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  Dark Heart Wolf: Silver Fox Ranch Book 3

  By: Haley Weir

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  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Epilogue

  Where to Read More From Haley Weir & Get Free Books

  About the Author

  Prologue

  Wolf Valley, Colorado

  August 1871

  Mary Ann yanked on the rope and secured the cover to the wagon bed. The wind nearly knocked her off of her feet several times. Her brother Leroy barked orders from the front as he strapped in the horses. The storm had been brewing for hours, but Leroy had a talent for procrastination. Mary Ann rolled her eyes and stumbled towards the house. Her brother cracked the reins and rode out of town as if there were no danger of the wagon going off the side of the harsh trail.

  The wagon rolled out of sight just as a knock came upon the back door. Mary Ann strolled through the house and peered through a crack in the door. Sam Cassady leaned against the wooden post and smiled beneath the shadow of his hat. Mary Ann's heart beat furiously in her chest as she fought against the answering smile that teased the corner of her lips. "You better get that sweet talkin' grin off your face, Samuel," she chuckled. "You and I—"

  "Wait." Sam inched a little closer, eyes locked on her lips as though compelled by something neither of them could see. "I know what you're about to say, and I...I'm only interested in being your friend."

  "I thought Sam Cassady was too good for friends," she said teasingly.

  "Not when it comes to you, apparently." Sam leaned forward and kissed her cheek. Mary Ann jumped out of reach and stared down the road, praying no one had seen him act so brazenly.

  "You have a wife!" she whispered harshly. "If anyone were to come around and see you actin' so familiar, neither of us would be worth more than the dirt on your boots in this town. You must know how this looks. My brother leaves town and you come knockin' on the back door?"

  "Look, I ain't here to start trouble, I just...somethin' brought me here, Mary Ann. You know about my family. You know we ain't like most folks around here. I'm at your house for a reason."

  Mary Ann glanced towards the dark clouds rolling across the sky and shook her head. "No. Go home, Samuel. We can be friends but go home to that family of yours and wait out this storm." She shut the door before her resolve could weaken further and pressed her forehead against the wood. Mary Ann took a deep breath before turning around.

  At the sight of a shadowy figure standing in the dining room, she nearly let that breath out in the form of a scream. If not for the recognizable hat of Boone Cassady, Mary Ann reckoned she might have keeled over from a heart attack. "Boone! What are you doin' here?"

  "How often does my brother sneak off the ranch to see you, Mary?"

  She lowered her head and strolled into the kitchens. Boone followed and sat in one of the chairs at the table without needing an invitation. "Your brother and I are just friends. I ain't too sure if your question means you think poorly of me or if you think poorly of him. Either way, I don't like the implication that I have led your brother astray."

  "Has he been unfaithful to his wife?"

  "Samuel and I just talk, Boone," she huffed in irritation. "He can't talk to you and he is not as close to Itsá as the rest of ya'll, so he comes here. I'm the only person who lives off the ranch that knows what you really are."

  "I've known you your whole life." Boone smirked at that. "But I don't like the thought of you throwin' your life away all because Sam is restless."

  “You don’t get it. I like Samuel. If he weren’t married, I think we would be together. But I missed my shot when Leroy took me away for a while, and I’ll always regret never tellin’ him how I feel. No one gets to decide whether or not Samuel and I remain friends. Not even you, Boone.”

  “You push him away and then you draw him right back in. I can hardly stand the sight of my brother most days, but I love him. He’s my family,” Boon said. “I don’t want him gettin’ hurt just as much as I don’t want him hurtin’ you.”

  “I’m tired of livin’ my life as if I was only born to meet the expectations of others.”

  “That tiredness in you and the restlessness in him are exactly what I’m afraid will get the two of you into trouble.” Boone had made his point and slipped out before the storm hit.

  The harsh rain and the wind lasted until nightfall washed over Wolf Valley.

  Mary Ann changed into her bed dress and robe before settling in to write her letters. All of a sudden, she felt drawn towards the window. She threw open the shutters and stared down at Sam Cassady. Something possessed her...something she could not explain. It had taken over her body. Mary Ann stared down into glowing red eyes as an animalistic surge of recklessness swelled inside of her. “Are you gonna stand out there all night or come in?”

  Perhaps Boone was right to worry...

  Her voice seemed to snap him out of the trance. Sam braced his hands against the windowsill and lifted himself. Mary Ann swallowed down the last bit of fear inside of her. The town and Boone had no right to make her feel as though her friendship with Sam was inappropriate. But Mary Ann knew the second he stepped too close, she would not be able to resist doing the things she was often accused of.

  “Do you sit out there a lot, Samuel?” Mary Ann asked brazenly. “You know if my brother ever caught you, the town would ask for your head in a pine box.”

