Page 23 of How to Woo a Highlander

His thoughts were interrupted as he came upon the group just in time to see the young man's clothing rip to reveal soft, smooth skin and slender shoulders above a tightly bound chest.

"A woman?!" the words burst out of his lips before he could stop them as his shock was too great. However, this brought attention to him as the group turned to look where he stood in the shadows. He could not even process it as the biggest of the men let out a loud bellow.

"Fortune has befallen us today, eh, me brothers?" He said, nudging the man beside him with a big nose. The group laughed loudly as the woman struggled to cover herself, causing the fat bully to rip her clothes even more. Alastair clenched his fist in anger.

Why did she even dress like a man in the first place? No, I must save her first; my questions can come later.

The largest man seemed to notice his expression and gave him a frown.

"Me friend, ye could have her as well if ye want, but we were here first, so ye will have to take whatever is left after we are done," the man said, causing the rogues to laugh again.

Alastair's jaw twitched with rage. If he had any doubts about their intentions, they were cleared up now. They did not seem to be taking him seriously, fully confident that they would be able to handle him no matter what he chose to do. That would be their mistake.

On his first step forward, he shot his arm out, sending a mighty fist to the jaw of the closest man, grinning when he heard a satisfying crunch. The man was unconscious immediately, and before he could fall Alastair grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, barrelling him into the man on his left, sending him stumbling into the opposite wall with a yell.

In a matter of seconds, three men were down with two unconscious and one ruffled and stunned as he struggled to his feet. The biggest brute stared around him in shock at his fallen comrades before his brow furrowed into a frown, and he attacked, launching himself at Alastair with a curse on his lips.

"Ye son of a -" he began to say, but Alastair met his words midway with a solid punch right into the middle of his face, greeting his momentum with force. Bones crunched, and teeth flew, sending the man down to join his unconscious friends on the ground.

His fist ached, and he knew the punch had surely done considerable damage. The remaining two who could still stand flinched as Alastair looked up at them.

"Get out of me sight," he growled. Very scared, the men glanced at their comrades once more, before scurrying away in terror.

With the trouble gone, Alastair ripped his cloak off his kilt and approached the woman huddled against the wall; her face turned away.

"I am nae going to hurt ye, miss. I want to help. Are ye alright?" he said as he draped his cloak around her. She turned to face him, and he saw her face. Alastair knew that he could never be angrier than he was at that moment.

“Jane?!” he thundered

* * *

When the mysterious man had appeared in the shadows, he had startled all of them. If not for the fact that his voice had sounded familiar, which surprised her even more, she would have taken the opportunity he created to escape. However, she had been too stunned and tried to place who he was. It was only when Long Nose began to shred her clothes that she noted her mistake by not running.

She had never been saved by someone before, and could only sit in shock as she watched the man fight for her. She remained wary, seeing as he was still a stranger in an alley and could choose to hurt her if he wanted, but then the light had caught his face, and she realized who it was. Shame shrouded her immediately, and she tried to avoid his gaze.

Jane was in big trouble. Alastair's eyes sparked with fury when he saw her face. She flushed with shame as he got to his feet, his frustration evident in the way he ran his hands through his hair.

"I'm sorry," she squeaked as he was trying to keep from yelling at her. He turned to her with flashing eyes.

"Ye're sorry? What are ye sorry for exactly, Miss Baxendale?" he yelled, causing her to cover her face in shame.

"Nay, nay, ye will nae look away. I want ye to look at me. Look at this mess. What exactly did ye think ye were doing when ye left the castle? Where did ye even get these clothes?" he thundered.

She looked up at their surroundings. The three unconscious men lay at their feet, and Alastair had his hands on his hips, glaring down at her. She could not help but note how powerful he looked, standing over the vanquished men.

It is inappropriate to be attracted to him at this moment, Jane!

"We shouldnae have this conversation here. Get to yer feet, I will take ye somewhere safe, and ye can explain yerself," he commanded. His voice made it clear that he was not in the mood to repeat himself, so she jumped up as quickly as she could.

He led her by the elbow, taking them down the street, and stopping at the inn Anderson had told her was respectable and did not allow trouble.

Aah, if I had run this far, this would have been the perfect place to go. The guards would have dealt with those rascals.

She still could not believe her terrible luck. She could have made a clean escape if it weren't for the fruit cart. Alastair's grip did not leave her elbow as he continued to lead her, taking them upstairs in the inn.

She blinked in question. He had not even said a word to the innkeeper and had simply barrelled in. Did he already book a room? He must have been around for him to show up and save her.

Her heart jumped at the thought of being alone in a room with him. She was still dressed like a man so people would see nothing wrong with them heading up to his room, especially as she looked like a teenager, and Alaistair looked furious.