by Victoria Zak
“Nay!” Adaira screamed.
The fire popped. In a flash of light, the blue flame disappeared.
“Nay.” Adaira frantically grabbed the wood, desperate to see more. She hissed in pain, the wood was blistering hot. She dropped it and cradled her injured hand.
Rafe kneeled next to her and took her wounded hand in his. “Adaira, are ye daft?” He pulled her shaking body against his.
“This is far more troubling than I thought,” Adaira said into his chest.
“What did ye see?”
Adaira shook her head.
“Talk to me, lass.” Rafe brushed her hair back from her face. “Please.”
Adaira sucked in a long breath. “Leana didnae kill those lads.” She picked up the ash from around the fire and smelled it. The foul stench made her stomach turn. She threw it on the ground. “The Unseelie.”
“Shite,” Rafe exclaimed.
“I didnae need to see his face to know who killed those men.” Adaira stood, regaining her strength. “It was Alder.”
Rafe’s brows creased. “Alder?”
“Aye. He’s one of the queen’s princes. The most cunning of the three and verra powerful.”
“Why didn’t Leana tell ye?”
“I believe he erased the memory from her mind. When Masie found Leana, she was unconscious. Once she woke, she could no’ remember anything.”
“Why would he want to kill those men?”
Adaira looked up at Rafe. “Because Alder is infatuated with Leana. He has been since she was a young lass. This was retaliation for her leaving him.”
“God’s bones.”
“What?” Adaira questioned.
“I didn’t want to believe it.”
“Believe what? Tell me, Wolf.”
“When Teg was out tracking Leana, he was attacked and left for dead.
When he came to, he woke up in a cottage in the woods and couldn’t remember how he had gotten there. All he could remember was something evil had chased him. My gut tells me the fae was involved.”
“The dark prince,” Adaira whispered as she looked at Rafe. “Maiden, Mother, Crone,” Adaira gasped. “Teg must have been close to finding
Leana.”
“Who’s this dark prince?”
“Alder. He’s one of the queen’s sons. He has always been infatuated with Leana. He’s the one I saw in the spell. Rafe, he killed Cormag’s son, not Leana. We need to tell the laird.” Adaira began to walk to the door when Rafe stopped her.
“Hold on. Listen to yerself. A fae killed his son. He won’t stand for such nonsense. No matter what the truth is, Cormag wants ye dead.”
Adaira slowly turned around. “Then what are we going to do?”
“We fight and take back what is rightfully yers.”
Adaira shook her head. “Cormag has nothing I want. I have made it perfectly clear. I dinnae want me father’s seat as chieftain. He knows that.”
“Aye, however, ye are the rightful heir. These are yer people whether ye like it or not. Cormag is power hungry, consumed by greed. He’s not fit to lead. Take back what is yers.”
“How? I dinnae have an army.”
Rafe cupped her face and gazed into her eyes. “Ye have my pack. Heed my words, ye’ll need an army to fight the fae. Win back Clan Keith and join forces with Clan Gunn. Fight the queen and win yer freedom back.”
Adaira considered his words for moment. It was true, she would never be free from the laird or the queen if she did nothing. However, declaring war upon Cormag was one thing. Declaring war on the immortal Queen Snowdrop was an ambitious move. Regardless of her father’s ruthless behavior, as the clan chieftain, he had been well respected. Cormag had done nothing to help the clan prosper. In ten years, her father’s hard work had been destroyed, and her clan had declined into what they were now.
But would the clan fight for her?
Aye, when she’d first returned home, everyone was happy. But the rumors had spread like wildfire about how different she’d become. Could she trust her clan to fight with her?
She looked at Rafe. With him by her side, she could conquer anything.
“Wolf.”
“Aye, my heart’s queen.”
“Do ye have the stones to fight a bastard and an evil fae queen?”
“Ye know I do.” Rafe smiled and claimed her lips.
The door to the smithy shop crashed open. “Adaira Keith,” a loud voice thundered. “Ye’re back from the grave, lass?”
