A Highland Wolf Christmas

  “You know you’ll have to leave and return to your own bed, or everyone will think we are mated wolves for certain.”

  “Hmm, all right,” he said, sliding the covers over them and then pulling her against him.

  “This isn’t returning to your bed.”

  “Aye, I will.”

  But he didn’t. And he had no intention of doing so. And she didn’t insist.

  ***

  When it was nearly midnight, Calla woke, her stomach grumbling, and that woke Guthrie too. He smiled at her.

  “I’m hungry. But…you don’t have to go with me.”

  He sighed. “I told you I would also be hungry after all that loving.”

  She was glad. Despite knowing how to get there on her own, she really loved his company. He got out of bed and threw on a pair of boxers. She slipped into a tank top and shorts, and pulled on a robe. Hand in hand, they made their way to the kitchen.

  They had made chicken sandwiches when they heard light footsteps approach. Calla wanted to slip out a back way, but Guthrie got her a glass of milk and then kissed her cheek and led her to the kitchen table.

  Julia walked into the kitchen and smiled. “I’m glad to see you’re eating, Calla.” Then she proceeded to fix some hot cocoa for herself. “Everything all right?”

  “Just…hungry,” Guthrie said, and Calla wanted to poke him in the ribs.

  She couldn’t help feeling so anxious. None of this—the mating or the financial difficulties—had been discussed yet with Ian and Julia, and she was afraid she’d blown the secret about their mating when she’d cried out while they were making love. Not to mention, here it was midnight, and Guthrie was in his boxers and she was in a robe. What was she thinking?

  Thankfully, Julia didn’t say anything more. She just got her cocoa, smiled broadly, and said cheerfully on her way out, “Good night.”

  When they had heard her footsteps fade toward the stairway to the bedchambers, Calla let out her breath. “She knows, doesn’t she?”

  “I didn’t even have to skip into the great hall for breakfast.”

  Calla groaned.

  ***

  Julia rejoined Ian in bed and he quickly pulled her into his heated embrace. “You are so cold, lass.”

  “Aye, and you can warm me up.”

  “So what did you learn?” He kissed her cheek.

  She looked up at him, smiling. “I just got some cocoa.”

  “Aye, after you heard two pairs of footsteps leave Calla’s guest chamber.”

  Julia snuggled against Ian’s chest. He was too much of a wary wolf. “I don’t know what was bothering Calla at the evening meal, but I suspect it was nothing too terribly bad, or Guthrie would have said something about it to you already. They were eating sandwiches. Which made me think that Calla was okay.”

  “And?”

  “And?” she parroted, teasing Ian, knowing just what he truly wanted to know, just like she had wanted to learn.

  “Ah, lass, you can’t hide your other reason for checking up on them.”

  “I went to get a cup of cocoa.”

  He chuckled and stroked her hair. “After you heard them leave Calla’s room.”

  Julia let her breath out. “All right. Yes, they’re mated.”

  “Good.”

  “You’re glad, then?”

  “Aye, no more of Guthrie being upset over losing the wrong she-wolf, and this means you’ll stop leaving me in the middle of the night to get cocoa. Right?”

  “You love warming me up,” she reminded him and started kissing him, and he said something about how much he was going to love doing so.

  Chapter 18

  The next morning, Calla was sleeping soundly—too soundly, after making love half the night with one hot, sexy wolf—when she realized the time. Guthrie’s leg was resting across hers, his arm lying on top of her breasts, and there was no moving him.

  “We…I’ve got to go to the bank. I need to shower and get ready.” Already, she was feeling blue again about the whole money situation. She wished she could take care of this on her own and not involve the MacNeills.

  “Aye, lass.” He kissed her lips. “I’ll return to my room, shower, and get dressed, then meet you here.”

  “Maybe we should go down separately.”

  He chuckled, shook his head, and kissed her forehead. “See you in a minute.” His expression told her in no uncertain terms that he was escorting her down to the meal like her mate would. The only difference was that they still had separate bedchambers. But she suspected that would change soon.

