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

by M. Katherine Clark

  The sudden drop of temperature shocked him and he could not pull in a breath. The wind whipped around him and the snowflakes felt like small pebbles as they struck his face. Fighting his way through the weather, he came to a river, frozen solid in the snow. His chest ached and not just from struggling to get air into his lungs but from the sheer ache he felt at leaving his pack. If he could wait to return until Eithne had a chance to fall in love with Eion or whoever she chose and give up her immortality, he could then rejoin the pack. He was immortal, he had all eternity to wait. But with that knowledge came the fact that he would miss his first grandchild being born and growing up, he would not be able to be in Giorsal’s life as she grew into a woman. He was willing to give it all up to make Eithne happy and give her the mate she deserved.

  Why?

  The question struck him so hard he felt his body double over as if from a blow. He knew the answer; he loved her. Falling to his knees he listened to the howling wind, the creaking boughs of the trees overhead, and the silence of the woodland animals as they sheltered from the storm.

  He loved her. He loved Eithne. The sudden realization made him shake. She was his soul mate. And he was leaving her. Just like you left Brietta.

  “Donnae leave another, my love,” he heard Brietta’s sweet voice on the wind. “Allow yourself to care for her. Allow yourself to love.”

  Hearing her voice giving him permission made him laugh with joy. His chest grew lighter and he could breathe. He let tears of elation fall from his eyes as his chest heaved with relieved laughter. The stinging of his tears freezing to his cheeks made him stop for a moment. Touching the streams of frozen salt water on his cheeks he closed his eyes and nodded.

  “With your permission, my love,” he said into the storm. “Ken that you will always be in my heart and no one will ever replace you. But I cannae be alone anymore. I was nae strong enough to fight for you but with your strength, I can fight for her. I am in love with her.”

  “Go back, my Weylyn,” he heard. “Go back to her. She needs you. More than you ken. Go with my full heart. I am happy, my love. Look up.”

  Weylyn raised his head to see two figures before him. The snow blowing around him made it difficult to see but he made out a man and woman. They walked towards him. When he finally could see them, he smiled brightly. Brietta and a redheaded man with a large beard stood together hand in hand.

  “Brietta,” he breathed.

  “Aye, my love, ’tis solstice, and the gods allowed us to walk the earth for a moment,” she said. “This is my husband. This is Gowan.”

  Weylyn looked over at the man he had heard so much about. Gowan smiled gently at him.

  “I thank you for giving me our lad,” the man said.

  “I thank you for raising him into the man he is today,” Weylyn replied.

  “We were destined to be mates,” Brietta said. “But Gowan is who my soul cried out for. Go to the one your soul cries to be with. Ken I am happy and ken I will always be watching for you.”

  Before Weylyn could answer he was surrounded by couples, he recognized his parents and Faolán and Heledd.

  “Father? Mother?” He cried. Struggling to his feet, he felt his father reach for him and help him up. Once he was on his feet, he threw his arms around his father. “I have missed you so much.”

  “I am so proud of you, lad,” Kinnon said.

  “We both are, my darling,” he heard his mother. Looking over at her, he reached for her. She framed his face and kissed his forehead then pulled him into a tight embrace. “Oh, my love,” she breathed. “I have missed you but I am so proud of you. You have grown into a fine wolf.”

  “You both guided me in my every step,” Weylyn said. “I wanted to make you happy.”

  “We are very happy and honored to call you our son,” Kinnon replied. “We donnae have much time and there are a few others who wish to see you.” Turning he saw Faolán and Heledd. Embracing his dearest friend and cousin he almost wished this night would never end.

  “Are you well?” he asked Faolán and Heledd.

  “Aye, we are, and we are together,” Faolán answered taking Heledd’s hand.

  “And Marrock?” Weylyn asked. They turned to look behind them where an overpowering white light pierced through the snow, but then the light dimmed and two outlined figures appeared. “Marrock,” Weylyn breathed.

  Mabh, Marrock’s Queen stepped forward. “He must speak with you, Weylyn,” she said. “Will you allow him that?”

