Page 3 of Wolf Alliance

“Tis no’ a done deal, brother. Erik might no’ want Accalia for his mate. No one wants to war with his pack,” Baldur said, “so dinna do anything to cause discontent between our clans. He has already taken over Crawford’s castle. Do you understand?”

Dunbar, her da’s advisor, spit on the ground. “Accalia should go to a gray wolf pack, not to this—this abomination. As to Crawford, he was an incompetent human asking to be overrun.”

Accalia had heard stories of Erik's noble battles and how he liberated Crawford's people from their oppressive leader. But the reason for Erik and his people’s departure from his northern home remained a mystery. She’d been to Crawford’s castle before and knew the lecherous old man had wanted her as his bride, even when she was a young lass. She wasn’t sad to hear of his demise, but she had liked the members of his staff.

“’Tis said the white wolves descended from the great lights in the sky in the distant north. Mayhap their gods are as impressive as ours. We dinna want to offend them. So you will welcome them to the family while they are here as I am bound to do for the sake of our clan, our pack.” Baldur sat taller in his saddle. “It would be wise to ally with them. Neither Erik nor I trust Freigard, and we may need their support if he tries to push our boundaries. And we both know he will.”

Then they saw Erik ride forth, six warriors flanking him and eight white wolves running beside them. Some of their wolf coats were like wind-driven snow, others with a goldish tint, and others wearing a little gray on their faces and the saddles on their backs.

Her da and his brother were as tall and broad-shouldered as Erik. They were dark-haired, whereas she was blond, and Erik Norwulf had light brown hair with golden streaks and braids draping over his shoulders.

As much as she didn’t want to mate him when she didn’t know what he was like and how he would treat others of her clan and his own, she couldn’t help but find him physically appealing. Muscled, tall, impressive as a warrior, his jawline strong, his face chiseled, a bow at his back, a sword at his waist, he looked ready to do battle.

“This is a mistake.” Dunbar shook his head again.

“God’s wounds, brother. We need another alliance. If we dinna have one, Freigard will claim Accalia, and we will have no alliance with him.” Baldur gave his brother a condemning look. “You know how much Freigard wants her, but they wouldna make a good match. She is way too headstrong. No’ only that, I willna give my daughter up without getting something in return.”

Accalia smiled about her da saying she was headstrong, though she hid the smile when her da caught sight of it and frowned at her.

“You believe she will be less stubborn with the white wolf chief?” Dunbar asked, sounding incredulous.

“I can always hope. No one else is suitable to marry her off to unless it’s to that young Ian Sutherland.”

“Nay,” Accalia said. He acted way too young, and he was arrogant and spoiled.

Her da glanced at her. “Then you better behave while you visit with Erik, or I’ll have to resort to the offer with Ian’s da. But it doesna mean his da will want you to marry his son, or that his son will be agreeable, though his da has said he would like an alliance with me. Erik is our best bet. He was willing to see you sight unseen.”

“We will be in battle with Freigard over this. You know we will. You should have conceded and let him have her,” Dunbar said.

Baldur stiffened in his saddle. “Enough. You have said enough. I will hear no more on the matter. While I rule the clan, ‘tis my decision to make. Besides, Erik’s men look as though they can put up a good fight against a foe and win.”

Accalia’s da glanced back at her to ensure she held her head high, her gaze fixed on the man who would be her husband in a week if she pleased him. Which irked her. What about him pleasing her?

Her da nodded, looking pleased she behaved like a warrior in front of Erik, not fearful or cowering in his presence. She had to admit he was a formidable-looking chieftain, but would he be as arrogant as Freigard?

“Times are dangerous for our kind. Too few of us exist and keeping our secret is tantamount to our survival,” Baldur said.

Wild wolves were being hunted down too, which made it even worse for thelupus garous.

“With fewer prospects to choose from, those with any power in the region to make the alliance worthwhile must mix their blood with the few packs in the area to provide healthy and thriving offspring.” Baldur moved a little on his saddle to get comfortable.

Erik and his wolves and men were close to them now. She knew he would look at her, to size up her appearance, but she had thought his stern gaze would turn to her da. But it didn’t. He focused only on her.

Without warning, Erik spurred his horse forward, closing the gap between them. The vibrations of hooves hitting the ground caused Accalia to grip her horse’s reins tighter. Her horse’s muscles coiled and tensed beneath her. Erik reached her horse, a breeze from his sudden movement and the heat from the animal's body colliding with her.

The scent of horse sweat, leather, and wolf caught her attention. His blue-eyed gaze caught and held hers for a moment suspended in time. Her throat felt parched, her tongue drawing over her suddenly dry lips, his gaze following her innocent action. She swore he almost smiled, but she could have been mistaken. His brow furrowed, and he didn’t look pleased to see her.

She expected him to greet her da first and then acknowledge her with a smile. Unless he felt that was unbecoming of a clan chief and a warrior.

Instead, he seized her reins. “We will send word in a week if she suits me, Chief Baldur.” The white wolf pack leader galloped off, pulling her horse with him.

Shocked, she gasped. Glancing back at her da, she expected him to force Erik to release her.

“You must stop them!” Dunbar cried out.

Baldur’s guards remained where they were, watching Baldur’s reaction, prepared to fight Erik’s men on his command.

“He is a chief in his own right. He will convince her she wants to be his if we are lucky,” Baldur said. “If this is how he feels he must learn if she will be the right woman for him, then so be it.”