"Cross your arms in front of you and stay still."
"Sir?" she whispered.
Before she could blink, he passed an arm below her knees, the other between her shoulder blades, and lifted her, pressing her against his chest.
She sucked in a breath. "What are you doing?"
"Shh. The Iberian wolf has excellent hearing."
Carrying her as though she weighed less than a child's conscience, he walked back to the fire. He was solid and lean, wired steel underneath warm skin, and goosebumps surgedwhere her body touched his. So high from the ground, she resisted the urge to settle closer. He had carried her before, but she had been dizzy. Now that she was lucid, she felt about to faint.
The wolf howled again, and she whimpered. "He can hear us here?"
"This must be the alpha."
"Alpha?"
"The most powerful male. He hunts through the night. When he is hungry, nothing can keep him from his favorite prey."
Stomach quivering, she kept her eyes on the shadows, her heart thudding so loud the alpha would hear. Was he there now? Lurking in the stalks, brown fur bristling, sharp teeth waiting for a bite?
"What," she gulped, "is his favorite prey?"
He gazed beyond their camp, his neck tense, and then he narrowed his eyes. "Disobedient girls."
She gasped. "You goad me, Your Excellency."
Smiling smugly, he raised a brow. "Call me Pedro."
"After what you did? Never."
He grinned, and his eyes twinkled devilishly. "Do as I say, or I will drop you."
"You wouldn't." A nervous laugh escaped from her chest.
Just like that, his arms went lax, and she slipped.
"Pedro!"
He grunted and adjusted his arm below her legs, bringing her up again. Panting, she latched her hands around his neck, his silky hair teasing her wrists, and buried her face in his velvet coat, breathing in his woodsy scent.
After a sharp intake of breath against her forehead, the muscles of his chest and arms turned rigid. Playfulness gone, he kneeled on the ground and settled her atop the blanket, pulling the quilt to her chin. Anne stared at him, gripping the sheets. Had she hurt him somehow?
Without uttering another word, he grabbed his rifle and turned his back on her, hunkering on the ground, his shadow falling over her midriff.
She pushed her weight to her elbows. "Pedro?"
"Sleep. The wolves won't bother you."
Chapter 13
Dawnhadnotrelievedthe night's darkness when Pedro awoke. His brother snored by the last embers of the fire. The girl still slept, her hair shielding her face from him. Curled on her side, her hands folded near her chest, she was serenity embodied. A wave of warmth unfurled in his chest, and a need to lie by her side and share her peace took him by surprise. Pedro shook his head and moved to awaken her. Before he could touch her shoulder, he stilled, unable to disturb her.
Pedro strode to where Erebus had spent the night apart from the other horses and, after brushing his flanks, braided his mane. The girl was a danger to herself, and luckily, when her rosy beliefs led her astray, she would be far from him. She hadn't been far last night, though, and when she’d placed her hands around his neck...
Pedro cursed under his breath. The horse noticed his turmoil and banged his head.
"Good morning." She yawned prettily and eyed him warily, seeming unsure if he was a gentleman or an Iberian wolf.
