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They weren’t running in the cool misty woods in a follow-the-leader pattern, but spread out, exploring the sights and scents and sounds, like wolves would

They hadn’t gone very far when she heard growling, two female wolves to the left of her soate, Julia raced past her Colleen dove after her in wolf rescue mode

Five male wolves approached Colleen didn’t know any of the men in their wolf forrowled in a highly dangerous way, not in play The other she-wolves quickly joined them as a united front

The fe, while Julia raised her snout and howled

Colleen knew she was calling in ood

The males only took a moment to consider the situation, then turned tail and bolted The females did not follow A matter of minutes later, Grant and several male wolves appeared They quickly assessed the fe they were uninjured, then Grant and Duncan--Colleen recognized him by scent--stayed with the fe wolves

Who were those wolves? Julia and Ian had scent- wolves had to have known better On the other hand, fewer females were born to a olf pack, and she wondered if their appearance had to do with atte the she-wolves of Ian’s clan

Seeo about it And she suspected it wasn’t the case

Grant nuzzled her face for a uard with Duncan, who had greeted his ood twenty minutes, everyone continued to listen for any sounds other than the hipping through the trees Then a wolf howled, and Julia howled back

Ian was the one calling to say everyone was all right, and Julia let him know all ell here They still waited for thereeted the feh the woods was over for now

After they ran through the back servants’ entry gate, Ian waited for Julia so she could let hi and headed for the garden rooet a chick flick The ladies wanted to watch a swashbuckling adventure with a touch of paranormal and romance But before they watched the htwear, warm robes, and slippers, the ladies all settled down on the sofas around the fire to discuss what had just happened in the woods

Calla said, "Cearnach rescued e The one e faced out there still thinks he can get e my mind"

Elaine said, "Some of the others were my cousins The lot of them True pirates The bad kind"

"And one other," Julia said "I’m certain if Grant had known, he would have torn after hihly pissed as soon as Ian tells him who he was"

"Who was he?" Colleen asked

"Archibald Borthwick Friend of your father and no friend of Grant’s"

Grant knew about Calla’s former fiancé and how Cearnach wanted to save her fro, and did But he was surprised that the ex-fiancé continued to stalk her

"We’ll get them," Ian said "This is the first we’ve seen of theht where several of Elaine’s cousins were injured But what I don’t understand is why Archibald Borthith them"