A Scottish Werewolf's Love Ch. 4

The house was deadly silent when Duncan and Andrew came back later that evening. There were black ribbons adoring the front door and the columns to the porch at the front of the house. Duncan and Andrew raced into the house fearing that his Father or gods save him his mother was dead. His heart rang with the pang of joy when he came to see his parents sitting sullen in the sitting room. Duncan went to his loving mother and fell at her feet to his knees praising GOD that she was alright and so was his Father. Then it hit him to ask what and why the black ribbons were at the house.

'Da?" he asked. Andrew now stood by Duncan's side waiting to hear the news.

"Duncan I have bad news Lad. Castalena's Mother and Da and Guido have passed on lad." He said in a very hushed tone.

"What?" Came the utter shocked tone from Andrew. "All of them dead?" said Duncan. "How, what happened da?"

"A fire son tis all I know, tis all I know " Angus bowed his head. And looked to the fire.

"Does the lass know M'lord Angus?"

"Aye Andrew she does. She does. She has nae come from her room for the past few hours." Angus looked to his son and his friend. Grief filled his eyes. He said nothing more.

A while later Castalena came down stairs. She appeared none the less for wear. She walked into the parlor where everyone was. Duncan went to her and grasped her hands and held them to his chest after kissing them.

"Bella, I am here for you. Lean on me if you need" Duncan's words were soft and gentle. She looked into his eyes, her own were tinged with a faint hint of red from crying. She had cried for maybe 10 minutes then she had stopped. She had convinced herself that all her family had not perished in that fire in London. And that Henry had never come to give her the news. She had put herself into a state of denial.

'Duncan, what ever do you mean. Why would I need to lean on you?" Her words were somewhat cold and short. Duncan looked to his father as if asking for help on what to say or do. All Angus could do was give his son a knowing nod. As if to say "Just let it be".

Later Duncan, Angus and Andrew gathered outside to talk alone.

"Lads this is a tender time for the Lass all she knew has been ripped from her. Now we are the only family she has. We must protect her and make her feel safe." Angus paced back and forth in front of the two men. He was stuck. His niece now stood to inherit a great deal of land and wealth and he was sure Henry would try to get her swayed, now that she was a bit in shock from this matter. He had to deal with this with delicate hands. Kit gloves if you will, but what to do? First he and Heather would arrange the funeral to be held at the house and the wake afterwards. It would have to be done in a few days. So that the rest of the dealings with the barrister and such could be dealt with for Castalena's sake. Angus knew what was about to unfold, as Angus was the executor of his will. Something he was going to hate to deal with but Angus and Antonio had made a deal long ago to take care of the others families should one of them pass on.

Three Days Later.

Castalena sat in the carriage she still did not wish to believe that her family was dead. Her uncle had their family cemetery readied for the three bodies of whom he thought of as family. Angus had been keeping a close eye on his niece; he knew she could not contain her heartache for much longer. He knew in his heart seeing them laid to rest would make her snap.

The funeral went off well enough, as one could hope. Castalena acted as if she was attending some one else's funeral and not her own kin. She stood there like stone, no tears and no sign of any emotion. Everyone attended, Henry one down to the servants were at the graves to bid their good byes to the Revali Family. Afterward the house was open to the guests for the wake. It was not like the traditional Scottish wakes. There was music and joy and such on such a sad day. But then again The Revali's wanted their lives to be celebrated. So in accordance with Antonio's wishes there was a grand time to be had by all that came to pay their respects, but Castalena was not among those there to hear the condolences.

When all was said and done and the last guest left Henry Duncan Andrew and Robert sat in the parlor talking. Angus and Heather had gone to their room to rest for the night.

Henry had made it clear that he intended to ask for Castalena's hand in marriage when the time was right. Giving the Lady time to mourn the loss of her family. Duncan had kept his temper but Henry knew that it just dug at him that he was going to approach her for marriage. All Duncan could think of was ripping his throat out. But for his love's sake he would remain calm. Duncan being the good host walked Henry to his awaiting coach where Robert stood waiting as well.