  Weylyn did not answer at first then the man stepped forward and the Alpha’s darkness abated.

  “Weylyn,” Marrock’s voice sounded hollow. “Cousin,” it had been so long since he had heard Marrock say that. “Can you ever forgive me?”

  “Forgive you?” Weylyn spat.

  “Please,” he begged.

  “Why?” he demanded.

  “I ken I donnae deserve your forgiveness but I ask it of you for your sake,” Marrock said. “I ken you have such anger in your heart toward me and I understand why. My life was not a good one. I was a cruel tyrant and I passed that down to my children. But I ask you to forgive me and I pray my children donnae have my hatred.”

  Weylyn looked at his father and then Faolán.

  “You destroyed so much,” Weylyn said. Marrock lowered his head. “I donnae think I can ever forgive you for taking away my destiny, my mate, my son.”

  “I have forgiven him, Weylyn,” Faolán’s voice startled him. “And if I can, believe me when I say all things are possible.”

  “We cannae stay long, lad,” his father said. “What is your answer?”

  It took him a moment but finally he looked back at Brietta and nodded.

  “Donnae hold hatred in your heart,” she said. “You are better than that.”

  After a moment, Weylyn spoke again. “Aye, you are forgiven Marrock. But no’ for you. For me. My life. My future. You mean nothing to me. How you treated your son, your kin, it is beyond forgiveness. But because I want a good life with my mate, my pack, and those I hold dear, I release my anger and hatred of you. I forgive you.”

  In that moment, they all disappeared and Weylyn felt a sharp knife at his back slice between his shoulder blades. Crying out, Weylyn tried to see who had stabbed him but could not turn. The knife was twisted and Weylyn was pushed down into the snow. He felt his blood soak the white snow and he could not catch his breath. The world was white. He could just make out the standing stones around him. He had made it to a druid sanctuary. He could hear the crunch of someone’s leather clad feet in the snow around him.

  Then Aedan’s voice shouting his name.

  Then all went black.

  Chapter

  Twenty-Two

  Pain radiated through every part of Weylyn’s body. He felt something hot at the base of his neck but he could not pull away. Dear gods, he thought. Are the heathens burning me alive?

  “Da’,” he heard Aedan’s voice whisper by his ear. His voice trembled. “Da’ can ye hear me?”

  Weylyn tried to answer but it only came out as a grunt.

  “Weylyn,” Alexina’s voice was next. “Come back to us.”

  A cry was heard then muffled. Immediately, he knew it was Eithne. But who muffled her cries? That alone caused him to force his body to obey him. Slowly his eyes opened. He was back in the cave surrounded by his pack. His body ached, his back burned and he felt tingling all the way down to his legs.

  “Aedan,” Weylyn breathed.

  “Aye, da’ can ye hear me?” he said again.

  “Weylyn,” Eithne wailed and then was hushed by another. Weylyn’s eyes shot open and he quickly looked around the cave.

  “Eithne,” he cried. She broke away from Eion who held her and raced to him. Throwing herself over him she cried into his chest. “Shh,” he caressed her hair and rubbed his hand down her back. “I am all right.”

  “I am sorry, so sorry,” she sobbed.

  The burning at his back and the pain in his body ended. Isl
a came around into his line of sight and smiled.

  “You are healed, Weylyn,” she said.

  “I thank you,” he replied. “But you?”

  “I am fine,” she answered. “The child is growing and using strength but I am becoming accustomed to it and my strength has returned.”

  “’Tis glad I am,” Weylyn replied. Tristan covered Weylyn’s arm with his hand.

  “We are glad you are awake,” Tristan said. “Thanks be to the gods that Aedan followed you out there. Did you see who stabbed you?”

  “Nay,” Weylyn answered. “It came from behind and I could hear nothing.”

  “You donnae ken who stabbed you, Uncle? How is that possible?” Eion asked.

  Weylyn rolled up from the slab bringing Eithne with him. Without answering his nephew’s question, Weylyn looked over at his son.

