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“Sure thing.” But Robert loved being here with the wolves. He hadn’t realized how much of a difference it would make in his world until his sister moved out here and mated Lachlan and they invited Robert to all the pack functions. He used to be known to just work and chill while watching some TV at night. Everything was different for him now.

After they said goodbye, Robert called Bruce Abercromby. “Hi, this is Dr. Robert Campbell, formerly with the Edinburgh Animal Hospital. I’m living in the Highlands now, and a friend of mine found Lady’s collar. Did you lose her or just her collar?”

“Och, Doc, she has run off. We’ve been in the area, staying at a bed-and-breakfast for the last two nights. We took one last hike before we returned home, and she tore off after a rabbit. We ran after her, but you know when a dog runs like that, it’s impossible to keep up with her. We couldn’t shift and chase her down as wolves. Way too many hikers were about. Where was her collar found?”

“At the MacTavish Inn. I’m going out there now to see if I can find her. How far are you from that location?”

“About a mile. We’ve been hiking all over, looking for her. We’ll head there now.”

“Maisie and Anne MacTavish are searching for her also. They’re the owners of the inn. And they’re wolves.”

“That’s great news. Thank them for me. We’ll see you soon.”

Robert grabbed a box of doggy treats, a leash, and a dog collar and drove off to Maisie and Anne’s place. He didn’t want to call Lachlan and have more of their clan’s membershelp him quite yet because they might just scare Lady off. On the way to the inn, Robert called Maisie. “I’m on my way over. Lady’s owners are going to your inn. She got lost while they were on a hike. Have you made any headway?”

“We’ve found some paw prints in the garden, and she left some muddy prints on the back walkway, but we’re still searching for her,” Maisie said.

“Okay, I’ve got treats for her.”

“Oh, good idea. We should have thought of it.”

“I’ll be there shortly, and so will the Abercrombys. They’re wolves, by the way.”

“Oh, great. That should help. See you soon.”

Not too long after that, Robert parked at the inn and headed for the gardens. He soon smelled Maisie’s scent and another she-wolf’s and figured it was Anne’s.

He began calling out for Lady and shook the box of treats. It always worked to get a dog’s attention at the clinic.

Way off in the distance, he heard a howl. He assumed it was one of the sisters, howling to him in her human form to let him know where they were. He howled back and hurried in the direction her howl had come from.

He smelled Lady’s scent this way too, so the sisters appeared to be on her trail. He saw some paw prints too. But when he reached Anne—she had the same pretty blue eyes, but her hair was lighter than Maisie’s—he was surprised to see she was alone. “Where’s Maisie?”

“She ran after the dog. She told me to wait here for you.”

Which confused him. He would have been able to find them even if Anne had continued on with her sister.

“The River Shiel is flowing into Loch Moidart,” Anne explained. “The tide was out, but it’s coming in fast, and the dog went to the island. Maisie followed her. Maybe you can rescue them before it’s too late. There was no sense in me getting stuck there too. I’m going to return to the inn and see if I can meet up with the Abercrombys to let them know what’s going on.”

“Okay, I’ll go after Maisie and Lady.” Robert took off running for the sandy causeway before it was under water. If they were lucky, he could make it in time, entice Lady to go with him, and then he and Maisie would have to run as fast as they could to cross the causeway before it was impassable.

Before he reached the causeway, he didn’t see any sign of either the dog or Maisie, but higher up on the island, the bracken reached six feet and higher, so they could have already been moving through the bracken or even be on the other side of the island and he wouldn’t be able to see them. Situated way up above on the granite summit of the Island of Eilean Tioram—Tioram pronouncedChee-rum, meaning “the dry island”—the thirteenth-century Castle Tioram was formidable, thirty-three feet high, although in ruins. The island itself was about 200,000 square feet, so it wouldn’t be hard to find someone on it.

He shouted for Maisie and Lady, shaking the box of treats and running full out.

When he crossed the sandbar, the water was up to his calves, the tide already beginning to come in. He raced across the disappearing causeway as fast as he could, the water ice cold, and he was reminded of hypothermia andwas, again, not dressed for being in the water. He made his way through the rocks and the network of paths interwoven through the bracken, heather, and brambles up to the castle. He was getting closer to the southwestern, pentagonal curtain wall when he saw strands of the terrier’s white fur on some brambles. Part of the northwestern wall had collapsed, which made walking the beach on that side risky.

Then he heard Maisie calling for the dog on the other side of the castle.

“Do you want some treats, Lady?” Robert asked, shaking the box and trying to make his way safely around the castle.

“Robert, we’re over here!” Maisie called.

“Have you got her?”

“No. She’s sitting down, panting, not moving,finally, but she’s afraid to come to me, probably because I’ve been chasing her all this time. But she’s listening to the box of treats you’re shaking and your voice and warily watching me. Oh, she’s circling again, digging at the ground, restless, panting more. She’s worn out so she’s not running any longer, but I think she’s thirsty and hungry.”

“Is she okay otherwise?”