Savage Desires

Montana 1887

Hawke stepped out of his cabin and breathed in the damp forest air. Three days of spring rain had finally ended and the morning sun was shining brightly.

Hawke stretched his arms over his head and then scratched his bare stomach as he yawned. He walked to the small barn and went to work feeding his horse and milk cow and cleaning out their stalls.

“Gotta head to town today, Trigger. We got some furs that we gotta sell and some supplies we need to buy.” Hawke patted the black gelding on the neck and then walked back out into the sunlight.

He listened to the birds singing in the trees and the bees coming to life and buzzing around the tiny wildflowers starting to bloom. He bent his head to sniff himself and then wrinkled his nose in disgust. One thing was for sure; before he went to town, he needed a bath.

He went back into the two room cabin and grabbed a clean pair of buckskin trousers and a fringed buckskin shirt. He grabbed his homemade yellow soap and headed down the path to the clear mountain lake.

He could smell the water and the sweetness of the wildflowers. He pulled off his boots and his buckskin pants and dove headfirst into the calm water.

He came up cursing and gasping for air as he realized that the water was colder than he had thought it would be. He shook his head sending water droplets flying from his shoulder length black hair and swam back toward shore. The cold water making his body come alive and working out the soreness that three days cooped up in his cabin had caused.

He pulled himself halfway out of the water on the rocky outcrop and grabbed his soap. Once he was sure that most of the stink was washed off of him, he climbed out of the water and let the sun dry his tan skin. He used his fingers to comb out his hair and then pulled on his clothes. He sighed as he headed back to his small cabin to get his furs.

He hated going to town and avoided it whenever possible. His half Blackfoot Indian heritage, coupled with his hatred of modern clothing made him a target for snobby looks and rude comments. Hawke had never met his Blackfoot mother or her family. She had left her tribe to be with his father and then had died of fever shortly after giving birth to Hawke.

Hawke’s father, James, had died when Hawke was twelve and Hawke had been living alone in his cabin and looking after himself for the last fourteen years. He strapped his rifle to his back, tied his knives to his legs, grabbed his pile of fox furs and headed back out to saddle Trigger.

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“Hi there, Hawke. It’s been awhile since you’ve been to town.” Ed Hornsby said as Hawke walked into the mercantile. Hawke nodded as he walked up to the counter and laid his furs down.

“I’ve been busy hunting.” Hawke replied simply. He liked Ed Hornsby. Ed was like most of the long time residents of town that knew and welcomed Hawke despite his appearance and heritage. It was the newcomers who looked down their noses at him.

“I can see you’ve been hunting. Looks like you did pretty well.” Ed replied, nodding down at the large stack of fox furs.

“Yes.” Hawke replied. Ed shook his head and began counting out the money for Hawke’s furs. Hawke had never been one to talk much. He rarely said more than five or six words at a time and he never said anything unless he felt it needed to be said.

“I need some supplies.” Hawke said as Ed handed him his money. Hawke gave Ed the list of everything he needed and Ed nodded.

“Alright Hawke, give me an hour or so to get all of this rounded up. You got a wagon?”

“Yes. My cart is out front.”

“Alrighty, I’ll get it ready.” Hawke left the mercantile and walked down the road toward Rosie’s boarding house. He needed a haircut and Rosie Thompson had been cutting his hair for as long as he could remember. His attention was drawn to the stagecoach as it pulled to a stop outside of the hotel in front of him.

He turned his head and was going to continue on his way when a feminine gasp reached his ear. He turned just in time to see a mass of blue fabric and dark hair tumbling out of the side of the coach. Hawke jumped off the boardwalk and caught the woman in his arms.

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Lily had been in such a rush to get away from her husband that she had not paid much attention to where she was placing her feet and had missed the step on the side of the coach altogether. She gasped as she felt nothing but empty space beneath her foot and tumbled headfirst out of the carriage.

She squeezed her eyes tight and braced herself for the pain she knew she would feel when suddenly she felt two strong, hard arms catch her in mid air and hold her tight. Her rescuer placed her feet on the ground but kept his arms wrapped tight around her and her face was pressed against his rock hard chest. His shirt was soft and smooth against her cheek. He smelled like soap and horse and there was another scent. A purely masculine scent. Lily felt her body stir in response to being in his arms and she had not yet even seen his face!

She pulled her head from his chest just enough to look up at him and she gasped again as she covered her mouth with her hand. He was an Indian! He was a very handsome Indian. He had long, thick black hair, tan skin, high, sharp cheekbones and a long straight nose. His lips were firm and set in a thin line as he looked down at her with jade green eyes that were as intense as a hawks. The color of his eyes made her realize that he must be a half breed.

Lily opened her mouth to thank him for catching her when Nathan’s arrogant, angry voice came from behind her.

“Get your hands off of my wife, you savage!” he said crossly. The man holding her released her quickly and took a step back but Lily could tell by the cold way he stared at Nathan and by the way he crossed his muscular arms over his broad chest that he was not intimidated by her husband. She looked over at Nathan and felt that familiar pain in her heart and disgust in her stomach.

She did not love the man. She did not even like him. He was barely six feet tall and everything about his appearance was light. He was light skinned, light haired and had light blue eyes. His body was thin and soft and his face was more that of a boy than a man despite the fact that he was thirty years old. The lightness of the outside did not match the dark evil that lurked beneath the surface.

“Nathan, do not be so cross with him.” Lily said jumping to her rescuers defense. “I am afraid that my clumsiness got the better of me and I would have fallen on the ground and been hurt if not for his quick action.” Nathan grabbed her by the upper arm, his fingers squeezing tightly and bruising her skin through the thin satin fabric of her dress.

She bit the inside of her lip to keep from crying out as he pulled her to him.

“You should be more careful of where you step.” he said keeping his voice light. “Thank you for catching my wife, sir.” Nathan said turning his attention back to the Indian.

“No problem.” the man replied. Lily noticed that his voice was just as hard as the rest of him.

“Can I get your name?” Nathan asked, deciding that he would complain to the law in town about how the savage had been holding onto his wife.

“Hawke.” he replied and then he nodded at them both and continued on his way down the boardwalk.

“That was very rude of you.” Lily scolded as she yanked her arm away from Nathan’s grasp.

“You were enjoying his hands on you far too much darling. You need to remember whose wife you are.” Nathan hissed, his voice as cold as ice. Lily rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest suddenly feeling very cold.

“How can I forget? I am your wife bought and paid for.” she replied.

“That’s right. Your parents gave you to me to pay off their debts and I own you now.” Lily shivered as she thought about all the ways he owned her. For six long months she had been forced to be his wife in every way both day and night.

“We both know why I married you, Nathan.” Lily hissed as she looked up and down the crowded streets. Nathan smiled the cold smile that never reached his eyes. The one that let her know just how soulless he truly was.

“That’s right and if you do anything to bring me shame or embarrassment I will not only kill you but I will go back to Virginia and pay a visit to your little sister as well.” Lily felt her blood turn to ice. She knew he was telling the truth. His constant beatings had taught her that he was capable of terrible violence and she had no doubt that he was capable of murder as well.

“I’m tired.” she said turning away from him. He chuckled proudly and wrapped a possessive arm around her waist.

“Allow me to get us a room then, my darling. After being cooped up on the train and the stage coach for the last few weeks, I am more then ready to have some time alone with you.”

Chapter Two

Two days later Hawke was sitting on the rocks looking down into the clear water of the lake. He cursed when an image of the woman from the stagecoach appeared on the waters still surface. He picked up a stone and threw it at the water sending the image away on one hundred tiny ripples.

For some reason her image had haunted him for two days and nights. He was not sure why. She was a beautiful woman with her soft body, thick dark hair, big brown eyes and full pink lips but Hawke had never been one to become obsessed with a woman’s beauty. No, there was something else about her that had him thinking of her constantly.

Holding her in his arms had just felt… right. And the scared look in her eyes when her husband had grabbed her arm haunted him. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong with the woman and he couldn’t explain it but he wanted to protect her.

Hawke had always been a loner and had lived a very solitary life. He never worried about things that were not his business and that made him even more confused that his thoughts were occupied with the dark haired beauty with the scared eyes.

A rustling in the bushes to his left drew his attention and he laid a hand on one of the large knives on his leg. He listened closely and then smiled when he heard the panting behind him.

“You are getting louder, Wolf.” he said. “You are not very good at sneaking.” Hawke turned his head and the big gray wolf walked over and sat down beside him on the rock and he could have sworn that the canine grinned. Hawke looked back out over the water as the two sat side by side, each of them as still as a stone statue.

Hawke had found wolf as a puppy. Wolf had been injured from what had looked like a mountain lion and Hawke had nursed him back to health and in doing so had made a life long friend. Wolf never went too far from the cabin and on more than one occasion had even followed Hawke into town which always caused quite a stir.

Suddenly wolf growled low in his throat and his head whipped around in the direction of the cabin. Hawke understood the sign that he had a visitor. He rose in one fluid motion and started down the trail.

“Anybody here?” he heard a male voice call out as he drew closer and when he stepped into the clearing his cabin sat in he saw the man from the stage coach sitting on a brown mare and looking around.

“What do you want?” Hawke asked. Nathan’s head whipped around and his eyes widened when he saw Hawke standing there with a large gray wolf at his side. He wasn’t sure which of the two looked more wild or whose eyes had more intensity in them as they glared at him.

“I hope it’s okay that I stopped by since we are neighbors now.” Hawke’s eyes narrowed as he looked up at the man.

“Neighbors?” he asked. Nathan nodded.

“I bought some land that touches up against yours. Marshall Yale in town told me that you were an okay man and I felt I should stop by and apologize for the way I acted in town the other day at the stagecoach. With us being neighbors and all, I figure it’s best to be on good terms.” Nathan cast another nervous glance down at the wolf as it stood beside Hawke and stared at him.

“Is that thing safe?” Nathan asked, his nervousness plain to hear in his voice. Hawke shrugged.

“Safe for me.” he replied simply. Nathan nodded. Clearly his new neighbor wasn’t much of a talker and he clearly thought he was better than Nathan which made Nathan’s temper flare but he worked hard to hold it back. Between the deadly looking savage and that wolf beside him they could easily make short work of him if they took the notion.

“I was hoping that since we’re neighbors now I might be able to hire you to help me out a little.”

“Help you what?” Hawke asked as he laid his hand on Wolf’s head to make the canine stand down. Hawke was surprised by just how agitated Wolf was by this mans presence. Wolf’s reaction was all Hawke needed to see in order to be certain that Nathan was not a good man.

“I need some help building my wife and I a cabin. My wife is good at many things…” Nathan said raising his eyebrows suggestively and tempting Hawke to give Wolf the ‘kill’ command. “But building cabins is not one of those things.”

“I don’t think…” Nathan held up his hand.

“Don’t turn me down just yet.” he said quickly. “I would pay you well and I would owe you a favor. You never know when you might need some help around here.” Hawke looked the man up and down and was tempted to tell him to go to hell. Hawke had been surviving on his own for a long time and he did not need anyone for anything.

Then an image of the dark haired woman flashed through his mind and he knew that in order to ease his own mind he needed to spend time around her and this Nathan. He needed to see for himself that she was okay with her husband. Though what happened between a husband and a wife was none of his business there was something about the look that had been in her brown eyes that had him wanting to protect her.

“Where are you building your cabin?” Hawke asked and Nathan smiled.

“A few hours ride east. There is a clearing with a river running alongside of it and a big mountain to the north.” Hawke nodded. He knew the place and he had also known that it would be several hours of riding away because Hawke owned all the land for miles.

“I’ll help.” he said simply. Nathan nodded. He had asked around town and was told that Hawke Owen was the best man to have helping you when you were out in these woods. He had been told that even though Hawke had been living among whites his whole life, he was still more savage than he was white and knew everything there was to know about surviving out in this land.

Nathan had hated moving away from civilization but the laws were getting stricter on what was allowed to take place between a husband and a wife and he had wanted to get as far away from those laws as possible. The way he treated his wife was his business and no one elses. Out here he would be able to do as he wished and there would be no one to stand in his way.

“Can you meet me in town tomorrow morning after dawn and bring your big cart?” Nathan asked nodding toward the cart which was parked by the barn. Hawke nodded.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then.” Nathan said as he tipped the bowler hat on his head. When Hawke just nodded again, Nathan quickly turned his horse and started the long ride back toward town. He hoped he hadn’t made a mistake by asking Hawke for help. But then again why would a savage care how he lived his life?

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Lily sighed with boredom as she laid the blue calico fabric down on the table and stretched out her aching fingers. She stood from her chair and walked to the window. She looked out at the dreary day and wished she could go for a walk. She wondered how long it would take before Nathan came back. She was under strict instructions not to leave the hotel without him.

She needed to get some more fabric to finish her dress and she wondered if she had enough time to go down to the mercantile and then make it back to the hotel before he got back. She had no idea where he had gone but she had watched him ride out of town hours ago and she knew he wasn’t back yet because his first stop would have been the hotel to make sure she was obeying him.

“He cannot keep me locked up in here like a prisoner.” she said a loud to the empty room. The clock ticking on the wall was the only response she got. She smoothed out her blue satin dress, took a deep breath to calm her nerves and walked out of the room.

She practically ran down the boardwalk to the mercantile and the sleepy store keep looked startled when she ran in.

“Can I help you ma’am?” he asked. “Is it raining outside?” he added looking out the door. Lily shook her head.

“No it is not raining. Why do you ask?” she replied walking to the back corner where the fabrics were kept. Great Valley wasn’t a big enough town to have a dressmakers shop and therefore the mercantile was the only place to get fabrics. He had a few ready made dresses for sale but Nathan would never let her have enough money to buy them. He insisted that she make her own clothing and she didn’t mind. It gave her something to do while she was locked away in their hotel room.

“Well, ma’am, the way you came running in here, I thought maybe it was raining.” Ed replied with a chuckle. He had only met this woman once before and he realized that she seemed just as skittish and nervous today as she had when she had come in with her husband.

“I was just stretching my legs.” she replied quickly. Lily quickly found the blue calico fabric and carried it up to the store keep.

“I need a few yards of this.” she said. Ed could tell she was in a hurry so he quickly cut her off several yards.

“That will be one dollar.” he said. Lily reached into her pocket and pulled out several coins, laying them on the counter to avoid touching hands with this man. She would be in enough trouble if Nathan caught her outside of their room. She didn’t need to make it worse by having physical contact with a man.

“Thank you.” she said as she stuck the fabric under her arm and quickly left the store. She was almost back to the hotel when she felt a hand grab her shoulder roughly. Nathan’s fingers dug into her tender skin as his hot breath blew against the back of her neck and made her shiver with fear.

“What are you doing out of the room, darling?” Lily felt her lip quivering with fear.

“I..I was j..just getting some new f..fabric.” she replied. Nathan pushed her forward and she walked stiff legged on her shaking knees into the hotel and up to their room. Once he had shut the door she turned to apologize but his hand caught her sharply across the cheek and she collapsed on the floor.

“Please Nathan! I did nothing wrong. I just got some fabric.” she said shakily as she pointed to the fabric laying in the floor. Nathan’s eyes narrowed.

“You did nothing wrong?” he demanded as he kicked her in the legs. She pulled her legs into her chest as she laid on her side on the floor and sobbed. “You left this room even though I told you not to. You broke the rules.” he reminded her.

“I’m sorry.”

“I know you’re sorry.” Nathan said grabbing her by the hair and pulling her to her feet. “There is only one way to make me forgive you, darling. We must make up. We can’t go to bed angry.” He threw her down in the bed and her sobs grew louder.

“No, Nathan, please.” she begged. Nathan brought his fist down hard on her face dazing her and causing pain and light to explode inside her head.

“You are my wife!” Nathan said with anger flashing in his blue eyes as he held her arms down on the bed with one cold hand and used his free hand to part her legs and pull down her underclothes. “You will lay here quietly and do your duty!” Lily knew that trying to stop him was pointless. She had tried the first few weeks.. .She had fought with everything she had to keep him from touching her and it had done no good.

She lay there silently beneath him and sobbed against her closed eyelids as he grunted and panted and shoved himself inside of her. The longer she lived as Nathan’s wife, the more appealing the thought of death became.

Chapter Three

Two weeks, Hawke helped Nathan build the cabin and barn. Two of the longest and most trying weeks of Hawke’s life so far. Hawke had always had excellent self control and was good at controlling his temper and keeping his emotions in check but being around Nathan was nearly more than Hawke could handle. Wolf had grown tired of the man as well and no longer accompanied Hawke when he came here to work.

Hawke had hoped that he would be able to see the woman again whom Nathan had told him was named Lily but so far she had remained in the hotel whenever Hawke and Nathan were in town and she never came out to the cabin.

It was early morning and Hawke was just approaching Nathan’s cabin which they had nearly completed when he heard Nathan’s voice come from inside the cabin. Hawke looked around for signs of an extra horse but all he saw was Nathan’s brown mare. Who was the arrogant, jackass of a man talking to?

“I don’t like the thought of being this far out in the wilderness.” a feminine voice said and Hawke was fairly certain that he recognized the voice as Lily’s. He cursed at the way his heart reacted to the sound of her soft voice. She was a married woman after all and would never be his.

“Why not, my darling?” Nathan asked and Hawke could hear the coldness in his tone.

“You know why.” Lily replied and this time Hawke could hear fear.

“You are my wife. As long as you obey me, you have nothing to fear.”

“Hello.” Hawke called out as he jumped from his horse. He did not like the way Nathan was making threats, as a matter of fact it made his blood boil. Nathan came out of the cabin quickly.

“Hello, Hawke. It’s a nice day today. I believe we can get the rest of this finished up today and then we can haul the furniture and things out here tomorrow.” he said. His smile was friendly but his eyes were suspicious. “How long have you been out here anyway?” he asked.

“I just arrived.” Hawke replied deciding that a confrontation with Nathan would do no good. Lily was his wife and therefore Hawke had no say in her treatment.

“You’ve already met my wife but allow me to introduce you both again.” Nathan said after a few seconds of silence. “Lily, come out and join us darling.”

Hawke’s eyes immediately went to the cabin door as Lily stepped out. She was just as beautiful and scared as he remembered. He noticed that despite the heat of the day she was wearing a dress with long sleeves and a high neckline. There was a faint shadow on her pale cheek that looked like a healing bruise. Her dark eyes locked with his for several seconds before she quickly looked down at her feet.

“Nice to meet you again, ma’am.” Hawke said. Lily knew better than to look back at him. He was more handsome than any other man she had ever seen and there was something in those intense green eyes when he looked at her that sent her heart into an impossibly fast rhythm.

“Nice to meet you again as well, Hawke.” she said and then she cleared her throat when she realized how raspy her voice seemed to have become. What was it about this man that had her body reacting so?

“Hawke, can I get you to do me a favor?” Nathan asked, not noticing the attraction and sparks that were flying between his wife and the man he had begun to think of as a friend.

“What?” Hawke asked. Nathan’s arrogant tone annoyed him to no end. It was like the man thought that his every word was a treasure and the entire world should simply fall to its knees and obey him. Obeying anyone wasn’t something Hawke normally did but to learn more about Lily, he would do what he had to do.

“Take my wife and horse into town and then bring my horse back along with some more nails.” Nathan’s words came out more like an order than a request but Hawke did not mind. He was finally going to be able to speak with the dark eyed beauty who had been occupying his every thought for weeks.

“Okay.” he said and he hopped back up on Trigger. Lily’s mind was racing as Nathan guided her to his brown mare. Was this a trick? Nathan never let her go anywhere alone with anyone… Let alone with a very attractive man whose very eyes seemed to burn her alive when they looked at her.

Nathan must really trust Hawke and Lily felt her heart fall. If Nathan trusted and liked this man then that meant that one thing was for certain… Lily could not. She fought to control her gag reflex when Nathan’s hand squeezed her rear as he helped her into the saddle.

“Take care of her, Hawke. She means the world to me.” Nathan said smiling warmly. Lily marveled at how well he played the devoted husband role when others were around.

“She will be fine with me.” Hawke promised. Nathan nodded and then waved his hand as if dismissing them. Once again Hawke fought the urge to kick the man in his overgrown head as he turned his horse around and started into the forest. He could hear Lily following behind him and he smiled, just a little.

The silence was almost more than Lily could take as she followed Hawke through the woods. She looked at him from the corner of her eyes. He was wearing his buckskin clothes again today though today the shirt had shorter sleeves and she could see his tan muscular forearms. The muscles in them bunched and rolled with every tiny movement he made. He was tall and proud as he sat in the saddle and his green eyes took in everything around them as they rode through the dense forest.

“You don’t talk much do you?” Lily asked finally when she could no longer handle the silence. Hawke shook his head but did not look at her.

“No.” he said simply. Lily sighed. Looks like silence was what she had in store for her until they reached town… And then she had hours cooped up in the hotel room to look forward to.

“You don’t trust me.” Hawke said after several more minutes of silence. Lily was taken aback by his statement. He was right, she did not trust him. He was friends with Nathan and that meant that he was a bad man. Add to that the way her blood turned to liquid fire every time he looked at her and he was a very dangerous man for her to be around.

“Why do you say that?” she asked hoping that her voice sounded more normal to him than it did to her.

“Your eyes.” he replied simply. “Nathan says you moved here from Virginia.”

“That’s right.” Lily replied smoothing out her skirts. She felt very unladylike riding astride the horse like she was in her dress but she had had no other choice. She had not had a side saddle to use.

“You’re a long way from home then.”

“Montana is my home now.” she replied with a sigh. Hawke nodded but still did not look over at her. He wanted to get to know her… He was sure she needed help and he wanted her to trust him. He should not be surprised that she did not. She didn’t know him and he was half savage… Not very many people took the time to get to know Hawke enough to know that they could trust him.

“What brought you and Nathan here?” Hawke asked. Nathan had told him that it was the thought of unexplored land and the challenge of survival out here that had brought he and Lily to Montana but Hawke had sensed that the man was lying. Hawke was good at picking up on things like that and he wanted to hear what Lily had to say about the matter.

“You are Nathan’s friend. I am sure he has told you all about it.” Hawke looked at her then and his intense green eyes were narrowed.

“I am not your husband’s friend. I am working for him.”

“You don’t like Nathan do you?” Lily asked feeling hope rise within her. Maybe she could trust Hawke after all.

“Neither do you.” Hawke said matter of factly.

“Why would you say that!” Lily demanded nervously. If complete strangers could pick up on the fact that she hated her husband then Nathan would surely punish her soundly for it.

“Your eyes.” Hawke replied. Lily rolled her eyes and looked out at the forest surrounding them. Hawke was obviously the strong, silent and very vague type and she was not going to get any real answers out of him.

Lily was scared of Hawke. She was scared of her bodies reaction to Hawke. She was scared of his silence. She was scared of his intensity. Everything about the man oozed power and the fact that he could read her so easily made her want to get away from him

She could not justify or explain what she did next… She was just giving in to her fear and her panic as she kicked her heels into the mares sides and took off at a fast gallop. She barely managed to hold herself in the saddle as the mare ran at a breakneck pace through the forest. She clung to the reins as her brown hair whipped behind her.

She turned her head just enough to check for Hawke but he had stopped and was just sitting on his black horse back there among the trees. Lily breathed a sigh of relief. She just wanted to be away from him and his powerful body, sharp mind and intense eyes before he got her into trouble with Nathan.

Hawke shook his head as the woman took off. He wondered where she thought she was going because instead of heading toward town, she was heading toward his own cabin.

Chasing her would only scare her worse. Clearly she was afraid though he did not think that he was the reason for her fear. She was truly afraid of her husband and for some reason, that fear made her run from him.

“Wolf.” he called and the large gray wolf slipped silently out of the woods beside of him. He looked up at Hawke with his golden eyes waiting for a command.

“Follow.” Hawke said pointing in the direction Lily had taken off in. The hoof beats of her horse could still be heard pounding across the forest floor. “Protect.” he added. Without a moments hesitation Wolf took off after Lily. Hawke followed on Trigger at a fast walk, wondering what was going on inside that beautiful head of hers.

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Lily prayed she was going in the right direction. She just wanted to get back to the hotel and stay away from Hawke. Hawke made her body awaken and react in a way that scared her and she knew that if Nathan ever noticed he would make sure that she paid dearly for it.

She hated her life and everything about it. Her parents were gamblers and they had finally gambled too much and were left with no way to pay Nathan back the debts they owed him. Nathan had taken one look at Lily and asked for her hand in marriage instead of money. Lily’s parent’s had quickly accepted the deal and when Lily had argued, Nathan had used the one weapon guaranteed to bring her down….. Allie.

