Chapter Four: A Wolf at the Door

Sorcha opened her eyes very suddenly. She had had a dream. Normally that would not be cause for much concern but the dream had been about him, and her dreams about him always meant he was up to no good.

Her back ached as she lifted up out of her recliner by the hearth. She had engaged with various forms of technology over the years - Netflix was a particular favorite - but she still enjoyed nothing more than sitting in the faded, purple recliner by the stone hearth while her very special concoctions took her through dimensions of which mortals could only dream. The recliner was relatively new; she had purchased it in 1969. But the journeys were not. Over two thousand plus years of living she had gone on many treks through the annals of time and space. However, time was starting to catch up. She was not immortal as some of her brethren had chosen but she did age much more slowly than the average human. She had just entered her seventies physically this past year, and even then she had many spells to combat the wear-and-tear of age. Still, she noticed that removing herself from the recliner was not as easy as it used to be.

Sorcha made herself a cup of tea as she mentally backtracked through the dream she had had about Kane Murdock. The handsome devil had not shown up in her dreams for centuries. She had believed that he had gotten used to his cursed existence and given up on any chance to end it. After he had initially begged her to lift it all those centuries ago, he stopped bothering her after he realized his pleas would get him nothing. She paid him no heed. Even his beast had stopped coming near her home years ago. It could sense the power she had had, the ancient magic that encapsulated her cottage like a womb. Besides, she had not squandered all of her years in rainy Scotland. She had gone out and seen the world. Unlike poor Laird Kane.

Why then had he appeared in her dream? Nothing in Gealach Lán ever happened. Most of the townsfolk had left and the rest that remained were too daft or simple to do anything other than drink. Plus, she had seen an unknown female face in the dream. Young. Lovely. Definitely not from here. In the vision, Sorcha had seen the young woman approach Kane in his beastly form but instead of running away in fear, the female had stroked the monster's nuzzle. This would not do.

Sorcha made her way downstairs to her basement, the underground hovel that she had built on top of half a century ago. The rain was too thick to look to the clouds for answers. She had to use other methods to ascertain what Kane Murdock was up to.

Tunneling deeper into the hovel, she came to the darkest part of the lair. Magically-enforced steel locked away a few souls who some might have referred to as slaves but she thought of as... pets. Some moaned or begged as she passed by but she ignored each of them until she came to her weapon of choice. He huddled in the corner of his cage, facing the wall. The broad muscles of his back moved just the slightest at the sound of her arrival but he did not turn around.

"Colin, my dear," she cooed as she reached into her pocket and removed the corpse of a small mouse. She threw it through the cage bars and watched as he turned his head towards it. She had not fed him for weeks.

"I have great need of you, my pet." She threw another dead mouse for good measure. "I need you to hunt for me."

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Kane was already on his way after Jamie when he heard the distinct howl of another werewolf. For a moment, he had frozen. He had never heard another werewolf, but the sound was distinct enough that he recognized it. He knew the sound of his own only too well and had never expected to hear that horrible bay from another being. Instantly, he set off, reaching inside for his beast's strength to run as fast as possible. Jamie was no more than two miles away, maybe less, but another werewolf could cross that distance in no time. Just the thought of what would happen to her pumped his legs even faster and he sprinted through the woods oblivious to the scrapes and scratches of tree limbs and roots.

It was rare for Kane to reach inside himself and call upon the sleeping beast that had ruined his life, but he needed him now. He used the smell that could scent a deer from miles away to locate Jamie. He sensed her the deeper he got into the woods and he was sure he had spotted her scent when he came to a bramble, but she was nowhere in sight. He looked up in the trees, behind a log, but Jamie was nowhere to be found. Yet her smell was everywhere. That faint female musk with hints of light jasmine and coffee. He crouched down to the earth and could see footprints. Muddy ones.

Kane could feel his heart drop into the pit of his stomach when he realized there was a massive hole in the ground. Preparing himself, he looked over the ledge. Well over ten feet deep. But in the darkness, he could see the frightened and relieved face.

"Jamie!" he called as her face brightened into one of the most beautiful smiles he had ever seen.

"Oh, thank God! Murdock, I'm hurt. I think I broke my ankle."

"Hold on!"

He searched frantically for something to help her out and tore off a thick tree branch long enough to reach down.

"Jamie, grab onto this branch and I'll pull you out."

"Are-are you sure? Do you need to get more help?"

God, her stubbornness knew no bounds. "No, lass. Trust me. Hold on."

She still hesitated but the howl sounded again, much closer this time.

"Lass, we don't have time!" he barked, trying hard to hide how frantic he was. If he had to face another werewolf, she'd know what he was. And worse, she might be killed herself.

Thankfully, she nodded and grabbed onto the long branch as well as she could. He could see her wince even in the darkness. It only pushed him harder to tap into the beast's strength and pull her all the way up until she was back on the solid earth.

