Page 61 of Wolf Pack

“To protect Isobel and Conall if Mege already put a plan into action.”

“Aye. Let me know what comes from the meeting. Good luck with your talk with Mege and her family.”

Alasdair nodded. “I would have sent you to look after Isobel, but I need you here in case I have an issue with Mege’s family.”

“Aye.”

Alasdair knew Hans would wonder why he or Rory hadn’t been sent to look after Isobel and Conall. Since they were his brothers, that would be a duty that was best bestowed on them. Except in a case like this, where the real threat could be from Mege’s family.

When he settled in his solar, Mege’s mother and father preceded the family, Mege’s three brothers next, and Mege last,as if she knew what this was all about and was reluctant to participate. Her parents looked clueless, even happy, as if he would tell them he wished to mate their daughter. Her brothers were looking at the floor, anywhere but at him, and he suspected they knew what this was about.

“Word spreads throughout a pack so quickly. I’m sure you have some idea why I’ve come here to speak with you,” Alasdair said. “At least some of you know.”

Mege’s mother and da looked at their grown children to see iftheyknew what Alasdair was discussing.

“Whatever the Viking woman has told you, she lies,” Mege quickly said, as if Alasdair would believe her word over Isobel’s.

“If you wish to leave the pack, you are welcome to. If any harm comes to Isobel or her kin, I will hold you and your kin responsible for it,” Alasdair told Mege’s da.

Maybehecould control his daughter. In any event, Alasdair wanted them to know that he wouldn’t allow any harm to come to Isobel or the others.

“What was said to start this dialogue?” Mege’s da asked, sounding puzzled.

“Ask Mege. She threatened Isobel, stating an accident could befall her if she pursued seeing me further as a prospective mate. ‘Tis my decision, no’ anyone else’s,” Alasdair said.

Her da agreed. “Aye, as it should be.” He gave Mege a dark look.

Alasdair assumed he would speak with her and set her straight. But when he considered her brothers’ glum expressions and their downcast eyes, he knew she had approached them about wanting Isobel harmed. They looked guilty enough, and he smelled their worried scent.

Not only that, but they glanced from him to their da as if they knew he would give them the devil over it next. Their da eyed them with concern.

“We dinna want to leave the pack,” Mege’s mother said, sounding angry. “My daughter knows her place. If there is any trouble between her and anyone else you might consider to be your mate, we will deal with her.” She gave her sons a dark look.

They cast their eyes downward.

“None of us will stand in your way. We welcome the Icelandic wolves to the pack. They will help us to fight our enemies. They bring new blood to the pack. It is good,” Mege’s mother said.

“Aye,” Mege’s da said. “The Icelandic family has endured hardships we have no’ faced once we joined your pack. We willna leave unless you wish it. My kin and I will protect them with our lives, just as we pledge the same to you and your kin and the rest of the pack.”

Alasdair tilted his head to the mother and father. He looked at the brothers, who inclined their heads to him and told him they would do as he asked. Then Alasdair stood, and everyone in the family rose to their feet.

“I dinna believe I need to say anything further to you about this,” Alasdair said.

“Nay, you should never have had to speak to us about this in the first place,” Mege’s da said. “We will take care of matters here.”

Alasdair nodded, but he didn’t bother to look at Mege. She was lucky she was still part of the pack. She showed no sign of remorse, and she had lied to make Isobel appear to be the guilty party. At least her parents could tell she was lying, and they would have words with their sons too. He would not have that kind of behavior in his pack. They needed to be united.

Despite the family’s assurances, he felt troubled that it had come to this in the first place, all because of a woman’s spitefulness. But then he thought of seeing Isobel at the loch, and he smiled. She made the world right for him all over again.

Mege and her family left his solar, no one speaking a word, but he figured they would be talking plenty after they were somewhere private to discuss the matter.

He stalked out of the keep, and Hans intercepted him. “Did everything go all right?” Hans asked.

“Aye. It is now.”

Hans smiled. “You havena had trouble like this for some time, not within the pack. Sometimes you need to have a wee bit to awaken the senses.”

Alasdair shook his head. “Not where Isobel and her cousins are concerned.”