He had promised to make her beautiful, innocent, little sister pay the price if Lily did not give him what he wanted. Lily had had no choice but to marry the man and the only thing that kept her from taking her own life during the cold nights after he was finished pleasuring himself with her body, was the thought of him taking his anger out on little Allie.

Lily was still going at too fast of a pace through the trees. She was running as fast as the horse could go and the scenery was passing by her in a blur as the mares breathing became more and more labored. She did not see the tree limb lying on the ground and neither did her mare. The horses front leg caught the limb and with a loud scream of pain ,the horse went down chest first on the ground and Lily was sent flying through the air. She struck her head on a rock and the world quickly went black.

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Wolf sniffed the air as he followed the horse and two legged, hairless, female wolf through the woods. He didn’t understand why he was following her but he always did what his alpha told him and so he was following her. He wondered why she was running so quickly through the woods. Didn’t she realize the danger around her? She was safe with the alpha. She should have stayed with him.

Wolf heard the horse scream in pain and he quickened his pace. He had to find the female and protect her for the alpha. Wolf saw the horse first. It was lying on its side on the ground and breathing heavily. His first instinct was to end its life.. Hunt and kill… But that was not what the alpha had ordered and so he fought the urge and looked around for the female.

He saw her lying on the ground and she appeared to be asleep. Foolish two legged wolves. They were always doing things that made no sense. Wolf ran to her and whined several times hoping to wake her up but still she slept. He could smell blood and he realized that she was hurt.

The alpha would be angry with him. He had not protected her. Wolf nudged her with his snout hoping to wake her but still she slept. He began to lick her face hoping to rouse her and she moaned. He stopped licking and cocked his head to the side as her eyelids fluttered open and then he yelped and jumped back when her ear piercing scream filled the air.

Chapter Four

Worry filled Hawke as Lily’s scream reached his ears. He urged Trigger into his fastest gallop. All sorts of scenarios played through his mind. From grizzly bears to mountain lions to trappers… Each threat was more dangerous than the next.

“Hawke! Hawke help me!” Hawke felt his heart do something funny at the sound of her voice calling his name. He knew he had to save her from whatever was threatening her. She trusted him enough to believe he would protect her and he would not let her down.

When he finally caught sight of her he felt all his worry vanish. She was as safe as she could possibly be. She was sitting on the ground with her back against a tree and Wolf was standing guard over her. No doubt she was screaming because she thought one hundred and fifty pound beast was going to kill her.

Her eyes fell on him and he saw her relief in their brown depths.

“Hawke help me.” she said in a tear filled voice. Hawke nodded and jumped down from Trigger.

“Wolf, come.” he said and Wolf happily walked over to him and Hawke patted his head.

“He listened to you?” Lily gasped, her eyes wide with disbelief. Hawke nodded.

“I saved him as a pup. He sees me as a friend.” he replied as Lily stood up and dusted herself off. She raised her hand to the back of her head and winced when pain shot through the lump she felt there. Hawke was at her side in an instant and she felt her breath catch in her chest at his closeness.

Hawke turned her head and parted her hair and bit back a curse at the bloody lump he found.

“What happened?” he asked. “Where is your horse?” Lily couldn’t seem to speak so she pointed instead and Hawke’s eyes fell on the fallen beast. His eyes narrowed as he walked over to it and realized that it was winded and its leg was broken. Without a word he pulled his rifle off his back and Lily barely managed to cover her ears before a single shot filled the air.

“How did that happen?” Hawke demanded in his deep voice as he looked at Lily and pointed down at the horse.

“She tripped over that limb.” Lily replied as she backed up against the tree. The intensity in Hawke’s eyes as he looked at her was filling her with fear. He looked angry.

“You killed this horse.” he said. “Your foolishness killed her.”

“I am not foolish!” Lily argued although even she realized that her actions had indeed been foolish.

“Why did you run from me?” Hawke asked as he walked toward her. Lily wished she could become a ghost and pass through the tree behind her and escape him. Her fear of him was being replaced by a raging desire that she couldn’t explain. She could already feel his heat and power as he stopped a foot away from her and looked down at her. The anger was gone from his eyes and had been replaced with something else. Though she did not recognize the look it made her blood pump faster.. Hotter.

Hawke saw the flush in her cheeks and the darkness of her eyes and knew that she felt the same passion that he did. There was something about this woman that set his body on fire. Every part of him was yearning to touch her, taste her, feel her. Hawke had never been a weak man but she made him feel weak. He barely managed to hold onto his self control and stop himself from taking her into his arms.

“Answer me. Why did you run from me?” he asked again.

“I was afraid.” she replied and then she licked her lips and she noticed that Hawke’s green eyes followed the movement.

“Why do you fear me? I would never hurt you.” Hawke replied and he knew it was the truth. Hawke had never believed in hurting a woman. Only a coward of a man would take pleasure in harming someone so much weaker than himself.

“I don’t know you.” Lily countered, trying to rein in her emotions. She had always prided herself on being level headed and strong. Being married to Nathan the last six months had made her realize just how weak she was and meeting this dark skinned, green eyed rock of a man had tested her level headedness as proven by her run through the woods on horseback. She was determined to claim her strength of both mind and body back.

“In your soul, you know you can trust me.” Hawke said with passion. He pressed his hand against his own heart, which was beating alarmingly fast. “Look here and you will see you don’t have to be afraid of me.”

“I can’t trust you.” Lily replied, looking away from him and hoping to break the spell that his green eyes had her in. Hawke let out a long breath and nodded. He would not beg for her trust. Words did not mean anything to someone who had been abused and he could tell by the fading bruise on her cheek and the fear in her eyes whenever Nathan was mentioned that she was abused…. He would have to prove to her with his actions that he could be trusted.

“I will take you into town.” he said. He whistled and Trigger walked over. Lily wondered how he seemed to communicate with all these animals. She supposed that came from being half Indian.

As she settled into the saddle in front of him she knew that she was in trouble. She could feel his body pressed against hers and his heat quickly made her skin flush. She fought to keep her breathing normal so that he would not notice the reaction she was having to his closeness.

“Is it your mother or father that was an Indian?” she asked, hoping that conversation would help her body forget about the situation it was in. She knew it was pointless however as her backside rubbed between his legs.

“My mother.” Hawke replied as he tried to scoot back away from her an inch or two. Already his body was responding to her backside rubbing against him and he did not want to make her fear him any more than she already did.

“What kind of Indian was she?”

“Blackfoot.” he said. He did not normally like to talk about himself but if this is what he needed to do to earn her trust then he would. “I never knew my mother or her people. She left the tribe to marry my father and then she died shortly after I was born.”

“I’m sorry.” Lily said and she thought about her own family. As horrible as her own parents were, she could not imagine how she would feel if they were to die. She felt Hawke shrug and it made her realize the she was completely enclosed in his arms as he held the reins. His power and heat was surrounding her and with shock she realized that for the first time in a long time, she felt safe. There was no doubt in her mind that this man could protect her against anything in these woods.

“I do not miss her or her people. I never knew them and it’s hard to miss something you never really had. Though I was raised white, most people say I am more of an Indian than I am a white man. I hate crowds and will never live in town. I hate white mans clothes and I prefer wearing buckskin and furs.”

“And then of course there’s the whole issue with you talking to a wolf… That could be seen as something a savage would do.” The words were out of Lily’s mouth before she could stop them and she gasped and threw her hand over her mouth when she realized what she had just called him.

“Are you very familiar with what savages do?” Hawke asked, his voice full of steel.

“I’m sorry.” Lily gasped as she waited for the pain he was sure to inflict on her. Nathan would have beaten her soundly if she had insulted him. Hawke could hear the hint of panic in her apology. He could feel her shaking in front of him.

“Many people think I’m a savage.” he replied as gently as he could. Gentleness was not a trait he had spent much time learning.

“I don’t think that… It was a slip of the tongue.” she promised.

“Calm down, Lily. I am not angry. I have already told you that you have no reason to fear me.” Lily breathed out a small sigh of relief. At least he wasn’t going to punish her.

They rode in silence for a long while. Lily did not know what to say to him and she was afraid of the way her heart responded to the sound of his voice. Hawke had never been much of a talker and preferred silence to meaningless conversation. He would rather communicate with looks and touches then with words that meant nothing.

Only when Lily heard the sound of the blacksmiths hammer pounding did she speak again.

“Hawke stop.” she said quickly. Hawke did not question her. He pulled back on the reins and brought Trigger to a stop.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. Lily bit her lip and buried her fingers in the horses thick black mane.

“Can I ask you to do something for me?”

“You can ask.” he replied. Lily rolled her eyes.

“Will you do it?”

“That depends.” Hawke said raising an eyebrow. He couldn’t see her face but he could tell she was annoyed. Obviously her husband had not beaten all the spirit out of her.

“No one in town can know that I rode on your horse with you. If Nathan found out….” Lily couldn’t finish her sentence and Hawke felt her tremble with fear. Without a word he slid from the saddle and dropped to the ground. Lily scooted back in the saddle.

“I will walk beside.” Hawke said grabbing the reins and starting back toward town.

“Thank you.” Lily said quietly and he simply nodded. Lily saw the stares and heard whispers as they walked through town toward the hotel. She realized they probably made quite a scene. Her in her dress sitting astride the large black horse and Hawke looking more like an Indian than a white man in his fringed buckskin clothing with Wolf at his side.

Lily refused his outstretched hand once they arrived at the hotel and jumped from the horse on her own.

“Thank you for bringing me to town.” she said smoothing out her dress and keeping a few feet of distance between them. Hawke’s body ached to close the distance but she was a married woman and there were a lot of nosey eyes watching them.

“Please don’t tell Nathan that we rode that horse together… If he ever finds out…” she shivered again and Wolf walked toward her and pressed his nose against her skirt. She reached out a shaking hand and patted his head. Hawke was surprised by Wolf’s actions toward Lily. Wolf was normally either very standoffish or completely indifferent to anyone other than him.

“If Nathan finds out it will not be because I told him.” he promised. “I had better get those nails and head back to your cabin. You might want to let the doctor look at your head.”

“I’ll be fine.” Lily replied. She had taken harder hits than this one from her husbands angry fists. Hawke nodded and then walked away without another word. Lily watched him for several long moments before turning back toward the hotel. Miranda Wallace, the head maid at the hotel stopped her as she walked in.

“You be careful around that one miss. More savage than he is man and dangerous to be around.” she warned. Lily nodded and then continued up to her room. She did not think she had anything to fear from Hawke except perhaps the fact that she seemed to lose control of her own body when he was around. She knew better than anyone that you could not judge a persons heart or soul by what their outward appearances were.

Chapter Five

Hawke took his time back through the woods. He needed to be gone long enough to make it seem possible that he walked part of the way to town. He had borrowed Nathan a pinto mare from the stable in town and he had stopped at the dead brown mare and removed the saddle and reins and placed them on the pinto.

Hawke wasn’t sure what he was going to do about Lily. He wanted her but more than that he wanted to keep her safe. He had no doubt that with Nathan she was not safe. But what could he do about that? Nathan was her husband and although he was certain that she was afraid of him that did not change the fact that some part of her must love him because she had married him.

He knew he should stay away from her and the temptation that she offered but his body rebelled at that idea and he knew he had to see her again. He had to keep her as safe as he could until he earned her trust enough to get her to open up to him and share her fears.

“There you are, Hawke. What took so long?” Nathan asked as he jumped down from the roof where he’d been nailing up shingles. “Where’s my horse?” he added as he looked at the pinto.

“Ran into trouble.” Hawke replied jumping down off of Trigger.

“Trouble?” Nathan demanded. “Is my wife okay?”

“I told you she would be fine with me. She is at the hotel safe and sound. Her horse spooked and ran. It fell and broke its leg and I was forced to put it down. I borrowed this one from the stable and put your saddle and reins on it.”

“Thank you.” Nathan replied. “I knew I could count on you. It feels nice to have a friend out here in this wild land.” Hawke was tempted to let the man know just how much he truly hated him but then he would be unable to be near Lily so he merely grunted and nodded and handed Nathan the bag of nails before grabbing the eave of the roof and pulling himself up onto the roof with almost no effort.

Nathan watched him and shook his head. Everyone in town was right. Hawke was more savage than man and that was why Nathan liked him so much. Hawke would probably approve of Nathan’s husbandly discipline of Lily. Nathan had heard that savages liked to beat their women into submission as well. And he could trust Hawke around Lily because his wife would never betray him with a savage who was no better than an animal.

---

“I’ll head back into town and get the few other essentials we need out here for tonight and pick up Lily.” Nathan said the next day after the men had brought the bed, table, stove and other smaller household items into the house.

“You will need wood for the stove. Do you have any cut?” Hawke asked.

“No I don’t.” Nathan said irritated that he had overlooked something so obvious. “You’ll take care of that for me won’t you?” Nathan asked as he jumped up into the saddle of the pinto he had ended up paying for last night. He rode away pulling the cart without even waiting for an answer.

“I should just kill him and be done with it.” Hawke muttered to himself and he heard wolf growl as if in agreement as he walked out of the woods. Hawke walked into the barn and grabbed the axe before walking into the woods to find a good tree. He would get some firewood ready but he was doing it for Lily, not for her obnoxious jackass of a husband.

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“Home sweet home.” Nathan said as the cabin came into view. Lily tried to scoot further from him on the wagon seat but he kept his arm wrapped tightly around her waist and his fingers dug into her ribs.

“I like you close to me.” he growled out. Lily wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She wanted to slap him right in his smug face but none of these things would do any good so instead she just squared her shoulders and looked at her new home.

It was small but charming and Lily was sure that if this was her home to share with a man she actually loved she would be excited. But the thought of being alone out here with Nathan scared her very nearly to death.

An image of Hawke’s sharp features and intense green eyes flashed through her mind and she smiled. She wondered what it would be like to have a husband like him.

“I like it when you smile.” Nathan’s voice cut through her fantasy and the smile disappeared from her face. A loud noise drew her eyes to the side of the cabin and if not for Nathan’s arm wrapped firmly around her she probably would have fallen off the wagon.

Hawke was swinging an axe through air and chopping wood. He had taken off his buckskin shirt and his naked torso was gleaming with sweat. Every inch of lean solid muscle was rippling and shining in the sunlight. Lily had never seen a body more perfect. Of course the only other half naked man she had ever seen was Nathan and his body was pale and soft… Nothing like the tan, rock hard body she was looking at right now.

Hawke stood straight and looked over at them and his green eyes automatically locked with Lily’s. Nathan was too busy bringing the wagon to a stop to notice the look of desire on both his wife’s and Hawke’s faces.

Nathan got down off the wagon and yanked Lily off with him. He pulled her over to Hawke and Lily thought for sure she was going to melt into a puddle right there on the grassy ground.

“Thanks for getting the wood for me.” Nathan said. Hawke shrugged and laid the large axe across one of those muscular shoulders.

“I will go now.” he said. Nathan nodded.

“I’d like some alone time with my wife in our new home.” he said, smiling coldly down at Lily and causing her to shiver. Hawke felt his hand tense around the handle of the axe. What was wrong with him? He had no right to be so jealous and protective over Lily. He kept telling himself that she was Nathan’s wife but every time he looked at her a voice inside his head just said ’ mine’.

Hawke turned away from them and laid the axe down beside the wood he had just chopped and lifted his shirt off the ground. He could feel Lily’s eyes on him as he slipped into it and ran his hand through his sweaty black hair.

“Hawke, why don’t you come by tomorrow evening and eat supper with my wife and I? You helped build our home so the least Lily could do is feed you a hot home cooked meal.” Hawke nodded and forced himself to keep his eyes off of Lily. He didn’t want Nathan to see the desire in his eyes when he looked at her. Nathan’s words had brought hot, passionate images to Hawke’s mind of all the other things that Lily could do for him.

Hawke whistled and Trigger trotted over to him from the barn. Hawke swung himself up into the saddle in one fluid motion.

“Goodbye, Nathan” he said. “Ma’am.” he added nodding at Lily.

“Hawke.” Lily replied while refusing to look up at him. She felt her heart breaking and fear creeping in as he rode away.

“Go to the bed and get ready for me. As soon as I carry these things in I will join you.” Nathan said once Hawke was out of sight.

“Nathan, I’m tired.” Lily said quietly. Nathan let out a hiss of anger and his fingers dug into her arm as he shook her.

“Do as I say! It has been six months and still you insist on forcing me to punish you for your disobedience! Stop making me get angry!” he exclaimed as his face took on a look of evil fury. As always Lily was amazed by the change in him. Gone was the light, carefree, boyish appearance. It had been replaced by a cold mask of fury. His light blue eyes were flashing with anger and his cheeks were flushed with his rage.

“I’m sorry.” Lily said as tears filled her eyes. She cursed those tears. She wanted to be strong but he filled her with so much raw fear that she found her strength vanish whenever he was around. Nathan released her and shoved her backward and she had to grab the cabin wall to keep from falling.

“Get to the bed, you stupid bitch.” he growled. Lily practically ran away from him and into the cabin and Nathan smiled. Life was going to get a lot easier now that he could punish his wife the way she deserved and not have to worry about prying eyes.

Chapter Six

Wolf watched the alpha pacing back and forth beside the lake. The alpha had not slept much the night before after leaving the female and the two-legged wolf that smelled bad. Wolf stretched out in the sunshine on his favorite rock as his eyes followed the alpha back and forth.

“Wolf this is bad.” the alpha said and Wolf raised his head. He didn’t understand what the words meant but he could tell that his alpha was upset over something and so he was going to pay attention.

“I don’t understand my own thoughts and feelings right now. She is his wife and yet it feels like she is my woman. I want her to be with me and I want to keep her safe. I want to make all that fear and sadness disappear from her eyes.”

Wolf laid his head back down on his paws as the alpha quit talking and began pacing even faster. Wolf didn’t understand these two leggers sometimes. It was clear to him that the alpha and the female were mates and should be together so why did the alpha allow her to stay with the evil one? If wolf were to find his mate he would never let her stay with another male. He would fight and kill to have his mate.

“Time to go to dinner.” Hawke said suddenly. Wolf jumped to his feet. He understood the words go and dinner and he was hungry.

Wolf regretted coming along once he realized they were going to the evil ones house but he knew his alpha needed him and so he stayed by his side.

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Lily was just placing the venison steaks, bread and beans on the table when she heard Nathan’s voice come from outside the cabin.

“Hawke! I’m glad you could make it.” Lily felt her heart beat faster in her chest. How was she going to do this? How was she going to hide her attraction for Hawke from Nathan when both men were sitting at her kitchen table?

“Can the uh…wolf stay outside?” Nathan asked with nervousness in his voice. Lily had never heard Nathan sound nervous before and it made her happy to know that there was at least one thing he was afraid of.

“Stay Wolf.” Hawke’s strong, deep voice reached her ears and nearly made her heart pound right out of her chest. She was definitely in trouble. Nathan and Hawke walked into the cabin and Lily was overwhelmed by the way Hawke’s large framed seemed to fill every inch of space.

“Good evening, ma’am.” Hawke said. He noticed she was wearing another dress that had long sleeves and a neckline that came up to her chin. It was hot inside the cabin and she looked overheated. Her dark hair was pulled up tight on her head and she refused to meet his gaze.

“Good evening. Why don’t you both sit down and I’ll dish out your plates.” she said politely. Hawke could hear the tension in her voice and he longed to take her into his arms and kiss away every bit of tension and fear she was feeling. With him she would always be safe. With him she would be cherished. But, he reminded himself, she was not with him. She was another mans wife.

“I can get my own food.” Hawke said matter of factly as he sat down and reached for the spoon to put some beans on his plate. Lily looked tired enough and he did not want her having to do things for him that he could very easily do for himself.

“No she can do it.” Nathan stated as he grabbed Hawke’s arm to stop him. Lily gasped at the anger that flashed across Hawke’s face as he looked down at Nathan’s hand on his arm. Nathan noticed it too and he quickly let go.

“Do not ever grab me like that.” Hawke growled in a voice so low that Nathan and Lily both had to strain to hear him. Nathan swallowed hard.

“I didn’t mean to make you angry. You are a guest and it is Lily’s duty to serve you.” Nathan gave Lily a pointed look and she quickly put some beans and steak on both his and Hawke’s plates.

She was realizing that Miranda Wallace had been being honest when she had told her that Hawke was dangerous. She could feel his power and strength from across the table but oddly enough she was no longer afraid of him… She did not think that he would hurt her. She yawned into her hand as she made her own plate and picked at her food.

She was too nauseous to eat. She had not told Nathan but she was nearly three weeks late for her bleeding. The thought of having a baby should make her happier than she had ever been but the thought of having Nathan’s baby filled her with dread. Nathan was not the father that she wanted for her children.

888

Hawke looked at Lily as she washed up the dinner dishes and he knew something was wrong with her. She was dead on her feet and had hardly touched her dinner. Nathan did not seem to notice as he and Hawke sat at the table and talked… Well Nathan talked and Hawke grunted now and then and gave one word responses in order to fake interest in what the other man had to say.

Nathan was angry with Hawke. He didn’t like looking weak in front of his wife and when he had grabbed Hawke’s arm earlier he had been afraid for his own safety and he knew that Lily had noticed. Nathan wanted to put Hawke in his place and he knew just how to do it.

“Lily.” he called. Lily turned from the sink and wiped her hands on her apron.

“What?” she asked.

“Bring me the whiskey. Hawke and I deserve to have a couple drinks after all the work we’ve been doing the last few weeks.” Nathan smiled as Lily brought over the bottle of whiskey and two glasses. He had heard tell that savages could not hold their liquor and Nathan was proud of how well he could handle the stuff. He would prove he was better than Hawke at something… Perhaps Hawke would even make a fool of himself.

“I am not a drinker.” Hawke said as Nathan filled his glass and handed it to him.

“Come on. Just a few won’t hurt.” Nathan replied filling his own glass. Hawke shrugged and downed the liquor in one quick toss of his head. Nathan smiled and did the same.

Hawke couldn’t help but smile as Nathan tried to rise from his seat several hours later and collapsed back into it with a thud.

“Damn, this is some good stuff.” Nathan said eyeing the whiskey bottle with wide eyes and then letting out a loud belch.

“Yes. Very strong.” Hawke agreed as he sat his half empty glass back down. Unfortunately for Nathan, in his attempt to prove that he was better than Hawke he had drunk nearly the entire bottle of whiskey himself. Hawke was still sipping at his second glass.

“I like you, Hawke.” Nathan slurred. “For a savage you’re okay. I feel like I can trust you and I feel like I can be myself around you.” Hawke rolled his eyes and looked toward the closed bedroom door where Lily had retreated nearly an hour ago.

“Do you want to know the real reason I moved my wife out here?” Nathan asked leaning toward him. Hawke leaned back in his chair, stretched out his long legs and crossed his arms over his chest.

“You told me why.” he said. Nathan shook his head and chuckled.

“No, I lied.” he said smiling like he thought it was funny. Hawke realized that the man was nearly too drunk to be conscious. He would probably be passing out soon.

“You see my wife and I aren’t your average couple. I took her as payment for a debt owed to me and lets just say that she is not nearly as obedient as I had hoped she would be. I’m a firm believer that a wife needs to be taught her place with a hard hand and I have been working hard to teach Lily her place. Of course in the city they are getting stricter about what a husband can do to his wife. It’s a bunch of horseshit if you ask me seeing as how she belongs to me! I moved her out here so that I could treat her as I see fit and not have anyone trying to interfere.” Nathan tried to pour himself another glass of whiskey only to discover the bottle was empty.

“Why are you telling me this?” Hawke asked, barely managing to keep his hand from closing around the bastards skinny neck.

“Because we’re friends.” Nathan replied matter of factly as he patted Hawke on the back and nearly fell out of his chair. “Plus I knew you would approve of the way I keep my wife under control. Your kind and I have a lot in common when it comes to our beliefs about strict punishment for disobedience.”

“Yes I suppose we do.” Hawke replied though right now he was thinking more along the lines of punishing Nathan… Nathan smiled a sloppy drunk smile and pushed himself up out of his chair.

“I guess I should get myself to bed. I’m sure Lily is feeling quite lonely without me.” Hawke felt rage fill him. He didn’t care if there was a piece of paper saying that Lily belonged to Nathan.. Hawke had never been one to care about rules or laws. As far as he was concerned Lily belonged to him. He stood up and grabbed a stumbling Nathan by the back of the shirt. Before Nathan could ask what was going on, Hawke slammed his head down onto the kitchen table and Nathan fell unconscious to the floor.