" I bid you good eve My Lord McCloud. " came Henry's words. All Duncan did was nod once then he turned with Andrew at his side. Andrew and Duncan both seemed to be thinking the same cause the only thing that was heard from either man was a guttural growl like some wild animal. " If that bloody bastard thinks my father will let him marry my love he is crazy!" Duncan slammed his fist on the table. He hit it with enough force it bow it slightly.

Andrew placed a comforting hand to his friends shoulder. 'You understand he is a Leader and that lackey at his side is his slinking snake in the grass??" Andrew commented. Duncan nodded but once. He was about to say something when a mournful scream came from the second floor and from Castalena's room. The scream was preceded by the sound of breaking glass and the crashing of some object. Without hesitation both men raced up the stairs by threes. Not even winded they came to a screeching halt at her door only to be met by his father and mother.

'Dear LORD!" his mother exclaimed. "What in the name of GOD?"

Angus knew just what had happened. It had sunk in to her that it was real. But the question was, what made her snap.

"Lass?" he said as he knocked on her door. He got no answer just the sound of crashing things within. Andrew grabbed for the doors handle and tried to open it but it would not budge. It was as if something was blocking it besides having been locked. Had she barricaded herself in the room?

"Castalena!?' Andrew called but she did not answer. Duncan came to bang on the door hard and with force, his anger already at the boiling point from Henry. " Bella open the door! " He yelled, but got no answer, nothing. Then it was silent. That worried the family more then her screaming. Duncan used all his body weight to shove open the door but it gave not an inch. Finally All three men tried and nothing. Now fearing something truly was wrong they all three in one swift moment kicked the door in with all their might.

The oak frame of the door was thick but the force of three grown men in their prime and of their background the door did not stand a chance. The wood gave way with a sickening creek and it bent and split. The three shoved the door open till at last they could grab at the blockage. Angus's large hands grabbed that which had been wedged under the handle of the door. In his frustration his nails had dug into the fabric and shredded it like tissue. And then he flung it out of the way. When they entered there was no sign of her. Just broken things all over the room. It had looked like a storm whipped through her room with an unstoppable fury. As they looked around for her, Heather spotted the bloodied hand by the balcony door. She yelled the lass's name and rushed to her at once. There in the balcony just outside the door laid Castalena having passed out it seemed. Then to all of the men there was the somewhat sweet smell of fresh blood. When Castalena's hand been examined by her family it was seen that she had been cut badly on the hands from the class panes of the balcony door. It was clear that it was not done intentionally. As if she were some fragile thing Andrew picked her up while Duncan and his Father went to find things to tend to her. Andrew brought Castalena to Duncan's room and laid her to rest on his bed. Her Aunt worked to help tend to her nieces wounds.

First came Duncan with towels and water and other such things to clean the wounds. Next his Father came with herbs to help heal the cuts. Heather gently pulled any slivers out of Castalena's hands and then washed them off with water and put salve on them. Then wrapped them carefully. Heather kissed Castalena's forehead and looked at Duncan.

"She needs rest, the poor thing. This must be so hard on her. " She whispered brushing the girls hair from her face and dabbing a wet towel to her forehead.

Duncan slipped into bed and laid her to his chest and held her close. He took the towel from his mother's hand and pressed it to Castalena's head.

" She is not alone. She has us all now. We are her family She will come through this just fine." He said with great conviction in his voice.

Heather Angus and Andrew looked at Duncan and then slowly left the room and closed the door behind them. Leaving Duncan to care for his love.

The night went on and the hour grew late but Duncan refused to sleep, he would sit there like a sentinel in the dark daring any one or thing to come forth. He sat there stroking her forehead gently with but a finger he began to think back to when they first meet as small children.

It was 18 or so years ago when Duncan laid eyes on Castalena for the first time she had to have been 4 years of age but he remembered it as if it were yesterday. It was the first time her really remembered seeing her and remembering who she was. He must have been 7. Which made him 25 yrs old come this winter. Gods he was getting old he thought with a chuckle.

