The Wolf Wore Plaid

by Terry Spear

  “That would be a disaster. Then we would be stuck with them living here forever,” Lachlan said.

  “I’d take Guy McNab in and show him our ways any day.” Heather placed her hands on her heart.

  Enrick scoffed. That was exactly what he was worried about. “You’d be fighting off tons of women interested in getting to know the star better.” He knew because he’d been mobbed a couple of times when he was in Edinburgh by fans of Guy who thought Enrick was him and wanted autographs anywhere he wanted to put them. He just hoped Heather wouldn’t try to get a date with the star!

  Which suddenly conjured an image of her in his arms, with him kissing her and feeling all her curves pressed against his body. Hell. He had to get his mind on track where it belonged.

  Heather laughed.

  “Besides, that’s the role he plays, but in real life, he could be a real ogre,” Lachlan said.

  Heather smiled at him, but Enrick agreed with his brother.

  “Don’t even think of biting him,” Grant warned, just in case Heather needed the warning. Any newly turned wolf could have consequences for all of them. And she was known to be a bit of a wild card.

  Grant continued, “They’ll have some of their own security when shoots are going on to keep onlookers out of here, but we’ll do most of the security. Since the castle and grounds are quite a way off the road, we shouldn’t have much trouble, and it’s our property so our responsibility. When the men aren’t battling or taking part in other scenes, we’ll have them providing security detail. With the McKinley clansmen angry at their missed opportunity, I wouldn’t be surprised if we have some issues with them over it.

  “I can see them trying to ruin the film and make it seem like the producer picked the wrong castle to use for the production. Enrick, you and Lachlan can be in charge of setting up the security details. I’d do it now, even before the shooting begins, just to make sure the McKinleys don’t do anything beforehand to cause trouble. At least Enrick chased the Kilpatricks off at the pie shop. I’m glad he was there to help Heather deal with it.”

  Heather’s kissable lips parted.

  Not kissable. Damn it. Intriguing. Enrick tore his gaze away from her mouth.

  Okay, so he didn’t exactly chase the men off, but they did leave shortly after they realized he was watching them.

  “If you have the lists of extras’ names sooner than later, just give them to me and we’ll get started with the paperwork on our ‘cast,’” Colleen said. “We’ll start scheduling dress rehearsals and scene enactments tomorrow. If someone has an important job to do and can’t get to it because of the acting requirements, it’s up to him or her to make sure their job is covered. As a last resort, if anyone has trouble getting someone to fill their job in the interim, let me know right away and I’ll make sure someone covers for them. Okay, if no one has any more questions, you’ve got your jobs to take care of.”

  Everyone got up to leave, and Colleen said to Lachlan, “I know you wanted to fight, but you have the most important job. Making sure our wolves show the world just how wonderful they are.”

  “Aye, I’m fine with it. I’ve never been a wolf handler before.” Lachlan smiled at Heather.

  Enrick tried not to frown at him. He hoped his brother wasn’t interested in courting Heather. Maybe her saying she’d take in Guy had given his brother the notion she might be interested in courting. Lachlan had never been interested in a she-wolf who could be on the wild side. At least Enrick didn’t think so. He frowned at his brother.

  Chapter 3

  Heather glanced at Enrick, and he raised his brow at her. Yeah, he would ask her why she didn’t tell him what was going on. But she was loyal to a fault to her leaders, and she wasn’t supposed to tell anyone about the film deal until they could share with their packs. Not even Grant’s brothers. No way would she have abused their trust.

  She couldn’t believe Enrick had told people he’d chased off the men in her shop! She was going to contradict him, but she figured she would talk to him privately about it after the meeting.

  She’d been amused when he sounded as though he didn’t like the idea of Guy being the star of the film at the MacQuarries’ castle. Around these parts, everyone knew Enrick. But with the real Guy being here? She smiled.

  Ever since she was a little girl and her brothers and Enrick and his brothers and the MacNeills had practiced in the heather for real battles to come, she had watched them when she was supposed to be doing chores at the castle. She couldn’t help it. She wished she’d been born a warrior, not a lassie. She often played with a wooden sword when she could steal one of her brothers’, whacking away at the air where she imagined she was fighting some unseen foe while she saved her people. At least she was a competent archer, since she wasn’t supposed to fight with a sword. And the claymores were rather heavy. She thought this whole film business would be fun. She couldn’t wait to see how it all worked out, but for now, she needed to return to her castle and begin taking names of all the women who wanted to be in the film.

  She had played in the earlier film at the MacNeill castle and found she’d really enjoyed being someone in the background who didn’t have any speaking roles. That was easy.

  The MacNeill women were just as excited about taking part in the film as she was. She hoped they wouldn’t have any troubles while doing it. And she hoped the Kilpatrick brothers wouldn’t return to the shop.

  * * *

  Still not believing Heather would know about the film location before he did, Enrick stepped in stride with her as she hurried down the hallway. “You knew all along the film was going to be set here, and you didn’t tell me?” She had to know he would give her grief about it. Though he still wondered if she hadn’t learned of it until after he’d left the shop.

