She reached back and grasped my neck, resting her hand over my mark.
The light flickered around us.
Pine. Candles. Bright red holly berries.
The scent of nature and our coupling blended in perfect harmony.
Mate, Wulfric purred, curling contentedly in my chest—serene.
“Ah’m glad Uncle Callum didnae ruin yer face,” she whispered.
“Ye wee minx. Ye’ll pay fur yer insolence,” I vowed, and she only giggled.
The sound was perfect—happy, carefree.
I loved every facet of her.
Human… and her shy wolf.
? ? ?
Euphemia and Flora were upstairs while she chose a dress. My gaze kept flicking toward the stairwell as I paced the floor under Callum and Ranald’s watchful eyes.
The children played with their new toys, sharing them with Moire, whose squeals of delight made Wulfric chuff low in my chest.
“What dae ye think, Ranald?” Callum drawled lazily.“Dae ye think he’ll do fur yer sister?”
My head snapped around so fast my muscles locked. I rubbed the back of my neck, staring at Ranald while Callum smirked, clearly enjoying himself.
Ranald looked me over with open insolence.
“I suppose she could do worse,” he said coolly.“There was one-armed MacPherson had his eye on her, remember?”
Fury surged up my spine.
“MacPherson?” I spat.
“Oh, aye. I forgot about him. Poor lad—lost his arm at the mill.”
“This one still has all his limbs,” Ranald said with a sniff,“but I’m no too confident about his blood.”
Callum chuckled when he noticed my clenched fists.
“We shouldnae tease him on Christmas Day. Poor wee Laird is beside himself.”
Ranald’s lips tugged at the corners, but his eyes were from the devil himself.
What were they teaching the children up here?
Before I could form another thought, the door opened—and my heart stuttered.
Euphemia stood there with her hair pinned to one side, the shorter layers spilling forward over her chest while the rest fell in a heavy curtain down her back, reaching her waist. The deep red of it burned against the silver and black of her dress, the long skirt catching the light and shimmering softly as she moved.
She stepped closer, hands twisting together, dark eyes peeking up at me from beneath her lashes.
“Och, don’t ye look bonnie,” Callum exclaimed.
I crossed the room in a daze, took her hand, and bowed to press a kiss to her knuckles.