Lily came running out of her room at the sound and she looked at the scene in horror.

“What did you do to him?” she demanded putting her hand over her chest. Hawke saw that she changed into her sleeping gown and that even it had long sleeves and a high neckline. He wondered why she hid her body so carefully at all times and then his blood boiled when the answer came to him.

“I did nothing.” Hawke replied with a shrug. “He drank too much and when he stood he lost his balance and fell, hitting his head on the table.” Hawke was not worried about being caught in the lie because he knew Nathan had been too drunk to remember anything that happened tonight.

“Is he dead?” Lily asked and Hawke raised his eyebrow. She almost sounded hopeful.

“No. He’s breathing.”

“Oh.” Lily said and her face fell.

“Walk outside with me.” Hawke said and then without another word he walked out of the cabin. Lily watched the now empty doorway and wondered if she should follow. If Nathan woke up and found her alone with another man there was a good chance he would kill her but then again he did seem to be out cold…. And she longed to talk to someone. Nathan did not allow her to have friends or even acquaintances. Of course given the way her body responded to Hawke the situation could prove dangerous. She decided to take her chances and walked outside into the darkness. She saw Hawke standing a few feet away from the cabin looking up at the stars.

“I wanted to thank you, Hawke.” she said stopping on the porch steps instead of walking all the way to him. He didn’t look away from the sky when he replied.

“For what?”

“For not telling Nathan that it was my fault the horse died. He would have been very angry. And for not telling him that we rode your horse together.” Lily felt a warmth fill her body and an overwhelming, tingling sensation came low in her belly as she remembered how it had felt being pressed against him on that horse.

“I told you I would not tell him. You can trust me.” Hawke replied quietly.

“Can I ask you something?” she said smoothing out the bottom of her gown.

“Yes.”

“Why do you help Nathan? He isn’t paying you much and your hatred of him is obvious to me even if he seems clueless. Why do you keep coming around?” Hawke sighed and looked at her for the first time since she had walked outside. Her dark hair was loose and hanging over her shoulders and the moonlight was shining on her white gown, making her seem to glow.

“Because I want something that is not mine to have.” he replied simply. Lily let out a tired sigh at his vague answer and crossed her arms over her chest as she leaned against the porch banister.

“Can I ask you a question?” he asked. She wanted to refuse but knew that she could not so she nodded. “Why are you married to a man you hate? Why are you married to a man who sees you as a possession?”

“That was two questions.” she said and then her heart nearly stopped beating when Hawke flashed her a smile. It was the first time she had seen him smile and it gave his sharp features a softer edge. His skin crinkled around the sides of his mouth when he smiled and his perfect teeth shown in the moonlight.

“Pick which one you want to answer.” he said.

“Why do you care?” she asked. She longed to be able to tell him all her troubles and let him save her but what could he do? She was living every day of her life in her own personal hell and there was no way to escape it.

“Nathan loves me in his own way.” she lied. Hawke shook his head.

“No he does not. When a man loves a woman he treats her like a treasure, like a gift, because that is what she is.” Lily felt her breath catch in her throat. His tone was not soft and the words were not spoken with tenderness but the intensity shining out of his green eyes was speaking volumes.

“I really should go in and you need to leave. If Nathan wakes up….” Hawke began walking toward her and she stopped talking.

“He won’t be waking up any time soon.”

“What exactly is it that he has that you want?” Lily asked breathlessly as he came to a stop less than a foot from her and she felt the heat from his body warming her blood.

“This.” Hawke said and then he laid a large, gentle hand on her cheek and tilted her head up toward his. He lowered his lips to hers and Lily felt her blood turn to fire. The kiss was passionate but gentle and tender at the same time and Lily had never felt anything like it.

Somewhere in the woods an owl hooted and a coyote yipped and still they stayed lost in each others arms. Hawke buried his hand in her dark hair, careful not to touch the large lump from where she had fallen off the mare. He felt his heart swelling as he urged her mouth open and tasted her with his tongue.

Hawke had been taught by his father that every person had one other person that was made just for them and that when those two people found each other the love was instant and intense… As a boy Hawke had laughed at this idea but standing here in the moonlight with this woman wrapped tight in his arms and her soft, moist lips against his own he was suddenly a believer.

“Lily, kitsiikakomimmo .” Hawke whispered huskily as he pulled away from her and looked deep into her eyes.

“I don’t know what that means.” Lily said finding that hearing those exotic sounds coming from his mouth made her knees weak and made her very grateful that his arm was still wrapped tight around her and that her body was pressed so closely to his or she probably would have fallen.

“One day you will.” he replied, smoothing her hair from her face and running his knuckle along her jaw. Lily raised her own hand to his smooth cheek and her wedding ring shown in the moonlight and snapped her out of the trance that his kiss has put her in. She pulled away from him and shook her head.

“You need to leave.” she said feeling her heart break.

“Come with me.” Hawke replied. He did not want to leave her here with Nathan… Marriage be damned this woman belonged to him. Lily shook her head and took a step away.

“No!” she said more loudly then she had intended. She saw Hawke raise one sculpted eyebrow and he tilted his head.

“What are you so afraid of? Nathan?” Hawke shook his head. “Don’t be afraid of him. I can keep you safe.”

“No, I can’t make him mad…” Lily said thinking about innocent Allie and the threat that Nathan made perfectly clear to her everyday.

“You can trust me. Why are you so afraid of him?” Hawke asked. How could he make her understand that he would protect her from anyone or anything who would do her harm.

“Please just go and forget that anything ever happened between us.” she pleaded although even she could hear the regret and sadness in her voice.

“I will go.” Hawke said taking a step closer to her and running his hand through her satiny hair. “But I can promise you I will not forget about anything that has happened here tonight.” Hawke pressed his lips against hers again in a feather light touch that left her wanting more before turning and walking away.

Lily touched her fingers to her tingling lips and watched him unhitch Trigger and jump into the saddle in one swift, fluid motion that had her wondering what it would feel like to lay with him at night instead of her husband. Wolf rose from where he had been lying beside the porch and walked out to join Hawke.

“If you need anything, you can come to me.” Hawke said and then he rode away. Lily walked back into the house with unshed tears burning her eyes. She decided right then that fate must hate her. She had finally met the man who she knew was her soul mate and she could not be with him because she was already married (against her will) to the man currently snoring on the kitchen floor.

She stepped over him and went back to the bedroom, though she knew that after Hawke’s fiery touches, passionate kiss and heartfelt words she would not be sleeping tonight.

A/N I used a website to get the english to blackfoot translations i use in this story. The word “kitsiikakomimmo” means “I love you” according to that website. I apologize ahead of time if any of the blackfoot language i use in this story isn’t accurate

Chapter Seven

Allie grabbed her suitcase and opened her bedroom door, wincing as it creaked on its rusty hinges. She looked up and down the deserted hallway and breathed a sigh of relief when she didn’t hear anyone else stirring. She tiptoed quietly down the stairs and out the front door.

The city streets were deserted at this early hour. A thick fog was in the air and Allie’s skin and pink traveling dress became damp within seconds as she walked at a fast pace down the road. When the train station came into view she reached into her pocket and closed her hand around the money she had stolen from her parents.

She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding and walked into the station. The clerk looked sleepy as she walked up to the counter.

“What can I do for you, darlin’?” he asked politely.

“I need a ticket to Great Valley, Montana.” she said in a quiet shaky voice. The clerk’s blue eyes widened behind his thick glasses and he looked around the empty station.

“Where are you parents?” he asked. Allie just shrugged and felt panic creeping in. She did not know what she would do if he refused to sell her a ticket. She had to get out of Virginia and get to her sister in Montana before her parents had time to go through with their plan.

She had heard them talking just a few nights ago. They were getting in too deep with their debts again and while Allie was too young to be sold into marriage like Lily had been, she was not too young to be sold into servitude and that was their plan.

“How old are you, darlin’?” he asked gently.

“Thirteen.”

“Darlin’ you need to go on home.” he said matter of factly. Allie shook her head and pulled all the money from her pocket and threw it up on the counter. The man’s eyes widened when he saw the pile of bills and coins.

“Please help me. I can’t go home… I need to get to Great Valley, Montana. That is where my older sister is. She is nineteen and she can take care of me.” The man studied her for several long minutes with sympathetic eyes and she prayed that he wasn’t going to turn her away.

“Put your money away, darlin’, I’ll take care of your ticket. You remind me of my daughter and I don’t know what has you so scared but I want to help you out.” Allie nearly cried with relief.

“Thank you so much.” she gasped.

“The train will be here in about an hour but I’m afraid it won’t take you all the way to Great Valley. They don’t have any trains out there. You’ll have to take the train to Helena, that’s a ten day ride and then take a stage coach to Great Valley. It’s about three or four days ride northwest I believe.” The man handed her a ticket for the train and Allie thanked him again before walking out the back door of the train station and sitting down on a bench to wait on the train.

“Darlin?” Allie looked up and realized the man had followed her outside.

“Yes?” she asked, wrapping her arms tight around herself.

“Why don’t you tell me your sisters name and I can send word to Great Valley that you’re coming. It would make me feel a heck of a lot better about sending a little girl out on her own.”

“Lily Jackson… No I mean Lily Yeary. She’s married now.” The man nodded and handed her something wrapped in brown paper.

“Some bread and sausage links. My wife made them and I can promise you now that you’ve never had better.”

“Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.” Allie replied. He nodded again, gave her a warm smile and then walked back into the station.

An hour later after Allie was settled into her seat she thought about her older sister. Allie had never met the man that their parents had basically sold Lily too. All she knew about him was that his name was Nathan Yeary. She hoped that her sister had found happiness and she hoped that Nathan would welcome her into their home.

She looked out the window as the train started down the track and rested her head against the cool glass. She would have plenty of time for resting and sleeping during the ten day train ride to Helena.

888

Lily winced as Nathan walked into the kitchen and slammed his fists into the table as he sat down. He was in a terrible mood this morning thanks to the headache he had awakened with. Lily was quite literally walking on eggshells and hoping not to anger him and give him a reason to punish her.

“Why isn’t my breakfast ready yet?” he demanded. Lily poured a cup of coffee and sat in on the table in front of him. She clutched at the front of her apron with her hands and stared down at the floor the way he had taught her to.

“You said you weren’t feeling well this morning. I can warm up some bread and steak if you like.” Nathan took a big drink of his coffee and nodded.

“Yes. Scramble me up some eggs as well.” Lily bit her lip.

“I will have to go out to the chicken coop and gather some eggs, I haven’t had a chance to do that yet this morning.” she said. She didn’t tell him that she had been too busy vomiting all morning to get much of anything done. She had seen her own appearance in the mirror several minutes ago and been shocked.

She was ghostly pale and had dark circles around her eyes. She wondered how he could be close to her and not notice how sick she was but then again even if he did notice that she was sick he wouldn’t care.

“How many times have I told you that I won’t tolerate laziness?” he demanded as he slammed his coffee cup on the table.

“I’m sorry.” Lily said quickly.

“I know you’re sorry. Your parents couldn’t have possibly saddled me with a bigger pain in the ass. Get your fat ass outside and get me some eggs.” Lily quickly grabbed a bowl off the counter and ran out the door. As she gathered up the eggs she prayed that Nathan would have some reason to leave the house today because with the foul mood he was in she would never make it through the entire day without sending him over the edge.

She was scrambling his eggs and had his steak and bread heating on top of the stove when the scent of the eggs caused waves of nausea to pass through her. She ran past Nathan, who was sitting at the table, and out the door to the outhouse where she lost even more of the bread and water she had tried to eat for breakfast.

When she walked back into the cabin the smell of burning eggs assaulted her nostrils. Nathan was still sitting at the table and his blue eyes were angry and locked on her. She ran to the stove on shaking legs and removed the ruined eggs.

“I’ll make more…” she said keeping her back to him. Her heart fell to her feet and her stomach tied into knots when she heard him stand and walk toward her. He grabbed her by the upper arm, digging his fingers into the already bruised flesh and causing her to cry out in pain. He spun her around and his palm stuck loudly on the side of her face.

“You worthless woman!” he hissed angrily. “What has gotten into you this morning?” Lily felt tears filling her eyes and tried to blink them away.

“I’m not feeling well today.” she replied quietly hoping to soothe his temper. Nathan raised his hand to his own head and dug his fingers into his temple.

“You’re not feeling well today?” he demanded, his voice seething with rage. “What makes you think I give a damn how you feel?” Lily forced herself to stand straight and look in his eyes. He was going to beat her either way, she might as well stand up for herself.

“I am your wife. You should treat me like a treasure.” she replied, remembering Hawke’s words from the night before. She regretted her words instantly when she saw the rage on his face. He sneered at her and wrapped his hand tight around her throat, cutting off her air.

“You don’t think I treat you good enough?” he hissed. “How about I show you just how mean I can be and then you’ll realize just how good you’ve had it!” He threw her to the floor and she gasped for air as she crawled backwards.

“I’m sorry, Nathan.” she said as she pushed her back against the wall. “Please don’t hurt me.”

“You have to be punished.” he said with a cold smile that made her blood freeze in her veins. He grabbed her by her hair and pulled her to her feet before slamming his fist hard into her face. Light exploded behind her eyes and the pain made her gag. Nathan had never punched her this hard in the face before.

“You are my wife and you live to serve me! If you don’t serve me the way I see fit then it is my duty to punish you!” He punched her again and pain exploded in her head as blood began pouring from her nose. The world went black for several moments and when she regained consciousness she was in the fetal position on the floor and his feet were connecting solidly with her back, head and legs.

The pain was nearly more than she could take and she squeezed her eyes shut to keep the blood that was covering her face out of them. She screamed over and over as he kicked her. She knew she was going to die… She had finally pushed him over the edge and he was going to kill her. She felt panic fill her when she thought of Allie… What if Nathan went after her?

Suddenly the kicking stopped and Lily opened her eyes just enough to see Nathan walking toward the door.

“Hello the house!” a voice came from outside.

Nathan cursed under his breath as he walked out the door. Now was not the time for company. He recognized Marshall Yale riding up on his large buckskin gelding with the star on his chest shining in the sunlight.

“Hello Marshall, what can I do for you?” Nathan asked good naturedly. The Marshall smiled and jumped down from his horse. He shook Nathan’s hand and then patted his horse on the neck.

“I was actually passing through. I have to go to Helena for a few days but you had a message waiting for you in town and I decided to bring it out to you and check up on you and the missus. Out here we have to look out for each other.” Marshall Yale reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. Nathan took it from his outstretched hand and looked regretfully back at the cabin.

“I’d invite you in for breakfast Marshall but I’m afraid my wife isn’t feeling well this morning.” The Marshall smiled and shook his head.

“I don’t have time for breakfast anyhow. I really do have to get going.” He jumped back up in the saddle and tipped his hat to Nathan.

“I’ll see you around and I hope your wife gets to feeling better.”

“Thank you Marshall.” Nathan replied and he watched Marshall Yale ride away into the forest before opening the telegram. He cursed as he read over it. He had unfinished business with an account in Virginia that required his presence to deal with.

He thought about Lily lying in the house covered in blood and knew that he could not take her back to Virginia with him. Damn these stupid gamblers that refused to pay their debts. Now he would have to go deal with them and leave his wife here alone.

He rubbed his aching head, regretting the amount of whiskey he had drunk the night before. Hell he couldn’t even remember how he had ended up on the kitchen floor. Apparently the part of Hawke that was white was the part that handled liquor because he had definitely handled the stuff better than a savage should have.

Thinking of Hawke gave Nathan an idea. He would stop by Hawke’s cabin on the way to town and ask him to look after Lily while he was gone. He knew his friend would keep his wife safe for him and he wouldn’t question Lily’s beaten appearance because Hawke was a savage and was bound to approve.

Nathan walked into the cabin and found the kitchen and main room empty. He walked into the bedroom and found Lily covered in blood and sobbing on the bed in the fetal position.

“Quit your damn crying.” he snapped as he started throwing clothes into a bag. “You brought all that upon yourself.”

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“I have some business in Virginia. Because of your appearance I think it’s best if you stay here but I’ll make sure that you’re looked after so don’t even think about trying to run away or doing anything stupid like that because I can guarantee that I can make Allie’s life a living hell when compared to yours.” Lily sniffed and just wrapped her arms tighter around her legs and lay there in silence.

After Nathan finished packing he walked over to the bed and grabbed Lily’s face roughly in his hand.

“Be a good girl, Lily.” he hissed and then he pressed his lips against her bloody ones roughly, causing pain to shoot through her bruised and welted face and disgust to swirl in her stomach. He released her quickly and turned and left the room. She heard the door to the cabin close and knew that he was gone.

Still she did not move. She hurt too badly to move. It had taken all of her strength just to get herself to the bed. Her legs, her arms, her head, her back…. Every part of her body hurt. She knew she was covered in blood from her nose but she did not care. She thought about the baby growing inside of her and cried harder. Was it still there? Or had its father ended its tiny life before it even got started?

Lily wondered if she would die if she just laid here long enough. Nothing in her life was worth living for… The pain she was in was the worst she had ever felt and she closed her eyes. Death sounded nice and she figured laying here and waiting for it to come was worth a try.

Chapter Eight

Nathan rode up to Hawke’s cabin and looked around for any sign of the man.

“Hello the house!” he called and waited for several moments but no one answered. Nathan got down off his horse and walked over to the barn. Trigger was unsaddled and in his stall so where was the damn savage at?

Nathan walked out of the barn and over to the cabin. He looked around the clearing again but still saw no sign of Hawke and so he opened the cabin door.

“Hawke, you in here?” he called. Nathan was about to walk into the cabin and look around at how a savage lived but a low growling behind him stopped him in his tracks. He turned quickly and found Hawke’s huge gray wolf standing ten feet away and glaring at him with his head lowered.

“Hawke! Dammit your wolf is going to kill me! Call him off!” Nathan yelled nervously. He realized that maybe he needed to start carrying a gun and he already knew the first thing he was going to shoot when he got one. The wolf took a step toward him and Nathan was about to jump into the cabin and slam the door when a movement to the right at the edge of the woods caught his eye.

Hawke came out of the woods with a dead deer thrown over his shoulders. Nathan’s eyes widened at the sight of the large man carrying a deer that had to weigh nearly two hundred pounds like it was nothing.

“Hawke, do something about your wolf.” Nathan said nervously. Hawke did not say anything at first. He walked over to the barn and tied the deer’s back legs to a rope hanging from the roof. Then he turned back to Nathan and Wolf.

“Wolf, come.” he said sternly and wolf growled one last time low in his throat and then walked obediently over to Hawke and sat down beside of him, never taking his eyes off of Nathan. Nathan breathed a sigh of relief.

“I thought you said he was safe.” he demanded. Hawke grunted.

“Safe for me.” he stated. “Why were you in my home?” Hawke asked crossing his arms over his chest. Nathan quickly shut the cabin door and walked closer to Hawke so they could talk without Nathan feeling like he had to yell.

“I was looking for you. I need a favor.” he replied. Hawke felt a muscle tense in his jaw as he looked at Nathan. The man seemed to think that he lived to serve him.

“How did you kill that deer. You don’t have a gun.” Nathan said looking from Hawke to the doe. Hawke pulled a long hunting knife from the sheath hooked to his leg and held it up in the air as the sun glinted off the blade. Nathan raised his brow.

“You got close enough to stab it?” he asked, finding this hard to believe. Hawke shook his head and then without a word he threw the knife through the air and it sunk deeply into a knot on the wooden door of the smokehouse. Nathan’s eyes widened and then he laughed and slapped Hawke on the back.

“You’ll have to teach me how to do that, Hawke. That could come in handy.” Hawke grunted and pulled his second knife from his other leg. He turned to the deer and in one swift motion he stuck it in the does belly and sliced open the skin. Nathan smiled as he watched Hawke gutting the animal. Nathan loved the sight and smell of blood.

“What did you want?” Hawke asked as he tossed the doe’s liver to Wolf who grabbed it happily and walked toward the edge of the woods to eat his treat. Nathan snapped out of the daze that the blood and gore had him in and looked back at Hawke.

“I actually have to go on a trip. I have some unfinished business back east that I have to take care of.” Hawke clenched his jaw as began skinning the deer. He would kill Nathan before he let him take Lily anywhere.

“When will you and your wife be back?” he asked without looking away from the deer.

“That’s the thing I need your help with. Lily isn’t feeling quite up to the trip right now and so I have to leave her at home. I was hoping you might be able to keep an eye on her while I’m gone.” Hawke nodded.

“It will be done.”

“You’re so serious all the time, Hawke. You need to learn how to loosen up.” Nathan said with a laugh. Hawke shrugged and wiped his bloody knife off on his pants before sticking it back in its sheath.

“You may be right.” he replied looking around at the trees surrounding them before looking back at Nathan. “When are you leaving?”

“I have to leave now actually. I will probably be gone nearly a month. On my way back when the train arrives in Helena I will send you word that I am on my way.” Hawke nodded and Nathan just sighed and walked back over to his horse. His friend sure wasn’t the friendliest man in the world but then again some people would say the same about him if they knew the real him. If they knew the darkness that lurked in his soul. Nathan jumped up in the saddle, ran a hand through his light blond hair and rode away.

Hawke watched Nathan ride in the direction of town and then quickly finished cutting up the deer. He hung the meat in the smokehouse and left the bones and organs on the ground for Wolf. He thought about going to the lake to wash the blood from himself but then Nathan’s words came back to him.

’ Lily isn’t feeling quite up to the trip right now and so I have to leave her at home.’ His instincts told him that something was very wrong and that Lily needed him now. Living alone out in this dangerous land the last fourteen years had taught him to always trust his instincts.

He quickly saddled Trigger and ran the horse hard through the woods to Lily’s cabin with Wolf keeping pace beside of him. Hawke jumped from the saddle once he got there and walked inside.

“Lily?” he called out when he saw that the kitchen and main room were empty.

Her weak pain-filled moans came from behind the closed bedroom door. Hawke was across the room in three long strides and curses flew from his mouth when he saw Lily lying on the bed.

The front of her purple dress was covered in drying blood as was her face. She had large welts and dark bruises on her cheeks and her dark hair was matted and tangled in knots. Tears were leaving paths through the dried blood on her face as she sobbed and fought to hang onto consciousness.

“He did this to you?” Hawke demanded dropping to his knees beside the bed and smoothing back her hair. Lily winced when his hand passed over the welts from Nathan’s boots beneath her hair.

“Yes.” Lily replied. “I need you.” she added. Lily wasn’t sure what made her say those words. She could not be with Hawke. Allie’s life would be in danger if she was with Hawke but there was something about the look of strength and concern in his intense green eyes that made her reach out to him.

Maybe with him she would be safe and maybe she could come up with a way to keep Allie safe too… Her head began to swim and her eyes could no longer seem to focus on Hawke’s sharp face. Hawke did not waste time with words. Her eyes closed as she lost consciousness and he scooped her up into his arms being as gentle as he could with her beaten body. Though he could not see the rest of her injuries because of the long sleeved, high necked purple dress she wore, he was sure her body probably looked like her face.

He felt anger and rage building within him and pushed them aside for now. He needed to get Lily out of here and back to his cabin where he could care for her wounds and keep her safe… The anger and rage could wait until he had his hands on Nathan.

Hawke laid Lily over his shoulder as gently as he could and climbed up into the saddle. He cradled her in his lap and she moaned but didn’t wake up. Wolf followed close and kept looking up at Lily with his golden eyes as they made their way back home.

Hawke carried her into his bedroom and laid her down. He found that his hands were shaking as he left the room and put some water on the stove to heat. He was surprised by the depth of the fear and worry that he was feeling. Hawke could not remember the last time he had been truly afraid but the thought of losing Lily filled him with a fear that was unexplainable.

He was shocked by the depth of his love for this woman that he did not even truly know. Her vulnerability brought out his protective nature and despite the harsh treatment that Nathan had given her he had seen sparks of temper and attitude in her that amused and charmed him. He had felt the passion that was inside of her in the kiss they had shared in the moonlight the night before and it had made him hungry for more…

She was his woman and he would do what he had to do to make sure that she was safe and protected. He took the water off the stove and poured some into a small wooden bucket. He grabbed some old towels and walked back into the bedroom.

He hoped she would forgive him for what he did next but he had to get her out of that bloody dress. She moaned but stayed asleep as he used his knife to cut open her dress and then pulled it off of her. The blood had soaked through onto her underclothes and so he pulled them off as well. His eyes narrowed and he bit back more curses at the sight of the bruises covering nearly every inch of her porcelain skin.