  “Seriously? What would you have done in my shoes? You certainly would have kept the secret if Grant had told you to.”

  Enrick grunted. He didn’t want to admit she had a point. “You led me to believe the film was being shot at your castle.”

  “You believed what you wanted.” She smiled at him.

  She had such a willful expression when she’d gotten one over on him, though he knew he would have done the same with her if Grant had told him what was going on and nobody else was to know.

  “Do you think they’ll get you mixed up with Guy during the shoots?” Again, the smile of a vixen.

  Enrick wanted to groan out loud. The notion was his worst nightmare. But how would that sound to the she-wolf? He had to keep his warrior persona intact. “My people? No. His people? I doubt it. We won’t be wearing the same clothes, and when I speak, I won’t sound anything like him. Will you be playing a role in the film?” He knew she had before, so he suspected she would this time too. He was glad she was going to be in charge of the MacNeill women while they were here, which meant he could see more of her. Watch over her, rather.

  “Absolutely. I want to make sure everyone is doing their part, whether preparing meals for a scene in the kitchen, or serving in some other capacity, but I will be overseeing them in ‘costume.’ What about you? Are you going to be fighting with the men? I thought you might have to be in charge but not actively involved in the fighting,” Heather said as he walked her out of the keep and into the inner bailey.

  “I’ll be fighting with the men. I’ll work with them on practicing the scenes and making sure everyone’s there when they’re supposed to show up, but they’ll be taking their cue from the director when the actual shoot begins. That means I get to swing a sword too.”

  “I figured you wouldn’t be able to live with just supervising.”

  “You figured right.”

  “Do you think Lachlan is disappointed he’s the wolf handler?”

  “No. He knows how important showing off our wolves to the rest of the world is. He’s proud to do it. Though I’m sure if we don’t have the wol
ves in a battle scene for the day when they’re shooting those scenes, he could be one of the fighters.”

  She tilted her chin down, her brows up, and gave Enrick a scolding look. “You chased the Kilpatrick brothers out of my shop? They paid for their pies and left without anyone causing any trouble. Not even you.”

  Enrick shrugged. “After they saw me, they didn’t stay to hassle you about the location of the film further.” He cast her a wolfish smile.

  * * *

  Enrick paused and glanced around the bailey at the men doing their daily chores, and Heather knew his mind was on task, just where her own needed to be.

  “Why did you really come into the pie shop? It wasn’t just to pick up a pie for Colleen.” Heather was sure it wasn’t. She swore her brothers had sent him, but maybe he had a hard time showing his feelings and it had nothing to do with her brothers.

  Enrick smiled at her, but he wouldn’t say.

  She sighed. “See you later. Maybe you’ll be a real film star after all this is over and done with.”

  Scoffing, Enrick shook his head. “I would always be known as Guy’s clone. Besides, it’s just a job like any other.”

  “As if you really believed that. The chance to get paid something extra for a day’s fun of fighting exercises?”

  “The fighting will be different, orchestrated to an extent, not like we usually fight in practice. I’m sure the whole keep will be in an uproar while they’re shooting scenes, so I’m not sure it will all be fun. But I’m certain we’ll have a big celebration when it’s all over with.”

  “That would be fun. See you later then.” Heather walked to her car and called Ian, while Enrick headed toward some men cleaning out the stables. “We’re all set. I’m getting together with the women to find some volunteers, and then after Enrick learns how many extra men they need to fight the battles, he’ll get with me and I’ll let you know.”

  “You can handle that too,” Ian said. “No need to include me in on it.”

  “You’re not going to get involved in the film this time at all?” To an extent, Heather wasn’t surprised.

  Ian laughed. “Last time was enough for me. I told Grant what a nightmare it had been and advised him not to do it. But the money is good, I have to admit. It saved us the last time.”

  She knew the nightmare he was referring to was because of the fight they’d had with their enemy and for no other reason. Sure, Ian hadn’t liked other people coming in and telling his people what to do. And the filming had disrupted their business. But Ian had met his mate during the shooting, and that had made everything worthwhile. Heather wondered if Julia would take part in the film this time. Like Grant’s mate, Julia was an American with Scottish roots. Ian had trained her with a bow and a sword, but for the film, the director didn’t want any women fighting in the battles.

  Heather wondered just what they would have the wolves doing. Would they also hire horses for the scenes? Probably. Taking part in the film was going to make her year. She was so glad Ian had asked her to do this job. She was beginning to think everyone worried about her being untrustworthy where strangers were concerned. She had no intention of biting anyone and turning someone into one of their own kind. What if she did that to some guy and she had to mate him to teach him all there was about their kind?

  Just because a bunch of the American actors in the last film had asked her to show them some fun places to go. Scottish hospitality being what it was, she had been all for it. Until her pack leader, his brothers, and her brothers had intervened. What did they think she was going to do? Have a lovefest? Though she suspected they were worried more about the Americans’ intentions than hers.

  She finally arrived home and hurried into the castle where Julia had set up a meeting with her for all the eligible women who were interested in playacting in the new film. She wasn’t surprised to see nineteen women eager to fill the roles.

