Untamed Highlander

EPILOGUE

Hayden couldn’t stop smiling. He had almost lost everything for the second time in his life, but he had managed to keep it all. Most especially Isla.

Now, as they sat in the great hall with the others laughing and talking, Hayden looked around at his new family. And the love of his life.

“Are you happy?” he asked Isla.

She turned her ice-blue eyes to him and smiled radiantly. “I’ve never been happier. I never thought it was possible. Not for me.”

Though there was still much to do and the war still raged around them, the castle had been rejoicing the entire day. After Deirdre’s attack on Isla, and Isla’s triumph, it was cause for merriment.

More importantly was the fact Hayden no longer thought about Isla being a drough. She was his, and that’s all that he needed.

“What happens now?” Isla asked.

He threaded his fingers in hers. “We’re together. That’s all I need.”

“I don’t know if I’m still immortal.”

“Then we’ll take special care of you,” he promised. “I will always take care of you.”

She leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed. “We’ve such a difficult path ahead of us.”

“We’ll face it together.”

“Together,” she repeated and looked up at him.

Hayden cleared his throat and glanced around. He was a private man, so he didn’t want everyone to overhear what he was about to say.

“Hayden?” Isla asked.

He lifted her hand to lips and kissed her knuckles. “I doona deserve you, but I won’t let you go. I never thought I would find myself in this position, Isla, but I have a question for you.”

“What is it?”

“Will you marry me?”

She swallowed and blinked rapidly. “Aye, Hayden Campbell, I’d be most delighted to be your wife.”

There was a loud cheer in the great hall as Hayden pulled her into his arms. He should have known everyone could hear them, but he didn’t care.

The well wishes came, each Warrior stopping beside them. The MacLeods and their wives were last.

“You two are perfect for each other,” Marcail said after she gave Isla a hug.

Quinn laughed and clasped arms with Hayden. “Congratulations. I told you when you found the right woman your life would be complicated, but in a good way.”

Hayden smiled down at Isla. “A very good way.”

Cara reached for one of Isla’s hands. “Let’s rejoice. It’s not every day we get to have a wedding.”

“It sure seems that way,” Lucan said.

Larena shrugged and glanced at Fallon. “Maybe we should see if we can tempt a priest to come live here. After all, there might be more weddings.”

There was a loud snort from Duncan. “Doona be speaking for us, Larena MacLeod. I’m content just as I am.”

Hayden and Quinn shared a smile, for they knew better than the others what could come when a man least expected it.

Deirdre’s scream of rage filled the mountain and seeped through the cracks to fill the air. Animals scurried away in fear and dread, because the evil that grew in Cairn Toul just became stronger.

Somewhere not far away a Warrior lifted his head as he heard the scream. A slow smile spread over his face as he realized just where that scream had come from.

He changed his direction and headed back to Cairn Toul.