He felt nothing but anger and guilt as he cleaned the blood from her face and neck. His blood boiled when he saw the handprints on her graceful neck and up and down her arms. Once her skin was clean he walked over to a chest in the corner and pulled out a salve he had made from herbs. The salve was good for healing pain from muscle aches and bruising. He rubbed the salve on each and every bruise, from her legs to her swollen cheek.

He could have saved her so much pain if he had just refused to leave her last night.. It was a mistake he would not make again. Nathan would never again lay a hand on this woman. She was Hawke’s and Hawke protected what was his with his life. The smell of mint from the salve filled the air as he walked over to the chest again and pulled out an old doeskin dress that had belonged to his Blackfoot mother.

He pulled the dress onto her and laid her back into the bed. He covered her with the quilt and laid a gentle kiss to her forehead before walking out of the room. He grabbed his rifle from against the wall and put it over his shoulder.

He walked outside to find wolf laying beside the door in the sun. Wolf looked up at him as if waiting for a command.

“Stay.” Hawke said. “Protect.” he added. Wolf’s easy nature immediately vanished and he was suddenly on high alert and in protection mode as his eyes scanned the woods around the clearing. Hawke walked out to where Trigger was still standing saddled by the barn and swung himself into the saddle. He hoped Nathan was still in town.

“Let’s go Trigger. That man will pay for every bruise with kainai “ he growled and headed off at a hard gallop toward town.

a/n: “ Kainai“

• Blood

Chapter Nine

Hawke rode into town nearly an hour later with his eyes scanning every direction at once. He rode down to the stage coach office and after hitching Trigger to the post he walked in.

“Hawke.” Greg said from behind the counter as he pushed his glasses up on his freckled nose. Hawke nodded and looked around the stage office realizing instantly that Nathan was not here. An old man and woman sat in the corner and a mother and small child sat on a bench a few feet from Hawke. The woman eyed Hawke nervously and then went back to reading her book.

“Hawke, you know I can’t sell you a ticket for the stage.. The boss doesn’t allow your kind.” Hawke stood tall and squared his shoulders.

“I am looking for someone.” he replied. Greg nervously picked at his grey vest and began straightening papers on the counter.

“Who?”

“A man named Nathan Yeary. He is about this tall..” Hawke raised his hand to his shoulder to indicate Nathan’s height. “Blond and pale. He was coming into town to take the stage to Helena.”

“He’s gone already. The stage left nearly two hours ago.” Greg replied. Hawke’s fists clenched and he turned to leave the office when he felt a tugging on his buckskin pants. He looked down to see the toddler smiling up at him.

“Hi.” the red haired child said. Hawke smiled and nodded his head.

“Hello.” he replied. The mother looked up from her reading and gasped.

“Get away from my baby!” she shouted as she grabbed the child’s arm and pulled him into her arms. “Marshall Yale has lost his mind letting savages like you walk the streets with the rest of us! You should be tied up and sent to the reservation with the rest of your kind.” Hawke had heard all of these things before and so he paid no attention the words. He tipped his head to the child and then walked out of the stage office.

Revenge against Nathan would have to wait until the man got back to town. Hawke had no doubt he and Trigger could catch up to the stage coach but he did not want to leave Lily alone that long. Hawke walked up the street to Doctor Mason’s office.

“Hawke, my boy how are you?” Doc Mason asked cheerfully as he rose from his desk and slapped Hawke on the back.

“I am well.” Hawke replied. “But there is a woman at my house that is not.” Doc Mason could see the worry in Hawke’s eyes and it surprised him. Doc Mason had helped give birth to Hawke and he had known the boy his whole life. Never before had he seen Hawke look worried.

“Let’s go then.” Doc Mason said grabbing his black doctors bag from the floor.

888

“What the devil happened to her?” Doc Mason demanded when he walked in and saw Lily Yeary lying beaten, bruised and asleep on the bed.

“The devil happened to her.” Hawke replied. “Her husband did this.” Doc Mason’s eyes widened.

“Nathan did this?” he asked. He had gone to dinner with Nathan and Lily several times since they had come to town and he had thought that Nathan was a decent man. He was friendly and laughed and smiled a lot… Could he really have done this to his own wife?

“Yes.” Hawke growled. Doc Mason looked over at Hawke. Most people did not trust him because of his Indian blood but Doc Mason knew that Hawke was one of the most trustworthy people alive. If Hawke said Nathan did this then he believed him.

“We need to let the Marshall know.” Doc Mason said. Hawke nodded.

“You can tell him when you get back to town.” Doc Mason shook his head.

“No he’s gone. Won’t be back for nearly two weeks. He left his deputy in charge.” Hawke snorted and crossed his arms over his broad chest.

“It can wait until the Marshall gets back. Nathan is gone and will not be back for a month.” Hawke knew the deputy and he neither trusted or respected the man.

“I need to check her out, go ahead and step out of the room Hawke.” Doc Mason said. Hawke forced his feet to move and walked out of the room. He paced in the cabin for several minutes but the walls and ceiling felt like they were pressing down on him and so he quickly walked outside.

Wolf watched the alpha pace back and forth. The alpha always paced when he was upset over something. Wolf sighed and laid his head down on his paws.

Wolf was angry that the evil two legger had done this to the alpha’s female. The scent of his anger had been thick in the air at the other house. Now it was the scent of the alpha’s anger and worry that filled the air. Wolf’s eyes followed him back and forth over and over again and Wolf finally closed his eyes as the alpha’s pacing began to make him dizzy.

Wolf would protect his alpha and his alpha’s female. If the evil smelling one ever came near either of them again he would rip his throat out. Hunt and kill.

The alpha’s pacing was becoming too much for Wolf. He did not like seeing his alpha this upset. Didn’t the evil smelling one realize how dangerous the alpha was? Making the alpha angry was never a good idea. Wolf stood up and walked into the woods. He would make sure there were no threats anywhere near the alpha and female.

888

“She’ll be fine, Hawke. She just needs rest.” Doc Mason said a while later as he walked outside. Hawke breathed a sigh of relief and stopped pacing.

“Thank you.” he said. He was about to walk into the cabin when Doc Mason stepped in his way.

“I will take her back to town with me. She is still asleep but I can lay her in your cart.” Hawke looked at the late evening sunset and shook his head.

“She stays here.” he said. Doc Mason shook his own head.

“That is not a good idea, Hawke.”

“She stays here.” Hawke said again meeting the doctors gaze. Doc Mason sighed. He knew what the look in Hawke’s eyes meant. He knew that Hawke was not going to back down.

“She’s a married woman, Hawke.” he reminded him. Hawke’s eyes flashed with anger.

“She will soon be a widow.” he replied. Doc Mason shook his head and walked over to his horse.

“I’ll pretend that I never heard that.” he said as he unhitched his horse and lifted his old bones into the saddle. “This won’t help the towns opinion of you.” Hawke shrugged.

“Have I ever cared what they think of me?” he asked. Doc Mason chuckled and shook his head.

“No. No you are just like your father when it comes to not caring what anyone thinks.” Doc Mason nodded a goodbye and then rode off toward town.

Hawke walked back into the cabin. He went into the bedroom to find Lily still sleeping soundly. Hopefully she would rest soundly until morning. He pressed a feather light kiss to her swollen cheek and went back out into the kitchen to warm up some soup for supper.

Chapter Ten

Lily moaned with pleasure as she felt strong hands massaging her sore legs and the smell of mint teased her nostrils.

“Wake up, Lily.” a deep voice said. She wrinkled her forehead when she realized it sounded like Hawke’s voice. Her eyes flew open and there he was, his green eyes looking into hers.

“What are you doing here!” She demanded. “If Nathan finds you here he’ll….” She saw an amused look come over his face and she looked around. This wasn’t her bedroom. There were no floral curtains on the window and the log walls were old and scarred.

“Where am I?” she asked.

“My bed.” Hawke replied and he smiled at the look of embarrassed horror on her face.

“What am I doing in your bed?” she demanded, looking down at herself and the soft, luxurious doeskin dress she was wearing. She realized that his hands were still massaging her legs and she felt her blood heat and that tingling come back low in her belly.

“You don’t remember?” Hawke asked forcing himself to take his hands off of her. Touching her made him want more and though he had always prided himself on his control he found that when it came to Lily he had none. Just yesterday he had gone into town with the intention of murdering a man in broad daylight! Hawke had never taken another mans life except in self defense but for Lily he had been willing to risk swinging from a rope in the gallows.

Lily’s mind raced as she tried to remember how she had gotten here… She remembered burning Nathan’s eggs and she remembered the rage this has sent him in. She remembered being dumb enough to stand up to him and then everything became a blur of pain and tears…. Nathan was gone. He had gone back to Virginia and left her at their home alone. She couldn’t remember how she had ended up in Hawke’s bed or in this dress.

“I remember Nathan leaving…” she said with confusion as she rubbed her face and then cried out in pain as she touched her nose and cheek. Hawke grabbed her hand gently and pressed his lips to her fingertips.

“Be careful , naakiiwa. “ he said and Lily found her heart beat faster. Her fingers felt as if they were on fire from being pressed against his firm lips. “Nathan came to me before he left for town yesterday and told me that he was leaving for a month and that you were too ill to go with him. I did not like how that sounded so I went out to check on you and found you beaten and barely conscious. I brought you here and cleaned you up before getting the doctor to come check on you.”

“The dress… You took my clothes off?” Lily demanded, not sure whether she was more angry or embarrassed by this fact. For the first time Lily saw the confidence that Hawke always exuded falter. He looked unsure of himself for a moment as he released her hand and stood.

“You were covered in blood and that dress was too hot. I cleaned you off and rubbed you down with the salve to help fight the soreness in your muscles.”

“Can I have something to eat?” Lily asked suddenly. She was desperate to have a few moments away from his intense gaze. He looked at her as if she belonged to him… Almost as if she was his most prized possession and it scared Lily that she wasn’t bothered by his gaze. After being with Nathan, the thought of any man treating her like a possession should frighten and anger her but the thought of being Hawke’s possession… The thought of those big strong hands touching her, those firm lips tasting her skin and that hard body pressed against her, filled her with a heat that was nearly unbearable.

She had been innocent in every way with a man before Nathan had forced her to lay with him and fulfill her wifely duties and she had still been ignorant as to what it felt like to be loved in any way by a man until Hawke had kissed her so passionately on the porch just the other night… She wondered what it would feel like to have him teach her the other ways that a man could please a woman and the ways that a woman could please her man.

She fanned herself with her hand and Hawke raised a brow.

“Are you too warm?” he asked. Lily managed to nod. How could she explain to him that it was thoughts of him that was setting her body on fire.

“I will get you some breakfast and then I will help you outside and you can sit in the breeze while you eat. Would that please you?” Lily couldn’t stop the happy laugh that came out of her. It had been so long since anyone had asked her if something would please her.

Hawke’s heart seemed to swell at the sound of her laughter. Even with her swollen cheek, bruises and dirty hair, she was beautiful and the sight of her smiling and laughing simply made her look even more like an angel.

“I’ll be back.” he said and walked out of the room. Lily was horrified that Hawke had seen her naked and that he had been massaging her with that salve… Then she realized she should probably thank him for the salve as she stood up out of the bed and did not feel the amount of pain she knew she should feel after the beating Nathan had given her.

She looked down at the doeskin dress she was wearing and was overcome by how intricate and beautiful the stitches and turquoise blue beadwork was. She wondered if the dress had belonged to his mother…. She knew that if anyone saw her in a dress like this, the fabric hugging her curves tightly and fitting her like a second skin, they would call her a savage and shun her but she thought the dress was beautiful and it was easily the most comfortable thing she had ever worn.

She walked over to a mirror on the wall and gasped at her appearance. Her cheek was swollen and bruised a deep purple color. She had a cut on her nose from Nathan’s fist and her lip was split. Her brown hair was a mess of tangles and full of dried blood.

“You’re out of bed. That’s good.” Hawke said walking back into the room. Lily suddenly felt self conscious in the tight fitting dress as she felt Hawke’s eyes roam over her. She saw his eyes darken as they took her in small breasts, tiny waist and the curve of her hips and she licked her lips and crossed her arms over her chest.

“I need to…uh… you know.” Lily bounced from foot to foot hoping to get her point across and Hawke nodded.

“The outhouse is behind the cabin.” he said. “Do you need help walking?” he asked as she took a shuffling step forward.

“No. I can walk.” she replied. “I’m not in too much pain. That salve must be very good.” Hawke nodded as he walked slowly beside of her matching her pace. Her strength made him proud though he hoped she wasn’t overdoing herself as she moved slowly toward the cabin door.

“My mother taught my father how to make it and he taught me.” he replied.

“Did she teach him her language as well? Twice now you have used words that I can only assume were in your mother’s language.”

“Yes she taught him.” Hawke replied. He pointed to the outhouse several feet behind the cabin.

“I will be waiting out front.” Lily nodded and waited until he walked back around the cabin before going into the outhouse.

When she walked back out front several minutes later she found Hawke sitting on a stump in the sunshine. He had brought a soft armchair out of the house for her to sit on and he was holding a bowl in his hands. Wolf was lying several feet away and his golden eyes were watching her closely.

Lily walked over and sat down in the chair, grateful to be off of her weak and shaking legs.

“I feel like I got run over by a runaway wagon.” she joked lamely. Hawke handed her the bowl and she breathed in the fragrant smell of herbs and venison as she realized it was soup.

“ Saa.“ Hawke said his green eyes flashing with anger. “It was not a wagon.”

“No.” Lily agreed quietly. “It was not.” They sat there in silence while Lily ate the delicious soup. She watched Hawke from the corner of her eyes and as always she was struck by the power that he gave off. He was sitting there with his forearms on his knees and his green eyes were staring off into the woods as if he was deep in thought but something told Lily that he was still aware of everything around them.

“Thank you, Hawke. Thank you for everything you have done for me.” Lily said as she sat the empty bowl on the ground and Wolf came over and sniffed it. He huffed out a breath when he realized there was none left and trotted off into the woods.

“You do not have to thank me. Anything you want or need I will do.” Hawke replied. Lily bit her lip, unsure of what to say. Did Hawke love her? Was that even possible? They barely knew each other… Then again she was fairly certain she was falling in love with him. But no she couldn’t… Nathan was her husband and if he ever realized her feelings for Hawke he would make Allie pay… Allie!

“Oh my God!” she practically yelled and Hawke rose quickly and looked around thinking that she had seen something that scared her. “Nathan has gone back to Virginia! I have to warn Allie!” Tears filled her eyes and she tried to rise from her chair. Hawke laid a gentle yet firm hand on her shoulder and held her down.

“Calm down.” he said sternly and Lily found herself listening as she relaxed in the chair and looked up at him.

“Who is Allie?” he asked.

“My sister.” Lily replied. “My younger sister.”

“Why would she need to be warned about Nathan?”

“Because he’ll use her to punish me for yesterday.” Lily buried her face in her hands. “I never should have been so disrespectful with him. If I had just kept my mouth shut he wouldn’t have….” She stopped speaking when she heard Hawke crouch down in front of her and he moved her hands away from her face. He put a finger under her chin and forced her eyes to meet his.

“Do not ever blame yourself for what he has done to you. A real man would never have hit you and a real husband would never cause you pain.” Lily couldn’t help but smile.

“How did you say a man should treat his wife?” she asked. “Like a treasure, I think is what you said.” Hawke smiled and nodded.

“Yes. A man should treat his woman like a treasure.”

“Too bad I am not your woman.” Lily said and then her face flushed crimson and she looked away from him quickly. Why had she just said that to him?

“You are, naakiiwa .” he replied matter of factly, his voice deep and powerful.

“What does that mean, naakiiwa? That is the second time you have said that to me.” Lily asked turning back to him. Hawke just gave a small half grin and shrugged.

“Language lesson later.” he said. “Right now you need to tell me about Allie and Nathan.” Hawke rose back to his feet and then sat back down on the stump beside of her. Lily knew she had to tell Hawke the whole story about her marriage to Nathan. She did not want him thinking that she had ever loved that horrible man.

“My parents are gamblers, though they are not very good at their favorite pastime. Nathan made a living back in Virginia by loaning people money and then they would pay him back with interest and it was well known that he would take his payments in blood if necessary and was not against killing those who didn’t pay him back to turn them into an example for others to learn from.

“This didn’t keep my parents from taking his money though and he came for them when they lost the money and could not pay him back. He and his thugs beat my father nearly beyond recognition and they were turning on my mother when I walked into the sitting room. I had heard my mother screaming and I thought I could save them.” She laughed at her own naivety and Hawke’s eyes narrowed.

“I had a knife.. I was going to stab them.” Lily shrugged. “They had guns… I didn’t stand a chance. Well at least the two thugs with Nathan had guns. Nathan has never carried one himself that I know of.”

“He is too much of a coward to carry a gun.” Hawke said matter of factly. Lily raised her brow.

“You don’t carry a gun all the time.” she reminded him. Hawke grinned and lowered his hand to one of the knives strapped to his leg.

“I do not have to. Not very many people are brave enough to threaten me.” Lily nodded. She understood why not many people threatened Hawke. Just one look from his intense eyes would be enough to have most men running in the other direction. “What happened after you came into the room that day?”

“Nathan took one look at me and suddenly he had a deal for my parents. He said that if I was to become his wife, then he would forgive their debt. They agreed immediately.”

“Your parents agreed to have you marry a man they knew was dangerous for you?” Hawke asked, his words seething with anger. For some reason Lily wanted to defend her parents.

“They did not know he would be a threat to me.” she said and even to her the argument sounded ridiculous.

“They are worthless cowards who do not deserve your loyalty.” Lily wanted to argue with his harsh judgment but could not. She knew he was right.

“Obviously I said no to the deal but Nathan was not willing to take no for an answer. He came to my room that night and let me know that I would marry and obey him or he would hurt my sister.” Lily tried to fight back the tears that were burning in her eyes but one slipped down her cheek only to be wiped away quickly by Hawke’s thumb. Lily gasped when she realized that Hawke was crouched in front of her again. He had moved so quickly and silently that she had not noticed until his thumb touched her cheek.

“Do not cry. Nathan will never harm you again, I can promise you that.”

“What about Allie, Hawke. He’ll kill her just to get back at me. I have to get to town and send her word that he’s coming so she can get somewhere safe.”

“I will not let him harm Allie either. If she means so much to you I will protect her as if she were my own blood.” Hawke vowed. Lily could here the sincerity of his words and she felt her heart swell… She could deny it no longer. She loved this man. “You cannot go to town yet. Your body is not ready. How long did it take you and Nathan to reach Great Valley?”

“About two weeks.” she replied. Hawke nodded.

“Then you have time. In three days we will see how you feel and if you are okay I will take you into town and we will send word to your sister.”

“Thank you so much Hawke!” Lily said throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tight. Hawke braced his legs to keep from falling over and wrapped his arms gently around her in return. Hawke was surprised by her gesture and he realized it was because he had never before been given a hug. It filled him with a warmth and tenderness that was pleasant and unfamiliar.

“I must get some work done.” Hawke said after Lily pulled away. “You stay here and rest. I will stay within hearing distance. If you need or want anything just call for me.”

“Why do you do all of this for me?” Lily asked. Hawke looked deep into her eyes and smoothed her hair.

“ Kitsiikakomimmo. “ his deep voice washed over her and filled her with warmth.

“What does that mean?” she asked remembering that he had said the same thing the night they had kissed in the moonlight. Hawke kissed her forehead.

“I will tell you later.” he said and then he stood straight. “I must get some things done and then I will take you to the lake to wash your hair. Please just sit here and rest.” Lily nodded and watched him walk away his every movement full of a deadly grace and power

A/N: Translations for this chapter are:

“Naakiiwa” - My woman

“Saa” - No

“Kitsiikakomimmo” - I love you

Chapter Eleven

Hawke’s eyes narrowed as Lily ran from the cabin and he heard her footsteps heading for the outhouse. He rose from the table, where he had been sharpening his knives and walked over to the stove. He sat the pan of eggs on the counter to keep them from burning and grabbed two plates from the counter.

He wondered if maybe he should have doctor Mason come back out and give Lily another check up. The last three days she had been getting sick every morning.

The last three days had been the most trying of Hawke’s life. He had gotten to know Lily even more and everything he learned about her just made him want her more. She had an innocence and vulnerability about her that made him want to shelter and protect her but at the same time she had an inner strength and spirit that made him respect her.

She made him smile and that in itself was not easy and having her here with him made him realize just how lonely his life had been the last fourteen years alone.

The hard part of the last three days was keeping a handle on his desire for her. He had never wanted anything more than he wanted to take her into his arms and touch her, taste her, feel her soft skin against his own. Memories of her naked body haunted him and filled him with a nearly out of control desire for her. He knew that soon he would have to deal with his feelings for her but right now he wanted to give her body time to heal.

He heard her coming back toward the door as he was setting the plates of eggs and fresh baked biscuits on the table.

“Sorry I burnt the eggs! I’ll make more.” Lily said quickly and then she stopped short and stared when she saw the plates of food on the table.

“They did not burn.” Hawke replied. He pulled back a chair and motioned for her to sit down.

“Thank you for saving breakfast.” Lily said as Hawke sat down across from her.

“You act surprised.” Hawke said raising a brow. Lily shrugged and picked at her eggs with her fork.

“Nathan would have let them burn…” Lily stopped talking when she felt Hawke’s eyes on her. She looked over at him and he shook his head.

“I am not Nathan.”

“No you are not.” she replied. They ate in silence and Lily thought about the last three days. She was confused by Hawke. He was always asking her if she needed anything and doing his best to make her comfortable. He pulled out chairs for her and he held her hand gently when they took evening walks. There were times when the look in his eyes as he gazed at her caused her heart to stop beating…. She had never had a man look at her that way before and she was smart enough to know what it meant.

Hawke wanted her… He looked for any excuse for their hands to brush together or to gently touch her shoulders and hair and his touch would always linger. She wanted him just as much but she was scared. She was a married woman, even though her husband was a monster, and she was pregnant with Nathan’s child. Would Hawke still look at her the same if he knew that Nathan’s baby grew inside her belly?

“You seem to be getting stronger. We will go to town today and send word to you sister.” Hawke said as he finished eating and pushed his plate away. Lily snapped out of her thoughts and nodded.

“That would be good. Though I’m not sure where to send her to keep her safe.”

“Tell her to come here.” Hawke replied as he stood and grabbed both of their plates.

“Here?” Lily asked.

“Yes. I told you I would protect her.”

“Hawke, I cannot stay here with you much longer. Now that I am feeling better I must return home and Allie will not be safe at my home once Nathan returns.”

“ Saa!“ Hawke said harshly as he turned to face her. “You will not return to that man.” Lily stood and met his intense gaze. She could tell he was angry but she was not afraid of him. She did not think she had anything to fear from Hawke.

“Hawke, he is my husband.” Lily said sadly. “I have no choice.”

“You do not love him.” Hawke reminded her. “And he does not love you. You will not go back to that house or to that man.”

“Are you telling me what I can and cannot do now?” Lily demanded and Hawke nodded.

“Yes. You are not safe with him and I will do what I must to keep you safe.”

“Even make me stay here against my will?” she asked crossing her arms over her chest.

“If you stay here, naakiiwa , it will not be against your will.” he closed the distance between them in two long strides and ran a gentle finger down her cheek. “No you will choose to stay with me because your feelings for me are the same as mine for you.” Lily felt her knees buckle and Hawke’s arm wrapped tight around, pulling her body flush against his.

“And what are your feelings?” Lily asked, though she wasn’t sure how she managed to speak with her heart beating so fast. Hawke’s eyes softened as he looked down at her. Lily felt so small and fragile wrapped in his big strong arms. Her head came only to his chest and she had to tilt her head to look up into his eyes.

“You are naakiiwa. You are my woman.” he said. Lily could hear the possessive tone in his voice but instead of scaring her, it melted her. Her body became liquid fire against his. He was lowering his firm lips to hers when a wave of familiar nausea washed over and she remembered what was growing inside of her.

Her eyes filled with tears as she realized the impossibility of her situation. She loved Hawke and she wanted nothing more then to be his woman but surely he would not want her once he knew about the baby… He was an amazing man but no man would want to raise another man’s son.

She pulled out of his arms and ran from the cabin in tears. She ran as quickly as she could down the path to the lake and then she fell to her knees on the rocks and sobbed into her hands.

