A Highland Werewolf Wedding - By Terry Spear Page 0,30

in their fiercest manners, staring them down like pissed-off, ready-to-pounce wolves. The dogs were tenacious. Their stares matched the wolves’—the instinct so bred into their breed that they wouldn’t back down.

Cearnach nudged Elaine to run ahead while he continued to turn back and snap and snarl at the dogs. They knew better than to get too close to the much bigger Canis lupus with his much larger teeth and bite. But they were just as aggressive. With the two of them sticking together, they encouraged each other to keep pushing.

Elaine stopped until he joined her, and she growled again along with Cearnach to show their own unified force. The dogs stopped and sniffed the air, testing to determine the wolves’ resolve, judging if they were angered or afraid. The collies stood their ground, not moving an inch forward as the wolves held their glare.

As soon as she and Cearnach raced off again, the collies ran after them, but they weren’t getting as close this time. They were leaving their own territory, and they didn’t need to protect it as firmly. They still wanted to make an impression. This is ours! You stay out! But they were beginning to drop back.

She and Cearnach were concentrating so much on the threat of the collies that they didn’t see the man riding shotgun in an old rusty pickup truck until it was almost too late. He waved at his companion to get closer and the window opened. A rifle poked out and pointed straight at them. Cearnach quickly steered Elaine toward the river. That meant they could hit her in the butt instead of the side. Pleasant thought.

The powerful report of the weapon sounded like an explosion and echoed across the glen, making her heart hitch. She immediately jumped into the water, where she stumbled over the moss-covered rocks. Chest-deep in the water, she slipped on the stones and the current lifted her and swept her away.

***

In the great hall of Argent Castle, Ian paced, agitated over Cearnach’s stubborn refusal to leave well enough alone instead of listening to his advice. He’d thought of sending someone to watch his brother’s back, but he hadn’t wanted to make Cearnach think that Ian had no faith in him. And he knew that if Cearnach had been able to stay at Calla’s wedding and reception without being asked to leave, he might not be home for hours. But Ian didn’t believe that his brother would hang around that long. And he had a nagging feeling that something had gone wrong.

His ghostly cousin, Flynn, was hovering nearby as Ian tried to get his concern under control. Flynn was wearing the ancient MacNeill plaid pinned over his shoulder, his hair wild and unkempt. Cearnach had always stuck up for Flynn, despite his cousin’s rakish ways, which had gotten him banned from the clan and ultimately murdered by the angry husband of a lass Flynn had dallied with.

Ian ran his hands through his hair and scowled at Flynn’s accusatory glare. “He knows what he’s doing. He’ll be all right.”

Ian wasn’t as sure as he tried to sound. Hearing footfalls stalking in the direction of his solar, Ian knew his youngest brother, Duncan, was coming to talk to him about Cearnach.

As soon as Duncan knocked on the door frame and Ian said, “Enter,” his brother stalked in, wearing all black and looking ready to do battle. Ian could smell the wind and pine and rain surrounding him. He knew his brother had been up on the ramparts waiting for Cearnach’s return. “He’s been gone too long,” Duncan said.

Ian didn’t have to guess who Duncan was referring to. Duncan bowed his head slightly to Flynn in acknowledgment, then shifted his stormy gaze to Ian. “Do you want me to gather some men?”

“Even if he just stayed for the wedding, he still wouldn’t have had time to drive all that way home yet,” Ian cautioned.

“Did he call you when he arrived?”

That’s what had been bothering Ian. His brother hadn’t let him know he’d arrived, although he should have reached the church hours ago. He was good about keeping in touch. All his kin were. So why hadn’t Cearnach called? Trouble was all that came to mind. His brother was in trouble.

“Send six men to the church and scout around.”

Duncan arched an eyebrow. The order was clear. Ian didn’t want Duncan to lead them.

Ian folded his arms. He’d already tried to convince Cearnach not to go to the wedding. He wasn’t about to