"Oh, my God. How... How did you do that?" She breathed hard, clutching the ground like it was life itself.

The werewolf howled again and it was much closer. Maybe half a mile. They had no time.

"Come here, lass." Kane didn't wait. He lifted her into his arms and hauled her over his shoulder. Then he ran like the Devil himself was on his heels.

He didn't stop for one moment. He could smell the scent of the other werewolf who was clearly on their tail. Whether it was looking for him or her, he wasn't sure, but the scent was somewhat familiar, like something Kane had encountered long ago. He didn't know if it would try and hunt them on the castle grounds, but their best bet was getting inside. At least then he could hide Jamie and keep her safe.

She jostled against him, making small noises as he ran. He could smell blood on her and he had gotten a glance at her swollen ankle. She tried to ask questions but he shushed her and she was disoriented. Her fear was palpable.

When he saw the outline of the castle just up ahead and the woods parted, he sprinted even faster. Still, he could see the outline of a large werewolf in the adjoining forest. He still ran but the other beast did not chase them. It watched.

Kane nearly crashed into one of the heavy doors, opening it and getting them in as sweat beaded down his body like rain. Unable to set Jamie on her feet, he shifted her in his hold so she could wrap her hands around his neck. He called out to the servants just as something slammed into the door with the strength of a battering ram.

"What the hell was that?" Jamie cried and he felt his grip around her body tighten. Despite his best effort, a deep growl escaped his throat.

The doors were strong, built for a medieval attack, but werewolves were also strong. He waited as the thing rammed the door again, knowing that he would have to transform if the creature managed to break through.

Jamie trembled in his arms. "Murdock, what's going on? What the fuck is this?"

But no other slam came. Every muscle tensed as Kane sensed that the other monster was leaving, heading off back into the woods. Still afraid to let go of Jamie, he waited until he could no longer smell the other beast. Till he was absolutely positive that she was safe. When a long, mournful howl sounded out a quarter of a mile away, he let out the breath he had been holding for almost an eternity.

"It's alright, lass. You're safe now."

But when he looked down at the girl her eyes were closed. She had passed out.

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Jamie woke disoriented and restless. She had been having the worst dream. She had been stranded in some wacky Scottish village where a monster had destroyed her car and some hot jackass had threatened to throw her out after asking to use his library. Then she had fallen into a pit and that same jackass had saved her while they ran away from some other horrid beast that had tried to break down the door.

Unfortunately, when Jamie opened her eyes she didn't see the small, quaint surroundings of her dorm at St. Andrews. She saw the old tapestries and stone walls of an elaborate castle bedroom. The same castle that something had tried to get into. The same castle that belonged to fucking Laird Murdock.

She groaned.

"How do you feel?"

She nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of Laird Murdock's deep brogue. He was sitting by her bedside, holding a cup of something.

Jamie sighed. "I thought I was dreaming."

"Drink," he commanded as he handed her the mug.

"What is it?"

"Some hot water with lemon and honey... and some whiskey."

He watched her closely as she slurped some of the drink. It was deliciously hot and the whiskey burned just enough to warm her chest.

"How long was I out?"

"Few hours."

She followed his gaze to the window where dusk was beginning to fall. The rain had finally subsided and enough clouds had abated so the sunset was visible.

"What the hell happened out there?"

When he didn't answer immediately, Jamie put down the mug.

"I need some answers here, Murdock. What was that thing at the door?"

He looked down for a moment but then his gaze met hers.

"I don't know."

"Y-you don't know what was chasing after us and ramming into your door?"

Murdock stood up and began to pace the room, his face conveniently away from her. Despite her frustration, she couldn't help but admire the strong breadth of his back and that perfect ass.

"You've happened upon a strange place, lass. Many things here can't be explained."

He knows far more than he's letting on, she thought.

She was taken aback again at his rugged beauty when he turned and faced her.

"But I truly don't know what was hunting us earlier."

This man was a well of secrets, she knew. The whole community was. But for some reason, she believed him when he said that he didn't know what had chased after them in the woods. For some reason, she believed that she could trust him.

After all, he saved her life. She looked down at her left foot, the swollen ankle that was elevated on a pillow and wrapped tightly in bandages. If no one had found her in that hole, she could have died. Especially if there was some sort of creature large enough to launch itself against a castle door. But Murdock had come for her even after she had yelled at him and told him off. She was still right, of course. He had been a jackass. But she also had a tendency to be pushy and speak her mind at the expense of others. He had been gracious to her. Rude but gracious. She could have handled his refusal much more politically. Instead, she had chosen to blow up and stomp off like a brat.

"You saved my life," she whispered. "Thank you."

He nodded, saying nothing in response.