888

Wolf had been lying in the sun beside the lake enjoying the smells of the warm spring morning and watching a butterfly dancing around on the breeze when the female had come running to his favorite rocks and fallen to the ground. She was making a strange sound as her body shook and he could smell her sadness.

He didn’t think that she had noticed him and so stood and stretched out his legs before walking to her and pressing his nose against her arm. She looked at him and then threw her arms around his neck and began making those noises against his fur.

Wolf stiffened at first, unsure of what to think about the contact but then he realized that it seemed to be helping her and so he stood still and let her touch him. He would do anything for the alpha’s mate. She was nice and she was always sneaking him meat when the alpha was not home.

“What am I going to do Wolf?” she said and though Wolf could not understand her, he could tell by the tone of her words that she was very sad and distressed. “I love him so much but there is no way he will feel the same, not once he learns my secret.”

Wolf’s eyes fell on the alpha who was standing several feet behind the female and staring down at her. Wolf could smell his confusion and he realized that even the alpha was unsure of what to think of the females odd behavior. Wolf decided right then that he never wanted a mate. Female’s were clearly a little crazy.

“There is no secret you could have that would make me turn away from you, naakiiwa.” Lily jumped away from Wolf at the sound of Hawke’s voice. She had not even heard him approaching her and she rose to her feet and turned. She used her hands to try to dry her face and Hawke felt a pain in his heart at the sight of her tears. He never wanted her to cry. She was too beautiful when she smiled to ever let tears and sadness come to her face.

“You will feel differently when you know what my secret is.” she said sadly. Hawke shook his head and walked toward her, stopping less than a foot away and laying his hand on her cheek.

“Nothing will make me turn away from you, Lily, and do you know why?” When Lily didn’t answer he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and then pressed his lips against her ear.

“Because kitsiikakomimmo .” he whispered. “I love you.” Lily trembled at the feel of his warm breath against her skin and his words made her heart swell.

“Is that what that word means?” she asked. Hawke pulled his head away so he could look in her eyes.

“Yes. I have loved you since I first laid eyes on you, Lily. I do not care what a piece of paper says… You are mine and I am yours.”

“I cannot believe this is happening… I never thought I would find someone who truly loved me. But, Hawke, you will not love me once you know.. No man would still love me.”

“If you have not noticed, I am not a normal man. You cannot judge me or predict my reaction based on other men. I vow to you that nothing will ever change how I feel about you and nothing will make me turn away from you.” Lily took a deep breath and before she had time to change her mind about telling him she quickly said,

“I am pregnant, Hawke. I am having Nathan’s baby.” She watched his face hoping to judge his reaction but he was good at masking his emotions and she could not read his face.

Hawke’s mind was racing… A baby? He had not been expecting this and it scared him. Not because it was Nathan’s baby but because having a baby had killed his mother. What if he lost Lily so soon after finding her? He could never live without her again.. Not after the last few days.

Lily took his silence to mean that she was right and she pulled away from him and crossed her arms over her chest hoping to block her heart from the pain as she fought back fresh tears.

“Just please take me to town so I can send word to my sister and then I’ll go back home and never ask you for anything again.”

“I will not let you go back to him.” Hawke replied. Lily sighed with frustration.

“Hawke, I am having his baby…”

“You do not love Nathan and he does not love you.”

“No but he is my only choice. No other man will want me.”

“I want you.” Hawke said stepping closer to her and laying his big hand on her still flat stomach. “This baby was not made with love but he or she will be raised with love. I will love and raise this child as if it is my own blood, because it is a part of you.” Lily’s eyes widened with disbelief and she shook her head.

“Hawke, I would never ask you for that.” Hawke smiled and ran his hand through her thick brown hair.

“I know you would not but I will do it without hesitation. From this day on that baby is mine.” Lily began crying again and Hawke pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight, rubbing gentle circles on her back with his hands. He loved hugging her… She fit so perfectly in his arms.

“Now let’s get to town and send a message to your sister and I want you to see Doctor Mason.” Hawke said pulling away and putting his hand back on her belly. Lily smiled and covered his hand with hers.

“You are the best and most amazing man I know.” Lily said raising her other hand to his smooth cheek.

“When we get to town, you are sure to see that not very many people share your feelings.”

A/N: No new translations in this chapter but i’ll put them anyway

Naakiiwa- My woman

Saa-

No

Kitsiikakomimmo-

I love you

Chapter Twelve

“I will take you to Nathan’s home to get a different dress if you are uncomfortable wearing this one into town.” Hawke said looking her up and down. She had changed into another one of Hawke’s mothers dresses. This one fit a little more loosely and hung to her ankles. Beaded fringes hung from the waistline and swung with every movement she made and the neckline was low and fringed as well.

Hawke could not seem to pull his eyes away from the sight of the pale skin revealed by the low neckline… He longed to pull the dress the rest of the way down and taste that skin.

“I think this dress is beautiful.” Lily replied honestly as she twisted her hips and watched the beads whip around her. Hawke’s eyes followed the movement of her hips but she didn’t notice.

“Others will not think so.” he warned.  Lily shrugged.

“I don’t care what they think.” she said. “I do want to get some fabric for some new dresses though. These dresses of your mothers are so beautiful, that I do not want to wear them everyday and ruin them.”

“Whatever you want you will have. All you have to do is ask.” Hawke replied. Lily blushed and ran her hands over the soft fabric on her hips as she looked around at the woods surrounding them. What she wanted was for him to take her into his arms and make love to her but she wasn’t quite sure how to just come out and ask for that.

Hawke walked in to the barn and came out several minutes later with Trigger saddled. She felt that familiar heat low in her belly as he jumped fluidly up into the saddle. He held his hand out for her.

“Come on up.” he said. Lily took his hand and Hawke lifted her into the saddle in front of him.

“Wouldn’t it be easier for you to ride if I was behind you?” Lily asked while her body became impossibly hot as her backside rubbed against him.

“It would not be nearly as much fun.” Hawke replied, grabbing the reins with one hand and wrapping his other arm tight around her waist. Lily smiled and pressed herself closer against him as they started toward town.

888

“Are you sure you do not want me to get off and walk?” Hawke asked as they topped over the hill and town came into sight.

“I am sure.” Lily replied. “I am proud to be with you.” Hawke nodded and pressed a gentle kiss to her hair but inside he was scared. Yes the great Hawke Owen was scared. Lily was going to face a lot of judgment for being with him. Not only because she was a married woman but also because she was with a man who many in town considered to be a savage. He hoped that her love for him was strong enough to handle what they had to say and that she would not turn away from him to save herself the pain of their words.

Lily could feel eyes on her as they made their way down main street. She just kept her own gaze straight ahead and Hawke pulled Trigger to a stop at the stage coach office.

“You can send a message from here.” he said. “This serves as post office and telegraph office also.” Lily nodded and slid down to the ground. Hawke jumped down behind her and hitched Trigger to the post.

When they walked in Hawke knew Lily was about to get her first taste of just how harsh this town could be. Greg was not working today. Today it was the owner Percy Jenkins behind the counter.

“What are you doing in my establishment?” he demanded of Hawke and then his eyes fell on Lily. “Another one?” he asked, his dark beady eyes narrowing. Then he shook his head.

“No you ain’t one of them. You’re too pale. Looks like you’ve had the hell beat out of you too. That’s what you get for running around with a damn savage. They’re known for treating their women no better than dogs.”

“Actually..” Lily started, eager to jump to Hawke’s defense but he threw her a stern look and shook his head slightly and she stopped talking.

“She needs to send a telegram to Virginia.” Hawke said turning his attention back to Percy.

“That’s fine. She can stay in here. You on the other hand need to wait outside. I can’t have you in here with all of the decent people of this town.” Percy replied rubbing his hand over his thick black mustache. Lily looked around the office and the only other person she saw was a man who was covered in several days worth of filth, reeking of alcohol and seemingly passed out across a bench.

“Yes, I can see this is a very high class establishment.” she muttered under her breath. She was certain she saw a smile tug at the corners of Hawke’s mouth but it was gone quickly and he grabbed her arm gently and turned her so her back was to Percy.

“Do not anger him.” Hawke whispered to her. “He is the only one who can contact your sister for you.”

“I won’t stand for anyone treating you like that.” she replied angrily. Hawke felt a new emotion at her words… He wasn’t sure what the emotion was but it made his heart do a slow roll in his chest. He realized that this was the first time anyone had wanted to stick up for him and he loved her even more for it.

“I am used to their close minded ways.” Hawke replied. “I have always just held my head high and let them say and think what they want. I want you to do the same. They can say what they want Lily but as long as we do not sink to their level they cannot take our pride or dignity away from us.” Lily looked up at him with wonder… Not only was he strong, handsome, powerful, kind and loving but he was wise as well.

“Okay, Hawke. I will do as you say.” she said. Hawke nodded and left the office. Lily took a deep breath and then turned to Percy.

“You really should not let him dress you up like a savage.” Percy said curling his nose. Lily wanted to tell him just what she thought of him but she did not want to embarrass Hawke.

“I need to send a telegraph to Virginia. To an Allie Jackson from Lily Yeary.” Percy’s eyes widened.

“You’re Lily Yeary? Nathan Yeary’s wife? What are you doing with Hawke Owen?” he demanded.

“That is none of your concern.” Lily replied curtly. “Can you please send the telegraph.” Percy shook his head.

“Actually you have a telegram waiting on you here from Virginia.” he replied. He bent down behind the counter and when he rose back up he had an envelope in his hand. He handed it to Lily and she opened it and read it quickly.

Her eyes widened even as she breathed out a long sigh of relief. Allie was coming to her… She didn’t know what had happened to make her younger sister leave home but at least now she didn’t have to worry about Nathan getting his hands on her. She looked at the date on the envelope and saw that it had arrived four days ago. That meant she had a little over a week before her sister would arrive.

“Do you still want to send out that telegram?” Percy asked. Lily shook her head.

“No that won’t be necessary.” she replied. She was about to turn and leave when Percy reached out and grabbed her arm.

“Look Lily, if you’re looking for someone to keep you warm while your husbands away, I would be more than happy to do the job. I promise I’ll treat you better than that savage could ever dream of.” His eyes looked her up and down hungrily and Lily shivered with disgust when they became locked on the low neckline of her dress.

“Let go of me.” she said, trying to pull her arm away, but Percy tightened his grip.

“Do you like it rough then?” he asked. “Because I can be rough with you. Laying with that savage is no different than laying with a dog. What you need is a man.” Lily wondered if maybe she should yell for Hawke.. This man clearly had bad intentions but before she could even open her mouth to speak Percy released her arm and jumped back as Hawke stormed into the office.

He was across the room before Lily had time to realize he was there and before she knew what he was going to do, he had Percy pushed back against the wall. Hawke was not touching Percy but Percy was still cowering in front of him and shaking like a leaf.

“Do. Not. Touch. Her. Again.” Hawke growled. Lily saw the same anger and rage on his face that had been there when Nathan had grabbed his arm at dinner only this time it was magnified and she knew it was because Percy had threatened her.

“I’ll t..tell the d..d..deputy about this.” Percy managed to stammer out. Hawke’s jaw was clenched so tightly that Lily could see the muscles tensing and jumping.

“Do what you must.” he replied.

“Percy, you asked for it.” a voice came from behind them all and Lily turned her head to see that the drunk man had awoken and he was standing by the door. “I saw and heard what you did to the lady. I was about to come after you myself but Hawke here beat me to it.” he added laying a hand on his revolver. Lily said a silent prayer of thanks that Hawke had arrived first. This man was weaving on his feet in his drunkenness and probably would have ended up shooting either himself or Lily if he had pulled that gun.

“Okay.. I’m sorry, Hawke. I won’t touch her again.” Percy promised though the look in his eyes did not match his apology. His eyes looked angry and embarrassed. Hawke took several steps backward and then wrapped his arm tight around Lily’s waist.

“She is mine and I will protect her in any way necessary. Is that understood?” Percy nodded his head so quickly that Lily was afraid it might snap off his neck.

“I don’t think Nathan will be too happy when he gets back.” The drunk spoke up. Hawke shrugged.

“I am not worried about Nathan.” he replied and then he looked down at Lily.

“Are you done with your business here?” he asked her. Lily nodded and Hawke led her back outside.

“Everyone is going to agree with him about me aren’t they?” Lily asked as Hawke grabbed Trigger’s reins and began to lead the horse down the dusty road. Lily noticed that a young woman and her mother quickly crossed to the other side of the road to avoid getting too close to the man she loved.

“Not everyone.” Hawke replied. “Many will understand you not loving a man who has done the things that Nathan has done.” Then he looked down at her and she saw a sadness in his eyes.

“But they will not understand what you see in me.” he added. Lily felt her heart ache at the sight of his sadness.

“That is because they are fools who refuse to see you for what you truly are.” she replied softly. Before Hawke could reply a feminine scream filled the air. He looked up to see the red haired child he had met in the stage office three days ago standing in the middle of the road. A wagon was barreling toward him, the horses were spooked and out of control.

Their hooves were thundering loudly as they drew closer and closer to the boy who was frozen in fear. His mother stood on the side of the road screaming for him to move.

“Get out of the way, boy!” the wagon driver yelled as he pulled back desperately on the reins to no avail.

Lily watched in horror unable to tear her eyes away from the deadly scene. That boy was going to be trampled before her eyes and while the boardwalks and storefronts were full of horrified observers, no one made any move to jump in front of the speeding wagon to save the boy.

She turned her head to look at Hawke only to realize he was no longer standing next to Trigger. Much to her horror she saw that he was running straight for the little boy and the thundering hooves of the horses. Dust was flying as Hawke dove across the road and grabbed the boy in his arms. He cradled him against his chest and jumped for the side of the road. He lay there on his stomach, shielding the boy with his body as the horses and wagon roared past them.

Lily ran to Hawke and reached him as he stood up and sat the boy on his feet.

“Are you okay?” he asked the boy, who smiled up at him with shaking lips and nodded. His brown eyes were full of fear and his freckles contrasted sharply against his pale, dirt streaked face but it was clear he wanted to look brave in front of Hawke.

“I’m okay. Are you okay?” he asked with a trembling voice. Hawke nodded.

“I am fine.” he replied. The boys mother descended on them in a flurry of skirts and tears as she grabbed her son and pulled him into her arms, in a crushing embrace.

“You saved my son!” she exclaimed looking up at Hawke with a mixture of gratitude and guilt. “Thank you so much.” Hawke nodded and then turned and began walking back up the road.

“Are you really okay?” Lily asked him as she looked him up and down checking for wounds. Hawke nodded.

“I am fine.” he lied. Truthfully one of the horses hooves had caught him in the side and it was hurting like crazy but he was not about to tell her that.

“You saved that boys life.”

“Yes.” Lily couldn’t believe he was so calm about this. He had nearly died saving that little boy and yet he acted as if nothing had happened. Most men would be bragging and demanding credit for what they had done.. But then again Hawke was not like most men.

Lily couldn’t hear the words themselves but she could hear the excited whispers as people pointed and stared at them as they made their way down the road. A few people called out their thanks to Hawke for what he done and he simply nodded each time.

Hawke led her to Doctor Mason’s home which also served as his office. Doc Mason was sitting on a little white bench in front of the blue building and he smiled as they approached.

“You’re looking better than the last time I saw you.” he said to Lily. Lily nodded.

“I am feeling much better.” she replied and she wasn’t just talking about physically.

“Let the doc check you out and I will go down to the mercantile. Meet me down there when you are done.” Hawke said looking down at Lily. He waited for her to nod before walking away. Lily was disappointed when he did not give her the normal kiss to the forehead before walking away from her. She realized Hawke was probably not the kind of man to show affection in public and that was okay with her just as long as he kept showing it when they were alone together.

“Well come on into my office, Lily.” Doc Mason said watching Hawke’s retreating back. “He’s running away before I can comment on his heroics just so you know. He’s always hated getting any kind of attention.” Doc Mason added leading her into his tidy home. They walked through a formal sitting room full of dainty furniture and a hutch with floral tea sets and into a more professional room with a sink and shelves full of different medicines and jars. There was a table in the center of the room covered with a sheet and pillow and the doc motioned for her to have a seat on it.

“So what brings you in to see me today?” Doc Mason asked. “Are you having any trouble from…. Well from your old injuries?” He asked with a knowing look in his blue eyes. Lily blushed and picked at the beads on her dress.

“No, I’m truly fine.” she replied not meeting his eyes. “It was Hawke that wanted me to come. He is worried about my condition.”

“Condition?” Doc Mason asked, his eyes going immediately to her stomach. Lily nodded.

“I’m pregnant.” Doc Mason fought to hide his surprise and maintain a professional manner.

“Does your husband know?” Lily shook her head. Doc Mason raised a thick gray eyebrow. “But you told Hawke?”

“Yes.”

“Are you in love with Hawke?” Lily’s eyes widened and her face flushed crimson.

“You shouldn’t be asking me that.” she gasped. Doc Mason waved his hand dismissively.

“Hawke is the closest thing to a son I have ever had. I helped bring him into this world and I was close friends with his father. He might act like a strong, confident man but the toughest of men have been taken down by a beautiful woman. I want to make sure you really love Hawke and are not just using him to get out of a bad situation.” Anger flashed through Lily’s dark eyes and she rose from the table.

“Thank you for your time, Doctor Mason. Obviously you do not know Hawke as well as you think you do if you think that he would be so easily fooled.” Lily started back toward the sitting room.

“Stop please.” Doc Mason called and she quit walking but did not turn back toward him. “I am sorry that I said that, I was just trying to look out for the boy.” Lily turned to face him but kept her eyes on her feet.

“I do love him, doctor. I never loved my husband and he used threats and force to marry me. You saw for yourself the things he did to me. Everyday, doctor, everyday he found some reason to hit me and no one ever noticed. To the world Nathan is a fun loving, decent, light hearted man. Hawke was the first to ever see through to the real Nathan and he saved me…

“I was ready to leave when I told him about the baby. I was ready to go back to Nathan’s home and leave Hawke in peace and do you know what he did? He refused to let me. He told me that he loved me and that he would raise the baby as his own. I would never do anything to take advantage of or mislead Hawke. I love him.”

“I believe you.” Doc Mason said, rising from his stool and smoothing out his gray vest. “What are you going to do when Nathan returns?” He saw a look of fear in her dark eyes as she bit her lip.

“I don’t know.” she replied. “But I will not go back to him. Hawke is the man I was born to be with.”

“You should speak with a lawyer. I know there is a good one in Helena that would probably be willing to help you get a divorce.”

“Divorce?” Lily asked, deep wrinkles coming in her forehead as she looked at him with confusion.

“Yes. I don’t know the details of how it works but basically it’s a piece of paper that makes it so that you aren’t married anymore. I’ll contact my friend in Helena and see what you need to get it done and I’ll let you know what I find out.”

“Thank you doctor Mason!” Lily exclaimed throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. This divorce thing sounded like the answer to her prayers. Allie would be here safe and sound with her and Hawke and Nathan would never hurt her again.

“You’re welcome, sweetheart.” Doc Mason said patting her on the back. “There’s just one thing I need you to do.” Doc Mason said pulling away and looking down into her eyes.

“What?” she asked. Doc Mason ran his hand over his wrinkled face and sighed.

“Keep an eye on Hawke. The man plans on murdering Nathan just as soon as he can get his hands on him.” Lily’s eyes widened.

“Killing him?” she demanded. “He can’t do that! This town would hang him for sure.”

“I know that and he knows that but he doesn’t seem to care. He really loves you and he feels that Nathan deserves to die for the pain he caused you.”

“But I can’t lose Hawke.” Lily said desperately.

“Make him understand that.” Doc Mason replied and Lily nodded. “You’ll find that while a lot of people in town like Hawke, very few would stand up for him…. And the handful that hate him would gladly hang him with or without a trial.”

“Thank you for everything, Doctor Mason. I’ll talk to Hawke.” Lily promised.

“Just tell him that I said everything looks fine with the baby. Just between you and me; he worries too much because of his mother.” Lily nodded and then left his office, thinking about how she was going to talk Hawke out of killing Nathan.

Chapter Thirteen

Lily watched Hawke pace the cabin and worried that at any moment he was going to either catch the wooden floor on fire or go straight through to the dirt below.

“Hawke, you’re making me dizzy.” she said with a tired sigh as she stirred the thick venison stew she was cooking. Hawke stopped abruptly and looked over at her.

“How can you say that Nathan deserves to live after what he has done to you?” he demanded. Lily shook her head and laid the mixing spoon down on the counter before crossing her arms over her chest.

“I did not say that he deserves to live, I just said that you cannot kill him.”

“Doc Mason needs to learn to mind his own business.” Hawke grumbled as he threw himself down in a chair at the table.

“Hawke, you aren’t thinking about this clearly.” Lily said walking to him and dropping to her knees in front of him. She took both of his hands in hers and locked her eyes with his. “If Nathan is murdered, everyone will suspect you because they have seen us together. They will know that you killed him to have me all to yourself and they will come after you without a second thought. I’ve heard about the posse’s that form out here where there isn’t much law. Marshall Yale would be powerless to stop them and they would hang you and then what would happen to me? I love you, Hawke, and I can’t lose you… I just found you.”

Hawke’s green eyes softened, just a little, and the tension in his jaw eased slightly as he looked at her.

“What is your plan then?” he asked. Lily sighed.

“Doctor Mason told me about this thing called divorce. He is talking to a lawyer friend of his in Helena about what I would need to do… If I divorce Nathan, then he will no longer be my husband.” Her eyes took on a happy excited light. “Isn’t that wonderful? I could be your wife! And Allie is already on her way so Nathan won’t be able to threaten me with her… Everything will work out just fine.”

Hawke knew that Lily was wrong. Nathan would not just divorce her and then walk away without a word. Lily’s life would be in danger for as long as Nathan breathed and Hawke had already vowed to keep her safe. He would kill Nathan but he did not want Lily to worry needlessly. Nathan would not be back for several more weeks.

“How long until supper is ready?” he asked changing the subject. Lily’s eyes narrowed.

“Hawke, did you hear what I said?” she asked. Hawke nodded.

“I heard you. We will try your way but you need to understand that to keep you safe I will do anything.” Lily sighed in defeat. She knew Hawke would kill Nathan if he felt he had to and that scared Lily to death. Nathan deserved death.. He deserved it a thousand times over for the things he had done to others but she did not want Hawke being the one to kill him. In Hawke, lie every dream and hope that she had for her future. She wanted to live her entire life by his side, loving him and being loved…. If he killed Nathan she had no doubts that he would hang and if that happened then she might as well be swinging from a rope beside of him because her soul would die when he took his last breath.

“How long before supper is ready?” he asked again. Lily shrugged.

“An hour or so. I still have to bake the bread.” Hawke nodded and stood up pulling her up with him.

“I must go get some things done. Just yell for me when it is ready.” He kissed her forehead gently and then walked out of the cabin. Lily shook her head as she walked to the kitchen counter to mix up the bread dough. She hoped it wouldn’t take long for Doctor Mason to get in touch with his lawyer friend because she wanted to be able to ease Hawke’s mind. He was so protective of her that he was sure to drive himself crazy if Nathan was not out of their lives soon. Lily knew that once she got the divorce Nathan would leave. He was too big of a coward to try to take Hawke on. Nathan only went after people who were physically or mentally weaker then he was and Hawke had him beat on both accounts.

Lily could hear the pounding of an axe outside as she finished mixing up the bread dough and laid it into a pan. She wondered why he was chopping more wood when the woodshed was already full but then she figured he was probably just releasing tension.

She sat down at the kitchen table and thought about her little sister. She was a little nervous about Allie traveling all this way alone but Lily knew that Allie was smart and would make it just fine. Lily had already done the math and Hawke had agreed to take her into town the day Allie should arrive on the stage so that she could greet her.

Lily stood and walked to the bedroom to get the new fabric that she had gotten from the mercantile earlier. Hawke had offered to buy her the ready made dresses to save her the trouble of sewing her own but she had finally managed to convince him that she enjoyed sewing. She settled herself into the armchair beside the big window and got to work on her new dress.

When the bread was ready she pulled it from the stove and then walked outside to call for Hawke. What she saw shocked her. Hawke was just stepping out of the woods. He had pulled off his buckskin shirt and his dark skin was gleaming with sweat. His dark hair hung in his face as he tugged on Triggers reigns and pulled the horse along behind him.

She realized Trigger was dragging a long log, similar to the three already lying in the yard. They were large pine logs, the branches had all been removed but they were still covered in bark.