  She took a deep breath as she went into the bathroom. She just hoped Ian and the rest of Guthrie’s kin wouldn’t be too upset with Guthrie for taking her as a mate and the financial mess they would be involved in if they attempted to help her and her parents out.

  She’d tried so hard to bury the worry last night, wrapping herself up in loving Guthrie and attempting to block out anything else.

  She loved him. Twice, she’d woken and began to concern herself about the money, and both times, Guthrie had sensed she was awake and fretting. He assured her everything would be fine, that they’d take care of it when the banks were open, and then took her mind off it by making love to her again. And she truly loved him for it.

  Now that it was time to have breakfast and afterward meet with her broker, she again wasn’t hungry. Seeing Ian, Julia, and the rest of their kin just made her feel guilty, though she swore everyone was smiling even more at them—if that was possible.

  And it wasn’t just the women who were interested. Everyone was. She should have known, since Guthrie was so well liked. Then again, it was a pack mentality, and she wasn’t used to that. She’d love it, if only she didn’t have this financial burden hanging over her head.

  “Calla,” Guthrie whispered to her, “eat if you can. We’ll be fine.”

  She’d managed two bites of a scone, and then when Ian and Julia left the high table, having finished their meal, Guthrie quickly rose with Calla.

  “I’ve got to get my coat.” She hated how choked up she sounded.

  She thought he would leave her alone and go talk to Ian about her distress, but he pulled out his cell phone and said, “Ian, Calla needs to make a run to the bank. Can you see who would be up to going with us?”

  They headed upstairs to her room, and he waited for her while she retrieved her coat from the closet.

  “We have to go to a couple of other places too,” she said.

  He raised a brow.

  “My parents and I are on some of the same accounts.” God, if Baird wiped out her parents’ funds, he could sue for hers too, since her parents’ names were also on her accounts. She could be just as broke as them in a heartbeat. Ruined. When she’d always been so careful with her own savings.

  Ethan and Jasper were busy with the cows, so Duncan and Cearnach met Guthrie and Calla downstairs in the foyer. He could tell from his brothers’ expressions that they knew something was up, which was why Ian had sent them and not some of their more distant kin.

  Guthrie felt sick knowing Calla was dealing with something beyond her control. He guessed she was about ready to collapse in tears, yet she was fighting them, eager to attempt to settle this in her own way. He loved how tough she was, but he still wanted to make Baird pay for everything he’d done to her.

  He intended to speak with Ian privately as soon as he could. He needed to know how Ian wished to handle this. Once she was speaking with a broker in private, he would call Ian. Guthrie would have done so while she was getting her coat and purse, but because of the distressed state she was in, he didn’t want to leave her alone for even a minute. He wanted to show her that he was her mate and would stand behind her, no matter what.

  Money. Blackmail. Whatever Baird was threatening her with, Guthrie would protect her. More than anything, Guthrie had wanted to mate with her and resolve that issue before all else. Together, they could handle anything.

  Later that morning, when th
ey arrived at the building where Calla’s broker was, they waited for a bit in the lobby. Duncan and Cearnach stood near the door, watching out for trouble, while Guthrie and Calla remained in the waiting area outside the broker’s office. She was so anxious that she couldn’t sit. He suspected she would have been wringing her hands if he hadn’t been holding one of them and telling her she wasn’t alone in this.

  As soon as the broker asked her into his office, Guthrie pulled out his phone, his brothers joining him.

  “What’s up?” Cearnach asked.

  As second in charge of the pack, Cearnach had every right to know. But Guthrie wasn’t leaving Duncan out of this, either. He suspected they were going to have a wolf fight with the McKinley pack over this.

  “Calla’s in some kind of financial trouble. I suspect it has to do with Baird,” Guthrie said.

  “Bloody hell,” Cearnach said. “I told her not to trust the slimy bastard.”

