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Every morning after that, Alyssa walked wherever she wanted to walk after visiting Bonnie and before having lunch with her friends. She knew she shouldn’t be defying her husband, but she just didn’t care anymore. She needed walks alone for her mental health, and she was going to get them.

It was over a month later, and the trees were still beautiful when Alyssa saw a stag in the clearing just on the other side of the woods from the village.

She knew stags were dangerous during mating season, which it was, so she quietly walked back toward the woods, turning to keep her eyes on the animal frequently.

Just as she was almost past the woods, she looked over her shoulder to see the stag run at her.

She took her sword from her scabbard, and held it up, knowing she couldn’t outrun the creature.

She wanted to cover her head and hide, but she knew she had to stand tall and kill him if she could, though she hated the idea of killing the magnificent creature coming toward her.

The animal was just a few feet away from her, when a man wearing the McClain plaid, pushed her out of the way, and killed the stag with his own sword.

He turned to look at her, as she lay on the ground, trying to decide if she’d really hurt her ankle, or if it had just gotten a little twisted when she fell. When she saw it was the man who Kendrick had asked to guard her, she was immediately furious.

“Why are you following me?”

“I am Murray. Tis me job to be certain ye are safe, lass.”

“Did Kendrick tell you to follow me every day?”

“Aye.” He reached a hand down to help her to her feet, and she wanted to swat it away, but she wasn’t certain she could stand on her own.

Her left ankle buckled when she tried to put wait on it, and Murray caught her before she fell.

He swept her up in his arms and carried her back to the village.

She refused to speak to him as he carried her back, into the keep, and deposited her in the parlor with Holli, who looked at her curiously.

“Are you hurt?”

Alyssa frowned, nodding at her foot. “Someone pushed me down.”

Murray looked like he wanted to throttle her, but instead of doing so, he said, “I’ll get the old laird.”

As soon as he was gone, Holli shook her head. “What did you do?”

Alyssa took a deep breath and confessed to all the walks she’d been taking for well over a month.

“I haven’t had any trouble at all,” she said.

“But then this morning, right after I got out of the woods, there was a stag in the middle of the field. I turned and went back for cover into the woods, and when I realized the stag was after me, I pulled my sword out and stood my ground.”

Holli looked horrified, but she nodded. “And then?”

“Then that Murray freak comes out of nowhere, and knocks me down, killing the stag with his sword. I was going to do that! And when I fell, thanks to him, I hurt my ankle, and I can’t put any weight on it.”

“Where did he come from?” Holli asked, afraid she already knew the answer.

“He’s been guarding me on every walk I’ve taken, and I’m not super happy about it. Doesn’t Kendrick trust me?”

“I’m not getting in the middle of this one.” Holli shook her head. “Sounds like you both messed up to me.”

Alyssa looked away from her friend as she sat on the silly bench beside her, wishing she could get up and walk back to her cottage. Or hide somewhere. It really didn’t matter at the moment.

Gavin and Beth came into the keep a few minutes later, heading straight for Alyssa. When he frowned at her, Alyssa sighed. “I need time to think!”

“Aye,” Gavin said as he sat on a footstool by her.

He picked up her foot and placed it on one knee, where his hands hovered just above it.

“Tis broken. You could have hurt the bairn! No more walks without a guard!” With his words, he quickly healed her ankle, and she immediately felt relieved of the pain.

After the pain was gone, she thought about what he’d said. “Bairn? I’m ready to push the man in the stupid lake, and you tell me I’m pregnant?”

Alyssa got to her feet and started pacing back and forth in the parlor. “I’m not sure I ever want to see him again.” But she wanted the baby with everything inside her, and she could have risked it. She sighed, sitting back down, and forcing her mind to get practical.

When Kendrick walked into the keep mere moments later, she glared at him. “I don’t want your guards and I’m raising this baby to be strong and independent!”

Kendrick walked straight to her. “Is she healed?”