Wolf came out of the woods behind Trigger carrying a branch in his mouth and looking awfully proud as he dropped it beside the logs.

“What are you doing?” Lily asked as Hawke unhooked the log from the straps and rolled it next to the others. He looked over at her and wiped sweat from his brow.

“Cutting wood.” he replied

“Our fireplace isn’t that big.” Lily said motioning to the logs in the yard. Hawke laughed deeply and the sound surprised him. He tried to remember if he had ever really laughed before but he could not recall a single time.

“I am going to add some rooms to the cabin.” Hawke said as he walked toward her. Lily leaned against the cabin wall as her legs grew weak beneath her. She could see every muscle in his lean stomach working as he walked and she realized that his stomach reminded her of her washboard and she wondered if she could clean clothes on it.

“You are?” she asked breathlessly. Hawke nodded and scratched at his arm causing the muscles in his arms to bunch and coil and the heat in Lily rose.

“We will need more room with your sister and the baby.” Lily nodded and forced herself to focus on their conversation instead of on the heat coiling low in her belly at the sight of his muscular torso.

“Shouldn’t you get someone to help you?” she asked. Hawke shrugged.

“I am used to doing things alone. This will be no different.”

“Suppers ready.” Lily replied finding that she couldn’t seem to put very many words together at once right now. The air did not seem to have enough oxygen when he was standing this close to her. She wondered if he was having as much trouble breathing as she was.

“I will clean up and be in in a moment.” Hawke replied. He turned and walked away from her quickly before he gave in to the temptation to kiss her. He knew if he kissed her he would not be able to stop until he made love to her and he did not want to do that covered in dirt and dust.

He quickly went about removing the straps from Trigger and leading him to the barn. He rubbed the gelding down and gave him some oats before walking back out of the barn and down the path to the lake.

888

Lily felt her nerves fluttering inside her stomach as she slid herself into the tight doeskin dress she had worn her first day here. This dress fit her so snugly that wearing underclothes was impossible and so she had left them off. She pulled the pin from her hair and let the dark waves tumble down her back.

Her hands were shaking as she ran them over her hips and chewed on her bottom lip. How exactly did a woman go about seducing a man? She had never done it before but she had seen enough ‘loose’ women walking the streets as she and Nathan had traveled across the country to know that they always showed a lot of their chests. She tugged on the dress pulling it as low as it could and she blushed crimson when she realized that she could see the smooth curve of her breasts.

She forced herself to stop chewing on her lip when she tasted blood and took a deep breath. She could do this. She wanted Hawke and she knew that he wanted her. For some reason he was slow in getting down to business so she would help him.

Suddenly she felt his presence behind her. She had not heard him coming and she realized that she should have known that she wouldn’t. Hawke moved as silently as his Indian ancestors. She turned away from the bed and there he was, in all his bronze glory, standing behind her in nothing but his buckskin pants and boots. His hair was dripping wet and droplets of water were still clinging to his skin and running down the hard muscles of his chest and stomach.

Her mouth was suddenly too dry to speak and she found herself unable to say all the teasing words she had been planning. She looked up at his face and saw that his green eyes were dark and narrowed. She bit her lip and his eyes focused on the movement before dropping lower to her chest.

She took a deep shuddering breath trying to rid herself of the nerves fluttering around inside of her and before she had time to let it out Hawke was across the room and taking her into his arms.

“You are beautiful, naakiiwa’ “ he said and she could hear the gruff quality of his voice. He pulled her close against him and she felt the proof of his arousal pushing against her belly as he laid his finger on her chin and tilted her head up.

Their eyes locked for several seconds and no words needed to be said before his hungry lips sought out hers and devoured them. There was nothing gentle about the way he kissed her. It was hungry and possessive and it melted her completely.

Hawke moved his lips to her jaw and then lower to her neck as she threw her head back. He buried one hand in her thick dark hair and put his other hand on her rear, pulling her closer to him. He felt her small soft hands on his chest and stomach and was glad that she did not seem to mind his lack of hair…. He knew that white men had hair covering their bodies but he had taken after his mothers side of the family. It had always bothered him before but judging by the soft moans coming from Lily it did not bother her.

He was desperate to taste every inch of her pale skin as he moved his lips along her collarbone and lower still to the gentle swell of her breasts. He felt her sag as her knees buckled and he grinned against her skin and wrapped his arm tighter around her to hold her up.

He growled in protest as she pulled herself away from him and took several steps back. He thought maybe she had changed her mind but then he saw a mischievous glint in her lust filled eyes.

“Are you trying to kill me?” he asked, thinking that she was going to succeed in her attempt if he did not get her back in his arms soon. She shook her head and then began to shimmy her way out of the tight doeskin dress. Hawke nearly came undone watching as her delicate body was revealed to him inch by breathtaking inch.

“Come here.” he said holding out a hand for her. Lily shivered with pleasure at the look of pure passion on his face. She knew she could not look that beautiful with the sickly green bruises covering her body but he was looking at her as if she was the loveliest thing he had ever seen.

She went to him and then moaned with pleasure as his big hands roamed over her body leaving trails of flames in their wake. He covered her lips with his once again and as he deepened the kiss and tasted her with his tongue, she matched his actions. His hands took their time, touching and teasing every inch of her bare body until she thought for sure she would die from the ache he was creating with her… She ached for more and he seemed to sense this as he led her to the bed and without breaking their kiss, he lowered her onto it covering her body with his own.

Hawke pulled away from her and stood straight. He had never seen a more beautiful sight in all of his life than the one his eyes were taking in right now. His woman soft and warm and burning with passion lying in his bed… Her dark hair falling across the blankets and surrounding her head like a halo. She was his angel. His reason for living. She was the reason for every single beat of his heart.

He slid off his pants and boots and fought back a smile when her eyes widened at the sight of him. He knew that she was innocent when it came to making love…. What Nathan had done to her was not love making and Hawke wanted to make her forget every touch that man had ever given her.

He wanted to love her thoroughly until every inch of her body could remember only him and the man before him was forgotten. He lowered himself back down to the bed and this time he used his mouth to explore, taste and devour her body until she buried her fingers in his hair and guided his lips back to hers.

He could wait no longer.. His body ached for more of her and he gave in to his desires. He made love to her long and slow. Every moan and whisper of his name was like the sweetest music he had ever heard.

The pace of their lovemaking became quicker and quicker until both of them were tumbling over the edge and calling out the others name. Hawke laid down on his back beside of her and pulled her into his arms. She curled up on her side and laid her head on his smooth, sweat covered chest.

“I had no idea…” she managed to whisper as she listened to the thundering of his heartbeat. He could not stop the proud grin from forming and he was glad that she was not looking up at his face.

“When we make love it will always be like this. That I can promise you.” he replied.

“I love you, Hawke.” Hawke buried his face in her hair breathing in the scent of lavenders.

“I love you, naakiiwa. “ he vowed. “You are my mosskitsipahyo. “

A/N: Blackfoot translations:

Naakiiwa- my woman

Mosskitsipaho- heart

Chapter Fourteen

Allie stepped off the train and looked around the crowded station, feeling completely overwhelmed. She held tight to the handle of her suitcase and tried to make her way through the crowd. She felt as if the mass of bodies was closing in on her and breathing was getting difficult. She had never been in a town as big as Helena and had never seen so many people at one time. No one paid any attention to a young girl on her own as they hustled and bustled about, going on with their daily lives.

Allie saw a gap in the crowd several feet to her left and she started in that direction, desperate for a chance to catch her breath and get her bearings straight. She was almost there when she tripped over an older gentleman’s cane and fell headfirst toward the cobblestone walkway. She was sure she was going to crack her head open when two strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind and stopped her fall.

“You alright there, doll?” her rescuer asked. Allie could not see his face because he was still holding her from behind but the voice sounded like it belonged to a boy not much older than her. She pulled herself out of his arms and turned to face him.

“I’m fine, thank you.” she said. “And don’t call me doll.” she added. Then her breath caught in her throat as she took in his appearance. Though he couldn’t be much older than her he was already tall, probably close to six feet and his body was more muscular and manly than any of the boys she had known back home. He had thick, dirty blond hair sticking out from under a brown leather cowboy hat and his bright blue eyes were full of amusement as they looked down at her.

“Sorry. Why don’t you tell me your name and then I won’t have to call you doll anymore?” he replied with a boyish grin that showed the dimples in his cheeks. Allie bent to pick up her suitcase but his hand reached it first.

“I’ll get it for you…?” he raised his brow as he looked down at her.

“Allie.” she said. He smiled again and she immediately felt comfortable with him.

“Jack.” he replied holding out his hand. She placed her hand in his and he shook it several times before releasing her. “Nice to meet you, Allie.”

“Nice to meet you too.” Allie replied and then she cast another nervous glance around the crowded train station. She had no idea where the stage office even was. She had seen hundreds of buildings and rows of streets when the train had approached the city.

“Where ya goin’?” Jack asked as he chewed on a piece of jerked meat that was hanging half out of his mouth. Allie had never met anyone that looked like him. He was wearing dirty black trousers, and a stained white shirt that was frayed around the wrists and neckline beneath a dusty brown vest with a button missing. His boots were scuffed and the right one nearly had a hole through the toe. What caught her attention the most was the shiny revolver hanging in the worn out holster around his waist.

“I’m looking for the stage coach office and why do you have a gun?” Jack wrapped his arm around her shoulders and began to lead her through the crowd. Allie marveled at how well he was able to maneuver between the mass of bodies.

“I’ll take ya to the stage office, cuz you’ll never find it on your own, doll, and I carry a gun because it was my pa’s and it makes me look tough.” Allie found herself laughing.

“So how old are you, doll?” Jake asked as they exited the crowded train station and he let go of her. She matched his steps down the damp cobblestone streets.

“I’ll be fourteen next month.” she said, hoping that this cute boy wouldn’t think she was too young to talk to. “And don’t call me doll.” she added as an afterthought.

“So you’re thirteen.” he stated and she smoothed out the skirt of her pink dress and rolled her eyes.

“I’ll be fourteen next month.” she repeated and this made him smile broadly as he nodded.

“Fair enough, doll… I mean, Allie.” he amended at the flash of irritation that shown in her brown eyes. He liked her spunk. He could tell she was overwhelmed and scared and he had no idea what a thirteen year old girl was doing traveling alone but she still wasn’t afraid to put him in his place.

“How old are you?” Allie asked.

“Fifteen.” he replied as he pulled a bright purple morning glory from a window box on a bright yellow house and slipped it behind her ear as they continued to walk down the road and with that simple motion, Allie’s thirteen year old heart was lost to him.

“So where you headed to all alone?” Jack asked as they rounded a corner and Allie’s eyes widened when she saw the crowded main street. She had never seen so many fancy buildings in all her life. Music was coming out of a building to her right and she gasped when a man stumbled out of the swinging doors with a half naked woman in his arms. The woman had her head thrown back and the man was pressing his lips all over her exposed chest.

Jack grabbed Allie’s arm and began pulling her more quickly down the road.

“Come on, doll, you’re too much of a lady to see a thing like that.” Allie looked up at his face and saw that his smooth cheeks were bright red and his eyes were locked on the cobblestones.

“What was that place?” Allie asked wide-eyed. Jack cleared his throat.

“Uh.. A place some men go to forget their troubles.” he replied quickly. “So uh.. Where you headed to all alone?” he asked again in a desperate attempt to change the subject.

“Great Valley.” Allie replied distractedly. “Have you ever been in that place?” she asked throwing a glance back at the loud, expensive looking building.

“Don’t look back there.” Jack said, giving her arm a gentle tug and bringing her gaze back him. He was blushing even more deeply and his pace quickened even more until she was nearly running to keep up with him. “And no, I’ve never been in that place.” he replied to her question. He didn’t tell her that it wasn’t for a lack of trying… The saloons owner was an uppity bastard who didn’t think that a homeless, drifting, street kid should be allowed in his establishment.

“Where did you come here from?” Jack asked, slowing his pace once they were far enough away from the saloon and could no longer hear the music. Jack knew there were several other saloons along the street but they were a bit more tame than the first.

“Virginia.” Allie replied. Jack’s blue eyes widened.

“Your parents let you travel all this way by yourself.” Allie bit her lip and ran her finger lightly over the flower in her hair.

“Not exactly.” she replied. He raised his brow.

“Not exactly?”

“I ran away.” Jack looked at her with confusion.

“Why in the world would you do a thing like that?”

“That’s none of your business.” Allie replied, not wanting this boy to know that her family was going to sell her the same way they had sold her sister.

“What’s in Great Valley?” Jack asked as he pulled her to the side, just before she stepped into a giant puddle on the road. She blushed because she hadn’t been watching where she was going and then smiled as she thought of Lily.

“My older sister and her husband. I am going to go stay with them.” Jack nodded

“It’s a long stage ride to Great Valley. Three days.” Allie swallowed nervously and nodded. The train had been okay because she had had her own room and bed but the stage would be different. They would be stopping in little towns and staying in stage houses and she would be meeting new people with no one to look out for her. She was very nervous about this part of the trip.

“You’re in luck, doll.” Jack said as he opened the door to the brick building with a big green sign that simply said, ‘Helena Stage Office’, and let her walk inside.

“Why am I in luck?” Allie asked deciding to let the doll thing go this time. It was nice to have a friend finally after all this time and if he wanted to call her doll that was okay with her.

“Great Valley is where I was headed too. I figure we might as well go together.” Allie couldn’t believe her luck.

“Are you really going to Great Valley?” she asked and Jack felt his chest swell with pride at the happy smile on her face and the hope in her eyes. She didn’t need to know that he really had had no plans of going to Great Valley until she had said that was where she was going.

“Yep.” he replied. “Looks like now we’ll both have a familiar face to look at on the way.”

Three hours later as they climbed into the stage, Jack was thanking his lucky stars that he had had just enough money in his pocket to pay for his fare. Of course now he was dead broke but it was worth it to see how much less nervous Allie acted as he sat next to her on the stage.

He looked at the other passengers on the stage, an old man and an old woman with a young child who was maybe four years old if Jack had to guess, and he knew this was going to be a long trip…. But at least he would have Allie for company.

“So what about your parents, Jack? Don’t they care that you carry around a gun and go running around Montana alone?”

“I’m not alone.” Jack replied with a grin. “I’m with you.” He winked and Allie sighed… He was so handsome! “My folks are dead. They died when I was ten and I’ve just kinda been wandering around ever since… Just like a tumbleweed in Texas.”

“I’ve never been to Texas.” Allie replied looking out the stage window as they started down the road.

“I’ve been pretty much everywhere there is to go at one time or another.”

“Didn’t they have soap anywhere you went?” the old woman asked as she wrinkled her nose and moved her face closer to the open window beside her. The old man, whom Jack figured was her husband was already sound asleep and the four year old girl was busy brushing her fancy doll’s hair. Jack flushed red with shame and sniffed himself… He wrinkled his nose when he realized it wasn’t too pleasant of a smell but heck he’d been sleeping on the streets for the last five years.. What did the woman expect?

“You’re old.” Allie spoke up angrily. “Surely you’ve been plenty of places. Didn’t they teach manners in any of them?” she demanded. The old woman looked a bit ashamed for a moment and then she turned her attention out her window and seemed to choose to ignore them.

“Thanks.” Jack said. “I guess I probly am kinda dirty.” He felt a strange tug in his heart at he looked down at the spunky girl who had just stuck up for him. No one else had done that in the last five years that he had been alone and it made him like her even more.

“Your’e welcome.” Allie replied, biting her lip and looking down at her hands folded in her lap. Jack leaned back in the seat, pulled off his hat and laid his head against the wall of the stage.

“So what is your sister like?” he asked running his hand through his greasy hair. He was going to make sure he got a bath at the first stage house they came to.

“She’s great. She’s six years older than me so she was always looking out for me. She’s very pretty and she always stuck up for people that others just looked down on. She left home six months ago and never even said goodbye. Her new husband just whisked her away to a new life.”

“That musta hurt your feelings.” Jack replied. Allie nodded and looked out the window sadly.

“It did. She didn’t get to pick her husband.. My mom and dad sorta did that for her. They promised me that he was a good man and that Lily had liked him pretty good so I’m hoping that she found love… She always talked about how she couldn’t wait to fall in love.”

“I’m sure everything’ll work out just fine.” Jack said giving her a comforting smile. “Now I’m gonna get me some shut eye before that kid over there starts screaming over something.” he added in a whisper. Allie laughed and nodded in agreement.

“Me too.” she said and then she frowned. “But the sun is so bright.” Jack smiled.

“Lay your head back and get comfortable.” he said and Allie looked at him uncertainly but did as he said. The sun was still shining in her face and she didn’t see how she was going to sleep.

“Now what?” she asked. Jack winked.

“And then there was night.” he said and he sat his hat over her face blocking out the rays of the sun. Allie laughed and the sound was muffled beneath the leather.

“Much better.” she giggled. Jack laid his head back again and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Glad I could help, doll.”

Chapter Fifteen

Wolf sniffed the breeze as it blew across his face and through his thick fur. His prey was close and he moved as silently as a ghost, slinking from tree to tree. He could hear his prey just around the next bend, completely unaware of his presence or its own fate.

He came around the bend and caught sight of his prey feeling a jolt of excitement race through his muscular body. The alpha stood there looking down at the water as the female splashed around and made lots of noise in the otherwise silent lake.

The alpha was the prey and this time he would not know that Wolf was coming. This time Wolf would surprise him for sure. He took his position behind a bush and crouched there, as still as the rocks surrounding him, his golden eyes locked on his target.

Wolf felt his muscles bunching and coiling as he prepared to spring from his hiding place and then the alpha turned his head and looked directly at the bush Wolf was hiding behind.

“You are getting too old, Wolf. You make too much noise.” Wolf huffed and came out from behind the bush. He was upset that the alpha had caught him again but then again the alpha was the alpha for a reason.

“Wolf.” the alpha said and Wolf tensed and looked up at him expectantly. He understood that when the alpha used that tone he was about to give a command. “Hunt.” The alpha said and Wolf gave a happy wag of his tail before running back into the forest.

“Hurry up and finish your swim.” Hawke said as Lily swam toward the edge of the lake. “Wolf is going to track some deer and I need to join him.”

“You’re hunting today?” Lily asked trying to hide her disappointment. They had spent much of the last seven days lost in each others arms in the tiny bed inside the cabin and she had been hoping today would be the same. Hawke smiled and nodded.

“If I do not hunt the smokehouse will soon be empty.” he reminded her. Lily pulled herself up out of the water and she saw Hawke’s eyes turn dark and hungry as they roamed over her wet, naked body.

“You sure I cannot talk you into hunting tomorrow?” she asked, swaying her hips suggestively. Hawke growled (sounding an awful lot like a wolf himself) and picked her clothes up off the rocks.

“Put your clothes on, devil woman.” he said gruffly. Lily sighed and pulled on her white lacy bloomers and her newly made blue calico dress. This dress wasn’t as comfortable as the doeskin dresses she had been wearing but it was not as constricting as the long sleeved, high necked dresses that Nathan had forced her to wear. The sleeves on this dress were short and the neckline was low but still modest.

“We need to go to town soon.” Lily said matter of factly. “Allie will be here in three days and I would like to have the house stocked up before she arrives.” Hawke nodded as he took her hand in his and they began walking back toward the cabin.

“I will take you when Wolf and I are done hunting.”

“Wouldn’t it be easier if I just went by myself while you hunt? I could be back before you finish.” Hawke shook his head.

“You do not leave the cabin while I am gone. You do not enter the forest alone. It is not safe.” Lily rolled her eyes.

“You say it isn’t safe but I have yet to see anything dangerous out here.”

“Because the dangerous things know not to mess with you when I am around.” Hawke replied. “When you are alone it will be different.” Coming from most men, Lily knew this statement would have sounded cocky and arrogant but coming from Hawke it just sounded like a simple fact and it was a simple fact that she believed… She had no doubt that even the grizzly bears and mountain lions that lived in these woods knew better than to mess with her man.

“While we’re in town you can look for someone to help you with the cabin.” Lily said. Hawke frowned.

“Why do you think I need help?” he asked as he opened the cabin door and motioned for her to step inside. She did and then turned in the doorway to face him.

“You haven’t made much progress.” she replied, looking out at the pile of barkless logs lying in the yard. Hawke followed her gaze and then looked back down at her with amusement in his green eyes.

“I have been busy with other things, naakiiwa “ he reminded her as he lowered his lips to her neck and pressed a gentle kiss to the hollow behind her ear. Lily trembled and grabbed the doorway for support.

“Are you complaining, ninaa ?” she asked breathlessly. Hawke smiled against her skin. He loved it when she called him her man in his mothers language.

“Never.” he replied. He heard her smile.

“You’re a big tough man, surely you would be just fine without me.” He wondered why she said that. Maybe he needed to tell her just what she meant to him.

“If you knew how much I needed you, naakiiwa , then you would know how desperate I am to keep you forever. My every thought is of you. You are in my blood and you flow through me with every beat of my heart.” Lily felt tears fill her eyes at his words.

“I guess that means you should hurry and finish your hunt then so that I can show you just how much I need you.” she replied. He moved his lips to hers and gave her a gentle kiss before pulling away.

“I should be gone no longer than three hours.” he promised and then quickly walked away. Lily noticed that he took no weapons other then the knives on his legs and she hoped he wouldn’t run into any trouble that required a bigger weapon.

Once he was out of sight, Lily walked inside and ran her comb through her tangled hair before pulling it up on her head. She slipped into her ankle boots and took some money out of the jar on the mantle and put it into her dress pocket. She knew that Hawke had said to stay home but if she hurried she could be in town and back before he ever made it back from hunting and then they could spend the rest of the day locked up in their room.

She grabbed Hawke’s rifle from where it rested against the wall and hooked the sling over her shoulder. If she ran into any bears or mountain lions she would have protection. She walked out to the barn, brought out Trigger and hooked him up to the smaller of Hawke’s two carts and then started down the narrow path toward town.

It was a beautiful day and Lily was enjoying her peaceful ride through the woods. The air was full of birdsongs that made her smile. She laid her hand over her stomach and sighed.

Life was looking better. Hawke had shown her how incredibly wonderful life could be when you had a man who loved you by your side. Even the morning sickness didn’t seem so hard now because he would follow her and whisper soothingly while he rubbed her back or held her hair.

Her sister would be here in just three more days and Doctor Mason had spoken to his lawyer friend in Helena who had agreed to come to Great Valley and grant Lily her divorce. He was due in a weeks time and much to Lily’s relief she could sign the papers without Nathan present and as soon as the ink dried on the paper she would no longer be Mrs. Nathan Yeary. She had been surprised by how simple the process was but was grateful for it nonetheless.

Yes, life was finally starting to look up and she had Hawke to thank for it. She could not wait to have her little family with Hawke, Allie, the baby and even Wolf. She was thinking about all of these things when she heard a twig snap to her right.

She looked in the direction of the sound but could see nothing. She turned her gaze forward and a small scream escaped her lips at the sight of the filthy man standing in the road. He was tall and broad and his face was covered in a thick black beard and mustache that was encrusted with dirt. His hair was also dirty and a mass of tangles and knots around his face. He was wearing deer hide clothes that were stiff with filth. He smiled revealing a mouth full of rotting teeth.

“Well what do we have here?” he asked as he leered at her with his tiny black eyes and they roamed over her body. He reached out and grabbed Trigger’s reigns, bringing the gelding to a stop. Lily’s heart was racing… Was this the danger Hawke had been talking about?

“I was just on my way to town.” Lily said hoping her voice sounding more confident to him then it did to her. He chuckled and the sound was like rocks rubbing together.

“Afraid we can’t let you do that can we, Tom?” he asked and much to Lily’s horror another man stepped out of the woods to her right. He was the same size as the first man and had the same heavy beard and mustache only his was red and his head was nearly bald. His smile revealed that most of his teeth were missing. Lily could smell both of them on the breeze and the scent made her stomach roll.

“Naw, Festus, we can’t just let a pretty thing like this go wandering around alone in these woods. We’ve seen you a few times, beautiful, but you’ve always had that savage with ya… We were wondering when you’d be foolish enough to come out alone.” Lily reached for the rifle on her back but Tom was too fast and grabbed her by her arm, yanking her off the cart. She tried to fight against him but he crushed her body against his filthy chest with one meaty arm and took the gun off of her with the other. He tossed the rifle into the bushes and then looked over at his brother.

