Page 61 of Wolf Heir
Coinneach could have killed Rupert for accosting Aisling. By the time he’d heard her shouts, seen her being manhandled by Rupert, and raced down the tower stairs, Drustan had gone to her rescue. He was glad Collum had put Rupert in his place.
But that hadn’t stopped Coinneach from letting Rupert know that he wouldn’t tolerate his actions toward Aisling.
Aodhan immediately joined Coinneach on the wall walk as he came out of the tower stairs. “If he wasna the chief’s son, I would have pummeled him myself. You showed great restraint, Coinneach.”
“Collum stopped me from putting a hand on him.”
“He was right to do so. He’ll tell Hamish what had happened, which you know will be different from Rupert’s version.”
“Rupert said that the reason he was angry with Aisling was that she accused him of being behind Gormelia’s attempted murder of her.”
Aodhan stroked his bearded chin. “Is that what Aisling truly thinks?”
“Nay. Rupert was the one who brought it up, which makes us believe he was involved.”
Aodhan looked out across the countryside. “If that is so, he is truly evil, the chief’s son or no’.”
“What if he isna the chief’s son?” Perhaps that was the way to eliminate the threat in their midst. Reveal that part of the truth anyway.
Aodhan looked sharply at Coinneach.
“What if he is Osmond’s son?” Coinneach hoped he wasn’t making a mistake by bringing it up to Aodhan.
Aodhan laughed. “Because they are both redheaded? We have other redheads in the clan. Why no’ any of them?”
“Because Morag doesna go to the stable with any other redheads?”
Aodhan frowned. “I canna believe he wouldna be Hamish’s son.”
“Mayhap Hamish knows it but chose to accept him as his son since he lost his firstborn.”
Both of them looked out at the forests beyond the meadows.
Aodhan cleared his throat. “’Twas a shame that his first wife and baby son didna survive in childbirth. I was four years old then, so all I remember was Morag quickly taking Orla’s place and becoming the chief’s new wife.”
“Did anyone question the fact that she took over Orla’s position so suddenly?”
“I wouldna know. She was the midwife, our healer, and she comforted him in his time of grief. I dinna see any love between them, however, not like older pack members have said about Hamish and his first wife.”
Coinneach didn’t know if he could trust Aodhan to tell him the truth about Morag ordering Hamish’s bairn to be murdered. Yet how else could Coinneach truly protect Aisling and hermother from the threats within? Unless he could get rid of Morag and Rupert.
“What if Hamish’s firstborn son survived?” Coinneach leaned against the stone wall of the wall walk.
Aodhan glanced sharply at him. “Nay. They buried the baby with his mother.”
"What if a child from another mother whose twin had passed away was buried in place of Hamish’s true son?"
Aodhan furrowed his brow. “Where are you coming up with all of this? Is there some gossip going around the pack? I’ve never heard of it.”
“What if Morag ordered Hamish’s bairn to be murdered so she could mate him and no’ have to raise his son, but have one of her own, only he isna Hamish’s but Osmond’s? Then her son would lead the pack instead of his firstborn.”
Aodhan shook his head. “Preposterous.”
“Aye. You are probably right.” It did sound far-fetched, and even Coinneach had to agree he couldn’t believe it when Aisling told him about it, either—at first.
Aodhan rested his arms on the top of the wall walk and glanced at Coinneach. “How do you know any of this?”
Coinneach didn’t want to reveal Blair’s role in this, should it go badly for her.
