To Wed A Wicked Highlander

A branch snapped to the right and Alex’s horse shied.

“Thalla dhachaigh! Mach a seo!” Go home! Get out of here! Sybella screamed through the trees.

Alex turned his mount toward the sound of her voice. And then his breath caught in his lungs.

* * *

Sharp, white fangs were bared and saliva dripped from the wolf’s mouth. A cool sweat dripped down Sybella’s back, but she didn’t have time to think about that. The animal stood his ground firmly between her and Aunt Iseabail.

The color drained from Aunt Iseabail’s face, and the poor woman’s eyes widened with fear. She took a step to the right just as the wolf turned his head, taking another predatory step closer to her shaking frame.

“Stay right where ye are,” ordered Sybella in a low voice. The thought of the beast rending Aunt Iseabail’s soft flesh tore at Sybella’s soul.

The gray hair of the wolf’s coat stood on end, and the animal let out a low, throaty growl. Sybella tried to keep control as the beast crept slowly closer, getting ready to make his move. Since screaming did not scare it off, Sybella realized she needed to do something else, quickly. For some reason, the wolf seemed…off. It was unusually hostile for being alone in the daytime.

Sybella was frantically searching the ground for anything to use as a weapon when she spotted a rock within reach. She bent down carefully, reaching for the stone with the tips of her fingers. Her eyes never left the wolf.

The animal took one step closer to Aunt Iseabail.

Sybella brought back her arm, throwing the rock with all her might and hitting the wolf in the back of the thigh. The animal flinched, whirled around, and then headed straight for Sybella with wild green eyes and sharp fangs bared.

Her husband rushed through the trees on his mount. “Coimhead!” Look out!

“Alexander!” Sybella jumped to the side as he hefted his broadsword and his blade struck down the wolf. As soon as the animal fell to the ground, Sybella ran to Aunt Iseabail’s side. “Are ye all right?”

The older woman placed her hand over her chest. “Praise the saints that wolf gave me but a fright. If it wasnae for ye, my dear, I donna know what would have happened. Moran taing.” Thank you very much.

Sybella smiled with compassion. “Ye donna need to thank me. Your safety is all that matters. Are ye sure ye are unhurt?”

Alexander approached and a swift shadow of something Sybella could not identify crossed his face. “Are ye injured?”

“An gaisgeach,” said Sybella with a smile. My hero. “The wolf wasnae right. I am sorry ye had to kill him, but the animal was sick.”

He nodded in response. “Aunt Iseabail,” he said with renewed patience, “how do ye fare?”

“Thanks to ye and your lady wife, I am fine,” she said with relief.

“Ye had us all worried. Why didnae ye tell someone when ye took your leave of the castle? Ye could have been killed. Ye are verra lucky my wife found ye when she did.” He ran his large hand over her gray tresses, and Sybella couldn’t help but smile when her husband’s aunt pushed his hand away in response.

“’Tis unfortunate I came across the wolf, but the last time I looked, Alexander MacDonell, I donna need to ask your permission to take a walk,” she chided him.

“Of course ye donna, but ye could have told someone where ye were going.”

“I was looking for ye, Nephew.”

“And I am here. What was so important that ye needed to seek me out, Aunt Iseabail?”

When she did not respond, Sybella spoke kindly. “’Tis all right, Aunt Iseabail. We were worried about ye, and ye are now safe. ’Tis all that matters.” She turned to her husband and nodded. “Mayhap ye can carry your aunt to your mount.” He raised his brow and Sybella discreetly gestured to Aunt Iseabail’s bare feet.

His eyes darkened with emotion.

When Sybella spotted Aunt Iseabail from the path walking into the woods, she hadn’t given her actions a second thought. She’d made a mad dash up the hill, refusing to lose sight of the poor woman. The last thing Alexander needed right now was to be worried sick over his missing aunt. Besides, Sybella found herself developing a certain fondness for Aunt Iseabail.

When Alexander bent to pick up Aunt Iseabail, she squealed. “Nephew, I am perfectly capable of walking on my own accord. Put me down.”

“Ye have nay voice in the matter. I will carry ye to my mount.” He walked back and lifted Aunt Iseabail onto his horse. Once she was secure, he spun around to assist Sybella, but then his eyes widened. “I would have assisted ye as well.”

Sybella sat upon her mount and spoke in a somewhat annoyed tone. “I donna need your assistance. See to your aunt.”

Alexander swung up behind his aunt and gave a brief nod to John. “Make sure ye call off the men.” He paused and then quickly added, “And have words with Ian.”

“It will be more than words. I assure ye,” said John dryly.

They rode back silently to the castle, and as soon as they entered the bailey, Sybella quickly dismounted. She grabbed the first person she saw and had him order a bath for Aunt Iseabail. When she turned, Alexander had lowered his aunt to her feet.

“Alexander,” said Sybella, reaching out and touching her husband’s back. He turned around and she gave him a gentle smile. “I ordered a bath for Aunt Iseabail, and I will take her to her chamber. Donna worry. I will see she is cared for.”

Closing what was left of the small distance between them, he glared down at her. “And after ye are finished, we will have words.”

When he switched all of that intensity to her, she became confused. Why would the man be cross with her? He should be thanking her.

Refusing to agonize over his sudden change in behavior, she stepped around her wall of a husband and draped her arm around Aunt Iseabail. “Come, Aunt Iseabail. I ordered a bath for ye, and we will get ye cleaned up.”

“Thank ye, my dear. Ye are so kind.”

As Sybella turned her head, the captain of Alexander’s guard forcefully shoved a man into the stone wall of the bailey.

She presumed the man was Ian.

Aunt Iseabail opened the door to her chamber and Sybella followed her in. For a moment, Sybella felt a pang of guilt for having been in the woman’s bedchamber with Colin. Only by chance had they managed to escape unscathed and undetected. She couldn’t imagine trying to explain her way out of that one. Colin’s curiosity could have raised much discord between the MacDonells and MacKenzies, had the two of them been discovered. And her search for the stone would’ve been over before it had even begun.

The men carried in the heavy tub and dumped in the buckets of steaming water. Once they had departed, Sybella helped Aunt Iseabail undress and get into the tub.

Sybella reached for a rag. “Are ye able to lift your foot?”

“I think so.”

As Aunt Iseabail lifted her foot, Sybella wiped the muck that was stuck to the bottom like a second skin.

“What happened to my foot? There is so much dirt,” the older woman asked.

Sybella paused and then rinsed the rag. “Ye didnae have anything on your feet when ye walked in the woods.”

“Why would I walk in the woods without my boots?”

“I donna know, Aunt Iseabail. Ye donna remember going for a walk?”

“Aye, I remember taking a walk, but how could I forget to don my boots?” The poor woman lifted her other foot and gasped. “What was I into?”

Sybella scrubbed Aunt Iseabail’s foot, not thinking her question needed a reply. “There. Ye are clean. Ye are