It was the summer of 1761 when the Revali family came to spend the whole of the summer with the McCLoud's at retreat at Loch Daibhreach. Nothing grand just a family place where they could get away from the daily grind of life and just be at peace. But there was a bit more to it.

There were others that came back to the loch ever so many years to pick their mates. Duncan sighed as his minds eye he saw her image in a pale blue little girls dress with her hair tied back with a blue bow and her eyes smiling with joy as his father gave her a piggy back ride.

That summer was the beginning of what would be the object of his life's dream. Even at Seven Duncan knew that Castalena was going to be his mate for all time. He even then started to call her 'Bella Mia' even at such a tender age. It meant Beautiful Mine, and she was his and he knew it. It was funny as her father used to call her that and Duncan asked his uncle what it meant. Well from that day on that was what he called her. Hardly ever calling her Castalena or Lena like her brother called her. No it was basically Bella Mia.

That first summer it seemed they were inseparable. Wherever one was the other was close behind.

Duncan remembered the first time he turned into a wolf and hunted her down when they were playing hide and seek. She could never hide from him he would know her scent in the darkest of nights. Castalena would take off running and hide in a clump of bushes and like nothing he would find her. Duncan smiled. He touched her face with a soft warm hand as his thoughts swam about when they were younger.

When Duncan was about 15 he and some of the other boys of the clan had gone out hunting. Pack hunting. Well she hated to be left behind so she followed Duncan and the others into the forest. But they had turned into wolves and she quickly lost them. While she made her way back she was set upon by a small pack of wolves. She found herself surrounded by them. The pack started to close in on her when from out of nowhere these other wolves appeared and the fight ensued. When it was all over and done with, Duncan suffered a bad gash in his side.

Once Castalena got back to the manor, she found Duncan had past out on the back walkway. After having him taken to his room Castalena spent the next days at his side nursing him back to health. He could feel the sting in his side even till today. He remembered waking after a three-day slumber from the fever he had. He found her sleeping in the great chair by his bed with her head on the bed and her arm draped over his stomach.

There had been so many things he wanted to tell her over the years. About who and what he really was. He wanted her to know how much he loved her. He leaned his head back and looked at the painting over his fireplace. It was of her. Five years ago she had asked him what he wanted for his birthday. His simple answer was.

"All I need or want I have standing in front of me but I would have a picture of you so I may see your beauty in my dreams forever"

Castalena blushed badly she had never had anyone say such sweet words. So she had her father commission an artist to paint her. When his birthday had arrived she could not attend, as she was sick with the flu and her family refused to let her travel from the warmth of Italy to the cold dampness of Scotland. So Her family brought the painting along. It was the only time he remembered her never coming to Scotland. There was the one time she was here and he was away. but other than those two times, she and he were always together.

At Castalena's coming out party when she was 18, that had to have been the most passion filled few days for the both of them. It was the time when Duncan knew in his deepest of places that there was no one for him other than her.

She was 18 and it was in London. Her father had business there and that was the only reason her coming out was not held in Italy. The day was nice, for London that is.

The day went well the house was done up to receive the one hundred guests that were going to arrive for her coming out and birthday. Castalena had spent her day primping and getting pampered. It was his way of telling her that he was ever so proud of her. Normally Castalena was not one for this pampering and such, but today she let her Mother and Father fawn over her. Even her brother whom she loved so much was just being sweet and kind. This was her day and they were going to make dammed sure it went off with out a hitch and with out any problems.

Duncan and his family arrived earlier that day but Castalena had not gotten a chance to see them yet. Duncan got a sly smile upon his face as he remembered sneaking into her room and hide behind the changing screen and waited for the attendant to leave and at her feet he threw a boquet of purple and white heather.

"You look simply lovely Bella" he said in his roguish deep voice. Castalena turned with a jerk and smiled as she saw who it was. Slowly and very seductively she reached down and picked up the heather and then walked to him and placed a small piece in his tartan pin.

"And you rogue are in my bed chamber. What would our families think? Hmm" she seemed to mew her words. If he was going to play this game with her, she would play right back.