  Sam smiled and scratched the back of his neck bashfully. “I’m not a good man, Mary Ann. I got a woman who loves me and a daughter that swears I hung the moon in the sky just for her,” he said softly. “But I can’t take my eyes off of you when I’m in town. It makes me feel...worthless. Savannah deserves better than me.”

  “And I don’t?”

  “You do…”

  “You’re damn right, I do,” she snickered. “But sometimes better ain’t always what’s best for us. For example, takin’ a job at the mayor’s office would be better for me, but you and I both know that working with my brother is what’s best. Somebody needs to look after him.”

  “What are you sayin’, Mary Ann?”

  She stood up and bounced up to the tips of her toes. Her hands trembled as she walked over to him. Sam subconsciously met her halfway, and that recklessness bubbled up. She was helpless to it as she wrapped her arms around his neck and felt him melt into her embrace. Sam's head lowered, and Mary Ann ti
lted her head back and brushed her lips against his. The taste of him was like fire and rain. She gasped at the crackle of energy that passed between them and he jumped back. “This...ain’t right. I love Savannah. I love Malia...I won’t leave my family.”

  Mary Ann nodded her head. “I know. I just wanted to know what that felt like before I left tomorrow mornin’. Thank you, Samuel. Thank you for bein’ the best man in my life.”

  Chapter One

  Wolf Valley

  November 1875

  Mary Ann gazed out the window of her home, no longer feeling the happiness that used to come whenever she watched the sunrise. The crisp autumn air rustled the colorful leaves just beyond the glass that fogged each time she drew breath. A cup of hot tea was clutched in her hands as she watched the folks of Wolf Valley wander about the town. Her brother was gone. Dead. His memory haunted every corner of the house. Mary Ann found it difficult to leave her bed most days.

  She set aside her teacup and wandered out of her bedchamber before heading down the staircase. Her shoulders pushed back and she stood tall as she stepped out of the front door. Mary Ann strolled down the dirt road that cut through town, stopping out front of the shop. Her keys jingled as she unlocked the door and pulled open the curtains.

  Without her brother, Mary Ann had to use what was left of her money to keep pushing on. Boone's wife, Abigail, had inspired her to set up her own shop. So, she sold everything within her home that was not absolutely necessary to her comfort and got a loan from the bank. Mary Ann stared around the small bakery and allowed herself to smile. She walked behind the counter and tied on her apron, ready to set in for a day’s work.

  The bell above the door chimed and Mary Ann looked up from the ball of dough that sat in the bowl in front of her. She cocked her head to the side and smiled as Beth Mason entered her bakery. "Good mornin'," Mary Ann said softly. “How are things at the ranch?”

  "Sam and Boone are at each other’s throats again. Itsá says it’s because of some mating urges they’re going through, but I don’t care.”

  “You seem rather disgruntled.”

  The dark-haired woman sat in a chair in the corner and snatched a pastry off the shelf. “Well, I went to talk to that lawyer finally for the reading of my grandmother’s will, and Jesse Porter just so happens to be the other beneficiary. He won’t budge on his half of the money, and he won’t tell me why either. But I think Charlotte has been right all along—not that I would ever tell her that. But I can’t deny that fate might be at play here, after all.”

  Mary Ann set the dough aside and wiped her hands off on the small rag hanging from her apron. “My brother and I rode to Texas to help three women find their way into Colorado when the land was torn and men were at war. We took you safely through Indian territory and...when that storm came and sent our wagon careenin’ down that embankment, I hated all of you for a long time, and it felt so good.”

  Beth nodded solemnly but remained quiet.

  “I blamed you for my brother’s death,” Mary Ann admitted. “I saw no fate at work that day, only the dense fog of my own grief. It wasn’t until those...things came around that I saw what was goin’ on. Wendigo, witches, dark spirits. It’s all too much for me, Beth. But I’ve been watchin’ the pieces line up. I’ve come to realize that fate has to have somethin’ more in store for us than pain and sufferin’.”

  Beth set the pastry aside and flicked away the crumbs on her clothing. “I’m on my way down to meet with Wesley at the saloon. I want to go with him when he goes after Charlotte this time. I’ve found a couple of leads he might have missed.”

  “Did you ask the new sheriff?” Mary Ann snickered.

  “Boone will no doubt have a say in it, but folks around here are disappearing, and it doesn’t bode well for us if they all get turned by the damned Wendigo Spirit.”

  Mary Ann sent Beth off with some nibbles for her and Wesley. When the bell signaled Beth’s exit, she began to work tirelessly through the day. Mary Ann filled orders, paid bills, baked, baked, baked, shelved, baked, and then did preparation for tomorrow when she would have to do it all over again. It was fulfilling work, and it put food on her table, so she felt no need to complain even when her back and feet ached.

  “Good evenin’, Mary,” a deep voice rumbled, startling her half to death.

  Mary Ann’s hand clutched her chest as she struggled to calm her breathing. “Samuel! I didn’t hear the bell ring.” She hurried to pull the final batch away from the oven and packaged it up real nice before putting it on the shelf with the others.