  “Where was I?”

  “Within a stone circle,” Aedan answered. “In the middle of a snow storm. What in the name of the gods were you doing?”

  “I…” Weylyn looked down at Eithne who had pulled herself up to gaze into his eyes. “I needed some air.”

  “In a blizzard?” Aedan demanded. Now that he was safe and awake, Aedan’s anger surfaced. Isla went to her husband and placed a gentle hand on his arm.

  “He is well now, we should let him rest,” she said. Turning back to Weylyn, she smiled. “’Tis glad we are you are well. But now you must rest. Night is falling fast.”

  Alexina went to him and hugged him tightly. Kissing his cheek, she whispered in his ear.

  “Happy Birthday,” she said.

  Weylyn smiled at her and kissed her forehead.

  “Thank you, me wee lass,” he replied. “But keep it our secret, aye?” She nodded slightly and pulled away going to her husband. Weylyn turned to Eithne who had not released him yet. “I must speak with you, lass; in private.”

  Eithne nodded and looked toward the far back of the cave. Weylyn groaned when he stood, Eithne steadied him and together they walked into the darkness.

  ***

  “I owe you the greatest of apologies, lass,” Weylyn said softly. “I have been a fool. Too blinded by my own grief and self-loathing to see what was before me. Can you forgive me for pushing you away and for attempting to remove myself from your life?”

  “Is that what you were doing?” Eithne demanded.

  “Aye,” Weylyn looked down. “I thought that if I left, you would see what was in front of you. If you could make a life with Eion then I did nae wish to stand in your way. I kenned that if you would nae see me you could perhaps fall in love with the right one.”

  “Eion?” she looked at him incredulously. “You thought my mate was Eion?”

  “He certainly cares for you, lass,” he said. “I thought you might be able to care for him just as much. But so long as I was in the way you could nae see it. So I left. But I did nae get far when I realized that I was the one blinded no’ you. Tell me one thing about your kind, lass, during the solstices, is the veil between this world and the next, thin? Allowing communication across the realms?”

  “Aye,” she answered. “But never more so than Samhain. During the winter solstice when the light is short and the nights are long the dead can communicate with the living if the gods allow it. Why?”

  “When I was in the stone circle, before I was stabbed,” Weylyn began. “I saw Brietta, my parents and even Marrock. Brietta told me what a fool I was pushing you away. Forgive me Eithne. Can you? I love you. I feared losing you. You see… I lost Brietta the morning after I claimed her as mate,” he paused. “The morning after we created Aedan. And then when we fell into each other’s arms again forty years later, I lost her again. I am scared that I would lose you after I make you mine and I cannae go through that. No’ with my soul mate.”

  “Oh Weylyn,” she sobbed and framed his face. “I am here. I will always be here. Aye it is scary, but we are meant to be together. Does that mean that we will never have a scary situation? Nay. When I carry our child perhaps it may be worrisome but I am immortal, my love. I love you. And aye, I forgive you.”

  Weylyn crushed her to him and held on tightly. “I cannae promise to mate with you,” he said after a while. She groaned and smacked his arm. He chuckled. “Truly, lass trust me, you donnae want to do that in front of anyone. Do you wish me to make you mine with an audience?”

  She pulled away, her cheeks flushing as she averted her eyes. Weylyn laughed and pulled her back into his arms.

  “I thought no’,” he replied. “As soon as the storm breaks, I will make you mine. I swear to you, here before the gods on this holy of nights. You will be mine.”

  “And you will be mine,” she answered. “Husband.”

  End of Part One

  Part Two

  Chapter

  One

  “Good Giorsal,” Weylyn grinned as he watched his Alpha’s daughter pin her uncle down. Eion smiled up at her.

  “Impressive, Gio,” Eion said. “Help your old uncle up.”

  Giorsal eyed him and shook her head.

  “You are learning,” Weylyn laughed from the sidelines.

  “I have fallen for his trickery before,” Giorsal grinned. Eion chuckled and stood on his own.