  “The chance to work with Guy McNab? Oh, yes, choose me,” one of the women said.

  Heather laughed. “You know Grant said no one is allowed to bite the guy.”

  “Grant’s no fun,” the lady said.

  “Well, Ian wouldn’t go along with it either.” Then Heather got to work asking which roles the women would want to play—washerwomen, a mother chasing after her kids, some in the kitchen, some serving meals, some feeding the chickens. By the time she was through with assignments, she thought she had enough volunteers to supplement the MacQuarrie women.

  She called Colleen and said, “I’ve got nineteen volunteers. If you need more, let me know. I’ll send the list in a message.”

  “Thanks,” Colleen said. “I knew I could count on you. I’m just going down the list I have, and I think between yours and mine, we’ll have it covered. You told the ladies they can’t bite Guy McNab, right?”

  Heather smiled. “Uh, aye, that’s a prerequisite for taking part in this.”

  “Oh, we need one lady with a baby. The baby has to be at least fifteen days old. I think you have one with a four-week-old, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “And if you have a pregnant mom, we can use her too. But not too far along. We want to make sure we don’t have any sudden births during the shoots.”

  Heather laughed. “That could be a disaster. Can you imagine if it was multiple births, like we often have, and she wants to birth them as a wolf? We have one woman who is eight months along. I’ll see what I can do.” Then they ended the call and she smiled at the MacNeill women. “You’re all in. Colleen will hand over the list of extras to the casting director, and we’ll begin shooting soon. I’ll get with all of you in the morning as to what you’ll need to do, and we’ll practice the scenes at the MacQuarrie castle as soon as they’re ready for us.”

  Then Heather’s brothers stormed into the room, looking ready to do battle. She figured they’d heard about the Kilpatrick brothers showing up at her shop and speaking to her. She glanced at Lana, who quickly looked away. Heather should have told her not to say anything to anyone about the incident, but she knew word would have spread from the MacQuarries’ pack to hers anyway. She sure didn’t want her brothers tearing into the Kilpatricks.

  Chapter 4

  After the incident at the pie shop, Enrick found himself heading over there daily to check on Heather and the other women working there until the shooting of the film began. After that, Heather would be working all the time at the MacQuarrie castle, and someone else would be taking charge of her shop. It didn’t matter that her MacNeill kinsmen often dropped in, too, and that a couple of the men were actually working there every day on her oldest brother Ian’s orders to ensure nothing untoward happened. Enrick still felt it was his duty to see that she and the others were safe because word had gotten out about the location of the film. And the Kilpatrick brothers might want to punish Heather for lying to them.

  Oran and Callum, two of Heather’s other brothers, were there today, each eating a venison pie. Both of them straightened and inclined their heads in greeting when they saw Enrick drop in for yet another pie for Colleen. Enrick was certain Heather’s brothers—and everyone else who worked there—believed there was more to him showing up every day than just to buy his pack leader a different meat or sweet pie. Especially since he’d never done so before.

  He usually just left after he made sure everything was fine and paid for Colleen’s pie. She’d actually budgeted for it, so he didn’t have to pay for them every day. This time, he would order a steak pie for himself so he could visit with Oran and Callum.

  Three women were ahead of him in line, and business was brisk again today. Even though Heather was busy with the orders, she’d caught his eye and smiled brightly. She seemed to enjoy his daily visits, and for now, that was all they could afford to see of each other because she practiced scenes with the women after she closed the shop, and he was working on the scenes with the men and getting his othe
r business done. He was afraid she would get suspicious about him being there to watch out for her because her brothers had asked him to, which would make her furious. But that wasn’t the only reason he was there.

  When he finally reached Heather, he ordered the steak pie for Colleen to go and one for him to eat there and an Irn Bru. “I’ll join your brothers and give them some company.”

  “Good. All of them have been in my hair way too much of late. Your pie will be right up. I guess Colleen is enjoying hers.”

  “Aye, she is. Colleen said every one of them has whet her appetite for more.”

  “That’s good. I’m glad you’re here. I feel safer. If the Kilpatricks are even thinking of dropping by, once they see your car, they’ll think twice about it, especially since you ran them off before.”

  Enrick smiled at her. She would get him back forever for telling his family he had chased the Kilpatricks off.

  “I can’t wait for the filming to begin.” She motioned to the notices posted near the register.

  “Subtle.”

  “It’s brought in business. Patrons are eager to hear what it’s like to work with the director and work beside the stars.”

  “I’m sure they’re like anybody else. Working to earn a living,” Enrick said.

  “Except they’re famous. The day you chased off the Kilpatricks, a man was eating in here who looked just like you, like Guy.”

  “I didn’t see him.”

  “You were too busy giving the Kilpatricks your warrior-confrontational look, telling them if they did anything you didn’t like, they would die.”

  Enrick smiled. “We were born with that look down pat. Was the man the star?”

  “I think it might have been his double. He just didn’t seem starlike, more down-to-earth. Are you getting excited about the film shoots?”