"You need your rest," he offered instead. "It seems you'll be here a bit longer than you originally planned." He nodded towards her leg. "It'll take several weeks for that to heal."

"Any chance of a doctor around here?"

A small smile lifted his full lips. "Donald's daughter."

Of course. Jamie could only chuckle at the irony of it all. "So I'm definitely bound to this place for the next two weeks."

"Could be worse, lass. Catrina and Effie are thrilled to cook for someone else besides me."

Perhaps this Laird Murdock had some sense of humor after all. "Do you mind if I ask you a question?"

He straightened to his full height and put his hands in his pockets expectantly. "Aye."

"What's your name?"

This time he didn't bristle. A small, ever so slight part of him seemed to melt as the corner of his mouth turned up.

"Kane."

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Jamie ate some dinner but fell into a dead sleep not long after. The events of the past two days had finally caught up with her and she slept for over twelve hours. Just as Kane had said, Catrina and Effie seemed thrilled to have someone new to cook for and she woke up to a breakfast of rashers, oatmeal, and fresh coffee at her bedside. She'd thought the room was a bit dated initially but the thick tapestries had prevented the light from waking her up too early and the thick coverlet had kept her warm all through the night. Sleeping in the room felt like stepping back in time and as a historian, Jamie found that she rather enjoyed it.

After breakfast, she needed Catrina's and Effie's help cleaning up as her ankle was still swollen as hell. They informed her that Kane had gone to ask some of the townspeople if they had crutches so she wasn't bed-bound, but until then she'd be completely dependent on Kane and the staff to help her move anywhere. Perfect.

Jamie still couldn't make sure what to think of that episode in the woods. She kept thinking about the howl she had heard. It was much deeper than a wolf's, eerier. Her grandparents had lived in the northern Virginia mountains and she had heard the sound of wolves howling many times in her childhood. This howl was different. Like if a DJ had mixed together a wolf's howl with a man's imitation of it.

Then there had been Kane's reaction. He had hidden it well but she could tell he was afraid when he found her. She even suspected that he had come looking for her in order to save her. He was like a soldier in battle. Maybe that's what explained his strength. How the hell was he able to pull off a massive branch from a tree and use it to get her out? And how was he able to run that fast with her over his back? Kane was definitely a big, muscular man but his levels of speed and strength had seemed almost inhuman. It was still humbling to think about the fact that Kane had saved her life. That he had sought her out when he had sensed danger and done everything in his power to get her out of that pit. But then that still begged the question as to why he had been so intent on saving her. What was he trying to save her from?

She had tried to get some information out of Catrina and Effie but the two women were still inscrutable. They hid Kane's secrets alongside him. The problem was that those secrets were continuing to pile up.

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Sorcha yanked Colin's chain to pull him forward. His nails scraped the floor in protest but her enchantment over the chains made it impossible for him to refuse her. He smelled like death and meat; his face was covered in mud and blood and she kicked at the bones of the sheep that lay at her feet. His gift for being a good pet and returning to her with invaluable information. Yet despite her benevolence, he still resisted.

"What did you find?" she asked politely though she could see the hard lines of his jaw shut tightly in defiance. The stubble on his face was stained with blood and gore but his green eyes still shone like emeralds. Aye, she had always liked his looks.

When he gave no answer, she poked him through the bars with one of her favorite weapons: a cattle prod. Control was so much sweeter with the right tools.

He jerked with pain, bending over with a grunt and he didn't have time to catch his breath before she poked him again.

Finally, he yielded. "There was a woman. In the woods. Kane grabbed her and took her back to the castle."

"Was she from here?"

He shook his head. "No, accent sounded American."

Sorcha's blood ran ice cold. "What did she look like?"

Colin's Irish accent was pained still as he grated, "Young. Dark-haired. Beautiful."

How on earth had some young American come across Gealach Lán? This was precisely the sort of thing Sorcha had aimed to prevent all those years ago when she cursed the town as well as Kane. She could not bear the idea of him breaking the curse. She knew the man. With his masculine build and devilish looks, it would only be too soon before he could seduce his way into the girl's bed, and then worse, into her heart. Kane was the type of man that women gave up everything for, even strong-willed American ones.

Sorcha let Colin go with a sudden release and he choked in the corner of his cell, fighting to gain back his breath.

"Did you get to them?"

"I got to the castle. But you told me to follow him, not kill him."

Maybe she should have. The problem was that Kane had been a werewolf for much longer than Colin and could possibly overpower him. Then she'd be minus one of her most cherished pets. And she didn't have the abilities to charm unsuspecting mortals the way she once had.

"No, we can't kill him yet. We have to wait. I need to learn more about this girl. Did you catch a name?"

Colin sighed and she smiled to herself. She knew how much he hated doing her bidding.

"I heard him refer to her as Jamie."

"Then let's find out all we can about this Jamie, shall we?"