The Alpha's Daughter Page 4

  "Very well," Walter agreed. He was loathe leaving her alone but he understood the need of solitude when one was mourning the loss of a loved one. In the days after Mary's death he would not even see his brother. It wasn't until Margaret reminded him that his children had lost a mother and were also in mourning that he had been able to pull himself out of the black sadness of her loss and return, first to comfort his children, and then to take comfort from the rest of the family, and the pack who were also mourning her loss.

  Walter left Tamsin in the silence of the chapel and returned to his room. The air was filled with the sounds of his companions snoring.

  He climbed under the green coverlet and rolled on his side. He stared at the wall. In the day it was brown but at night the shadows made it black.

  He didn't want to close his eyes. When he did, he knew Mary's face would haunt him.

  Chapter 6

  "Shall we watch the king play tennis?" Joan asked. Tamsin nodded though she did not really care to do anything but sit. She was exhausted from a night without sleep and tired of having a heavy soul.

  Joan's wide smile was the only thing that convinced her that telling everyone she was ill and crawling into bed was no way to spend the sunny summer day they had been blessed with. If she was still tired in the evening she could excuse herself with the complaint of a headache.

  She took Joan's arm and together they walked to the ledge that overlooked the tennis courts. At the moment two young men were playing but the king was standing to the side ready to take his place once the current match ended. Tamsin assumed that the winner of the current game would become his new opponent.

  "Are you well this morning?" a familiar voice asked. She turned to see Walter standing behind her. Owen was at his side.

  "As well as one could expect after a long night," Tamsin said. She noticed Walter's intent gaze. She wondered if he was looking for ill effects from the sleepless night. They were clear enough in the dark circles under her eyes.

  Having him look at her so intently made her heart flutter though she knew that was ridiculous. He was a werewolf and, like the other men who had given her such similar looks, he was off limits to her. A werewolf male needed a she-wolf to give him pups and grow the pack. She would have had a better chance of marrying King Henry than of marrying someone like Walter. She tried to push the thought away. Perhaps his look had not implied any of the things she had inferred.

  "Do you play tennis?" Tamsin asked because she could not think of anything else to say and having him stare at her made her skin tingle.

  "Sadly, I am a very poor player," Walter said.

  "I am a good one," Owen added causing Joan to smile at him.

  "Perhaps we shall see you play the king," Joan said.

  "I think not today," Walter said. Tamsin had not thought until that moment to wonder why Walter was at Hampton Court. None of the werewolf families she knew held a rank above Marquess so it was unusual for a werewolf to be at court for anything but a meeting with the king to discuss the safety and security of England. She doubted that werewolves regularly came to court and danced at balls. They would not be at court to select mates and generally werewolves did not work at befriending humans.

  Walter was a werewolf and it was likely that Owen was as well. They might be the only two or there might be others. She could deduce that because it was unheard of for a werewolf to be away from his whole pack. Werewolves congregated together.

  "Quite right," Owen agreed. Tamsin tilted her head to the side and looked at Owen. His words had been respectful but he did not look at Walter as a wolf usually looked at his alpha. If Walter and Owen were not the alpha Tamsin couldn't help but wonder who was. She didn't have the senses of a werewolf but she had grown up in an alpha family and knew a thing of two about werewolf body language.

  "The game is over," Joan whispered. The taller man below was walking off the tennis court and Henry was taking his place.

  "If I make a wager with Walter on the winner should it be the king or his opponent?" Owen asked Joan. Walter shook his head as if to say he would not take part in any wager.

  "One should always wager on the king. It would be very rude to beat him at a game," Joan said. The king did have some skill but it was clear his opponent was not giving him the beating he had given the last man.

  "Perhaps we would be better off wagering at another match," Owen said.

  "Or not at all," Walter said.

  "You need not wager if you are afraid of losing," Owen teased.

  "It is not a matter of winning or losing. I am here to serve the king," Walter said though he also was smiling and so Tamsin was sure their quarreling was in jest.

  Tamsin focused her attention on Walter's face. It was a handsome face even though he was several years older than she was. His lips were thin but they smiled broadly showing white teeth. His nose was wide and bent slightly upwards. Anyone who had not been raised in a werewolf family might have missed the slight tilt of his head and the little puffs of air he was inhaling. She wondered what he hoped to find from sniffing the air. A moment later she gasped as he grabbed the rail of the balcony and flew over it. The fall was not great but it was enough that another man almost certainly would have broken his leg.

  "Your Majesty, there is an urgent matter requiring your attention," Walter said. The king's face was red with outrage and Tamsin thought King Henry might order Walter killed in that moment for the embarrassment he was causing. Then, Henry seemed to soften. He tossed the ball to his opponent and nodded his head before him and Walter both disappeared past the edge of the court.

  Tamsin turned to question Owen but he was gone as well though he had exited with less theatrics.

  "Such strange men. They will not last long at court if they continue to behave in such ways," Joan said.

