March 21, 1715, Spring Equinox
The sound of the horses' hooves was thunderous as he raced up the mountain trail. He had to save his mate, he could sense her fear and feel her pain deep inside of his soul.
"Hurry men," Shaw shouted. "We are running out of time, there's no telling what Cailean has done."
They crashed through the trees into the clearing at the cliffs. What he saw would haunt him forevermore.
His Maggie was there at the edge of the cliffs, the ocean at her back, tied to a burning pyre.
The two brothers clashed swords, dangerously close to the edge. Cailean and Cole were battling each other, though recently healed, Cailean looked as though he was winning.
She screamed in pain then, the fire had already burned away her clothes and danced over her body with a sickening sizzle. He swung off his horse and raced toward his burning mate. Not bothering to ensure that the others would help Cole. As he approached the smell of cooked flesh permeated the air and caused him to wretch. He called forth his beast. Reached into the flames and hauled her to freedom. He ripped of his plaid and smothered the flames on her body as she whimpered.
Behind him he heard a male scream but was too concerned with his mate to see who it was.
"Shh leannan, it will be alright." His first and last lie to his mate. He knew she was dying and there was nothing he could do to save her.
"Take this," she pulled in a raspy breath as she dropped a blackened circle into his hand, "to my father, it will show him the truth."
"Aye, I promise, save your strength and your breath." But it was too late, he knew she was gone.
"Shaw, look out!" The shout came too late as the sword pierced his back. Judging from its exit point it just missed his heart. The second agony came as the sword was pulled free.
"Stand and fight me."
He stood then and faced Cailean. Anger at this whelp, flowed through him and called to his beast. Claws lengthened, teeth elongated and sharpened, his height grew, and his muscles thickened as his skin changed to black.
"Change and fight me as the animal you are."
He watched as the younger man changed into his beast. Though Cailean was large, he was still bigger, older with more experience. He wanted vengeance for Maggie, for Fiona and for Cole.
"You attacked your own brother, you are nothing." He said as he stalked towards Cailean pushing him back towards the edge.
He swung out at Shaw but missed. Glanced behind him with worry as he saw the edge loom closer.
Cailean's distraction gave him the opportunity, Shaw hit him hard in the center of his chest and sent him free falling over the edge.
"Bran, where is Cole?"
"I sent him back to the keep with Dougal, he's unconscious and bleeding, Cailean tipped his blade in silver. He will heal but it will take time and it will scar. Yours as well, Shaw."
"Aye, I'll heal," he replied. "Maggie won't she's gone, and I must return her body to her father, as well as her medallion. That was her last wish of me."
"I'm sorry brother," Bran said moving closer. "I know she was your mate."
"Aye, she was though I wasn't worthy of her," he raised his hand to stop Bran's objection.
"If I hadn't left her, she would not be dead now, and Fiona would not be stuck in her sick bed. I need to get back to the keep and prepare Maggie's body for its return home."
"Brother, you need to have your wound treated as well."
He just glowered at Bran. He bent and carefully lifted Maggie into his arms, wincing at the pain from his wound and the fresh blood he felt run down his body.
He handed her to Bran as he mounted his horse and then took her back, cradling her close to his heart as he rode in silence back to his keep.
"Maggie," Shaw choked out her name. "I'm so sorry, please forgive my failure."
"Who's Maggie, Uncle Shaw?"
Shaw jolted at the term and sat up, looking around the room unfamiliar with his surroundings. Where was he? He looked around for the source of the voice that jolted him from his past. There in the corner on an oversized burgundy chair was a young cherubic looking female child with fiery red hair.
"And who might you be lass?" Shaw asked. Tugging the sheet up higher, uncomfortable with how much skin he had showing in front of her.
She giggled and covered her mouth.
"Oh, Uncle surely you must know who I am!" She bounced up off the chair and over to his bedside. "All the stories I have heard tell of you, the mystical werewolf Laird of our clan, with witch blood! You must be all knowing as well, momma always said you were."
"That's enough Freya, off with you now and stop bothering your uncle." Shaw watched as the little girl was spirited out the door.
"All knowing am I wee sister?" Shaw asked with a chuckle. "She's right I surely should have known who she was, same fearlessness as her momma."
His sister turned to look at him and Shaw was shocked to see tears rolling down her beautiful face?
"Fiona, what's all this now?" Shaw said rising to comfort her.
"I never thought I would see you again, and then you ended up in the emergency room, broken." She sobbed into his bare chest he could feel her tears trailing warmly down his belly.
"Have you no faith then sister?" Shaw asked rubbing her back.
"It's not that Shaw, things are different now. Magic is dying, the pack gets weaker and smaller, and there's…" She stopped abruptly and covered her mouth, much as her daughter had only moments earlier.
"Fiona, what is it?" He took her hands in his. "Tell me, don't make me pull it from your mind."
"It might be easier if you did Shaw," she replied with a sigh. "Not that you could anymore."
"What do you mean?" He asked momentarily side-tracked. "Is this because of the magic also?"
"We think so, there's no way to know for sure."