Page 91 of Moon Craving

This time she did laugh and was happy to see that Niall joined her.

Her laughter dried up as a huge gray wolf stepped into their path. Beside her, Niall

jerked as if surprised. Who wouldn't be, to see a wild predator so close?

The wolf stepped closer and Abigail went rigid with fear.

The beast inhaled as if sniffing her and then raised his head and released a

mournful howl. Then he barked. And if it wouldn't have meant she'd gone mad, she would

have said he was trying to talk to her. A wolf.

"You need not fear, he will not hurt you," Niall spoke from beside her.

Funny, but she would have expected the big warrior to put his body between hers

and the danger. Not that one of her father's soldiers would, but she had a different place in

the Sinclair clan. Or at least, she thought she did. Perhaps they would be just as pleased

to be rid of her by whatever means as her mother had been.

Abigail's eyes burned with tears, and no matter that she furiously blinked in an

attempt to make them go away, one spilled over, burning a trail down her cheek.

The wolf whined and then barked at Niall, a clear growl of warning issuing from

deep in the animal's chest.

"I am not the one causing her distress," Niall said, as if talking to a wolf was the

most natural thing in the world.

Perhaps for the uncivilized Scottish warriors, it was.

The huge gray wolf barked once more and then turned and ran away, disappearing

into the forest as if it had never been there.

Abigail wanted to turn away from Niall, to take time to collect herself. But as was so

often the case, she had no choice but to look at him in case he spoke to her.

Eyes a shade lighter than the wolf's coat studied her. "Are you all right?"

"He didn't attack," she observed, rather than answer with a lie. "Why?"

"He had no desire to harm you. In fact, I think you hurt his feelings."

"Don't be ridiculous." She was in no mood for some strange soldier's jesting.

"I am not." Indeed, Niall looked all too serious. "Didn't you hear his sad howl and

the way he whined?"

"I suppose he wanted me to pet him."