Page 31 of Wolf Heir (Highland Wolves of Old #3)

“We’re going to speak to Osmond,” Collum said, surprising Aisling as they left the chief’s solar.

She thought Collum would interrogate Osmond, but not have the rest of them go with him.

Collum turned to Aodhan, Blair, Nelly, and Coinneach’s family. “None of you need to come with me, just Aisling and Coinneach.”

“Aye,” Nelly and Blair said, and hurried off to the castle.

Aodhan said to Coinneach, “I’ll see you on the wall walk.”

“Soon,” Coinneach said.

Aodhan stalked off to the north tower stairs.

“If you need our help further, feel free to ask for it,” Coinneach’s father said to Collum.

“I will,” Collum said.

Aisling and Coinneach both hugged his family, then they left.

“Why did Blair join us when she had nothing to offer when we spoke to Chief Hamish?” Collum asked.

Aisling wasn’t surprised that Collum still wanted to know why her mother wanted to be in on the discussion. “You would have to ask her.”

“But I think you know as close as you are to your mother,” Collum said.

They walked into the stable and saw the red-haired Osmond speaking to one of his men. He was of such small stature that it was hard to imagine he could do any job and succeed. “Collum.” Osmond sounded surprised to see Collum entering the stable.

“We have a matter to discuss—actually, a couple of matters. Two of the men in your employ hunted down Aisling and Coinneach last eve while they were running as wolves in the meadow. I need to know your role in all of it.”

“My ro…role?” Osmond said, his hand on his chest as if he were shocked to hear that anyone would think ill of him.

“Aye. They were your men.”

“Were?” Osmond glanced at Coinneach, as if he knew Coinneach was the one to dispatch his men.

“We’ve heard the rumors about you and Morag,” Aisling said.

“What? What rumors?” Osmond asked, his eyes wide, but she didn’t think he looked surprised in the least bit.

“That you are Rupert’s da,” Collum said. “After the trouble Rupert caused with Aisling, and then Coinneach took him to task, it would be easy to believe that you would set the men on them to eliminate them.”

“Nay, I would never have done that.”

Aisling noted that Osmond didn’t object to the rumors that he was Rupert’s da. Was he proud of it? Despite how Hamish might react toward Morag and Osmond’s relationship, and that Rupert was their son. He had to be delusional if he thought anyone in the pact would accept it.

Or maybe he was ready to give up the farce and wanted to claim his son and Morag as his own, forget that Hamish would most likely have them banished. Maybe even worse.

“You’re Rupert’s da,” Collum said again, trying to get confirmation.

What about Morag? Aisling couldn’t imagine her wanting to give up her position as the chief’s mate, where she could give orders to pack members at will.

Only Hamish could override her commands.

After all that she’d done to get that position, Aisling couldn’t imagine she’d want to admit she had been Osmond’s lover for years.

Osmond shrugged. “You know how often there is some truth to rumors.”

Did he also know how Morag had gotten rid of Hamish’s real son?

Aisling glanced at Collum to get his take on it.

“So you are admitting that you and Morag conceived Rupert?” Collum asked.

Osmond smirked. “Dinna you see the similarities between me and my son? No’ to mention he doesna wear the mark of the wolf on his body.”

Aisling and Coinneach quickly exchanged glances. She didn’t understand. Had he seen Coinneach’s birthmark? Did Osmond know he was Hamish’s son? Did Morag?

But she hadn’t attempted to kill Blair, who would have been a witness to what had happened, or possibly the other women there at the time of the birthing.

“You will tell Hamish this?” Collum asked.

“Aye.”

“Come with me then.” Collum escorted Osmond to the castle, telling Aisling and Coinneach that they were dismissed.

Coinneach hugged Aisling. “Does Osmond know about me then?”

“I dinna know. I would think Morag would have silenced my mother and the two other women who had been in the chamber when Hamish’s mate gave birth,” Aisling said.

“I agree with you.”

“I’ve got to go to work, and so do you. I’m sure we’ll hear about what Hamish wants to do about Osmond soon enough.”

“I would love to have heard what was said.” He kissed her mouth. “Mayhap Hamish will ban Osmond and Morag from the pack. Rupert, too, so he can be with his parents. And then we will be done with all this.”

“I agree.”

“We’ll stay together in the couple’s quarters.”

“Oh, my, ‘tis the best of news.” Aisling just hoped that Osmond’s telling the truth about Rupert being his son truly would be the end of all this, as long as Hamish believed Osmond. “I’ll see you for the meal.”

