Page 59 of Wolf Alliance
“Do you wish a stay in the dungeon? I dinna usually send our women down there, but in your case, it would be well-deserved.”
“Nay. I…um, just, um, wanted to tell Accalia that I was sorry for troubling her.”
Accalia stepped out of the boys’ chamber, the boys and the nannies joining her. “Aye?”
“I’m um, sorry.”
“No more, aye?”
Beathag glanced back at Erik and he gave her one of his sternest looks that said she would end up in the dungeon if she continued to harass Accalia.
“Nay, no more.” Then Beathag looked back at Erik to see if she was free to go.
Accalia said, “You may go. But I dinna want to see you in this tower again.”
Beathag nodded, hurried off as fast as she could, and rushed down the stairs.
Then the nannies ushered the boys into their chamber to bathe. Accalia took Erik’s hand, and they walked inside.
Thorfinn was first in the tub. They all looked a little surprised to see their da join them. He was surprised to see Thorfinn in the tub first.
“Your da and I have some news,” Accalia said. “We’re mating tonight and we’re getting married.”
The boys’ mouths hung agape for a moment, then Hendrie and Johnne looked at Thorfinn as if he should show them how they should feel about it and he whooped and splashed water out of the tub accidentally. His brothers whooped and hollered then too and hugged her.
The nannies were all smiling.
Thorfinn left the tub, and the nanny wrapped him in a towel. He hurried over to give Accalia a wet embrace, and the boys hugged their da. Erik pulled them all into a warm hug, including Accalia, showing them they were all his family.
Erik couldn’t have been happier to see the boys and Accalia desire this.
“I willna replace your mother. She will always be the one who birthed you and loved you. But I will do all I can to be that for you as I love you to the moon and back. ‘Tis entirely up to you if you want to call me mother, or if you want to refer to me as Accalia.”
“Mother,” Hendrie and Johnne said, not waiting for Thorfinn to decide.
“You are our mother,” Thorfinn said, agreeing with his brothers.
Erik was thrilled that his sons were accepting Accalia to be their mother, and she was crying as she hugged them. He ruffled his sons’ hair and said, “Finish your baths, dress, and go to bed. We’re off to bed now.”
“To mate,” Thorfinn said, smiling.
His brothers smiled too.
“Aye, and we wish you the most pleasant of dreams.” Then Accalia kissed them on the cheeks, took hold of Erik this time, and pulled him out of the bedchamber.
The boys whooped again, and Erik hoped they would go to bed without giving their nannies any difficulty. Down below, they heard people laughing and talking, already celebrating the momentous occasion which was to be expected.
Erik smiled down at Accalia, hurrying him toward his bedchamber. He scooped her up in his arms and was so glad she hadn’t delayed a mating with him any longer. He knew this was the way it should be. His sons had shown him just how important Accalia was to them and he loved them for wanting her to be their mother.
When he reached his bedchamber, he sat Accalia on the bed. She laughed at him. “You wanted me here right away.”
“Aye, as soon as I could, once I realized you were the one for me.” Then he began removing his clothes and she removed hers, only this time, she took off her léine so that they were both completely naked.
She was beautiful in both her human form and her wolf coat. He ran his hands over her skin and touched her rigid, rosy nipples, and she sighed with happiness. He licked her nipples and kissed them, loving how intimate they could become now. “Beautiful, lass.”
She slid her hands over his chest, touching his nipples in the same way. Now that was an amazing sensation, he didn’t think he would ever have felt. He smiled, lifted her face to his, and kissed her warm and luscious mouth.
“You are the only one for me. I love you, Accalia,” Erik said, kissing her cheeks, forehead, and mouth.