“Aye. She is healed.” Gavin looked at his grandson and seemed to be fighting a grin.

Kendrick grabbed Alyssa’s hand and pulled her to her feet without another word. He dragged her across the village and all the way back to the cottage they shared, ignoring the strange looks coming from all around them. “Ye could have died! And me bairn would have died with you!”

“That’s all you care about! I’m your breeder going to make more little McClains! Why did you have Murray following me everywhere? I told you I don’t need a guard!”

“Ye do! Ye would have been trampled by that stag if not for Murray!”

“How do you know? You weren’t there! I had my sword out, and I was ready!”

“I say ye weren’t ready!” Kendrick looked down at her from his greater height, and she could see he was furious with her as well. “The bairn is all right?” he asked.

“Yes, the bairn is fine!” Alyssa tried to breathe for a moment, so frustrated by the events of the day. “I don’t want to have someone follow me everywhere. It’s ridiculous. The men have better things to do than walk around behind me.”

“I don’t want you hurt. I want you safe. Can’t you see where I’m coming from?” he asked, his voice much calmer.

“I do understand. But I feel caged. Would you put the baby and I in a box and keep us locked away?”

“Of course not.”

“Well, to me, that’s how it feels.”

He scrubbed his hand through his hair and sat down at the table, taking her hand and pulling her into his lap.

“I don’t know what to do anymore. I can’t let you go because I love you too much.

I can’t keep you from walking, because you get sad.

You are angry that I had a guard follow behind you, but I don’t know of anything else that can be done to keep you safe if you insist on walking by yourself every morning. ”

“I love you too, but I don’t know what to do either!” She stared into his eyes, his beautiful eyes and sank against him. “I need to have some freedom.”

“Aye. I can see you do.” He sat quietly thinking about what to do about their dilemma. He wasn’t about to let her, or the baby go anywhere. No, they were his family, and he already loved them both too much.

Alyssa took a minute to calm down, just resting against this hard-headed man she loved more than she could express. “I don’t know how to solve this. Maybe if you stationed men at different places around the village, and I could promise not to get so far away I can’t see them?”

“So you wouldn’t have a guard, but you would still be easily saved.” He thought about it for a moment before nodding slowly. “I think we can make that compromise. Can you keep from trying to run away from my guards, though?”

Alyssa nodded. “I don’t want you to worry more, but I can’t stand being told I can’t go somewhere.” She’d had the freedom she wanted most of her life. Heartsgate was a small community, and it had never been dangerous for her to walk to school or stop at the library on her way home.

“Then we are in agreement.” He wrapped his arms around her tightly and just held her close. “Please don’t put yourself in danger again. My heart just can’t stand it.”

“I won’t.” Resting her head on his shoulder, she realized they could make things work. There would be times when she’d have to put her foot down and do things her own way, but they would be few and far between.

“Let me walk you back to the keep. You can have lunch and sewing time with the ladies, and I will get back to watching my men build the wall.”

She nodded. “But you know what this means, don’t you?” she asked.

“What?”

“It means we’re having a baby. A beautiful little girl we will call Belinda.”

“Do you like that name?” he asked.

“I do. Do you?”

He shrugged. “I’m just excited about a bairn. I’m not sure I’m ready to even think of names yet.”

She grinned, getting to her feet.

As they walked back to the keep together, each of them happy with the compromise they’d made, Alyssa realized how very empty her life would be without Kendrick in it. She had no idea how she’d managed as long as she had without him.

That afternoon, while she was sewing with her three friends from the future, Alyssa heard her name and instantly looked up. “Dr. Lachele!”

All four women gathered around the purple-haired matchmaker. “How’s everything going?”

“Wonderful,” Holli said. “I’m expecting my first son.”

Dr. Lachele smiled. “I’ll come back and check in on you in another year or so. I’m here to check on Alyssa. Something is happening with you, and you haven’t been happy.”