  Tamsin nodded because she was not sure what to say. Walter did not seem a fool to her and Henry's reaction to him told her that Walter's behavior was not unacceptable as it would have been for anyone else. Whatever reason had Walter at Hampton Court likely had something to do with the scene she had just witnessed. Tamsin did not want to feel intrigued. Walter was nothing to her. Yet, how could she not be fascinated by him and what he had just done?

  ***

  "Explain yourself," King Henry growled. His tone was not pleased and for a moment Walter regretted his actions. Still, he had been ordered to protect the king and that was what he intended to do to the best of his abilities whether Henry approved or not.

  "I smelled something," Walter said. It was difficult to explain to a non-werewolf the little changes in the air. Deciphering them wasn't an exact science either. He had caught the scent of someone on the hunt for prey.

  "You smelled a threat?" King Henry cocked his eyebrow skeptically. Walter's perception of danger did not appear to perturb the king.

  "I smelled a change in the air. I cannot say surely that it was a threat but in such a crowded room there was no way to easily protect your person from harm," Walter said.

  "You will not make me look ridiculous again," Henry said.

  Walter heard a rustling and raised a hand to silence Henry.

  "I will not be embarrassed before my court. Nor do I appreciate having a game ruined for no good reason," Henry continued obliviously.

  Everything happened suddenly. An assassin appeared with a glinting knife. He had the predatory smell that Walter had caught though he must have only just followed them into the hallway lest the smell should have alerted him sooner.

  Instinct took over. Walter's wolf rushed forward tearing out of his human clothes as he leapt into the air before King Henry. He snarled as the knife that had been intended for the king met his shoulder instead. The blade was made of steel. It hurt when it tore his flesh but not near as much as it would have if it had been silver. It hadn't hit any vital organs and Walter knew his body would heal him in time. Torn flesh and broken bones were of little concern to a werewolf though damage to the spine or organs could be fatal.


  Owen had turned to his wolf form the same moment Walter had. The assassin ripped the blade from Walter's shoulder and attempted a stab at Owen. The movement gave Walter the chance he needed to leap up and sink his teeth into the attackers arm. He bit down as hard as he could and Walter could hear the cracking of bones.

  The attacker screamed though Walter hoped that their distance from the tennis court along with the boisterous audience there would allow them time. If anyone came on the scene they would think two wolves had broken into the palace and were attacking a man. They would not see two werewolves protecting their king.

  The knife flew through the air and landed at King Henry's feet. He picked it up.

  Owen's front paws were on the would be assassin's chest pinning him to the ground. Walter mouth still held his wrist though he was no longer putting bone crunching pressure on the assailant. Instead, he was holding him in place.

  "Who sent you?" Henry demanded.

  "I am a servant of God. I am here to deliver his justice to those who defy the church and the Pope," the assassin said with a voice that boomed as if he was not pinned to the ground by two wolves.

  "In England I speak for God," Henry said. He lifted the blade and plunged it into the would be assassin's chest. The smell of blood threatened to throw Walter's wolf into a frenzy but he took control. Walter forced down his wolf and turned back into a man. Owen also had taken control of his wolf. Both he and Walter were standing naked before King Henry who had blood splattered all over his clothes and his person. His brow was sweaty.

  "Go to your chamber and get new clothes. Take these rags with you," he said indicating the clothes that had been torn during the change and were now lying on the ground.

  "What of your safety?" Owen asked.

  "The enemy has been vanquished," Henry said indicating the dead man on the floor.

  Walter could tell that Owen wanted to protest but Walter shook his head. Henry was right. It would not do for them to be found naked on the ground before a murdered corpse. Walter just hoped they could make it back to their chamber without being seen.

  Walter sniffed the air before turning each corner. It seemed to him a small miracle when they arrived in their room without issue.

  Their companions were out and so there was no one to ask them questions about what had happened.

  "What do you think Henry will say once the body is found?" Owen asked softly once they were both dressed.

  "I expect he will take credit for the killing," Walter said. He did his duty in protecting the king but he did not care for the man. The little he had seen of Henry showed him to be more concerned with reputation than character. He was no young man full of youthful folly. Walter could have forgiven that.

  "Are you glad we could be of use to the king?" Owen asked. Walter wondered if his thoughts were running along similar paths.

  "I am glad we were able to save the king but this has been no victory. Now that the threat on his life has been proven real we will be stuck here. This will also strengthen Henry's resolve to remain separated from the Catholic Church. He has no reason to return to a church whose followers are attempting to murder him," Walter said.

  "It does not bode well for your father's agenda," Owen said.

  "No, it does not. I will write to my brother and tell him what has transpired," Walter said. He sat down at the desk along the south wall of the room and sighed.

  Edward might tell their father what had transpired or he might keep it to himself. Their father might be in denial about his illness but Edward wasn't. He would be pack leader soon enough. Of course, with a real threat proven to their king, Edward might not allow Walter to return home to his children.

  Walter felt confident that Henry would never return to the Catholic Church as his father hoped.

  Walter wasn't sure that their guardianship would do much to ingratiate the king to the Crakes either. He was feeling more and more like the whole mission he had been sent on was a fool's errand. Henry would claim their kill. Owen and Walter would remain silent. Even from their pack members. The worst thing that could happen would be if they claimed the king's kill. Henry was a proud man and would be none too happy. They would need to tread more lightly now than ever before.