  “Aye.” Guthrie called Ian and told him what he had overheard, and his brothers stood close, listening and watching the building for any signs of trouble. “She said she talked with her parents and had to take care of some banking business for them. I can’t call them at the moment. Can you? See if they can shed some light on this?”

  “Aye, will do, Guthrie. Just don’t let her out of your sight. We don’t want her martyring herself over this. If she needs money, we’ll take care of it.”

  Guthrie loved his brother. The MacNeill wolves couldn’t have had a better pack leader. “Aye, I told her I would do so, but she wasn’t willing to accept my offer at first.”

  Ian didn’t say anything for a moment.

  “Ian, are you still there?”

  “So…you’re mated?”

  Guthrie hesitated. He didn’t want to betray Calla’s trust, but he didn’t want to lie to Ian, either.

  “Julia told me she had the impression that you were,” Ian offered comfortingly, sensing where Guthrie was coming from and trying to let him off the hook a little.

  Guthrie took a deep breath and let it out. “Calla didn’t want anyone to know yet. She was afraid the pack would think she mated me so we would bail her parents out of whatever financial woes they’re having.”

  “Congratulations,” Ian said, sounding proud of him, and Guthrie was glad he wasn’t upset over not having been told before this.

  He glanced at his brothers, having forgotten they were listening in on the conversation. They were both grinning from ear to ear and giving him a thumbs-up.

  “Well, I’m glad for the two of you. I couldn’t be more pleased. But you know how our mother is. So you’d better let her in on the secret sooner than later. How much money is involved in this deal with Calla and her parents?” Ian asked.

  “A half million.” Guthrie hated to say it.

  Ian digested that. Then swore.

  Guthrie saw Duncan and Cearnach snap their gaping jaws shut.

  “All right. Let me…let me call her parents and see what they know about this. I’ll get back to you. Just don’t let her out of your sight,” Ian said.

  “Got it.” As if Guthrie had any notion of leaving her alone for a second. He ended the call with his brother and slipped the phone into the pouch on his belt. “Ian’s calling her parents.”

  “Hell, Brother, we all were fairly certain you and Calla would be mating soon, but…did you ask her properly?” Cearnach asked.

  Guthrie shook his head. He watched the doorway to the broker’s office, wanting to pace but forcing himself to stand in place and keep an eye out for her.

  “We’ll take care of it,” Cearnach said. “You know Ian will want to do everything for her that we can.”

  Being more pragmatic, Duncan said, “I want to congratulate you and your lovely mate, but I’m in agreement with Cearnach. Couldn’t you have told me at breakfast?” Before Guthrie could respond, Duncan asked, “Well, you’re our financial manager, Guthrie. Can we do it?”

  “It’ll take a hell of a lot of finagling. We’ll have to sell some of our stock. We’ll have to see what her parents say and what Calla has in her piggy bank. Maybe among all of us we can come up with the funds.”

  Guthrie’s phone jingled and he saw it was Ian. “Aye, what did you learn?”

  Ian explained all about the loan.

  “Bastard,” Guthrie said.

  “Aye. Guthrie, her mother and father both want you to marry her. They told me they believe you’ll be good for her, and they know the MacNeill pack is the kind of wolf family she needs. So looks like you’re not in any hot water there.”

  Despite the severity of the situation, Guthrie smiled. They’d marry when her parents returned. Nothing lavish, just the pack and her parents, most likely. The pack would be poorer again. But the pack members always had each other and pulled together when needed. They would manage somehow.

  “You’re our financial wizard. They have gathered thirty thousand. See what Calla has, and then let me know if we can put up the rest.”

  “I will, Ian.” Guthrie glanced at the doorway to the broker’s office as he heard the doorknob turn.

  Calla exited, saw him and his brothers, and headed for them. She looked beaten, not pleased with the news.

  “Calla, you can’t believe that we’d let you do this on your own, lass,” Guthrie said, taking her into his arms. “Ian and Julia run the pack, and they’ve okayed me using pack funds to help you out. As second-in-command, Cearnach is in total agreement.”

  Cearnach nodded.

  Duncan said, “Me too, if anyone cares.”