Alyssa shook her head, smiling. “We worked it all out a little while ago. I’m happy.”

Dr. Lachele squealed and wrapped her arms around Alyssa. “That’s wonderful!”

Dr. Lachele took a seat there in the parlor as if she came to visit every afternoon. “Beth, are you still happy?”

Beth nodded. “So happy. I’ve had my seven children and so many grandchildren I’ve lost count.

My husband is no longer the laird, so I travel with him when he goes to heal people in other clans, and I just feel like my life is very peaceful.

I’m looking forward to two of my friends here having even more great-grandbabies for me. ”

Dr. Lachele smiled. “I love my grandson. I wish I’d thought to bring a picture of him and all of my munchkins.”

“Munchkins?” Alyssa asked.

“I claim all the kids that come of my matches as my munchkins. I keep pictures of them on a wall in my office. Trust me, there’s a whole lot of pictures there.”

“I’m sure,” Holli said, shaking her head. “I wouldn’t take pictures of all of the descendants of Beth and Gavin though. I think you would freak out the whole clan, if only with your crazy hair.”

Lachele patted her hair happily. “Heather, how are you? Still happy?”

“So happy,” Heather said. “My Derek doesn’t have to lead the clan any longer, and I’m thrilled to have a cottage in the village where I don’t have to worry about much except my grandbabies.

Thank you for sending my friends back to me.

It would have been easier if they hadn’t ended up being my daughters-in-law, but I guess that just puts a fun twist on things, doesn’t it? ”

“I think so,” Lachele said.

“I’m happy too!” Holli said.

“I’m not here to check on you yet, but I’m glad to hear you’re happy. Keep that baby safe. He’s going to be important one day.”

“He’ll be the first of my seven important sons,” Holli agreed.

“More important than you’ll ever know,” Lachele said, turning to focus on Alyssa. “Are you sure you have it all figured out?”

Alyssa nodded. “I’m sure. Kendrick and I are doing well, and we’ve made some compromises so we’ll continue to do well.”

“What do you want from me?” Dr. Lachele asked Alyssa. “I know you brought back plenty of devices and chargers for the whole lot of you, but there must be something you miss that you want to be part of your life here.”

Alyssa looked at her friends, who were all watching her expectantly. “Can you send us pizzas once a month for lunch? We were all just talking about how much we love pizza, and it’s hard to make them exactly like they were at home.”

Dr. Lachele smiled, nodding. “We’ll make it every Monday.

What kinds now?” She pulled out her phone and tapped in everyone’s exact pizza order.

“Well, I’m off then, ladies. I’ve loved working with all four of you.

” She looked at Holli and tapped her on the nose as she stood to go. “I’ll see you in a while.”

Holli just smiled. “I’ll look forward to it.”

“Anything else I can do for any of you?” Dr. Lachele asked.

Beth nodded. “Yes! We need more healers before the Black Plague. Gavin is going to be too overworked without more.”

“I can’t promise, but I’ll see what I can do.” With those last words, Lachele disappeared.

“What’s today?” Alyssa asked.

“Saturday. Why?” Heather asked. Sunday was the only true day off for the men, though the women were still expected to clean and do their work.

“Because we’re having pizza Monday! I hope Dr. Lachele sends us each a large one.”

“Me too!” Holli said. “I wouldn’t say no to three pizzas at the moment.”

They all laughed, excited to have seen Dr. Lachele again.

Heather frowned at Alyssa, her voice turning serious. “Did you and Kendrick really work things out so you’re both satisfied?” she asked.

“We did. It’s all going to be fine. And I guess you were told Kendrick and I are having a baby as well?” Alyssa thought of something, and her gaze narrowed on Beth. “Did he tell you the gender?”

Beth laughed softly. “Now, if he told me that in confidence, do you think I should tell you?”

The next book about the Fabulous McClain Family will be back in the McClain series. Thanks for zigzagging through my connected worlds with me!