'I came tae give ye the Heather. I had to come and give it to you in person." He stroked the fame of her face with a single finger. And them smiled at her. " You are so beautiful Bella I can not think of my life without you" Just as he said that there was a knock on her bedroom door and her Aunt Heather walked in. Duncan ducked back behind the screen before his mother saw him or so he thought.

After a few moments of talking with her niece Heather turned and looked at the screen.

"Come out Duncan"

Duncan come out from behind the screen with that very guilty look on his face.

"What in the name of the good lord are ye doing here?" she asked with an annoyed tone in her voice. Though she knew dammed well what he was doing and that he would never ever dishonor his or her family in such an unsavory light. But she also knew he was in love with her. Even now.

"Duncan Leave now and I will nae tell your father about this. " She pointed to the door and so he left like a sulking little child. Duncan did turn back and winked at Castalena and left.

He chuckled to himself as he remembered that day with great fondness. He looked down at Castalena as she was sleeping against him. He sighed.

His heart was breaking for his love. He wished he could make it all right for her, but it was beyond his capabilities. He laid his head to the post of the headboard and closed his eyes. What only seemed like a few moments turned out to be a few hours. When he woke she was gone. He had not felt her leave. He jumped out of bed and rushed down the stairs and went about the house looking for her. He yelled for her at the top of his lungs. He felt his heart start to pound in his massive chest. He could not imagine what was going on. After last night he was afraid something might have happened.

The he heard his father calling him into the parlor. Duncan pushed the doors open with a hard shove just to find her sitting on the settee with his mother.

Dam but his heart stopped when he laid eyes on her. She was sitting there bathed in the suns light. It gave a soft halo to her image. He went to her in a moment of frustration and fear he grabbed her up by the arms.

"Nae do that to me again!" he bellowed at her. His eyes showed the over protectiveness he had for her and the love all in those deep eyes. Then he pulled her to him in the most loving of all embraces any man could give a woman. She could feel his heart racing as she laid her head to his chest.

"Duncan I am sorry. I did not wish to wake you. You looked so tired. I am fine really." She said in a soft voice.

He pulled back from her and looked down into her eyes and then put her to sit back down. And right there on his knees in front of his mother and father he took a deep breath.

A woman came to the door and with her came Henry and his friend Robert.

"He insisted my lord." Said the sweet maid. It was the same woman who was in love with Andrew. She stood there looking at Angus with an apologetic look to her face. "He would nae take no for an answer my lord."

"You are dismissed girl" Was the words from Henry's mouth but she stood fast till her lord dismissed her, which he did not do. Shannan stood there and said nothing. Henry and Robert walked into the parlor.

"My Lord I have come to ask you to please indulge me in a moment of your time. I have toiled all night over this matter and even though I know it is to early I employ you to hear me out." Henry spoke

"Aye go on" Said Angus as he stood there his arms crossed over his chest.

"Well I wish to marry your young niece and as it seems you are her guardian, Protocol demands that I talk to you about this matter. I had talks with her father but nothing was settled due to the accident. God rest them"

Angus looked at Henry and with a resounding boom in his baritone voice he replied to Henry. " No! That is my answer sir, she does not wish to marry you. She has made it very clear whom she wishes to marry and I must abide by my nieces decision."

Shannan watched, as she knew something was about to happen so slowly she left the parlor and ran out to the garden where she had seen Andrew resting under a tree reading.

"ANDREW!" she yelled as he ran to him.

In the house Lord Henry and his Friend! He's asking Angus for her hand. I am afraid there is going to be a fight. Lady Heather and Lady Castalena are in the parlor with them.

Without a word Andrew was gone and raced back to the house. He came in like a thundering herd of beasts as he came to a sliding halt. In the parlor were Duncan and his Father being held back by Heather. Castalena was voicing her opinion over the matter at hand. Duncan and Angus looked like they were ready to kill.

"I will never marry you Lord Henry I can not stand you! Now leave my Uncle's home at once!"