Rafe stepped in front of Adaira and unsheathed his sword, ready to gut the intruder.
Adaira peered over his shoulder. Her worst nightmare had come true. The very man who had stolen her innocence stood in the doorway, swaying back and forth. Time hadn’t been kind to him. Deep, hardened lines creased his face. Gray streaked his hair.
The blacksmith staggered inside, shaking his finger at her. “Have ye come back to warm me bed?”
Rafe growled and stepped toward him.
“Nay.” Adaira grabbed his arm.
“Yer father promised me land if I married ye. I did what he asked, and look where it got me.” He kicked at the floor. “If it’s money ye seek, I have none. The day ye left, yer father took back yer dowry and left me with nothing.”
Rafe turned to Adaira. “Is this the man?”
“Aye, he’s the man me father watched rape me.”
“Och.” The man sat down at a table. “Ye’re a ghost. Ye’ve been dead for ten years.” He hiccupped. “Wretched whore.”
“I’ll gut the bastard.” Rafe made another move but Adaira stopped him.
She walked over to the blacksmith. He was drunk and stricken with madness.
In a way, she felt sorry for him, he was another one of Doughall’s victims.
The smithy gazed up at her. “Be gone ghost and let me die in peace.”
There was so much she wanted to say to the bastard, but didn’t know where to start. “Ye will never hurt me again.” Her voice wavered, but she swallowed back the tears, hating herself for allowing him to make her weak.
Her fangs lengthened. The urge to strike was at the surface waiting for her to unleash it. She wanted to kill this man, but couldn’t. He couldn’t hurt her ever again.
Adaira walked back to Rafe. “He’s drunk and apparently has gone mad.
We have what we came for. Let’s leave.”
Rafe grabbed her arm as she walked by. “Let me slay the devil.”
“Nay. Let the bastard rot in his own hell.”
Rafe growled in frustration as he approached the blacksmith.
“Rafe,” Adaira called out. “Dinnae kill him.”
Rafe slammed the hilt of his sword against the side of the smithy’s face, knocking him out of his chair. He kicked him in the ribs, then stood over him.
“Today’s yer lucky day.” He nudged the man’s unmoving body with the toe
of his boot, then spat on his face.
“Rafe!”
Rafe glared at her but didn’t say a word as he followed her out of the shop. She had no words; no one had ever defended her honor like that before.
As she studied her wolf’s rage-filled face, Adaira knew no one would ever hurt her again, not as long as Rafe was by her side.
14
RAFE AND ADAIRA rode together on horseback through the glen. The night air helped calm his wolf, but he still wanted to go back to the smithy and kill the man who had shattered Adaira’s heart when she was young.
“I don’t understand why ye stopped me from gutting that bastard.” Rafe finally broke the silence.
“He’s gone mad. Isn’t that punishment enough? Killing him would only end his suffering. Let the bastard rot.”
Rafe knew she was right. Adaira was safe. He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer. He nuzzled her ear. “I won’t apologize for hitting him with my sword.”
Adaira leaned back into his embrace. “I would no’ ask ye to. Thank ye for defending me honor. No one has ever done that before.
”
“I’ll spend the rest of my life protecting ye.”
“But ye have risked so much for me. I could never repay the debt.”
“I could think of a way ye can start.” Rafe nipped at her collarbone.
Adaira tilted her head to the side, giving him full access to her neck. She sighed. “How could ye be thinking of such a thing at a time like this? By morn, Cormag will have his men out in full force looking for us. Ye should have taken me back to the tower.”
“Let him come. There’s no way I’m returning ye.”
“But it would have given us more time to plan an attack.”
Rafe dropped the reins and his horse continued walking down the trail.
He gripped her hips. “The only thing I want to plan is me being inside ye.”
He kissed her neck all the way up to her earlobe. “I have everything under
control. I had Teg and William set up camp deep in the woods. My pack is waiting for our arrival. It will take some time for Cormag to find. Knowing my brother, he already has a plan.”
“Aye. Teg is quite resourceful.”
