A Highland Werewolf Wedding - By Terry Spear Page 0,76

all our wealth into one pool of funds. This is different because she has not lived with a pack. He’ll let her keep them for her own, if she wishes it. He’ll want her to be as happy with being with us as we are to take her into the fold. Oh, and Cearnach, I want to see Elaine soon so that we can discuss the wedding.”

He hoped that Elaine would be all right with his mother getting involved with the wedding planning, but he couldn’t be more pleased that she was so delighted that he had mated Elaine.

Then he considered his bothersome ghostly cousin and wanted to put that business to rest as well. “My lady mother, why has Flynn been bothering Elaine so?”

“You know how he is. He either pesters a woman because he likes her or because he doesn’t. He liked Elaine from the start once he heard her speaking about protecting you from Vardon.”

“He was there when you were talking with her?”

“Aye. He was hovering so close that he was giving me chills, though he wouldn’t show himself. Since you are his favorite cousin, he wanted to know if the lass was the right one for you.”

“He didn’t push the mating for some other reason, did he?” Cearnach couldn’t settle his concern that Flynn had been snooping around and learned something related to Elaine. Something that could harm her.

“Perhaps. If so, he hasn’t enlightened me. If he’s going to speak with anyone, it’s usually you. Although he did confide in me that he truly likes the lass.”

“He’s avoiding me. Which isn’t normal. His absence makes me think he’s afraid that I’ll learn the truth about some matter.”

“Nonsense. He wanted you to be happy. That’s all. He could tell you were taken by the lass and he wanted to see the two of you mated.”

Cearnach growled. “He molested her. If I could get my hands on him, I’d show him just how I feel about his touching Elaine twice last night and again this morning.”

“I understand.” His mother was smiling as she looked back to her correspondence. “Go, keep her company. I’m certain she’s anxiously awaiting your return.”

He studied his mother further. He sensed she felt what he did—that Flynn knew something but wouldn’t tell them what. He didn’t think she knew what it was any more than he did.

He shook his head, hurried out of the library, and went to the sunroom where Elaine was watching out the window. He glanced out to see what she was smiling at. Heather and Shelley walking the dogs.

“The poodles are beautiful,” she said. Then she looked up at Cearnach and smiled. “What would your mother have done if I said I owned a pair of dachshunds?”

He laughed and walked her outside the keep and onto the path to the kennels, pulling her close, trying to keep her warm in the chilly breeze. At least it wasn’t raining today, though dark clouds melded together in a fluffy gray blanket covering the sky. “My mother would have loved them.” He looked down at Elaine. “You don’t really have dogs, do you?”

She laughed. “No. Though Shelley said something about Julia falling in love with the wolfhound pups and having a hard time letting Ian sell them. Maybe I could have one of those for my own?”

Cearnach shook his head. “Ian will have a fit.”

She frowned up at him.

He smiled. “But for you, I will ensure you have your pick.”

She beamed up at him. “What if I can’t choose? And I want more than one?”

He laughed. “That’s why we have so many wolfhounds already.”

Cearnach thought again about Flynn. He couldn’t rid himself of the notion that something more was going on here.

“Lass, I wonder, could there be any other reason Robert Kilpatrick wanted you to meet him here at the ruins? Did you know you have holdings in Scotland?”

Chapter 19

Speculating about how deeply Cearnach was becoming involved with Elaine, Ian took a small force of men for protection as he and Julia rode their horses through the Caledonian Forest. The cool autumn breeze flowed through the pine trees, scenting the air. He glanced at Julia, finally comfortable with riding a horse.

She had wanted to get away from the castle and think about a new scene in the latest werewolf romance novel she was writing. He’d do whatever was needed to please his mate—even wear blue jeans and a black Stetson hat, which still didn’t feel quite right. He thought she was thinking about