the stories.”

“I will tell them to you.”

“Thank you.”

He shook his head. “Do not thank your mate for doing so little.”

“It is not little to me.”

“Our children will be able to take such a small thing for granted,” he promised.

Their mother never would.

“Get back in bed, Audrey.”

“I…” Thinking better of telling him she wanted to see Shona, Audrey said instead, “I thought you were attending to important matters.”

“I was: getting you your even meal.”

“You are not at all as I first thought.”

He frowned. “You think there is aught odd about me seeing to the needs of my mate?”

“No, of course not. Well, maybe a little. My father never cared for my mother’s needs and honestly, I do not recall her watching out for his comfort, either.”

“That is not the type of mating I hope to have.”

“It is the only one I have ever seen.”

“Then you must take my word that even where tender feeling does not exist, a mating can be a great blessing for those connected by the bond.”

And for a mating where tender feeling did exist? Because Audrey grew more certain by the minute in her barbaric mate’s company that love would grow on her side very quickly.

His rough manners aside, Vegar was all that Audrey could have dreamed of in a mate…had she allowed herself to dream.

“Not all matings enjoy the sacred bond.” That much she knew.

“Nay, but ours will.”

She agreed with him, but did not understand how either of them could be so certain. Nodding her agreement, she looked toward the door, wondering if she just walked out if he would follow.

And what he might do about it.

“I will pick you up and carry you back in here, where I will undress you before tossing your clothing out that window there.” He pointed to the small opening high in the wall through which the waning sun cast its dim light.

“You cannot throw away my clothes.”

A single light brown brow rose, but he did not bother with a verbal reply.

“I need to see Shona.”

“Why?”

“I am worried about her.”

“What has you concerned?”

“She has just discovered the true nature of the Chrechte, then she and her children’s lives are threatened, and she has not come to check on me.”

The last was the thing that worried Audrey the most.

“Do you think the baroness will convince the Sinclair to nullify our marriage?”

“What?” She stared at him, unable to comprehend where the question had come from. “No! I told you, I accepted our mating.”

“But you do not wish to consummate it.”

“You said you would not do so regardless because I need to heal.”

“It is not my motives that are under question.”

“Mine are?”

“I did not say that.”

“I think you did.”

He moved the things on the food tray around, but to little effect in her eyes. “I offended you upon meeting.”

“I thought it was I who offended you by being English.”

He turned back to her, his rugged features creased in a familiar frown. “I told you that I regretted that.”

She nodded.

“You are beautiful.”

She started, not having expected those words at all. “I am still English.”

He shook his head. “You will not throw that up between us for the rest of our lives.”

“I might, actually.” She smiled at him, letting him know it would not be in anger.

“You have a teasing nature.” He did not appear upset by that realization.

“My brother has accused me of that, yes.”

He tugged her toward the furs on the floor. “You need more rest.”

“It will not tax me too greatly to see Shona.”

“You will see her tomorrow night at our mating.”

“I wish to see her now.”

Vegar paused, looking down at her. “This is important to you.”

“Yes.”

“And you will not implore her to have our marriage annulled before we consummate?”

“No.” She let him see he was not the only one who could frown. “But if I did have that intention, what would you do? Attempt to lock me in this room until we had consummated the mating?”

She could not believe she was speaking so freely, but he was her mate. She found that gave her a freedom in her speech she had never before experienced. She felt no hesitation to share her thoughts, regardless of what they might be.

“There is no benefit to speculation on that which is not a reality.”

“You would,” she breathed, shocked.

Hazel eyes met hers, no apology in them. “You are my mate. You spoke your vows without duress.”

Vegar’s definition of “without duress” might not match hers exactly, but for the most part, she agreed with his assessment. “And I do not go back on my word.”

“’Tis good to know.”

“You are ruthless.”

“Aye.”

“I am not certain that is good to know.”

“I will be as ruthless protecting you and our family when it comes in time as I am in protecting our mating.”

“That is something to be grateful for at least, I suppose.”

“I will accompany you to Shona’s chamber after you eat your latemeal.”

“Why is she in her room?” Audrey would have thought Shona was eating in the great hall.

Unless the world of the Chrechte had become too much for her. Audrey’s anxiety on behalf of her dear friend increased.

Vegar shrugged, clearly not worried about why his friend’s mate was not sharing latemeal with the clan. “You can ask her. After you have eaten.”

“You are very focused on me eating my dinner.”

“You have injuries. A Chrechte needs rest and food to aid in quick recovery.”

“Humans do as well.”

“Aye, but I am mated to a Faol.”

“You are very singleminded.”

“You will grow accustomed to my ways.”

“Will I?”

“Aye, ’tis the way of mates.”

“Will you also learn my ways and to accept them?”

“Aye.” The furrow between his brows showed confusion at her question.

A unique man indeed.

Vegar proved his intent focus when he actually helped her eat the mutton stew on the tray, then feeding her bits of the dark bread he’d brought with it. He cajoled and encouraged until she’d finished all the food.

And only then did he accompany her to Shona’s room.

Stubborn, unique man.

Audrey knocked on the guest bedchamber’s door, listening for sounds from within. She couldn’t hear any voices, only muted movement as someone approached the door. Part of her was glad that Shona was obviously alone, but another part of Audrey worried at that fact.

“Where are the children?”

“With your brother and Caelis.”

“Oh.”

Again Audrey could not decide if that was something to be grateful for, or should add to her worries about the baroness.

The door opened, the handle clutched in Shona’s hand.

Her amazingly clear green eyes widened in surprised recognition. “Audrey! Are you well? Look at you, your dress is ripped. Is that blood? Oh, my dear Audrey, I can hardly believe today was more than a dream.”

“It was real enough,” Vegar said prosaically from behind Audrey.

Shona glared at him. “I am not speaking to you.”

Audrey gasped with shock at her dear friend’s rudeness. It was so unlike the woman she’d come to know over the past five years.

Shona blushed and looked beseechingly at Audrey. “He spirited you away and…and…I am very angry with him right now.”

“Be as angry as you need to be, my lady, but what’s done is done and there will be no undoing it.” Warning chilled Vegar’s tone, his frown very much in evidence.

Audrey rolled her eyes before giving Vegar her own glare. “We have had this discussion. I have given my word.”

“You’re doubting her integrity?” Shona asked, annoyance sparking in her gaze.

“Nay.” Vegar laid his hand on Audrey’s shoulder. “You are in good hands. I will be back to collect you in an hour.”

“You are timing our visits?” Shona demanded in outrage.

“Audrey is still healing. She needs her rest.”

Audrey rolled her eyes again, but both of them ignored her.

Shona was too busy nodding a grudging agreement and Vegar was simply walking away.

Audrey sighed. She supposed she should expect nothing more, not after such a short time and the inauspicious beginning to their mating.

Besides, she had refused intimacy with the man. Whatever his own plans, he’d taken that personally and so she’d finally realized.

She made to step inside Shona’s bedchamber, but a strong hand on her shoulder stayed her. She looked up and briefly caught an intent expression on Vegar’s face before his head lowered.

His mouth covered hers briefly. “Dinna tire yourself.”

She shook her head and then nodded, her lips tingling from the kiss.

His dour face creased in a barely-there-and-gone-again smile. “You are a sweet one, my mate.”

“Thank you,” she whispered.

He turned and walked away again, this time disappearing around the corner that led to the stairs.