“This one is going to be fun.” he said running a finger down her cheek. Lily turned her head and bit down hard, gagging when she could taste dirt in her mouth. Tom howled with pain and slapped her hard in the face before shoving her toward Festus.

Lily’s heart was beating out of her chest and her mind was racing as she thought desperately on how she was going to get away from these two men. Her head was spinning from the hit that Tom had delivered and all she could think of was that she had to protect her baby.

“You are so pretty.” Festus said leaning in close to her face and causing her to nearly vomited when she smelled the thick foul odor of his breath. She spit in his face and then raised her knee as hard as she could and caught him between his legs. He let out a howl of pain and released her and she took advantage of her freedom and took off running into the woods with the sounds of her pursuers footsteps right behind her.

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Hawke took a stance as still as a stone as he looked at the large doe pawing through the leaves on the forest floor. He pulled his hunting knife from its sheath and took a deep breath to steady himself. He was just pulling his arm back to send the knife on it’s deadly arc to the deer’s heart when the silence of the forest was shattered by a man’s pain filled yell.

“Come back here you little whore!” a voice called out and Hawke knew that whatever was happening was happening not far from him. His instincts told him that he needed to get there fast. He ran as quickly and silently as the gray wolf by his side toward the danger, hoping that Lily had not disobeyed him and gone out into the woods alone.

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Lily knew she could not run much longer. She had already fallen several times and her legs and arms were cut and bleeding from being hit by sticks, branches and thorny bushes. Her head was pounding and her lungs were starting to burn but still she could hear the heavy footfalls of the men behind her and she could hear their shouts and promises that she would pay for running away from them.

Just when she was certain she could not run anymore the body of a man jumped silently from the bushes to her left and two strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her into a hard body that felt familiar and smelled like home. She looked up and saw Hawke’s green eyes full of a mixture of anger and worry as they glared down at her.

He shoved her into the bushes he had just jumped out of.

“Stay and be silent.” he hissed and Lily was more than happy to do just that.

Hawke waited for the men to come around the bend with Wolf by his side with his fur raised and his teeth bared. Both of them ready and eager for a fight. Hawke had seen the new bruise forming on Lily’s jaw and he could smell the scent of these men on her and for that they would pay with blood.

The two big men both came stumbling to a stop the second they saw Hawke and Wolf standing in their way. It was clear they wanted to turn and run away but Wolf growled low in his throat and kept their feet rooted to the ground. They kicked themselves mentally for leaving their rifles in camp. The only weapons they had were their hunting knives and they both knew they were no match for Hawke in a knife fight….Especially when he had that giant beast on his side.

“Did you see which way our deer went, Hawke? Festus shot him but he didn’t do a good enough job and the deer took off.” Tom said hoping to lie his way out of the situation. Hawke’s face gave away no emotion as he stood motionless and stared at the two men.

“I heard no shot.” he said. Tom scratched at his red beard and shifted his feet.

“Yeah well it was a few hours ago so….”

“Which one of you hit my woman?” Hawke asked his, voice cold and hard.

“A woman? I didn’t see a woman. Did you see a woman Festus?” Tom asked with a nervous chuckle. Festus shook his head.

“Nope. No woman… Just a deer.” From where Lily was hiding in the bushes she could see Festus reaching for the knife that was stuck into the waistband of the back of his pants. She knew that Hawke would not be able to see the knife and she wanted to shout out a warning to him but he had warned her to stay silent and she did not want to distract him.

“You lie as badly as you smell.” Hawke growled. “Now which one of you hit my woman?”

“There wasn’t no woman.” Tom said again and even Lily could sense the fear coming off of him in waves. Before Hawke could say anything else Festus made his move. He pulled his knife and Lily could not keep herself from screaming as he threw it through the air, straight for Hawke’s chest. Hawke squatted down as the knife came at him and it sailed harmlessly over his head.

As Hawke moved he drew one of his own knives and threw it so quickly that Lily blinked and her eyes missed the action. She heard Festus let out a gurgle and she felt bile rise in her throat when she saw the knife sticking from his neck. As his body fell lifeless to the ground Tom went for his knife, but before he could draw it Wolf lunged through the air and brought the big man to the ground.

Lily squeezed her eyes shut as Wolf’s snarling and the sound of ripping flesh filled the air. The coppery scent of blood filled her nostrils and the thrashing noise stopped… She knew that Tom was dead. She did not open her eyes until she felt Hawke’s big hand on her shoulder.

“Stand up.” he said and she couldn’t hear any emotion in his voice. She looked up at his face but whatever he was feeling he was keeping masked. She rose to her feet on shaking legs , still feeling in shock over all that had happened. She realized that he was using his body to block her view of the two men lying dead on the ground and when she tried to look around him he kept himself in the way.

“You do not want to see.” he said in that same cold, emotion free voice. Lily stared at the fringes on his buckskin shirt, unable to meet his gaze again. She was barely holding back her tears as it was. She had never wanted to give him any reason to be angry with her and she knew that by going against his wishes she had done just that. She had been both foolish and dumb to come into the forest alone and she knew that now.

“Come on.” he said and began to pull her through the forest and back toward Trigger and the cart. She climbed up into the cart and he did the same without speaking a word. Lily caught sight of Wolf and his red, blood covered muzzle and felt her stomach churn. She folded her hands in her lap and kept her eyes locked on them for the rest of the trip back to the cabin.

Hawke jumped from the cart without saying a word to her when they arrived home and after helping her down he pointed to the cabin.

“Get in the house and stay there.” he ordered. Lily nodded quickly and then ran to the cabin with tears burning her eyes. She slammed the door behind her and then fell to her knees on the floor and burst into tears as the shock of the day wore off and she realized just how closely she had come to being killed… or worse.

Hawke could hear her crying but he was not ready to deal with that yet. He was angry with her for disobeying him but more than that; he was scared to death at how closely he had come to losing her. If she had not gotten away from those men and run into the woods he would have never known that they had her…

Hawke did not like feeling helpless but Lily had been in their filthy hands and he had been helpless to save her because he had not even known. He swallowed hard, surprised by the emotion rising up in his throat. Hawke had never felt close enough to someone to fear losing them but the thought of losing that woman filled him with a fear so deep it nearly stopped his heart from beating. He unhooked Trigger from the cart and then saddled him quickly before grabbing his shovel from the wall of the barn and jumping onto the gelding.

Those men did not deserve to be buried… They deserved to be eaten by the scavengers and bugs and have their bodies rot on the forest floor. But if they were found on Hawke’s land dead it could cause trouble that Hawke really did not want to deal with. He knew the trappers and they had been poaching his land for years and had been a constant pain in his side. He had always let their crimes go before but the moment he had seen Lily come running toward him so frightened and desperate, he had known that the men had seen their last sunrise.

Wolf began to follow Hawke into the woods but Hawke stopped and shook his head.

“Wolf, stay.” he said pointed back toward the cabin. “Protect Lily.” he added. Wolf turned quickly and loped back to the cabin before flopping himself down in the yard and scanning the surrounding forest, his golden eyes missing nothing.

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Lily pulled off her soiled dress and used the left over water from washing the breakfast dishes to clean the dirt and the smell of those men from her skin. She pulled on another calico dress she had sewn during the last week and then curled up in the bed.

She was scared of what was going to happen when Hawke came back. She had disobeyed him and he was angry. She did not think he would hurt her but then again she did not really know… She had never broken his rules before. What if he decided she wasn’t worth the trouble she had caused and he kicked her back out on her own? She didn’t think she could live without his touch, his voice, his kisses.

She sobbed into her pillow and prayed that he would forgive her for her stupidity.

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It took several hours for Hawke to bury the men and then he had to find their camp and do away with all evidence of their presence. He stopped by the lake and washed the blood and dirt from his skin before heading to the cabin. He took his time rubbing down Trigger and preparing his stall for the night as he thought about what he was going to say to Lily. He shouldn’t have left her while she had been crying earlier….

She had needed his comfort and he had walked away from her but dammit he had known that if he had gone to her then he probably would have cried as well and that was unacceptable. He was a man and it was his duty to be strong at all times and never show a weakness as strong as tears.

He walked into the cabin and realized instantly that she must be in the bedroom. He opened the bedroom door and saw her lying on her side in the bed with her back to him. She was curled up with her knees pulled up tight into her chest.

He crossed the room and sat on the bed in front of her but her eyes were closed and she did not look at him. He could tell by her breathing that she was not asleep and so he just sat there and stared at her beautiful face, waiting for her to open her eyes. When she finally did, he reached his hand toward her cheek and she flinched away with fear in her eyes.

Hawke drew his hand away quickly, as if he had been burned and then without another second of hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his lap. She put her arms around his neck tightly and sobbed into his chest.

“I’m sorry, Hawke. I’m so sorry I disobeyed you.” she said quietly. Hawke hated the way her voice sounded.

“Lily, why did you flinch away from me? Did you think I was going to hit you?” he asked. Lily pulled her face away from his chest and wiped her face with her hands.

“No…” she lied and Hawke’s lips became a thin line as his brow furrowed.

“I would never hit you, Lily.” he said matter of factly. “I do not expect you to blindly obey me. Do I ever give you orders that are not meant to keep you safe?” he asked. Lily shook her head.

“No.”

“If I tell you not to do something it is because I am worried about keeping you safe.”

“I know. I love you.” Lily replied. Hawke squeezed her tighter and pressed a kiss to her hair.

“If I had lost you… If those men had killed you..” Lily was shocked when she heard the thickness in his voice and when she looked up into his green eyes she saw that they were red rimmed and full of tears that he was trying to fight back. She laid her hand on his smooth cheek.

“I am right here, Hawke. I am safe because you saved me and I promise from now on if you tell me to do something, or not to do something, I will listen to you.” Hawke covered her hand with his.

“I love you, naakiiwa. If I lost you I would have nothing.” he said as he lowered her back onto the bed and moved himself over her.

“I’m not going anywhere, ninaa. “ she promised and he gave her one heart stopping smile before crushing his lips to hers

Chapter Sixteen

“The stage should have been here by now.” Lily said impatiently as she looked up and down the road. Hawke smiled at her excitement from where he sat on the bench waiting.

“Have patience. It will be here soon.” he said, though he knew that telling her to have patience was pointless. She had been jumping up and down with excitement all day. He just hoped that she had done the math right and that Allie did arrive today because if she did not Lily’s disappoint would be huge.

Hawke realized that Lily was picking up his habits as she paced back and forth across the stage office porch.

“Lily!” Doc Mason called out as he crossed the road and walked toward them.

“Good afternoon, doctor.” Lily replied with a friendly smile as she forced her feet to stop pacing.

“Good afternoon.” Doc Mason replied and the he nodded at Hawke. “How are you, Hawke?” he asked. Hawke rose from the bench and shook the Docs hand.

“I am well.” he replied eyeing the doc suspiciously. He could tell something was on the old mans mind.

“Lily, can you come to my office for a minute. I need to speak with you about something.” Lily threw a worried gaze over at Hawke who was quick to mask his own worry and nod at her.

“Go on. I’ll keep an eye out for your sister.” he promised.

“But what if you don’t recognize her?” Lily asked uncertainly. Hawke shrugged.

“How many thirteen year old girls will be traveling alone by stage to Great Valley?” he asked. Lily rolled her eyes and nodded.

“Fine then.” she said. “But Allie will have no idea who you are.”

“Quit worrying so much.” Hawke scolded and this caused Doc Mason to chuckle.

“Telling a woman not to worry is like telling a cow not to moo.” he said. Lily crossed her arms over her chest and glared over at him.

“Did you just call me a cow?” she demanded. Doc Mason cleared his throat and pulled on his shirt collar.

“No, of course not.” he said. Hawke grabbed Lily’s arm and pulled her to him.

“Leave him alone. He is old.” he said. “Now go. I am sure the stage will not arrive until you are back.” Lily sighed and followed Doc Mason down the boardwalk toward his office.

Hawke looked across the road to the hotel and saw three women standing outside. Two of them were not familiar and he knew they must be either new in town or just passing through but he recognized the third as the head maid at the motel named Miranda Wallace. He knew that Miranda was a gossipy woman who felt it was her duty to fill every newcomer in town in on every scandal that she could. It didn’t matter to her if she knew the truth about the scandal or not. Whatever she knew everyone else would learn if they held still long enough.

Hawke watched her painted, bright red lips moving. He had taught himself a long time ago how to read lips because it was a good way to pass time when he had to sit in town and wait around on something. The three women looked at Lily walking arm in arm down the road with Doc Mason and then over at Hawke and Hawke saw Miranda’s lips form the word ‘whore’. Hawke’s temper flared and his eyes narrowed as his jaw clenched and he glared across the road at the women.

Instantly the women’s looks of superiority faded and they looked afraid as Miranda quickly ushered them back into the hotel and away from Hawke’s murderous gaze. He sat down on the bench, crossed his arms over his chest and stretched his long legs out in front of him. He realized that holding his head high and ignoring insults was only an option when the insults were directed at him. Hearing people say things about Lily caused him to see red.

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“What’s going on?” Lily asked doc Mason once they were sitting at the small table in his sitting room.

“My friend sent me word this morning that he was mistaken about the divorce. You see these things don’t happen very often because they cause such a scandal and so he has never actually had to do one before…”

“What was he mistaken about? Can I divorce Nathan or not?” Lily demanded feeling panic rising in her. If she couldn’t divorce Nathan then she did not know what she would do. Doc Mason nodded quickly.

“Yes, you can divorce him but he has to sign the papers too.” Lily felt her heart fall to her feet. Nathan would never agree to that. To Nathan Lily was a possession and she knew that he would not give her up willingly. Tears filled her eyes as she dropped her head into her hands. Doc Mason rose from his chair and walked around the table to her. He rubbed her back comfortingly.

“It will be okay, Lily. Do you know when Nathan will be back?” Lily sniffed but kept her face in her hands as she replied.

“About two weeks. I think he is going to send word to Hawke when he reaches Helena.”

“Hawke will keep you safe, Lily. Just let me know when you hear from Nathan and I will contact my friend and have him head this way too. He and Nathan may even end up getting here on the same day and we can get all of this taken care of.” Lily nodded and dried her face. She did not want Hawke to know that she had been crying.

“Thank you, doctor Mason.” Doc Mason nodded and poured her a cup of tea.

“Now drink this and take a few minutes to get yourself pulled together. You don’t want your sister worrying about you as soon as she arrives.”

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Hawke looked down toward Doc Mason’s house as the stage pulled up to the stage coach boardwalk but Lily still had not come out. He stood and walked toward the stage as the driver jumped down and opened the door.

Hawke had a strange feeling of déjà vu as a mass of pink skirts and dark hair came tumbling out of the stage. Hawke caught the girl just before she struck the ground.

Allie couldn’t believe how clumsy she was as she tumbled head first from the stage. She saw the wooden boardwalk getting bigger by the second as her face neared it and she braced herself for the impact. She nearly screamed with surprise when two rock hard arms caught her and pulled her into an equally rock hard chest. She lifted her head to see her rescuers face as he sat her on her feet and this time she did scream.

She was being held by an Indian. A dangerous looking Indian with dark skin and intense green eyes that were currently locked on her.

“Allie?” he asked, his voice just as hard and scary as the rest of him. Allie started shaking and tears of fear filled her eyes. She tried to back away from him but had one big hand wrapped around her arm. Before she could ask him how he knew her name Jack came bursting from the stagecoach.

“Get your hands off her, you damn injun!” he shouted angrily as he reached for his revolver. Hawke released Allie’s arm and took a step back as he looked at the boy.

“Who are you?” Hawke asked. Jack stuck out his chest and grabbed Allie’s arm, pulling her back behind him.

“I’m the man that’s gonna put a bullet in you if you attack her again.” he replied meeting the Indians eyes. Hawke raised a brow and looked the boy up and down. He was wearing stained, worn out clothing, a sweat stained cowboy hat and though he was tall; judging by the smoothness of his cheeks he couldn’t be much older than fifteen.

“You are no man. You are a boy and I did not attack Allie. She fell.” Jack looked back at Allie who nodded.

“Sorry I got so angry then…” He said removing his hand from his gun. “Ya just can’t never be too careful.”

“Can you three move this down the boardwalk a ways. I have more passengers needing to get off.” The driver said in a bored voice. Jack grabbed Allie’s suitcase and the three of them took several steps down the wooden walkway.

“How do you know my name?” Allie asked her rescuer as she kept herself pressed firmly against Jack’s back and peered around his shoulder to look at the tall Indian.

Hawke was still focused on Jack. The boy did not seem to be the least bit afraid of him.

“You are either very brave or very foolish.” Hawke said to him. “Jumping from a stage and going for your gun the way you did. How did you know I would not pull my knife and kill you where you stood?” Jack felt his knees wobble a little at the question but he wasn’t going to back down now. Not when Allie was clinging to his back like she believed he could really keep her safe and protected. Her confidence in him made him feel like the toughest man in the world. Okay maybe that wasn’t entirely true because this injun definitely looked like he could kill him without batting an eye, but he certainly felt like the second toughest.

“What makes you think you would have had time to pull that knife before I put a bullet through your chest?” he asked, doing his best to make his voice sound just as hard and dangerous as the other mans. Allie stepped between them then.

“That’s enough.” she said sternly and both men looked at her as if she were a crazy person.“Now how exactly do you know my name?”

“I know your sister. She was waiting here for you but had to go down the road for a minute.”

“Are you Nathan?” Allie asked before she could stop herself. Hawke shook his head and there was no mistaking the anger that flashed through his green eyes at the sound of that name.

“No. My name is Hawke.” Allie looked at him suspiciously.

“So Hawke, how do you know my sister?” she asked. Before Hawke could reply Lily’s shouts filled the air.

“Allie!” Allie looked to her right and saw her older sister running her way. She felt tears fill her eyes and happiness fill her heart as she ran toward her sister. They met in a flurry of hugs, squeals and greetings that had Hawke and Jack shaking their heads and sharing a look that clearly said ‘women are weird.’

“I missed you so much!” Allie exclaimed once the initial excitement wore off. Lily smiled.

“I missed you too.”

“I never got to say goodbye when you left home and then Nathan brought you way out here and I thought I would never see you again!”

“Yes well Nathan did a lot of things that hurt people.” Lily replied with a shiver. Allie’s eyes narrowed as she looked at her older sister.

“Where is Nathan? Mother and father said that he was a good man and that you liked him.” Lily shook her head.

“They lied… But we can talk about all of that later when we get home.” she said and then she put her hands on her hips and gave her sister a stern look.

“What about you? What are you doing coming all the way out here alone?” Allie shifted her feet and bit her lip. Hawke was struck by how similar the two sisters were. They had the same hair, same eyes and same tiny nose and they both bit their lips when they were uncomfortable.

“I’ll tell you why I left later. And I was only alone until I got to Helena… That’s where I met Jack and he has kept an eye on me the rest of the way.” Allie replied. Lily looked over at the boy standing next to Hawke and gave him a friendly smile as she walked over to him.

“Thank you very much for looking out for my sister.” she said holding out her hand. Jack removed his hat and shook her hand.

“My pleasure, ma’am.” he said giving her a nervous smile that revealed the dimples in his smooth cheeks. Lily stole a glance over at Allie and saw that her sister was looking at Jack with what could only be described as stars in her eyes.

“Jack, would you like to come home with us and eat supper?” she asked.

“Huh?” Both Jack and Hawke said at the same time. Lily ignored Hawke and kept her attention on Jack.

“The least I can do is feed you a good home cooked meal after you helped my sister.” Jack put his hat back on his head and nodded.

“I think a home cooked meal would be pretty darn good, ma’am.” he said. He had not had a real home cooked meal around a family table in five long years.

“Call me Lily, please, I’m not that much older than you.” she said and Jack nodded before moving to the side so that he was standing closer to Allie and Lily smiled knowingly before turning to Hawke.

“Let’s go home.” she said and he nodded and held out his arm for her. She slipped hers through his and then turned back to her sister and Jack.

“The wagon is parked down by the stable.” she said. Allie looked from Lily to Hawke accusingly.

“You live with him?” she demanded. Jack reached in his pants pocket and pulled out a piece of dried up jerky. He stuck it in his mouth and began to chew on it. Chewing jerky had always been something he had done in awkward situations. He supposed it was because he couldn’t afford chewing tobacco.

“Yes I do.” Lily replied.

“But you are married to Nathan.” Allie stated and Lily felt Hawke tense against her.

“For now.” Lily replied. “There are things you do not know about Nathan and I. Once you know those things then you will understand.” Allie looked hard at Lily for several moments and then she hugged her older sister tight.

“As long as you are happy that is all I care about. I can tell that you love Hawke and I know how much you always dreamed about finding love” Lily wondered when her younger sister had gotten so mature as she pulled away and laid her hand on her cheek.

“Let’s get home so we can get caught up! It’s been so long since I’ve seen you.” Lily said. Allie nodded and the four of them started down the road toward the stable.

Chapter Seventeen

Jack’s mouth started watering as soon as the cabin door opened and he smelled the mouthwatering scent of baked ham. Lily led him and Allie into the house while Hawke put Trigger in the barn.

“I hope that ham, beans and bread is okay.” Lily said as she went about setting the table. “I baked a peach pie for desert as well.”

“Just being here with you, finally, after weeks of traveling is good enough.” Allie replied. Lily smiled and hugged her sister again. It felt so good to have her close again.

Jack stood to the side feeling utterly useless as Lily and Allie set the table and dished out four plates. They were just setting the plates on the table when Hawke came back into the cabin. Everyone took a seat at the table and Jack listened to Allie and Lily talk as he began shoveling the delicious food into his mouth.

After making small talk for several minutes, Lily’s voice suddenly became more serious.

“Allie, I think now would be a good time to tell me what made you leave home.” she said. Allie looked down at her plate of food and pushed her beans around with her fork. Lily had always worried too much about her and Allie didn’t want to give her any more reason to worry, especially when it seemed like Lily already had too much to worry about in her own life.

“I just missed you.” she lied.

“Tell her the truth.” Jack scolded with a mouth full of ham and bread. Allie glared over at him and he gave a sheepish grin, causing a chunk of bread crumbs to tumble down his chin. Allie had confided in Jack on the stage during their long trip to Great Valley and she was currently regretting that choice.

“Yes, Allie. Tell me the truth.” Lily said and Allie saw that her big sisters eyes were looking at her with the same look she always got when she knew that Allie was lying. She sighed with defeat and launched into the story.

“I knew that they gave you to Nathan to cover their debts but they swore to me that he really was a good man and that you were fond of him and I guess I believed them just because I wanted to believe our parents wouldn’t be cruel enough to give you to someone you didn’t like.

“After you left they went right back to gambling and their debts grew and grew. I heard them talking one night a couple of weeks ago. They knew I was too young to sell for marriage so instead they were going to sell me to a nice family as a servant. They even had a family lined up.” Allie paused here but the table was silent except for the sound of Jack chewing and so she continued.

“I knew I had to leave so I packed a little suitcase, stole what little money they had left and got on the first train for Montana.” Lily shook her head.

“I’m so sorry, Allie. I should have been there to look out for you.” she said her voice full of guilt. Hawke shook his head and laid his hand over hers on the table.

“Do not do that to yourself. Even if you had been there you could not have helped your sister. Nathan would not have allowed it.” he said. Allie could see the amount of love in Hawke’s eyes as he looked at her sister and suddenly she understood why Lily was having an affair with the man.

“Speaking of Nathan.” she said bringing Lily and Hawke’s attention back to her. “How did you end up married to him when you clearly hate him?”

“Mother and father owed him money. They did not have the money. Nathan saw me and decided that he would like to have me instead and they were only too happy to throw me at him in order to save themselves.” Lily replied.

“Yes but why did you marry him? You could have said no.” Lily looked at her sadly.

“No I couldn’t have. You see, he knew my weakness.”

“Weakness?” Allie asked with confusion. Her sister was one of the strongest people that Allie knew. What kind of weakness could she be talking about.

“You.” Hawke said quietly. Allie’s eyes widened and she looked at her sister with disbelief.

“You married him because he threatened me?” she asked. Lily nodded.

“He threatened to kill you if I didn’t. And that is how he controlled me while we were together. Whenever his abuse got to be too much and I would say I was leaving he would use your name and vow to kill you, or worse, if I did not do as he wanted.”

“Or worse? There’s really nothing worse than dying.” Allie said with a nervous laugh.

“Yes there is.” Jack, Lily and Hawke all said at the same time. Allie looked sadly at her sister.

“He beat you?” she asked. Lily bit her lip and nodded. Tears filled Allie’s brown eyes and Jack’s arm slipped around her shoulder as he quickly swallowed the bite he had just taken.

