Prologue 

Summer

            Kate Sullivan walked stealthily through the woods, following the wolf. 

She’d spotted him long ago, hovering at the edge of the ranch.  Her father had noted him, too, but had done no more than that. “If it becomes a problem,” he’d warned her, “I will put it down. We don’t need it spooking the horses.”  Kate had nodded, frowning.  She wouldn’t let him become a problem, she’d silently vowed.

            And she hadn’t. She’d kept an eye out for him ever since, and spotted him occasionally. She’d seen him with another wolf…or maybe it had been a dog. It had been smaller than her wolf, so it could have been a mutt. Lord knew there were enough of them in the county.

            Sometimes, when she could get away with it, Kate had left some scraps just at the edge of the tree-line where Daddy couldn’t see.  He usually stayed closer to the barn, so she’d found a somewhat secluded spot out of sight of the barn.

            Kate hadn’t seen either of the wolves for awhile until earlier in the week, and then it had been just the male.  Something, though, was different. Something was wrong.  She’d left scraps for him, but they’d gone untouched. He lingered longer and longer, straying closer and closer to the buildings.  Her father had noticed. 

            So, before he could take action, Kate had done so.  She’d crept closer and closer to the wolf, and he had walked into the woods, stopping every so often as if to make sure she was still there, and then continued on his way.

            She followed slowly but surely, each step nearly silent. It was a trick that had taken her the last year to master. Frank Strong Horse, one of the elders of the nearby Mattaponi, had been her father’s friend since he was a boy. He was also her godfather, and had taught her some secrets of the tribe that his own children and grandchildren had never shown an interest in. Like having your steps make little-to-no sound across the forest floor.

            The trees enveloped her, and she carefully marked her trail. She’d wandered the woods closest to the ranch since she’d learned to walk, but the wolf was leading her farther than she’d ever been.

            A blistering curse echoed through the trees, causing a sudden rustle of leaves as birds took off. Kate scowled even as she froze, her eyes casting about her. Jesse, damn him, was following her. She bit back her grumbling, and doubled back; coming up quietly behind him as he blundered in the direction she’d gone, following her markers. She waited until he reached the spot where she’d stopped, and asked in a deceptively even tone, “What do you think you’re doing?”

            Jesse spun, his shoulder length coal black hair swung as he faced her, lifting the guns in his hands as he moved.  When he saw her, his hands fell back to his sides. “God damnit, Kate, what the hell is wrong with you?”

            Kate raised one auburn brow. “Why are you following me?”

            Dark eyes glared at her.  “Because you’re an idiot, and your father sent me to look for you.”

            Jesse, though just 5 years older than her, was in line to be her father’s successor…if the man ever decided to retire. As it stood, Jesse would be foreman in a few years once he graduated college.  Her father had it in his head for her to go off to college, then come back after graduation and marry Jesse, settling down to raise their children and horses while he doted on his grandchildren.

            That was his fantasy, but it sure wasn’t hers or Jesse’s.  He was more the older brother that she’d never wanted rather than a boyfriend she couldn’t wait to have. Besides, he liked his women older, short, blonde, blue-eyed, over endowed, and empty headed. Kate was 5’ 8”, auburn-haired, hazel eyed, had curves in all the right places but not too much, and was top in her class. So, no, she didn’t quite fit his type.

            “Jess, I’m fine,” she sighed. “I’m just…”

            “…following a wolf into the heart of the forest where you’ve never been before, yep,” he interrupted.

            She glared at him. “I can take care of myself. If it weren’t for my markers…”

            “I wouldn’t know where to find the body.”

            She punched him in the arm. Even though she was strong, it was still like hitting a rock. He was well muscled from having worked with the horses.  She bit back a wince and surreptitiously flexed her hand.  “You ass, it’s just a wolf!”

            “It could be a shifter, you think of that? Or a were? You know they can't be trusted.” He caught her flicker of surprise before she masked it. “Ha! See? You didn’t think about that!” His free hand gripped her shoulder, and he gently urged her back the way they’d come. “Let’s go back, and…”

            She shook him off. “I can’t,” she said, stepping away from him. She glanced away from him, and found the wolf sitting several feet away, watching them. A chill slithered down her back. Shifter? Were? she wondered, but gave herself a mental shake, turning back to Jesse. She didn’t think so. “Just a feeling, but…”

            Jesse gave a long suffering sigh, “You have to.”

            Kate grinned. “Yep.” Her smile slowly faded as she glanced back at the wolf. He was on his feet again, half turned away from her. His golden eyes implored her. She turned back to Jesse again. “If you’re coming with me, let’s go. If not, go home.” She started after the wolf, which once again started moving slowly deeper into the woods.  A moment later she heard muttered cursing, sprinkled liberally with “crazy white woman”, and Jesse tramping through the woods after her.  Her lips twitched, but she bit back her chuckle.

            The woods opened up into a small clearing, and Kate came to a halt. Jesse cursed softly at her sudden stop, nearly crashing into her as he stopped as well. “What…”  His words cut off, and he stood with her, both of them transfixed on the wolf.           

            He moved slowly at the far edge of the meadow.  His golden fur was dappled with the shadow and sunlight that flickered there. His limp was more obvious the closer he came to an obvious hole dug into the small hillside. Only now could she see flecks of dark dried blood mottling his right hind leg as he looked at the dark hole. A den…his den? His golden eyes found Kate’s then looked at the den before turning back to Kate.

            Jesse’s bronze hand gripped her shoulder gently but firmly. “Don’t do it, Katie-girl.”

            The old nickname, given when she wore her hair in pigtails and trailed after him like a puppy, had her turning to face him. His dark eyes held hers for one long moment before she slowly shook her head. Very gently, she removed his hand from her shoulder, turned, and started toward the wolf and his den.

            Golden eyes watched her intently, but there was more. Something urgent. She couldn’t explain this strange compulsion, but something pulled her toward the beautiful creature. When she was within a foot of him and closer to him than the den, his lip curled back in a soft growl. His golden eyes flicked to the den and back to her.  

            Behind her, she heard Jesse cocking one of his guns or maybe both, ready to shoot. “Do not fire,” she commanded him.

            “Damn it to hell, Kate!”

            Never taking her eyes off the wolf, she repeated, “Do. Not. Fire…not unless I don’t make it out of the den in 20 minutes.”

            “20…” she could almost feel his exasperation, “do you have any idea what could happen in 20 minutes?!”