  When Walter had written out the honest details of events and shared his concerns, he sealed the letter addressed to his brother. It was imperative that none but his brother opened it.

  Chapter 7

  Tamsin had taken extra care on her appearance that morning and she noticed that Joan had as well. She knew it was a silly thing. They might not even see Owen and Walter. If they did it was possible that neither man would notice their efforts.

  "We must hurry. There is to be a game of football on the grounds. I have never seen it played before," Joan said.

  "I have," Tamsin said. Tenants of Wolstenholme land and the land of other gentry chased each other through parishes trying to end up with a ball. Heaven help anyone who got in the way. She had seen boys trampled to death in what those men considered a sport.

  "Do you think Owen and Walter will play?" Joan asked.

  "I would not know," Tamsin said.

  "I saw them at the ball last night so I know that they were not sent away after the spectacle they made of themselves at the tennis game," Joan said. Tamsin had seen Walter as well but she had been called to sing before she had the opportunity to approach him. Queen Anne had her entertaining long into the night and by the time she was dismissed her throat hurt. She had looked for Walter when she left but he had been nowhere to be seen.

  "It would appear they remain," Tamsin agreed.

  "Do you think they saw the would be assassin of the king among the spectators? If they did it was a foolish thing to leave the king alone in the hallways," Joan said.

  "Very foolish," Tamsin said though she had a sinking sensation she knew what had happened. The king was neither as young or fit as he had once been. The chances of King Henry causing deadly injury to a young and fit fanatic seemed fantastic.

  On the front lawn several men were milling around. Tamsin could only guess they were waiting for permission to start their savage game. Their excitement was palpable in the air and it sickened her stomach.

  Tamsin and Joan joined a group of women sitting off to the side. It would hopefully be a safe distance once the men began their violent game.

  "Tamsin."

  She turned to see who was calling to her. Queen Anne was approaching with a dozen women at her heels.

  "My queen," Tamsin said.

  "Sing for us while we wait. I wish to be distracted from the dreadfulness of the heat," she said.

  "I have no instrument to play," Tamsin protested.

  "It makes no difference. It may sound less lovely but it will serve its purpose," she said. Her tone was annoyed. Tamsin bowed her head. She had no desire to upset Queen Anne. The queen had not been friendly to her but she was much kinder than she would have been if she had known the true purpose Tamsin had been sent for. She was sure that it was partially guilt that made her eager to please Anne even though Tamsin was no threat to her marriage or her throne.

  Tamsin tried to think of what song to sing for Anne. Tamsin had graced her audience with most of the songs suitable for court at the ball the night before.

  "Has the songbird lost her voice?" one of Anne's women said and several of them laughed.

  "Can you not sing without an instrument?" Anne asked her tone full of disgust.

  "I was only trying to think of a song for your Majesty that would be new and distracting," Tamsin said. There was one that had been swirling around in her mind during the long lonely nights but she hadn't tried to put it to music yet.

  She supposed she could offer it up to the queen. If it was poor she could blame it on lack of instrumentation.

  The Falcon flies high in the deep blue sky.

  The beasts in the field scatter and hide.

  She may be a sight of beauty to see

  As she flies through th
e sky so wild and free

  But her beak and her claws bring death

  To creatures large and small

  Who fail to retreat to the shadows.

  The song took Tamsin's mind back to her youth before her brother fell ill. They had been out with their falcons. Hers was named Tansy and Thomas's was Lure.

  "Father has decided who I will marry. He told me yesterday morning after breakfast," Thomas said.

  "It will be a fine thing to have a sister," she told him. Tamsin loved her mother dearly but she was busy with running the household. She did not understand what it was like to be a young woman. She was too busy being an old one.

  "I know it is a cruel thing to say but I am glad you never became a wolf," Thomas said.

  "It is cruel," Tamsin said though his words brought sorrow not anger to her heart.

  "My wife will be years younger than you. If you had been a wolf, father would have already sent you away to marry. I cannot imagine being separated from you. My wife will only see her family when we gather for the full moon. It is not enough time for me to be with you, sister."

  "But I would have important work to do. I am nothing but a burden here," Tamsin said.

  "You are no burden to me. I will see that you are cared for all my days. You will help my wife raise our pups. I would trust them with no one but you," Thomas said. She could not help but smile at her brother. He might have said more but at that moment Tansy came back with a rabbit and Lure brought back a squirrel. It was not a large amount of meat but it would do in a stew for supper.

  "That is enough, thank you," Anne said. Tamsin nodded. She felt the wetness of a tear on her cheek and quickly raised her hand to wipe her eyes.

  "Is your father a falconer?" Joan whispered taking Tamsin's hand.

  Tamsin nodded.

  "Are you missing home?" Joan asked.

  Tamsin nodded again because there was no way she could explain to Joan that it was not her home or her parents she was missing. Returning home would not stop the aching. Nothing could do that. Half of her heart was cold in the ground.