Page 69 of Wolf Heir
“Aye. And we’ll wed in the meadow by my family’s croft when we can.”
“You’ll be leaving the barracks then.”
“If they have room for us in the keep where other couples stay.”
The other men congratulated Coinneach and headed out of the barracks.
“Drustan asked me where you were.”
“And you told him?”
“Busy with your ladylove. He knew you would be mating each other sooner rather than later. Does Blair know?” Aodhan asked.
“Aye, she does. She had given us her approval. So we should be fine.”
“If we can prove whose son you truly are, Hamish might have wanted to have a say in who you mated.”
Coinneach slapped Aodhan on his shoulder. “No one would have decided that for us.”
Aodhan nodded. “If anyone cared about who I mated, I would feel the same way.”
Coinneach smiled. “No one would dare tell you what to do.” He cleaned up in a water bucket, dried off, and dressed. “Let’s go break our fast and then relieve the other men on duty.”
“I’m still trying to figure out how to prove your da is our chief.”
“It doesna really matter as long as Osmond, Rupert, or Morag dinna try to kill the ones I love.”
“Or you either… At least no’ on my watch.”
15
This time, while Aisling served the champion’s table their morning meal, Coinneach was thrilled she was now his mate. She gave him a big smile as she brought bread, two slices for Aodhan, and slipped another slice to Coinneach. He chuckled.
Then she hurried off to serve the rest of their table. Coinneach glanced at the table on the dais and noticed that Morag was glowering at him. He couldn’t understand why she had so much animosity toward him. Or why she felt that way toward Aisling either.
Once he had issues with Rupert over accosting Aisling, he figured that’s when Morag might be peeved with him. But before that? When she had pitted Aodhan against him? And when she tried to stop the men from coming to his and Aodhan’s aid when the Vikings had planned to burn down his family’s croft, Morag had no reason to side against him or Aodhan.
“It appears as though Morag is giving you the evil eye,” Aodhan said low for Coinneach’s ears only.
“Aye. I have no idea why. I mean, sure, after I had words with Rupert, but before that? She was still against me. I didna even know about the issue of who I was at the time.”
Aisling brought them porridge. “You both look so serious.”
Coinneach realized he and Aodhan were frowning. Coinneach smiled at her. “We’re just talking about why Morag would have had anything against me before I had the confrontation with Rupert over you.”
“I dinna know.” Then Aisling furrowed her brow. “Unless someone saw your wolf mark on your shoulder when you removed your shirt the first time and fought Aodhan and told Morag.”
“What about the wolf mark?” Aodhan asked.
“He has a mark from birth of a wolf’s head.” Aisling glanced around. “I need to finish serving the meal.” She hurried off.
“That’s how Blair knew I had been the baby she was supposed to get rid of,” Coinneach explained.
Aodhan rubbed his bearded chin, appearing deep in thought. “Then any of the women who saw you when you were born would have seen the mark.”
“Aye. Unless Morag covered me up too fast with a swaddling cloth.”
“Then it would only be Blair’s word against Morag’s, and the chief would be bound to believe his own mate.”