They hugged again, and Coinneach hurried off to the tower stairs. Aisling went to look for her mother to warn her about what had happened, just in case Morag learned of it and went after her, fearing her mother would also tell the chief about the baby she had ordered murdered?

“Where is my mother?” Aisling asked one of the washer women.

“She’s delivering twins in the women’s chamber,” one of the women said.

“Thank you,” Aisling said and hurried off to the women’s chamber. No one but her mother, the woman having the babies, and two other women were there. Everyone else was working at their various stations.

Her mother glanced in her direction, must have seen the panic in Aisling’s expression, and told the other women that the expectant mother needed to shift and have her babies as pups. Then she joined Aisling and took hold of her arms.

“What is wrong?”

“Osmond is with Collum. He’s going to reveal to Chief Hamish that he’s Rupert’s da. I just didna want Morag to come after you, should she think you will tell the laird about Coinneach.”

“Are you sure Osmond will do that? Hamish could kill him for his traitorous actions,” her mother said, sounding and smelling anxious.

Aisling glanced at the mother in labor, now birthing her twins as wolf pups. “I dinna know. See to the mother and her pups, and I’ll watch for Morag or anybody who might show up who shouldn’t be here.”

“Aye. The other lasses are here who attended Orla’s mother when she birthed her bairn.”

Aisling inclined her head, then went to her palette and retrieved her bow and arrows. Then she stood near the entrance to the ladies’ chamber, watching for trouble. At least she didn’t need to be in the kitchen just now.

“Do you have your sgian dubh?” her mother asked.

“Aye. Always.” Then Aisling peeked out of the chamber and kept guard.

On the wall walk, Coinneach told Aodhan about what Osmond had told them, and that Collum was taking him to see Hamish.

“Osmond must be crazy to want to do so,” Aodhan said.

“Aye, but what will Morag do? Agree with him? Tell Hamish that Osmond has lied so she can keep her position as the chief’s mate?

But here’s the thing. Osmond said Rupert doesna have the mark of the wolf on him, as if that proves he isna Hamish’s son.

” Coinneach glanced down at the inner bailey, waiting to hear some commotion that would indicate Hamish was ready to kill Osmond.

Aodhan frowned. “But you wear the wolf’s mark.”

“Aye. Is it inherited then?” Coinneach asked.

“Mayhap.”

“Have you ever seen a wolf mark on Hamish or Collum? If a child of Hamish’s should bear the mark, it would have to come from Hamish’s line, wouldna you think?” Coinneach asked as he gazed out at the forest beyond the meadow.

“Unless it came from your mother.”

“Oh, aye, I hadna considered that.” Coinneach felt bad that he had discounted his mother. He wished he had known her.

“I wish I could hear what is being said between Hamish and Osmond.” Aodhan leaned against the outer wall.

“Me also.” Coinneach glanced back at the castle. “I wonder if Hamish will put Osmond in the dungeon, kill him outright, or banish him.”

“And Morag and Rupert. Unless Morag denies it’s true or Osmond gets scared and doesna tell the chief the truth.”

“That’s a possibility. He doesna appear to be a strong man. He was sneaky and underhanded. I was shocked to learn he planned to tell Hamish that Rupert was his son.”

Then they heard a commotion in the inner bailey and both of them turned their attention there.

Two of the guards were dragging Osmond out of the castle. He was bruised and bleeding and shouting for all to hear, “Rupert is my son! Morag has been my mistress for years!”

Humans did such a thing, but wolves mated for life, unless the one they mated had died.

And even then, they might never take another mate.

But have an affair on the side? Rarely. In Morag's position, it was unbelievable.

Sometimes, though, people in power thought they could get away with anything.

Often, they did. For many years, she had.

Dunstan and two guards, including Tristan, forced Osmond out of the inner bailey, through the outer bailey, and beyond the gates. He was lucky he hadn’t been killed outright for his transgressions.

“Banishment, it appears,” Aodhan said.

“But what about Morag and Rupert?” Coinneach couldn’t believe she would get away with what she’d pulled.

“How much do you want to bet she convinced Hamish that Osmond was out of his mind, and she had no idea what he was talking about?”

Coinneach considered what she’d already done that he knew of. What else had she been up to over the years? “Aye. She convinced the chief to mate her. And threatened Blair to get rid of me. She could be capable of deceiving anyone about anything.”

“I agree.”