“We have the advantage. The glen is our home, we know every trail, every stream, and every tree. We’re wiser and stronger. The gods favor us.
This is one battle ye don’t have to fight. Trust me.” He caressed her face.
Something more than love and admiration shined through her gaze…trust.
He’d broken through her protective barrier and left his mark on her heart.
“I love ye, Wolf,” she whispered.
Gently, he rubbed his thumb across her bottom lip. She opened her mouth and sucked it in. Her tongue swirled over the tip. It took all his resolve not to take her right there. “My queen,” he whispered.
He replaced his thumb with his tongue. She tasted sweeter than honey, felt softer than the finest silks, and she was his, body and soul. Mine.
Adaira pressed her arse against his cock. He growled. Aye, he was right where he wanted to be…under the stars with his woman. “Keep rubbing my cock with that arse and you’ll pay a hefty price.”
Adaira giggled. “Och, I hadn’t noticed.” She wiggled against him again.
Rafe nipped her shoulder as he lifted the hem of her dress up her thigh.
“Ye haven’t noticed?”
“Well, mayhap a wee bit.”
He slid his hands along her inner thighs up betwixt her legs. “I think ye’re very aware of the effect ye have on me, lass.”
Adaira snaked her arm behind his neck and grabbed a handful of his hair.
She pressed her body against his. “And I’m verra aware that wolves like to tease.”
“Tease?” He slid his finger down her wet, hot heat as a growl of satisfaction escaped his lips. By the saints, she felt too good to be true.
“Wolf,” Adaira moaned. “If this is yer way of claiming me. Then I’m yers.”
Rafe paused as her words tightened in his chest. Years he’d waited for her to accept his claim, and now it was happening. He’d finally broke through her wall. “Adaira Keith,” he whispered against her ear. “Ye’ve made me a happy man. All I have ever wanted was ye—all of ye.” He
claimed her mouth with a soul shaking hunger.
“Rafe,” she sighed against his lips. “I have always been yers. I was too
stubborn to admit it.”
“Aye, stubborn as a mule.”
“Och,” Adaira exclaimed and elbowed him in the ribs. “I’m no’ that stubborn.”
“Damn, woman,” he gasped from the blow. “Ye know I wouldn’t have ye any other way.” He brushed her hair away from her neck. “I love yer rough edges.” He trailed soft kisses from the nape of her neck, right below her ear, down to her shoulder.
She shivered, causing him to grin like the devil. “Shall I continue, my queen?” He ran his finger down her womanhood, touching her deep inside.
“Aye,” she moaned. “Dinnae ever stop touching me.”
God’s bones, this woman drove him daft with passion. He was hers to command. Masterfully, he stroked her faster until her legs began to quiver.
She threw her head back. “By the saints, Rafe,” she moaned. He kissed her neck as she rested her head against his chest.
His name coming from her lips drove his inner beast wild. Rafe reached around Adaira and untied the top of her dress. He cupped her breasts, wishing they could stop so he could claim her properly. He wanted her nipples in his mouth. He wanted to hear her moan his name again and again. Shite, he had to find a place to stop.
Horses thundered through the glen. Rafe paused. Someone was coming their way. He pulled the top of Adaira’s dress up, then reached for his claymore. He sniffed the air. “Shite.”
“What’s wrong,” she asked.
“Teg and William. They are riding toward us.”
Adaira studied the path ahead of them. “I dinnae see them.”
“Keep looking. They’ll be here.” Rafe grabbed the reins.
“Yer senses are incredible, Wolf,” Adaira said.
“I’m in my element out here.” He kissed the back of her head. “Don’t think for one minute that I’m done with ye, my queen. When we get to camp, ye’re mine.”
“Dinnae make promises ye can no’ keep,” Adaira teased.
Rafe growled as his brother approached.
“Brother,” Teg greeted too eagerly. “It took ye long enough.”
“We had an unexpected visitor,” Adaira said.
“An unexpected visitor?” Teg questioned.
“Nothing to fret over,” Rafe said. “Has camp been set up?”
