Free Before Midnight by Jennifer Blackstream

morning whenever you’re ready to leave.”
     
    Loupe snapped her head around and stared at Etienne. He gritted his teeth and gave her a polite smile. “Of course, if you’ll just follow me.”
     
    “I, um, I can’t stay. I need to get home.”
     
    “Oh?” The king frowned. “I do not want to cause trouble with your family. If you must return tonight, Etienne will escort you.”
     
    Loupe’s eyes grew so wide, Etienne would have laughed if he hadn’t been so perturbed. The very thought of him escorting her home had drained all the blood from Loupe’s face. Why?
     
    “I’ll stay,” she squeaked finally. She cleared her throat. “I mean, thank you for your hospitality. I would love to stay, if you’re certain it’s no trouble?”
     
    “Not at all,” the queen assured her with a pat on the shoulder. “Etienne will show you to your room. Sleep well, Loupe.”
     
    “And you, Your Highness,” Loupe returned softly.
     
    After his mother and father left the room, Etienne turned to Loupe. She was holding the muddy pup so tightly the poor little mudball was scrabbling at her chest. He cleared his throat and she jumped. The pup yipped and she finally realized she was holding it too tightly. Her blush deepened and despite himself Etienne found himself smiling. She really was radiant.
     
    “If you’ll follow me, mademoiselle , I will show you to your room.”
     
    Loupe’s eyes grew wider. Etienne gave her a moment to compose herself, striding across the room and scooping up the remaining pups. The sight of him holding the little wolves seemed to snap Loupe out of her daze.
     
    “Etienne, thank you,” she said earnestly, following him out of the room. “I feel so silly for overreacting.” She forced a laugh. “I can’t believe I barged right up to the palace gates with two wolf pups in the back of my cart and demanded the prince and king go off in search of their missing brother.”
     
    Etienne chuckled. “Please stop worrying, Loupe. I dare say this is the most fun my father has had in a long time. And my mother seemed to enjoy your company.”
     
    “Your mother is wonderful.”
     
    There was a wistful, almost sad tone in Loupe’s voice now. Etienne glanced back at her. “Forgive my boldness, but you sound sad.”
     
    Loupe shrugged, her eyes staring blankly ahead of her. “My mother died giving birth to me. My father remarried, but…” She swallowed and offered him a weak smile. “Let us just say, it’s not the same.”
     
    Etienne had the strange urge to gather her to him and hold her as she was holding the pup. There was something very vulnerable in her posture right now, the way she hunched her shoulders and kept her gaze down. He didn’t like to see her sad.
     
    They arrived at her room and Etienne fumbled the door open, balancing the two pups. Warm, moist air kissed his skin and the scent of bath oils tickled his nose.
     
    “Ah, it seems that my mother had the servants prepare a bath,” he observed.
     
    “Oh thank goodness!” Loupe trudged over and dunked the muddy wolf pup into the large tub, holding him with one hand while she used the other to scrub his fur. The wolf yipped and struggled, but she held him firmly. Etienne stood in the doorway, staring in frank amusement.
     
    When he didn’t speak for a minute, Loupe looked up.
     
    “You look like you’re trying not to laugh.” She furrowed her eyebrows and briefly halted her scrubbing. “What’s so funny?”
     
    Etienne cleared his throat. “Ah, I believe the bath was meant for you.” He gestured to the clean nightgown lying folded on a chair.
     
    Loupe turned red from her neck to the tips of her ears. “Oh. I see.”
     
    Etienne couldn’t help it. He laughed, a booming sound that set the pups in his arms to barking. Loupe frowned.
     
    “No, it’s all right, Loupe, truly,” Etienne assured her, reining in his amusement. “I’ll have the servants bring up another bath.”
     
    “No, don’t be