Taken By The Highland Wolf (The Clan MacGregor Book 2) Read Online Free
Author: Stephanie Marks
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Paranormal, Adult, series, Murder, Secret, Erotic, shifters, safety, Daughter, commitment, challenge, wolves, Emotions, Treachery, betrayed, Myth, legend, curse, Highlands, Short Storys, Clan MacGregor, Love Match, Whispers, Battling, Highland Chief, Blood Of Wolf, Exposed
carrying a fourth, unconscious, man between them.
"What's happened?" I asked them as they lowered the man to the stone floor. "Who is he?"
"We don't know, miss," said one. "We found him on the road like this."
My mind raced as I tried to think of what to do. "Bring him with me," I told them. "He must be seen to."
The man was picked up and brought with me to one of the guest chambers, where I directed them to lay him on the bed.
"Fetch me a bowl of hot water and another of cold. I will also need some fresh cloths. And see if Mrs. Fletcher has any willow bark for when he awakens."
"Right away, miss. Should we bring Mrs. Fletcher to see to him?" one of the men asked.
"No, there is no need. I'm sure she is busy enough already. I'll see to him myself."
The clansman nodded and hurried out the door with the others.
I put my hands on my hips and looked down at the bed, studying the unconscious man before me. His face and clothes were torn and covered with dust and dirt. It had mingled with the blood and sweat on his face, forming thick, cakey patches.
After the men came back with the items I had requested, I wasted no time in carefully cleaning away the blood and grime from the injured man's face.
By the time I was finished, the bowl of hot water was dark brown and the extent of the injuries on his face was exposed for my examination. I could see clearly that he had a black eye and a split lip, with some bruising along his upper cheek, but not much more damage had been done to his face. I bit my lip and wondered about the extent of the injuries to the rest of his body.
I could not strip him. But maybe, if I were to simply lift his shirt to see if there were any major injuries that needed to be seen to?
I moved hesitantly at first but then with more determination. Moving the top part of his plaid aside, I tugged his shirt from his kilt and raised it over his stomach to expose his chest, revealing a smooth expanse of muscle.
I could feel the warmth rising in my cheeks as I examined him, but tried to ignore it as I took in the extent of his injuries. Large patches of bruises covered his chest, as if he had been badly beaten. I prayed that nothing was broken.
First a man had been found murdered in the village, and now another had been beaten and left on the road. There was a violence working its way through Glen Lyon, something ugly and sinister, and I worried that these attacks were only the beginning of the viciousness that we were yet to see.
I brushed the light brown hair back from the man's face with a gentle touch. He would have to be questioned eventually. There was a chance that he would be able to identify his attackers and bring them to justice. Hopefully Alastair was having better luck in the village.
***
The setting sun bathed the room in a warm orange light as I quietly read and sipped my tea. There had been little movement from the injured man over the last few hours other than some slight shifting in his sleep, but I refused to leave his side on the small chance that he would awaken while I was gone.
The door opened behind me and I turned around to find Alastair standing in the doorway.
"I was told ye were in here," he said as he bent down to kiss me. "Is this our man, then?"
"Yes. He's been asleep all afternoon."
"Why don't ye come away, then, and have some supper with me? Ye should have a bit of rest."
"I've already eaten," I told him, pointing to the empty plate on the side table. "And I'm not that tired, truly. Other than tidying him up, there hasn't been much for me to do. My only worry is that he may have broken a rib or two. There is an awful lot of bruising. I'll not be able to tell for certain until he wakes, though nothing feels like it shouldn't to the touch. But, please, I want to know about your day. Were you able to find anything more out about the man in the village?"
Alastair heaved a sigh and ran his hand through his thick black hair, his emerald green eyes flashing in
"What's happened?" I asked them as they lowered the man to the stone floor. "Who is he?"
"We don't know, miss," said one. "We found him on the road like this."
My mind raced as I tried to think of what to do. "Bring him with me," I told them. "He must be seen to."
The man was picked up and brought with me to one of the guest chambers, where I directed them to lay him on the bed.
"Fetch me a bowl of hot water and another of cold. I will also need some fresh cloths. And see if Mrs. Fletcher has any willow bark for when he awakens."
"Right away, miss. Should we bring Mrs. Fletcher to see to him?" one of the men asked.
"No, there is no need. I'm sure she is busy enough already. I'll see to him myself."
The clansman nodded and hurried out the door with the others.
I put my hands on my hips and looked down at the bed, studying the unconscious man before me. His face and clothes were torn and covered with dust and dirt. It had mingled with the blood and sweat on his face, forming thick, cakey patches.
After the men came back with the items I had requested, I wasted no time in carefully cleaning away the blood and grime from the injured man's face.
By the time I was finished, the bowl of hot water was dark brown and the extent of the injuries on his face was exposed for my examination. I could see clearly that he had a black eye and a split lip, with some bruising along his upper cheek, but not much more damage had been done to his face. I bit my lip and wondered about the extent of the injuries to the rest of his body.
I could not strip him. But maybe, if I were to simply lift his shirt to see if there were any major injuries that needed to be seen to?
I moved hesitantly at first but then with more determination. Moving the top part of his plaid aside, I tugged his shirt from his kilt and raised it over his stomach to expose his chest, revealing a smooth expanse of muscle.
I could feel the warmth rising in my cheeks as I examined him, but tried to ignore it as I took in the extent of his injuries. Large patches of bruises covered his chest, as if he had been badly beaten. I prayed that nothing was broken.
First a man had been found murdered in the village, and now another had been beaten and left on the road. There was a violence working its way through Glen Lyon, something ugly and sinister, and I worried that these attacks were only the beginning of the viciousness that we were yet to see.
I brushed the light brown hair back from the man's face with a gentle touch. He would have to be questioned eventually. There was a chance that he would be able to identify his attackers and bring them to justice. Hopefully Alastair was having better luck in the village.
***
The setting sun bathed the room in a warm orange light as I quietly read and sipped my tea. There had been little movement from the injured man over the last few hours other than some slight shifting in his sleep, but I refused to leave his side on the small chance that he would awaken while I was gone.
The door opened behind me and I turned around to find Alastair standing in the doorway.
"I was told ye were in here," he said as he bent down to kiss me. "Is this our man, then?"
"Yes. He's been asleep all afternoon."
"Why don't ye come away, then, and have some supper with me? Ye should have a bit of rest."
"I've already eaten," I told him, pointing to the empty plate on the side table. "And I'm not that tired, truly. Other than tidying him up, there hasn't been much for me to do. My only worry is that he may have broken a rib or two. There is an awful lot of bruising. I'll not be able to tell for certain until he wakes, though nothing feels like it shouldn't to the touch. But, please, I want to know about your day. Were you able to find anything more out about the man in the village?"
Alastair heaved a sigh and ran his hand through his thick black hair, his emerald green eyes flashing in
Readers choose
Eliza DeGaulle
Emily Hendrickson
Johan Theorin
Carol Colbert
Tama Janowitz
Gail Carriger
Lexy Timms
Fiona Wright
Robin Robertson