“Aye.” Teg answered. “The pack is ready for yer command.”
Rafe nodded as he followed Teg back to camp.
The garrison was spread out and hidden within the glen. The soldiers were preparing their weapons for battle. He observed a group of young men sitting around a fire, grimly staring into the flames. Battle was on their minds.
Rafe dismounted, then helped Adaira down from the horse. “Teg, take Adaira to my tent and make sure she’s cared for, then meet William and I back here to go over our strategy.”
Teg nodded.
Before Adaira was escorted away, Rafe kissed the top of her head. “I’ll join ye shortly, my queen.”
Adaira cupped his face. “Be brave and bold, Wolf.”
“’Tis all I know how to be.” He dipped his head down and claimed her lips.
Adaira broke the kiss. “Dinnae make me wait long.” She winked, then followed Teg to the tent.
Rafe couldn’t shake the grim faces of those young men he’d seen as he approached camp from his mind. He remembered his first battle and knew what was running through these lad’s minds. Will I live to see another day?
Will I see my pack again?
Rafe began to make his way to the men when his squire approached.
“Master Rafe,” the lad bowed. “Make I take yer horse?”
Rafe handed him the reins. “Take good care of her.” He patted the mare on the hind quarters.
“Aye,” the lad replied.
The lads stood and bowed as their Alpha approached.
“Please rise,” Rafe said.
The group stood at attention.
“The eve of battle can play on a man’s mind. But know this, we are wolves. Our forefathers were warriors. It’s in our blood to stand and fight”.
The lads looked at each other.
“Have faith in yer wolf and yer forefathers. The warrior is in ye.”
“Master Rafe.” One of the men stepped forward.
“Aye.”
“I won’t let ye down. I’ll proudly die for my Alpha.”
One-by-one, each warrior stepped forward and knelt in front of Rafe.
Their lives were in his hands. They fought for him. Words couldn’t describe
what he was feeling. “Yer loyalty won’t be forgotten.” Rafe clasped one of the men on the shoulder as he made his way to join Teg and William with tomor
rows battle heavy on his own mind.
As he approached, he heard William and Teg arguing inside William’s tent. Before entering, Rafe took in a long breath. They shouldn’t be wasting time arguing on the eve of battle. Rafe stepped inside and the men grew quiet.
A map of the area surrounding Castle Dornoch was open on the ground.
Miniature wolf heads and armored knights were arranged on the map.
“Brother, do we have a plan of attack?” Teg asked.
“I propose we storm the castle. Hit them in the ballocks,” William offered.
Teg shook his head. “Our numbers are too small. It will never work.”
“Then what’s yer suggestion? Tuck our tails and run?” William spat.
The two men bantered until Rafe couldn’t take it anymore. “Enough,” he exclaimed. “We’ll get slaughtered if we stand divided. Do ye understand me?”
“Aye,” the men said in unison.
Rafe paced, stopping to look at the map occasionally. “We don’t have time to build traps, nor the numbers to storm the castle.”
“We can outwit the bastards,” Teg said.
Rafe divided the wolf pieces into two groups. One placed in the glen, the other heading toward Dornoch. “We’ll attack them at home and on the battlefield.” He studied the wolf pieces.
“That’s madness,” Teg exclaimed.
“Nay, young pup. That’s having the ballocks to stand up and fight,”
William said.
Rafe continued. “Cormag will send his troops our way, leaving the castle lightly guarded.” He pointed to the glen. “One group will stay hidden here.
The other will ride back to Dornoch.” Rafe slid a knight piece into the glen.
“They’ll be looking for our camp. What they don’t know, is our wolves will be hunting them. I’ll cut them off before they reach camp.”
Rafe looked at Teg, then to William. He saw the wolf in each of their eyes.
“Teg, ye’ll lead the men on horseback.”
“Aye.”
“William, command the infantry.”
“Aye.”
“We’ll use the glen to our advantage. We know these bastards have no experience out here. But we do,” Rafe said as he clasped William’s shoulder.