They watched as Osmond headed across the meadow, Drustan, Tristan, and the other guards watching him leave.

Drustan glanced up at the wall walk and studied Coinneach and Aodhan observing him. Then he and the other men went through the gates, and Tristan ran up the tower stairs to join Coinneach and Aodhan.

“Was Osmond banished from the pack?” Coinneach asked Tristan.

“Aye. Gods’ wounds, Drustan said that he was sure you would know something about it.

He told me to come up and make sure you watch for Osmond in the event he returns.

So what do you know about it?” Tristan was wide-eyed, looking like he couldn’t believe Coinneach would know about it since he had been working on the wall walk.

“He and Morag had a longstanding affair, and Rupert was the result of it,” Coinneach said.

“Nay.” Tristan’s eyes sparkled with intrigue.

“Aye,” Aodhan said.

“He told Collum in front of Aisling and me,” Coinneach confirmed.

“So why isna Morag going with him? And Rupert also?” Tristan asked.

“She convinced the chief that she is innocent of the charges. That Osmond made up the whole story. That Osmond had made overtures toward her, but she had rebuffed them.” Coinneach glanced back at the meadow where Osmond continued to walk toward the forest.

“I’m off to sleep before I have duty tonight. Oh,”—Tristan turned before he left them alone on the wall walk—“is it true that you killed two of Osmond’s stable hands who attempted to hunt you and Aisling down last night?”

“With the help of Aisling and my family.” Coinneach was so proud of her.

“Osmond said Rupert didna have a wolf mark on him when he was born. But”—Tristan glanced at Aodhan as if worried that he shouldn’t make any further comment—“uh, but you have one.”

Aodhan’s eyes widened. “Och, you are right, Tristan.”

“It means naught, I’m sure.” Tristan glanced at Coinneach as if waiting for confirmation.

“What difference does it make?” Coinneach asked, not sure what to make of it.

“Both Collum and Hamish have a wolf mark on their bodies ‘Tis said their da and his da also had wolf marks. They were different shapes in different places, but when Hamish learned Rupert didn’t have one, I’ve heard tell he was more than surprised.”

“Surely, others have such a mark who dinna share the same lineage,” Coinneach said.

“No’ that I know of. But you appear to be about the same age as Rupert, mayhap a wee bit older.” Tristan scrubbed his bearded chin. “Then again you would have been raised by Hamish if you were his son. Not by Elspeth and Magnus. And Tamhas is your twin brother.”

Could Coinneach trust Tristan with the truth?

Coinneach didn’t want Blair to get into trouble over it.

If Morag had convinced Hamish she hadn’t been with him in a carnal way, it would be even easier to convince him how ridiculous it sounded that Coinneach had been raised by the crofters when he was Hamish’s son.

As to the business of his wolf mark, if Morag learned of it, she would attempt to have him, Blair, and the other ladies who had helped with his mother’s delivery murdered. Aisling too, he was certain.

Tristan cleared his throat. “Elspeth, Magnus, and Tamhas are your family, are they no’?”

“Aye.”

But Tristan didn’t seem to believe it.

What if Hamish thought his parents had something to do with stealing Coinneach from the castle? He certainly didn’t want his family to be in trouble over all this!

“Oh, and Hamish wants our fighters to practice fighting after the nooning meal,” Tristan said.

“We’re serving on guard duty,” Coinneach reminded him.

“He specifically said he wants you and Aodhan to be there.”

“The others who have to take our place will become annoyed that we always get to leave the wall walk during duty,” Coinneach said.

“You leave even when you are no’ supposed to,” Tristan said, referring to when Coinneach had left the castle to save his family and the croft. “Off to sleep for a while.”

“Are you going to join us in the practice fighting?” Coinneach asked him.

“Aye. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Then Tristan took off for the tower stairs.

“Usually, Hamish schedules the fight in the morning before we break our fast.” Aodhan looked back at the forest.

“Do you believe he’s angry about Osmond, and this is a way for him to release his anger? I have no’ seen him fight before though.”

“Aye. I believe he has said we must join the fight so he can”—Aodhan smiled—“battle you, just to see how good one of his newest guards is since you bested me. I would recommend you remove your shirt again this time, unlike last time.”

“And if Morag happens to see the wolf on my shoulder?”

“She never comes to see the men fighting.”

Coinneach wondered if Morag would this time, to appease Hamish, if he wasn’t sure if she’d had the affair with Osmond or not, to pretend she was interested in watching Hamish fight.