“After speaking with Ian’s brother Duncan about his American mate and hearing what Ian has gone through with his, she is just what I thought she’d be like. Their brother Cearnach is too newly mated and wouldn’t reveal all the trouble he’s had with his mate. But I’m certain it was considerable if we can judge her based on the others.” Grant grunted. “What is Borthwick about?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Enrick said, looking cross. “He is intent on wooing the lass. Just think, if he succeeds and ends up mating her, what will happen then?”

“I will kill him first,” Grant said.

“Aye. But if you don’t, you can see how, as her mate, he could end up taking charge of the castle. What if he lived here and began giving us orders?”

“I would kill him,” Grant repeated.

“Aye. But if you couldn’t, you know what he would be like. If he mated her, he’d install his own family in all the key positions. They could make life miserable for us. And we have no place else to call home,” Enrick said.

“Aye,” Lachlan said. “Which means you have to win her over first. Don’t you see?”

Grant wasn’t about to play some game with the lass. Not that he wasn’t interested in her in a purely physical way—how could any wolf not be? And he couldn’t help but admire her for her feistiness. But that wasn’t the role he was meant to play. She would return to America, sooner rather than later, and he had to get things back on their regular schedule.

“Unless you want me to try my hand at it,” Lachlan offered in as sincere a way as possible, though Grant swore he heard a hint of humor in his brother’s tone of voice.

He shook his head at his youngest brother and walked into the kitchen to see what was transpiring between the lass and Archibald before they disappeared into the gardens. His brothers joined him and they peered out the window. Colleen smiled sweetly and promptly dismissed Darby. He didn’t look happy and quickly glanced back at the keep as if checking whether Grant watched and approved. Grant did not approve, but the woman was not in need of a chaperone, as much as he wanted to ensure she had one with the likes of Archibald on the prowl.

Darby stood at the entrance of the gardens, looking perplexed.

A low mist cloaked the area in a film of white, and Colleen and Archibald laughed as they entered the gardens and disappeared from the brothers’ view.

“You are suggesting I act in a romantic way toward the lass?” Grant had no intention of tricking the she-wolf into believing he was interested in her as a mate prospect. He certainly couldn’t do it for a year.

“You’re not seeing anyone else at the moment, which would be your only obstacle. And I assume the lass is not with anyone, either. You might even find you like her,” Enrick said. “She’s good-natured as far as not getting upset about our charade yesterday. You don’t have to really mate her, just act attracted enough that she gives up the notion of being fascinated with anyone else.”

“It’s either that or Borthwick attempts to make some inroads with her, and if he does, we’re in trouble. By the way, what will you do about the sleeping arrangements?” Lachlan asked. “I understand she was in your bed already. Sounds like a start to me.”

Grant figured he might as well be up front with his brothers. They’d know what went on soon enough. “She has decided she wants to stay in the lady’s chamber.”

The brothers first looked a little surprised, then both grinned at him.

In absolute exasperation, Grant let out his breath. “She wants me to sleep elsewhere.”

Neither of his brothers said anything as that bit of information sank in, and then they had the audacity to laugh!

When they saw Grant’s deadly serious expression, Enrick said, “Seriously? I thought you were sharing the chambers with the lass.” He shook his head. “All the more reason to get in her good graces. Where will you sleep? Surely you don’t mean to oust anyone out of their own rooms.”

“I don’t. I’d never do that to any of our people.”

“I suspect someone might offer for you to take his chamber,” Lachlan said.

“And have to sleep in the White Room instead?” Grant shook his head.

The brothers laughed again.

“You won’t sleep in the White Room, will you?” Lachlan asked.

“Until the spare connecting chambers on the third floor are painted, I will,” Grant said.

How could his plans have been so disrupted by one little American lass, when he thought he had this well under control?

Chapter 7

Colleen suspected Grant wouldn’t like it if she made the effort to be nice to Archibald Borthwick, since he was also an alpha wolf. She didn’t know the man, but he had been so pleasant to her. That was so different from the way Grant was treating her that she intended to keep seeing Archibald—as a friend. He had even offered to take her on several tours of Scotland. And she thought she’d take him up on it, once she was more settled.

She’d thought at first that Grant and his people were humans, so naturally she’d loved it when Archibald realized she was a wolf and wished to make her acquaintance, not bothered at all by the fact she was an American. Because of the natural inclination to meet another of their kind, and the fact that fewer she-wolves existed in wolf packs, she could understand his interest when he learned she was free and available.

After she had discovered what Grant and his pack intended to do to persuade her to leave sooner than the time she was required to be here, she figured what the heck. Maybe Archibald would make Grant change his mind, and he and his men would be more civil toward her while she stayed here for the rest of the year.