A Highland Werewolf Wedding - By Terry Spear Page 0,22

They were there.”

She stared at Cearnach. “They did nothing to try and stop the hangings. They didn’t try to rescue my uncles or their crew, either.”

“I’m certain they felt their hands were tied, lass.”

“Why would you defend them?” she said, her voice angry. “You don’t even like them.”

“Aye, but I know venturing a rescue with all the armed guards in the square would have been impossible for them. The best they could have done was to locate you and keep you safe.”

“Would they? Or would they have been afraid of risking their necks for me?”

Cearnach let out his breath, not about to hide the truth from her any longer, though he wasn’t certain she would have believed him if he’d told her the reality of the situation back then. “Honestly? I imagine they wanted to see if you knew where your uncles had hidden their bounty. Maybe they would have ensured that you mated with one of their kinsman, again to keep the money in the clan.”

She gave a little grunt of disgust. “That I can believe.” She chewed on her bottom lip. “I still don’t know why you wanted to protect me.”

“Haven’t you realized that I’m a defender of women and small children?”

She gave a little laugh that told him she didn’t believe him—well, maybe to some extent.

She was right not to have trusted his motives back then. He would have done anything to hide her from the law and her disreputable kin after seeing how sweet and innocent and vulnerable she had looked. But he’d had pack reasons, too, for wanting to take her under his wing and hide her away.

“After searching for you for months, I assumed you’d slipped away on a ship bound for America or somewhere else.” He hadn’t stopped thinking about her—and the way she’d appeared so lost and tearful and fragile—for years.

Now? She was very much an alpha, sexy and gorgeous, and he wouldn’t be surprised if she’d broken a lot of hearts over the years.

“What about the man you were supposed to mate back home?” he asked.

“Long story. Some other time.”

That meant she wasn’t going to talk about it anytime soon. He would ask again later when he had the chance and she seemed more willing to talk.

“You stay here. I’ll check out the area to see if I can locate my car.” He would have a long way to walk to reach the site, and Elaine wasn’t dressed for the weather or a hike so he thought she should remain behind.

“Wait. I’ll go with you.”

Surprised at her declaration, he watched as she turned around and kneeled on the seat. Then she leaned way over the seat back to reach her suitcase and tugged at it, twisting it around until she could reach the zipper.

If he hadn’t been confined by the steering wheel, he could have reached for whatever she needed, but the sight in front of him was too mesmerizing to ignore. Her red dress clung to her buttocks, showing off her sexy derriere. Like all wolves, she had to be a runner, and her toned legs and ass showed she was in great shape. His whole body jerked to attention again.

Calla was a beautiful wolf, but she’d never had a sexually charged effect on him like Elaine did.

Again he forced himself to look away, remembering the way the gown she’d worn in St. Andrews had hidden all her curves. The times sure had changed. He was damned glad he was the only one witnessing the way she looked right now, though. He didn’t want another male wolf salivating over her like he was doing.

She unzipped the suitcase and pulled out a pair of boots, snagged a long raincoat, then turned back around. She sat back down on the seat. He eyed the raincoat.

Chin tilted down, she gave him an annoyed look. “Yeah. I had a heavy-duty raincoat with me. You pulled me out of the car so fast at the church, complaining we were late to the wedding that only you had planned to attend, that I didn’t have a chance to grab my coat.”

An uncomfortable guilt washed over him. He should have asked. He should have considered the weather and how she could be affected by it.

Not about to admit it, he said instead, “Good. I’m glad you’re more prepared. I wouldn’t take you up there wearing that slinky dress or those high-heeled shoes and…” He considered her dress and couldn’t help looking at the way the fabric was