Page 1

Chapter 1

Robert Campbell joined his twin sister, Edeen, and her mate, Lachlan MacQuarrie, for breakfast at their kitchen table in the manor house, where he’d been living while his own home was being built with the vet clinic right next to it. His place was on their property, within walking distance of their manor house, and was finally finished. Edeen’s home was formerly an inn, originally built in the 1700s, and had always been owned by the Campbells in the Highlands of Scotland, though it had been called a manor house for years.

“Thanks again for giving me fifty acres of your one hundred to build my clinic and home on the property.”

Brushing a red curl of hair off her cheek, Edeen smiled at him. “We would have given you much more than that to entice you to leave your veterinary practice in Edinburgh and join us here.”

“The decision was easy to make.” Robert’s sister was four months’ pregnant, but Lachlan’s brothers both were sitting on pins and needles waiting for their own mates to have babies any day now. “Besides delivering both your babies and Lachlan’s brothers’ sets of twins, I can’t wait to be at yourwedding to Lachlan in a little over a week.”

“Oh, absolutely. I’m so excited about it.” Edeen had made Robert a grand tux and the works to wear to it. His twin sister had a successful business creating faux vintage gowns and menswear, tartan kilts, and other garments out of the manor house, while Lachlan worked with his brothers, Enrick and Grant, the leader of their wolf pack and clan business, which meant anything concerning the pack, the castle, and their grounds.

Besides, Robert loved the wolf pack, and he’d always been close with his sister, so he couldn’t imagine living that far from her long-term.

“Have they found a replacement for you at the vet clinic there yet?” Edeen asked.

“No, but I’m sure it won’t be long. The other two veterinarians there can manage the workload until that happens.”

“Well, we’re so glad to have you here,” Lachlan said. “We feel really lucky.”

Robert had been a practicing family physician for a few years before leaving his practice and becoming a veterinarian, which meant that they now had a doctor who was well versed for most scenarios.

“Happy to be here.” Robert loved working with animals, though now that he was living among his kind, he loved taking care of the shifters also.

“Hey, we’re having some weapons training in the inner bailey tomorrow afternoon. Edeen says you’re going to come join us.” Lachlan buttered his toast and coated it with grape jelly.

Robert glanced at Edeen. She smiled sweetly at him. Hissister wanted him to be immersed in the same things that the other men in the wolf pack were. Robert wanted to be part of the pack in that way, but he didn’t want to look like he could barely hold a sword. He’d always been busy getting degrees and working. Sword fighting just hadn’t been part of his agenda, and he hadn’t had any wolf friends to practice with over the years, even though it was part of their heritage.

He had a sword that had been handed down from his grandfather, but he worried about actually being able to do well in “weapons training.” He would be required to wear his kilt and the rest of his attire, as if they were ready to go to war. He told himself it would be fun, but he was too alpha to want to admit he could be a failure at it. These guys had been doing this training for years.

“And fishing next week.” Lachlan took a sip of his tea.

That was another thing Robert rarely did. “Uh, right.”

Lachlan nodded, serious as could be, and began eating his eggs. “Good. You’re part of the pack now, and you’re my brother.”

Robert appreciated that all three brothers treated him like he was one of their own. “I agree. I’ve been enjoying getting to know all of you.”

“Good. We sure love having a new brother in the family.” Once he finished eating his breakfast, Lachlan said, “I have to go.” He gave Edeen a hug and kiss.

“Love you.” She stepped outside with him to say goodbye.

On a beautiful summer day like this, Lachlan would walk up to the ancient stone dike between the MacQuarrie and the Campbell properties to reach Farraige Castle to dohis duties, whatever they were for the day. Robert had had a hand in installing the wrought-iron gate they’d erected between the two properties.

When Edeen reentered the manor house, she said to Robert, “You know you don’t have to worry about looking like you’re clueless at sword fighting. They want to teach you, and they know you haven’t trained in swordsmanship like they have.”

“And fishing?” Robert finished eating breakfast, then got up to help her clean the dishes.

She laughed. “You will have to do an archery match with them. Then you can show them how good you are.”

“Lachlan never mentions that. It’s like he knows I might best him.”

Edeen hugged her brother. “I did let it slip that you were good at it.”

“Ha! I knew it.”

“So what are you going to do today?”

“I’m going to fish.”