  “I didn’t come in through the door,” he drawled. Mary Ann watched him closely as he swaggered over to her and leaned against the counter with barely an inch of space between them. Sam Cassady leaned forward and kissed the curve of her ear, causing her to gasp. After Leroy had died in the accident, she had been spending more time with Sam as a way of distracting herself from the pain that often lingered. But things had slowly gotten more intimate as she began to rely on him for affection and comfort.

  It never went beyond a few chaste pecks here and there or a snuggle or two, but Mary Ann felt safe in his arms, and that was all that mattered. The new development in their friendship started after she had defended him vigorously against his brother’s judgment. And, despite the fact that everything was going well, Mary Ann knew that could change at any moment. Sam was not the man she had fallen in love with in her youth.

  The death of his family had changed him in many ways. He drank too often and gambled away his money. Mary Ann knew he had a tendency to start fights and jump headfirst into reckless situations. She sometimes wondered if he missed being an outlaw. “Come by to walk me home?” Mary Ann asked. He nodded his head and wrapped his arms around her waist.

  The door chimed open and they jumped apart. Jesse Porter cocked his brow and shook his head. “You’re lucky it was me and not Boone. He’s doing his rounds now, helping folks lock up and get home. The two of you need to put some distance between you. Now.”

  Sam’s hands clenched into fists and he took a step closer towards Mary Ann. She placed her hand on his arm to gently calm him. It seemed to work as Sam slowly relaxed and walked back over to the proper side of the counter. He purchased a few sweets and shoved past Jesse on his way out the door. He did not go far, however. Sam leaned against the windows, determined to be the one to walk her home.

  Jesse shook his head once more and hovered over the counter. “Hey, Mary, can I ask you for a favor? I know you and I haven’t known one another for as long as you’ve known Boone and Sam, but I was wondering if you could keep an eye out for this woman.” He reached into his breast pocket and handed over a photograph of a woman with dark skin, her hair was pinned atop her head in a very subtle fashion.

  “Who is she?”

  “Her name is Ruth. Beth’s grandmother was helping me get her to Colorado,” he explained. “Ruth was a slave that earned her freedom after her owner died. I met her on my trip to Georgia when I was buying supplies for the town. Though she had her papers, her life was in danger. Beth’s grandmother sent Ruth up north until I could find a way to get her here.”

  “Why Colorado?”

  “She is not comfortable where she’s at and feels she would be more useful on the ranch. Abigail’s bleeding heart got the best of her and she paid for the train ticket for Ruth to come down here a little early.” Jesse had pride and excitement in his voice. “She’ll be my ward.”

  “How old is she?” Mary Ann asked.

  “She’s fifteen. And folks where she’s from don’t see a young girl in need; they just see the color of her skin. Wolf Valley is full of all sorts. I think she’ll do just fine here.”

  Mary Ann shifted on her heels. “Jesse, why didn’t you just say somethin’ about this to Beth? I’m sure she would understand. She’s tryin’ to use the money from her grandmother to open an orphanage for the kids in the steel mills up in Chicago where she’s from. I’m sure Beth would not mind helping you with—�
�

  “No. Beth and I don’t agree on much. And I made a promise to her grandmother and to Ruth that I would see this through to the end.”

  “I’ll keep a lookout. If I see her comin' in off the trains, I’ll let you know.”

  "Thank you so much, Mary Ann. It means the world to me." Jesse tipped his hat and waltzed out of the bakery. Mary Ann smiled to herself as she closed up. Boone came stomping down the road as she shut the front door.

  "Evenin', Boone. I hear you're the new sheriff in town." She pulled her pelisse tighter and turned to face him. Mary Ann missed the days when Boone's judgment towards his brother didn't extend to her. "How are things?"

  "I'm only sheriff until the mayor's replacement comes," he replied. "I'm puttin' together a posse to search for the missin' folks soon, and I wanted you to know about the new curfew."

  "Curfew?"

  "All shops will be closin' up at six now. Winter is comin', which means the days are gettin' darker, and we can't have folks walkin' around after nightfall." Boone's eyes shifted over to Sam, but he held his tongue.

  "Thank you for lettin' me know."

  Sam stepped forward and grabbed her arm gently, steering her away from his brother. Mary Ann felt Boone's eyes glaring at their backs and sighed. "Why can't the two of you just get along? So much is happenin' right now. Can't we just focus on stayin' away from the Wendigo Spirit and findin' Charlotte?"

  "If that's what you want, I'll try."

  Mary Ann moved closer to Sam. She felt the heat radiating off of his large body. Most people didn't dare look their way, but Mary Ann heard a few malicious comments whispered under the breath of cowards. She knew the reason Sam's eyes were red, and she accepted it. The wolf and the man were one and the same. And what she felt for Sam went beyond logical reason. He was both infuriating and the love of her life.

  Chapter Two