Dark Heart Wolf - Haley Weir Page 0,37

itself will take one of you as its host and destroy everythin’ in one fell swoop.”

“That...neither of the brothers told us that,” Sam grumbled.

“Perhaps Gabriel feels more confident in us ladies. He tends to view ya’ll as dogs more than wolves, really. Calls you fleabags, mutts, and tail-chasers.”

“Remind me to punch him so hard his head caves in next time I see him.”

Mary Ann tossed her head back and let out a tendril of laughter that crawled across his skin like a gentle caress. He had missed her laughter. She brushed a piece of hair back and tucked it behind her. "Gabriel means no harm; he just has a hard time trustin' other male shifters. I think he might be a little sweet on Beth, though. I'm not too sure how Jesse is goin' to feel about that."

"It ain't none of my business, so I could not care less." Sam's laughter died on his tongue when he smelled fire on the wind. It was the wrong season for forest fires, so he knew it had to have been a camp nearby. He gestured for Mary Ann to be quiet; she reached back to her rifle, lips pressed into a thin line. Sam heard the sound of an arrow whistle through the air only seconds before he jumped out of the saddle. He had only a split second to react, throwing himself at Mary Ann and knocking her out of the way. He made sure that she landed on top of him to shield her and the baby from the fall. The horses ran off with all of their gear.

Sam roared and shifted into his wolf to protect his mate. Comanche. Not the stragglers they had a frail alliance with, but the great riders of the plains. Sam suspected they were hunting down the skinwalkers that broke away from their warbands. Mary Ann pulled her rifle and aimed down the road.

In the quiet of the early dawn, the only sound that was heard was the deep rumble of Sam's breathing. Mary Ann stayed calm as he circled around her. She stood at his back without fear. Sam watched the trees for any signs of motion. Like most tribes, the Comanche were skilled hunters, and they only revealed themselves if necessary.

Mary Ann cocked her rifle and said something in their native tongue. Sam could not understand her words. He grew more nervous by the second, pacing in front of her in case another arrow war fired. Seven tall, slender men with painted faces eased out of the brush. Mary Ann kept her rifle aimed, and they held their bows with arrows notched in place.

The leader of the hunting party spoke, and Mary Ann lowered her gun. The Comanche eased their bows lower and replaced their arrows in the quivers. She wiped tears from her eyes and gestured with her hands as Sam watched dumbfounded. "They hunt the Wendigo Spirit," she said finally. "Their camp was attacked, and many of their people were taken. I told them about the mines."

"How did you learn their language?"

"I used to help Leroy carry goods and travelers between the territories. A Comanche tracker named Quenah taught me so that I could trade with their people," Mary Ann explained. "Leroy used to buy their slaves and captured people to free them. His work was always dangerous, but I know now how important it was. Abigail can translate, but she doesn't speak their language."

Chapter Fifteen

Mary Ann approached the hunters, leaving Sam where he paced. She knew he would protect her if the men tried to take her. But Mary Ann didn't think she had anything to worry about. She spoke with their leader. Upon hearing that she was pregnant, he allowed them to take their gear back as well as some bison meat for their journey up the mountains. In return, the Comanche took the horses. Sam was upset to see his favorite mare go, but it was better than them being left for dead.

"You should have talked to me before strikin' that deal," he grumbled.

"While Comanche ain't completely irrational people, they tend to get a bit touchy when white men try to dictate what they do on their own land." Mary Ann took her share of the bags and set off in the direction of the mountains. Each time Sam tried to take the gear from her, Mary Ann swatted his hands away. "I'm pregnant. I ain't dead."

She adjusted her rifle strap so the gun fell over her