Dark Heart Wolf - Haley Weir Page 0,35

take this step. But when we get back to town, both of us are goin' to the brothel to ask Ariel. Until then...don't...don't touch me. I have nothin' against the ladies who work there to earn an honest livin', but I need time to think about all of this."

"I understand."

Chapter Fourteen

Colorado Territory

“We should make camp for the night,” Sam said from where he was perched on his horse. Mary Ann looked to the west and saw the sun setting behind the horizon, casting a warm glow upon the forest. Streaks of crimson and gold stretched as far as the eye could see as ebony clouds ferried stars across the vast sky. Just a sliver of the moon was visible. Mary Ann sighed at the beauty of the world that evil spirits sought to destroy. Looking up at the sky, she felt so small and vulnerable. So mortal.

But she followed Sam off of the mountain path and to a small clearing in the forest. It wasn’t too big, but large enough to lay out the bedrolls and start a fire. Sam left to check the surrounding area for bandits or animals that might disturb the camp. Mary Ann found kindling to start a fire. She kept it low, not wanting the smoke or light to catch the eye of anything dangerous lurking in the trees. The crunch of boots through the underbrush caused her to reach for her rifle until she saw Sam’s wolf creep into the camp.

“Smart,” she snorted. “Back to your old tricks again, I see.”

Back when Mary Ann had been nothing more than a shy little girl too scared to trust anybody out of fear that her father would retaliate, Sam had thought to approach her as a wolf before introducing himself as a man. He became her most trusted companion, as well as her best friend over time. Sam’s wolf had seen the bruises and heard the fights. It listened to her confessions as well as her dreams. There was something about the soulful eyes and the serene expression on the wolf’s face that made it so much easier to talk to than the intense man that stood near seven feet tall.

The wolf padded over and flopped down beside her bedroll. Mary Ann had covered the ground in brush before laying out their sleeping gear so they didn’t catch cold. Though the snow had started to melt more and more each day, the nights were still as cold as ever. The brush helped keep her off of the bare ground so that her body heat could keep her warm. It was something Sam had taught her the first time she ever ran away from home.

He placed his snout on her thigh and whined until she began to pet him. Large red eyes stared up at her with a world of hurt in their depths. She ran her fingers through the soft white pelt that covered his body and allowed her mind to drift off. The wolf curled beneath her blanket and snuggled up to her as the sun disappeared in the distance.

It was there in the silence, in the nearness, that she felt safest.

Sam’s wet nose brushed her shoulder and his tail thumped happily against the ground where it poked out of the blanket. Mary Ann chuckled. “You are pitiful, you know that?” she sighed with a fond smile. He gave a little whine and snuggled closer. He acted more like a trained pup than a fierce wolf in her arms. Mary Ann ducked beneath the blankets and slipped away into a deep sleep, knowing Sam would keep watch through the night.

The next morning, Mary Ann felt a strong chill sweep beneath her covers and groaned. She cracked open her eyes to find Sam in the form of a man, strapping down their saddlebags. He glanced down at her as though sensing she was awake. “Mornin’, sunshine,” he rasped with a sleep-roughened voice. “Sorry to wake you, Mary, but we got to hit the road again.” Sam reached down to help her up but caught himself. He turned away to give her a bit of privacy as she climbed to her feet and cleaned up her bedroll.

Mary Ann tapped him on the shoulder when she was finished. “I need to relieve myself. I’ll be back.” She turned towards the trees and walked deeper into the forest. The moss was still damp from the night, and birds twittered above her head in the trees. She found a spot