  Thirty years had passed since they left Loeiza with Gregor and had received word just a few mornings ago of Loeiza having reached the age of consent and their intention to finally marry. Having found a location at the base of River Beauly only a day’s run at wolf speed to the port of Loch Alsh and then to the Isle of Skye, the pack was well situated and comfortable. Over the years as rumors spread of Marrock’s death, nomadic packs found their way to Tristan’s door pledging their support and loyalty to him as their Alpha. The pack of thirteen had grown into a thriving pack of nearly two hundred. Human villagers came to them for goods and trade knowing who and what they were and peace treaties were negotiated.

  “Go and clean up, Giorsal, we will leave for Loeiza’s wedding in the morning,” Weylyn said.

  “Aye, Uncle Weylyn,” she grinned. “Da!” she cried and raced to Tristan as he walked up. Tristan hugged her tightly. “I am just finished with my training and then I go to pack for the journey.”

  “Aye, love,” Tristan pushed her hair back. “Your first journey away from home farther than Skye. Are you excited?”

  “Och aye,” she answered. “Very, I cannae wait. But I must go to the loch and then I will return.”

  “The loch?” Tristan asked. “Surely you should go upstairs to your room.”

  “Da’ I always go to the loch after sparring. I find the cool water eases my aches.”

  “Be careful, Giorsal,” Tristan said.

  “I will,” she promised, kissed his cheek and raced to the woods.

  “How is my daughter this day?” Tristan asked Weylyn.

  “Highly impressive,” Weylyn answered. “She has bested Eion and Blane.”

  “Indeed?” Tristan looked impressed. “Well… she is my daughter.”

  Weylyn’s grin mirrored his until movement caught his eye and he turned to see his grandson, Caylean walking out of the keep and towards the loch.

  “Caylean!” Weylyn called. The boy, no older looking than a human age of twenty-one, looked over.

  “Aye, seanair?” he said using their language to call him grandfather.

  “Should we try again today?” He asked.

  “Nay,” Caylean answered. “Please, no’ again. No’ for a while. I will be near the loch should anyone need me.”

  Before Weylyn could answer, the boy was gone.

  “What is it?” Tristan asked.

  “He has nae had his first phase,” Weylyn explained. “He is becoming frustrated.”

  Tristan’s brows furrowed. “When I was his age I had phased many times,” he said.

  “Aye,” Weylyn agreed. “I was there. But he has nae found the right stimulus. At first I thought he did nae have enough wolf blood in him, but now after his sister has had her first phase at fiftee
n and the other two even younger, he is becoming concerned that there is something wrong with him.”

  “Nay, he is a wolf,” Tristan answered. “And I accept him into the pack.”

  “I thank you for that,” Aedan’s voice came from behind them. Weylyn’s son walked up beside them. “Caylean has had a rather… emotional few moments.”

  “Is everything all right?” Weylyn asked.

  “He is angry and worried, ’tis all,” Aedan answered. “He believes he will never phase. And thinks that he is a lesser wolf because of it.”

  “He needs time,” Weylyn said. “You did nae phase until you were forty.”

  “Aye, I ken and I have told him that. But I am half wolf, he is half of me,” Aedan explained. “He is concerned that there is nae enough. Since my other children phased, he has decided to hold fast to his druid heritage and no’ the wolf believing he is much more capable of casting spells than phasing into a wolf.”

  “I hope you ken, Aedan that I accept him nae matter if he can or cannae phase,” Tristan said. “He is your son. He is wolf-kind.”

  “I thank you for that,” Aedan replied. “Isla is teaching him Druidry. Perhaps he will enjoy that side of his heritage. Me, I will be happy when he is happy.”

  “Since that may no’ happen until we have answers,” Tristan started. “How about a little sparing?”

  “With pleasure,” Aedan grinned. They both stripped out of their tunics and tied their hair back. Stepping into the ring, they circled each other. Eion walked to the side and stood beside Weylyn.

  “This will be interesting,” Eion said crossing his arms over his chest.