Page 65 of Wolf Alliance

“I will be sleeping outside the tent as a wolf for any eventuality.”

“Aye, okay.” She and the boys might sleep as wolves then. They would be warmer on the chilly nights.

After the meal, there was a flurry of activity as they prepared to saddle up and leave.

They left as the sun was beginning to rise. Accalia was excited about seeing her da and the rest of her kin. But she had to admit she wasn’t looking forward to the long journey. Then they would have to return here again. It was important to see her da and finalize his alliance though.

Their guard detail surrounded them while the women and children rode in the middle. The weather was fair, and chilly, the sky lightening with every step they took, the boys talking away to each other, happy, excited. For now, they were sitting tall in their saddles. She wondered how long that would last.

Erik told Accalia, “I’m watching our surroundings if you could keep an eye on the lads. They’ll stay in formation, and probably be good for a while, but I dinna want them falling from their saddles should they go to sleep.”

“Aye. Bessetta, Isobel, and I will keep an eye on them. You watch for any brigands.”

“Aye.” Then he moved away from her and continued to guard them.

“What do you think your da will say about…” Bessetta inclined her head toward the boys.

“I dinna know. He may welcome them as his kin, or no’. He will for certes want me to have my own. But I’m hoping he will love them too.”

“What about Freigard?” Bessetta asked.

“Word will spread that I have mated and wed Erik and that he has allied with my da, though I’m sure that’s why Erik and the others are being so vigilant. They want to ensure that he doesna attack us on our journey.”

“He might no’ know that you have two packs in alliance riding together.”

“Aye, but if he knows about the marriage, he might know you were visiting us.” Accalia hoped Freigard wouldn’t try anything on their journey to her pack’s home. She wanted this to be a joyous journey, not filled with danger. Especially with the lads and her friends traveling with them.

“True.”

They had traveled for miles when Erik said it was time to stop, water the horses at a loch, and rest them. Everyone took the opportunity to eat bread and cheese and drink mead. The boys had done well until now, but once they had to mount their horses again, they groaned and moaned.

“’Tis a shorter distance to return home, if you wish,” Accalia told them, Erik smiling at her.

“Will you return with us?” Thorfinn asked.

“Nay. We must see my da and give him the good news. He needs to meet you.”

“Aye,” Thorfinn said, though he didn’t sound enthusiastic about it.

Then they began riding again, but only an hour into the ride, Accalia noticed Johnne was nodding off. “Johnne, wake up, lad,” Accalia said, and his eyes popped open.

But then she saw that Hendrie was fighting falling asleep, and she called out to Erik. “Your sons are getting sleepy.”

“Aye.” Erik called to Logan, “Can you take Hendrie on your saddle?”

Logan rode over to remove him from his horse and sat him on his lap, while another man rode up and took hold of Hendrie’s horse’s reins.

“Finlay! Johnne needs a lift.”

“Aye, coming!” Finlay rode up to Johnne’s horse and pulled him onto his horse, one of Alasdair’s men grabbing Johnne’s horse’s reins.

Thorfinn sat up taller on his saddle and Erik smiled at him, and they began riding again. But Accalia watched him like a hawk, sure he would drift off before long. He had to prove to his brothers that he was stronger than them. He was still young, and his eyes began to drift shut.

“Erik,” she called out, but he was riding closer to them now and she assumed it was because he figured his eldest triplet would fall asleep in his saddle eventually.

Erik took hold of Thorfinn who didn’t protest—though she had thought he might—and he settled his son on his lap while another man took control of Thorfinn’s horse.

Other than chasing off some red deer, they didn’t see any sign of anything in the woods that would be a danger to them. Not during the day. As darkness settled in, that could be another story. They found a clearing and some of the men prepared campfires when a wild boar ran through one of the tents they were setting up.

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