  Guthrie smiled at him. “As financial manager, I’m signing off on it. The rest of the pack will agree that there is no way they’re turning you over to the McKinleys, and we’ll do what we have to for one of our own.”

  She looked up at him, a question in her beautiful green eyes as they filled with tears.

  She sniffled and swallowed hard and then broke down, tears dribbling down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around him. “You can’t,” she said in such a wee pitiful voice that his heart broke for her.

  “We can, and we will.”

  “Do you know how much? You couldn’t have enough.”

  “Somehow, we’ll have enough.”

  “Half a million?” she whispered to him.

  He held her close and took in her worried scent, her sweetness and softness, and loved her. “Aye, lass. Somehow we’ll manage.”

  “But, Guthrie, you can’t. You could be as destitute as me. You can’t do that to your pack for me or my family.”

  “We would do it for our pack members, lass, whatever it takes. Your father and mother gave me their blessing to wed you. We’ll talk about it more later, but we might have to plan something simple.”

  She gaped at him. Well, he hadn’t meant to say so in front of his brothers. He was doing this all wrong. His brothers smiled at him and shook their heads.

  “Ian said Julia told him about…you know…that we mated. And my brothers were listening,” Guthrie said somewhat hesitantly.

  “And we couldn’t be happier,” Cearnach told her reassuringly.

  “About time, by our reckoning,” Duncan said, trying to cheer her.

  “So there’s nothing to worry about,” Guthrie said. “We’ll take care of it.”

  Cearnach said, “Guthrie, can you at least get on bended knee for the lass?”

  Guthrie frowned at his brother. “In an office building?”

  “Don’t you dare,” she warned Guthrie. Turning on Cearnach, she added, “You, mind your own business.”

  Calla explained that she had close to two hundred and seventy thousand in stocks that she had her broker sell off to help pay the debt. Calla looked despondent, but Guthrie was impressed. He felt terrible for her that she would have to use her savings and investments to pay off her parents’ debt, but her business smarts and quick thinking would help mitigate the loss. She was everything he had always wanted in a mate and more.

  Guthrie arranged to sell off the neces
sary stocks that the MacNeill clan had as well and prepared to pay off her parents’ loan. The interest the Stewarts would pay back to the MacNeills was much less than what Baird was charging them, and as long as they could get their hotels back into full operation, her parents should be able to pay off the funds over time.

  Calla seemed numb over the whole situation as her parents signed the loan agreement over the Internet. Guthrie squeezed Calla’s hand as they returned to the car.

  They got into the backseat of the vehicle while Cearnach drove and Duncan sat up front.

  “As soon as the money has cleared the bank to pay off Baird’s loan, he’ll have no more claim to your parents’ properties. Once your parents are financially able, they can begin to pay back the monies they borrowed from us.”

  “And my earnings. I will help—”

  “When we get home, I want to discuss our financial situation with you.”

  Her eyes filled with tears.

  “Ahh, lass, only in a good way.”

  She nodded and he kissed her. “I don’t know how I can thank you,” Calla said again. “You and your pack.”

  “Our pack,” he said.

  Duncan said, “We have you to thank for convincing Ian to open up the castle to bring in so much money. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so cheerful. Seeing how much our pack enjoyed the activities, he was well pleased.”

  “I only wish I’d learned you had returned to the area,” Cearnach said, “and I would have brought you to Argent Castle so you could have done all this a year ago.”

  When they arrived at the castle, Guthrie took Calla up to his office, wanting to show her the finances, since she would be bringing in income beyond what the others brought in.

  “What a lovely office,” she said, admiring his large oak desk, the Turkish carpet, and the seating area where he discussed finances with pack members—four brown velour chairs and a couch to match, with a curve-legged oak coffee table in the center.

  Some of the ladies had made him gold-embroidered pillows to set on the chairs and couch to give more of a homey appearance. And a couple of throw blankets were neatly folded over the arm of the couch, where he’d taken a wolf nap or two and then continued working late on the finances.