Moon Craving by Lucy Monroe Read Free Book Online Page B

England for the Highlands. Her life would never be the same.

    Nor would his, a low voice inside him insisted. One that sounded suspiciously like his wolf.

    Her long ringlets, the color of pure, sweet honey, swayed just above her hips with each step she took. Talorc experienced an unfamiliar desire, nay need , to reach out and run his fingers through the silky strands.

    He bit back a curse. Where had that thought come from? He had never wanted to touch Emily. Or any other woman. Not since the years during which his body had transitioned from boy to man. His sexual urges had run rampant then, but he had not acted on them.

    He had not been ready for a wife and had not found a mate. He would never dishonor his family by not following through on the promises of the flesh either.

    Unlike the Balmoral, the Chrechte among the Sinclairs believed sex a binding act.
    The Balmoral held more lax standards so their warriors could gain control of their ability to shift at will at a younger age.

    Luckily for Talorc, his father had had the good sense to mate a white wolf who passed that ability at birth on to their children.

    That control over the beast within him had never been truly tested until now.

    The wolf wanted Talorc to claim Abigail in the way of his people, but he had no intention of doing that in front of a chapel full of people. Nor did he intend to mate her on anyone's land but his own.

    It was bloody frustrating, but for an Englishwoman, Abigail was beautiful and all too alluring. She had perfect bow-shaped lips on a feminine, oval face. Her nose was small and straight, and her brown eyes were big and expressive. She'd tried to hide her body's allure in the English clothes she had donned that morning.

    She wore her father's colors for the last time. The female tunic over the long dress covered every inch of her skin from her neck to her dainty feet. At least she wasn't wearing the awful cowl thing her mother had donned. He thought the English women called them wimples. Tamara had insisted on wearing one with the Sinclair, constantly reminding the clan she would not relinquish her English ways.

    If Abigail thought to dress so, she would soon learn her mistake.

    He would not allow it.

    A question came over her lovely features, and the baron blanched beside her.
    Talorc realized he was scowling. He smoothed his features into expressionless repose and put his hand out to take her from her stepfather.

    The priest cleared his throat. "We are not yet to that part of the ceremony, my lord."

    Since the man spoke English, Talorc chose to ignore him.

    He lifted a brow to his bride, asking why she had not complied with his request.

    In a move that surprised him and clearly Sir Reuben as well, she dropped her stepfather's arm, stepped around him and took Talorc's hand.

    He nodded, grasping her hand firmly and turned to face the priest.

    The man looked flustered and took several moments to collect himself before beginning the service. In Gaelic, after only one false start.

    Talorc spoke the vows of his people in Chrechte when the time came, ignoring the murmurs around him. When his bride's turn came, he moved her so they saw only each other, not the rest of the congregation gathered as witnesses. He told her the vows to speak, speaking slowly so she would not stumble on the unfamiliar words.

    Her expression puzzled, but accepting, she whispered them back to him, making lifetime promises he was determined she would keep.

    Her mother had a fit then, demanding their vows be repeated in English. Talorc ignored her until the priest intervened.

    "I have married her in the way of my people," Talorc said in Gaelic.

    The priest nodded. However, when he told Lady Hamilton in English what Talorc had said, the older woman refused to be appeased.

    Talorc did not care. The vicious bitch's opinion was of no importance to him. Bored with the argument and unwilling to stay in the company of the English any longer, he swung his new