A Highland Werewolf Wedding - By Terry Spear Page 0,111

that bastard Kelly.

“Aye. We’re all headed back to Argent Castle. Tell Shelley we’re all right.”

“You can tell her yourself.”

“Duncan?” Shelley said, her voice worried.

“Aye, lass, we’re all fine.”

Elaine smiled to see the look on his face. He was one happy mated wolf.

“Thank you for bringing her home,” Shelley said, tears in her voice.

Elaine felt choked up. She’d thought everyone would be angry with her, but the only thing they were showing was that she was one of them now. A tear and then two rolled down her furry cheeks. She brushed them away with her paw. Cearnach looked up at the rearview mirror.

“Everything’s going to be fine, Elaine. I love you,” he said.

She poked her head over his seat and licked the back of his neck. He reached behind while he watched the road and stroked her head.

After Duncan had talked to his mate for a moment, he pocketed his cell.

“How did Ian know about Rafferty?” Cearnach asked, as Elaine settled back down on the seat. “Did you tell him?”

“Nay. He already knew.”

Cearnach looked at his brother, questioning why. Duncan quickly shrugged.

Elaine knew Cearnach would have words with Ian.

Chapter 28

As soon as they reached Argent Castle, everyone came out to greet them, while Duncan directed a couple of their men to retrieve the dead man from the trunk of the car and bury him in the woods.

Cearnach only wanted to get Elaine settled in his room where she could shift, clean up, and dress, and then he wanted to confront Ian.

“I’ll be right back,” he said to Elaine before she’d even had a chance to shift. Then he shut the door to his bedchambers and stalked toward Ian’s solar.

Ian was ready for him, sitting at his desk, looking weary after all the fighting that had gone on that day, and taking care of the aftermath of the battle and the mess left behind. When they’d arrived, the place didn’t look like a wolf fight had taken place there hours earlier.

“How did you know about Rafferty, Ian?” Cearnach asked him.

“Our mother,” Ian said, shaking his head, his arms folded over his chest. “I never would have guessed who was chasing after Elaine. Duncan left that part out when he called me. I assume you had all shifted to take care of the menace before you learned the truth.” He raised a brow, questioning their actions.

“I was driving. Duncan was doing all the calling.”

“Aye, and afraid that I’d be angered that Elaine was mated still to another wolf?”

Cearnach ignored the censure in his brother’s tone of voice. He knew that anything that went on with the pack, particularly something that important, had to be shared with their pack leader. “How did Mother know?”

“Our lady mother learned the truth from the solicitor.”

“Hell,” Cearnach paced. “If she knew…” He shook his head. “Before or after I was mated to Elaine?”

“You’ll have to question her. I didn’t think to ask, assuming that she had only known after the fact. At this point, it doesn’t really make a whole lot of difference. The good news is that I’m having Rafferty’s properties transferred to Elaine’s ownership. Seems appropriate since she was his mate and the closest family he had. It’s little compensation for all that Elaine lost, but it’s hers.”

Cearnach closed his mouth, thinking the same, but then nodded, glad that the properties would go to good use. He turned to leave his brother’s solar.

“If you’re thinking of questioning our mother now, think again. She and Calla—who arrived a couple of hours ago—and the rest of the ladies are discussing wedding plans in our mother’s sitting room. You know how she is when she’s involved in something like that. No one will interrupt her,” Ian cautioned.

Cearnach snorted and headed down the hall.

He heard women’s laughter in the sitting room, even Elaine’s, and he was glad to hear her enjoying herself after all that had happened. The women were having a lively discussion about the upcoming wedding, and Cearnach slowed his pace. He was still angry that his mother hadn’t told him the truth. If she’d known before he mated Elaine, she shouldn’t have encouraged the mating. He had to know.

He stalked into the room and saw Heather, Julia, Calla, Shelley, and Elaine seated cross-legged on the floor as they looked at catalogs of floral arrangements, his aunt and mother sitting on chairs, looking on. Elaine’s hair was damp, and she wore fresh jeans, a red sweater, and a pair of suede slipper boots, as if someone had