“Don’t cry, doll. You’re really lucky to have a sister that loves you that much.” he said. Hawke and Lily both raised a brow at the nickname but neither said anything. Allie leaned into his embrace for a moment before sitting back upright and wiping her face.

“I know I’m lucky.” she said, smiling weakly at her sister who returned the weak, sad smile. “But how did you end up here with Hawke?”

“I met your sister and Nathan the day they arrived in Great Valley and shortly after, Nathan asked me to help him build a cabin since his land touches mine. Over the two weeks I helped him I got to know the man and grew to hate him. I knew he was a mean man and I worried for your sisters safety as I grew to suspect he was mean to her as well.

“Nathan left for business two weeks ago and asked me to look after her. I went to their cabin that day to check on her and I found her more dead than alive and beaten in their bed. I carried her out of that house that day and she has been here ever since. She will not go back to him and he will not ever harm her again.” Allie and Jack could hear the threat and seriousness in his tone and while Allie found it romantic that Hawke loved her sister that much, Jack knew that the Indian was dead serious and that in Hawke’s mind Nathan was already a dead man and he was only waiting for the chance to kill him for real.

Of course Jack couldn’t blame him. He had been ready to pull his gun and shoot Hawke square in the head when he had thought the man was attacking Allie.

“So what happens when he gets back and finds out what has happened while he’s been gone?” Allie asked and she saw the fear on Lily’s face.

“I’m already taking care of that.” she said. “The doctor in town has a friend who is going to help me get a divorce from him.”

“Divorce?” Jack asked as he finished off his ham and reached for seconds.

“It will make it so I’m no longer married to Nathan. But, Allie, I’m still scared. Nathan is going to be angry and while I know Hawke will do his best I am so scared that Nathan will come after you to get back at me.”

“Ain’t nobody gonna lay a finger on Allie.” Jack said laying his hand on his revolver. “I promsie ya that.”

“You’re going to protect her?” Hawke asked as Allie stared at Jack with wonder in her eyes. Jack nodded.

“That’s right. Allie is the first person who has given a darn about me in a long time and I’m gonna look out for her.”

“How old are you, Jack?” Lily asked.

“Fifteen.” he replied.

“Do your parents know you’re here?” she said. Jack shrugged.

“If they know I reckon they won’t say anything. They both died when I was ten. My ma from fever and my pa from drinking. I’ve just been wandering around ever since.”

“He’s even been to Texas.” Allie said excitedly. “He told me one day he’s going to take me down there. He says there isn’t anything prettier than a Texas sunset.”

“How on earth have you survived on your own for five years?’ Lily asked seeing all sort of terrible scenarios run through her head.

“A person does what they have to do.” Jack replied.

“Even steal?” Hawke asked staring at Jack. Jack met his gaze and nodded.

“Gotta eat.” he replied. “I found out quick that if you don’t eat, it don’t take ya long to die.” Then Jack looked at Lily.

“Can I have some of that pie now? Can’t tell you the last time I had a fresh baked peach pie that I didn’t have to snatch out of a windowsill.”

After everyone had eaten their dessert Hawke stood from the table.

“I’ll take you back into town, Jack.” he said. Jack threw a quick glance at Allie who was biting her lip and then looked back at Hawke.

“I was actually hoping maybe I could stay out in the barn or something. I’ll work for my keep, sir.”

“No.” Hawke said quickly. Lily looked at the sadness on Allie’s face and intervened.

“Hawke, can we talk for a minute?” she asked. Hawke looked down at her questioningly.

“What?” he asked.

“In the bedroom.” she added and he let her pull him into the bedroom and shut the door.

“What is this about?” he asked.

“Jack can stay here.” she said. Hawke shook his head.

“I said no.”

“What is the harm in letting the boy stay out in the barn?”

“He’s a thief.” Hawke said matter of factly. Lily’s eyes narrowed and she put her hands on her hips.

“He stole food.”

“Have you seen the way he and Allie look at each other?” Hawke demanded hoping that this argument would do better than the first. Lily nodded.

“Yes I have.”

“And you still think he should stay?” Hawke asked, fearing that his woman may have lost her mind.

“Why does it matter so much to you if they like each other?” Lily asked with an exasperated sigh.

“Did I not tell you that I would protect your sister as if she were my own blood?” Hawke asked.

“So you’re just being an overprotective big brother right now?” Lily asked with amusement. Hawke failed to see what was so amusing but he nodded.

“Yes.”

“What about Jack?” Lily asked. “You of all people know what it is like to be young and have no one. The poor kid has had to steal just to get meals to stay alive. I want to give him a home. Even if he does have to sleep in the barn.”

“Fine. But when he breaks her heart it will be your fault.”

“What makes you think he will break her heart?”

“She has a few years before she’ll be old enough to even think about getting married. He is a young man and will not wait that long.  He will not wait until she’s able to marry him and he will break her heart.” Lily raised her brow and crossed her arms over her chest. Hawke braced himself for an outburst but instead she calmly said.

“Are you saying that you would not have waited for me? Are you saying that you would have or maybe still will break my heart waiting for me to be able to marry you?” Anger flashed in Hawke’s eyes.

“Of course not! You are my mosskitsipahyo . I have told you this. Why do you still question….” He stopped suddenly when he saw her lips curve into a smile and he realized in that moment that arguing with a woman was dangerous. They knew how turn and twist your words until you could not even remember what you were really arguing about.

“So he can stay?” Lily asked. Hawke let out a long breath and nodded.

“He can stay. I need an extra set of hands with building the extra rooms on the cabin.”

“I told you that over a week ago.” Lily said picking a piece of pie crust off the front of his shirt. Hawke growled low in his throat.

“You always have to be right don’t you?” he asked. Lily smiled up at him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“No, but it does seem to happen a lot.” she teased, raising up on her toes and pressing a gentle kiss to his jaw. Hawke chuckled.

“I’ll go show the boy where he can sleep. It’s getting late.”

A/N: Blackfoot Translation for this chapeter

mosskitsipahyo-

heart

Chapter Eighteen

Hawke wondered if he could drop his hammer on Jack’s head and convince the women that it had been an accident. Seven. Long. Days. Seven days the boy had been talking. Hawke was beginning to think that he did not know how to stop.

Maybe Hawke could ‘accidentally’ give Wolf the kill command. It would be awfully hard for Jack to keep telling Hawke stories about all his adventures if he did not have a throat. But then again Wolf had not been around for seven days. Hawke had seen him several times at the edge of the clearing and down by the lake but the sudden appearance of two new people had him keeping his distance from the cabin.

Hawke looked over at Jack and shook his head as the boy laughed out loud at his own joke. A joke that Hawke had not even heard. Hawke had to admit that though the boy was annoying, he had been a big help with the cabin. Already with the two of them working together they the walls done except for patching the cracks with mud and they were currently nailing on the split wood planks that made up the roof onto the support beams.

“Can you believe that Hawke!” Jack asked with a loud laugh. “A darned old preacher man caught buck naked climbing out of the whorehouse window!”

“Perhaps he simply got lost on his way home.” Hawke replied with a shrug and this caused Jack to laugh again.

“You crack me up Hawke. You say the most hilarious things without ever cracking a smile.” Hawke finished nailing in a plank and then wiped the sweat from his brow.

“I am hungry. I will go down and see if Lily and Allie will make us a sandwich.” Hawke said.

“I’ll do it!” Jack said quickly and then without another word, he threw his knees over a support beam and dropped down into the house so that he was hanging upside down from the roof. Hawke shook his head but couldn’t help but smile at the boys antics.

“Hello….” Jack called. Allie walked into the room and let out a small, shocked scream before breaking down in laughter. Jack’s hat had fallen off and his dark blond hair was hanging in the air as he swung upside down and gave her a smile.

“Hello doll. Me and the big guy are getting hungry. Do you think you ladies could whip us up a sandwich or two?” Allie slapped his stomach and he grunted and reached out to tickle her sides.

“No fair attacking a man when he’s unable to defend himself.” he scolded. Allie just rolled her eyes as she stepped out of his reach.

“We’ll make your sandwiches but how on earth do you plan on getting out of the rather awkward position you’ve gotten yourself into?” she asked raising a brow and handing him his hat. Jack grinned and gave her a wink.

“That’s easy, doll.” his replied, his blue eyes shining. With a grunt he tightened his legs on the support beam and swung his body upward until he was again sitting on top of the beam. He looked back down into the room and Allie was looking up at him and shaking her head. He blew her a kiss which caused her to blush and quickly leave the room. He put his hat back on his head and turned his attention back to Hawke and nearly fell off the roof at the protective, angry look in his eyes.

“She is only thirteen.” Hawke said. Jack swallowed hard and nodded.

“Yeah and it was only an air kiss.” he replied. Hawke swung the hammer hard, driving a nail through the plank and deeply into the support beam with one whack.

“That had better be the only kisses you are sharing.” her said sternly. Jack gave a nervous chuckle and nodded. So far air kisses were as far as he had gone with Allie but he was hoping to have the real thing soon. He figured that if he liked breathing, he better not let Hawke know that though.

“Take the tools back to the barn. I am going hunting after lunch.” Hawke said as he stood up on the beam.

“Careful, old man.. You don’t wanna break no bones.” Jack said with a grin. Hawke raised a brow and Jack couldn’t believe his eyes or his ears when Hawke jumped from the beam and landed on his feet as silently and gracefully as a cat, on the floor of the cabin below.

“Show off.” Jack muttered and though he thought he had spoken quietly enough that Hawke could not hear him he saw the man flash a rare smile before walking into the original part of the cabin and out of sight.

Jack gathered up the hammers and the bucket of nails and decided that if Hawke could jump down and land like a gosh damned mountain lion then so could he. He walked to the edge of the roof and jumped down to the grass, only his landing wasn’t quite so graceful and nails went flying as he and the bucket fell to the ground.

Jack jumped to his feet quickly and looked around to make sure no one had seen his clumsiness. He let out a few curse words that would have had his mother boxing his ears if she had still been alive and began gathering the nails.

Jack thought about the last week he had been staying here. He hadn’t realized just how much he had missed having a family until he had come to live with Hawke and Lily. Lily was the nicest person he knew and she reminded him of his own mother. She was also a darn good cook. And Hawke was an alright guy too even if he was too serious and liked to try to scare him. And then of course there was Allie.

Jack smiled as he finished gathering the nails and started toward the barn with thoughts of Allie swirling in his head. She was just about the prettiest darn girl he had ever met and he was pretty darn sure that as soon as she was old enough he was going to marry her. That is if she would marry a no account, worthless drifter like him.

He hung the hammers on the wall and sat the bucket of nails on the ground below them and then he turned and nearly collapsed as his knees buckled at the sight of a giant gray wolf walking toward the cabin.

Just then the cabin door opened and Lily walked out. Before Jack could shout out a warning Lily ran to the wolf and dropped to her knees, throwing her arms around his neck. Jack pulled his gun and ran from the barn.

“What are you doing?” he demanded. “That damn thing’ll eat you for breakfast and come back for seconds!” Lily looked at the revolver in his hand with horror.

“Put that away! Wolf is a friend.” She scolded. Jack wasn’t about to put the gun away with that beast this close to a woman he thought of as almost a sister but he did lower it so that it was no longer pointed at the wolf’s head.

Allie and Hawke stepped out of the cabin and Allie looked at her sister, who was now standing with her hand on Wolf’s head as he sat beside her as tame as a pet dog , with absolute horror.

“Jack shoot him! Before he attacks her!” Allie shouted. Jack shrugged.

“I was going to but she said he’s a friend.” he replied and then he put the barrel of his gun up to his temple and moved it in a circular motion to indicate that he clearly thought Lily was crazy.

“Wolf, come.” Hawke said and Wolf walked over to him and sat down by his feet. “I found Wolf as a puppy and raised him.”

“Is he safe?” Jack asked, eyeing the creature suspiciously. Hawke shrugged.

“Safe for me.” he said. Lily rolled her eyes at Hawke’s vague answer.

“You just love to sound mysterious don’t you?” she asked him and a small smile tugged at his firm lips as he shrugged. Lily turned back to Allie and Jack.

“He’s safe unless someone threatens Hawke. I guess maybe he would protect me too. Hawke can give him commands as well and he does whatever Hawke tells him.”

“Well I’ll be dipped in tar and rolled in feathers.” Jack said, holstering his revolver and scratching at his chin. “I ain’t never heard of such a thing.”

“Sometimes you say the strangest things.” Lily said with a warm smile. “Come on in and eat, your lunch is ready.” she added and Jack nodded and quickly headed for the house with Allie on his heels.

“I never realized just how much a teenage boy can eat.” Lily said scratching her head. “I think we’ll need a bigger pantry and smokehouse.” Hawke just mumbled under his breath and led her back up to the cabin while Wolf flopped down in the grass.

Wolf watched the two leggers walk into the cabin and close the door behind them. He had stayed on high alert since the newcomers had arrived to make sure they were not a threat to either he, the alpha or the female. Wolf did not trust very many two leggers but these two seemed okay. The small one smelled a lot like the female and he suspected they were from the same litter and the one who liked to make a lot of noise with his mouth smelled safe.

Wolf knew the alpha would not let the man near his female unless he trusted him and that eased Wolf’s worry. He wished he knew why the female smelled so distressed lately. There was something bothering her but Wolf did not think the alpha noticed. Wolf had learned that the alpha’s nose was not as good as his and therefore he missed a lot of things.

Wolf hoped the female would be okay soon because she needed to keep her strength up with that pup growing inside of her. Wolf sighed and stretched out in the sunshine letting the rays warm his thick fur. Sometimes his two legged pack made so sense to him but he loved them anyway.

888

“I need to go hunting.” Hawke said after he and Jack had finished their lunch.

“Can I come? I would like to learn how to hunt.” Jack spoke up. Hawke sighed as he looked at the boy.

“Fine.” he said. “But you cannot talk.”

“That’s fine. I can be quiet. I am darn good at keeping quiet. Can’t make a lot of noise when you’re cleaning out somebody’s pantry. You know some people keep the weirdest things in their pantries…..” Jack was still talking up a storm as he and Hawke left the cabin.

“It’s a good thing Hawke has the self control of a saint or else I think Jack would already be dead.” Lily said with a laugh as she and Allie sat down on the small sofa with their sewing.

“I think Jack is great.” Allie replied. “He can always make me laugh.”

“That’s good and I’m glad that you have found such a good friend.” Allie blushed and bit her lip as she focused on her sewing. She wanted to be so much more than just Jack’s friend. One day, as soon as she was old enough, she hoped to marry him.

Allie looked over at her sister and saw the same sad, scared, distracted look that had been on her face a lot since Allie had arrived. Allie didn’t like that look. The Lily she remembered was one of the happiest people you would ever meet.

“Lily, what’s wrong with you?” she asked gently. Lily looked over at her and frowned.

“What do you mean?” she asked. Allie laid her sewing down in her lap.

“It’s just that sometimes I look at you when you think no one is watching and I see this scared, sad look on your face and it bothers me. I’ve even seen Hawke notice it a couple of times but he just looks angry when he does and then goes outside and starts pacing back and forth. I mean I know all of this with Nathan scares you but you said yourself that you are getting the divorce and everything will be fine, right?” Lily bit her lip and was silent for several long seconds before finally shaking her head.

“I’ll tell you because I know you can keep a secret.” she said laying her own sewing down. “Doc said his friend was mistaken when he told Hawke and I that I was the only one who had to sign the papers in order to divorce Nathan… He has to sign them too.”

“And you don’t think he will?” Allie asked. Lily shook her head.

“I know he won’t. I am his wife and he saw Hawke as a friend. He is going to feel betrayed and I am scared to death on how he’ll react. You don’t understand how dangerous and scary he is… He gets this look in his eyes and they turn to ice.. His face twists and distorts with rage until he no longer looks human. When he yells, spit usually flies from his lips and his hair becomes wild around his face. He always smiles after he hits me and I’m laying in the floor…” Lily’s voice was loud and full of fear and panic as she spoke. Tears flowed from her eyes as she clutched at the material she’d been sewing with white knuckled hands.

Allie quickly moved to her and wrapped her arm tight her shoulders hoping to give her older sister some comfort. She had never had to comfort Lily before.. Lily had always been the one to do the comforting.

“Don’t worry about that anymore, Lily. Everything is going to be fine.”

“I’m his wife, Allie! The Marshall is still gone and the deputy in town hates Hawke and is friends with Nathan. What if he makes me go back to him? I can’t go back to him! I can’t stand the thought of letting him touch me..” Allie felt Lily shiver and saw her face turn green. She had never thought about Nathan touching Lily but now she could see the fear in her sisters dark eyes and she knew that the man must have forced her to lay with him and that thought made her own stomach churn.

“Lily, it’s okay. Hawke would never let you go back to Nathan. Hawke won’t let Nathan hurt you anymore.”

“Hawke will kill him.” Lily said matter of factly as she stared down at her hands. Allie nodded.

“Good. Problem solved.” Lily shook her head hard and looked over at her.

“You don’t understand. If Hawke kills him there are people in this town that will be more than happy to hang him. I couldn’t go on if something like that happened. Not even for the baby.” she added laying her hand over her stomach. Allie’s eyes widened.

“Baby?” she gasped. Lily nodded and smiled sadly.

“Yes.”

“But you and Hawke haven’t been together that long…” Allie covered her mouth with her hand as realization dawned on her.

“Does Hawke know?” she asked. Lily nodded.

“He says that he doesn’t care how the baby was made. As far as he is concerned the baby is his and he is going to be its father. But he can’t do that if he kills Nathan and is hanged from a tree!” she exclaimed.

“You have to calm down, Lily.” Allie scolded wiping tears from her sisters face. “It’s not good for the baby to get so tore up. Have you told Hawke about the divorce? Have you talked to him?” Lily shook her head.

“No.”

“Well you need to. He can’t take care of you if you don’t let him know what is wrong with you. He loves you, Lily, a lot if he’s willing to raise another mans child. You can’t keep all of this bottled up away from him.”

“I know. I’ll tell him tonight.” Lily promised. Allie nodded and stood up.

“You relax and I’ll go heat up some water for tea.”

Chapter Nineteen

“Probably wouldn’t hurt nothing if you bought another horse.” Jack said matter of factly as he rode behind Hawke on Trigger. Hawke silently agreed.

“So where we going huntin at? Are we gonna be there soon cuz we’ve been riding a while.” Hawke was all too aware that they had been riding awhile. Jack had talked nonstop for the first twenty minutes and had spent the next thirty whistling the most annoying tune that Hawke had ever heard.

“We are going to town.”

“But you told Lily you were going hunting.”

“Yes.”

“So you lied to Lily?”

“You don’t worry about it.”

“Yes sir.” Jack replied and went back to whistling. Hawke had never been so happy to see town as he was ten minutes later when they finally topped the hill and it came into view. Hawke jumped from the saddle and walked beside Trigger and Jack down into town.

Jack jumped down off of Trigger as Hawke pulled the horse to a stop beside the corral behind the livery.

“What are we doing?” Jack asked.

“Getting an extra horse for Allie and Lily.” Hawke replied scanning the assortment of horses for sale in the corral. He looked at Jack out of the corner of his eye and saw him scanning over them as well.

“I need to go talk to someone. I will let you pick the horse.” Hawke said turning away from the fence. Jack’s eyes widened.

“Are you sure?” he asked. Hawke nodded.

“You know a thing or two about horses?” Jack nodded enthusiastically.

“Heck yeah I do! I was raised up with horses. Course it takes money to take care of one so it’s been a few years since…” Hawke held up his hand to silence him.

“I trust you to pick a good horse for them.” he said. “I also want you to pick one for yourself.” Jack shook his head.

“Naw, I ain’t got no money, Hawke.” Jack said kicking at the dirt with his worn out boot. Hawke shrugged.

“Did I ask if you had money?” he said. “Pick two horses. One for the ladies and one for you. Get saddles and tackle too.” Hawke reached into his pocket, pulled out fifty dollars and handed it to Jack before walking away without giving Jack a chance to say anything else.

Jack looked down at the money in his hand and then up at Hawke’s retreating back. Two weeks ago Jack would have pocketed this money and took off. Fifty dollars was enough money for him to get a new set of clothes and food for a month….. Jack had often taken advantage of the kindness of strangers. He hadn’t been lying when he had said he had stolen things in his life and it wasn’t always food he had taken.

He had learned quick that for some reason most people liked and trusted him instantly and he had learned how to use that to get close enough to people to steal from them. He was a damn good thief so why then was he still standing here with Hawke’s fifty dollars? His every instinct was telling him to take the money and run. He shifted his feet, let out a long breath and stuffed the money deep in his pocket.

888

Hawke walked into the stage office and was relieved to see that Percy Jenkins was not working today. Greg looked up and then shook his head.

“Hawke, you know Percy doesn’t like you coming in here.” he said shuffling some papers on his desk. Hawke looked around the empty office and then back at Greg.

“Do I have any messages?” Greg nodded and ducked down behind the counter for several moments.

“You’re lucky this came while I was here because Percy probably would have thrown it away.” he said as he stood back straight and held out an envelope to Hawke. Hawke nodded as he grabbed the envelope and then he walked back out onto the boardwalk.

Hawke opened the letter and took a deep breath. It was the letter he had been waiting for. Nathan was in Helena and heading toward Great Valley on the stage tomorrow. That meant that in three days Nathan would die and Hawke would kill him.

Hawke had never murdered anyone in cold blood but for Lily he would do what he had to do. She would not be safe as long as Nathan still drew breath. Hawke folded the letter and stuffed it into his pocket. He would slip out secretly the day Nathan was to arrive. He would tell Lily he was going hunting and he would wait for the man at his cabin.

Hawke started the long walk back down to the livery thinking about how he was going to kill Nathan. He would have to take the body deep into the woods and bury it somewhere that no one would find it and Nathan Yeary would simply become one more person that lost his life to the elements and disappeared in this harsh, unforgiving land.

As Hawke approached the livery, he wondered if Jack would still be there or if he was already making a run for it with Hawke’s money. Hawke knew that testing the boy this way was not really fair and although Hawke liked him well enough, (despite the fact that he never seemed to stop talking) Hawke knew there was no way Jack could have lived all those years on his own and be as innocent as he seemed.

Hawke was worried that he had been right about Jack leaving when he did not see the boy right away as he rounded the corral but then he saw him coming around the barn leading Trigger and two other horses.

“Hey there, Hawke. I picked the palomino mare for Allie and Lily. I checked her out good and she seems awful gentle and she rides smooth. The buckskin gelding is for me. I’ll get your money back to you for him one day, I promise I will. Here’s your money that was left over.” Jack said holding out the fifteen dollars he had left from the horses and tackle.

Hawke stared hard at Jack for several long moments as Jack shifted his feet uncomfortably. Jack had the feeling he had been being tested without knowing it and now he was going to find out whether or not he had passed that test.

Finally Hawke reached out and took the money. He thumbed through the bills before handing three dollars back to Jack.

“What’s this for?” Jack asked. Hawke took the reigns away from him and pointed toward the mercantile.

“You cannot hunt with me with those boots.” Jack looked down at his foot and wiggled his toe that was beginning to poke out of the big hole in his boot.

“Why not?” he asked while rocking back on his heels and grinning over at Hawke. Hawke just shook his head.

“Everything in the forest would smell your feet and run for their lives.” he replied and Jack laughed loudly.

“How the heck do you do that, Hawke? You say the funniest darn things but you hardly ever crack a smile.” Hawke just shook his head.

“Go get some new boots. We have to get home soon.” Jack turned away from Hawke quickly and started across the road.

Home. Hawke had just said that his home was Jack’s home. It had been so long since Jack had had a home that he had forgotten what it felt like. Jack walked into the mercantile and looked around at all the barrels and shelves full of merchandise.

It wasn’t very often that he walked into a store with money to pay for whatever he walked out with.

Ed Hornsby’s guard went up as soon as he saw the boy walk in. He was wearing dirty, tattered clothes, a gun on his hip and his eyes were taking in every detail of the store.

“Can I help you?” Ed asked.

“My names, Jack.” the boy said with a friendly smile as he walked up to the counter and held out his hand. “I need me a new pair of boots.” Ed shook his hand and felt a little more at ease.

“Well come on with me.” he said walking around the counter. “I got some boots over in this back corner.”

It only took about five minutes to find a pair of dark brown boots that fit Jack. He followed Ed back up to the counter and as Ed made marks in a book to document the sale Jack’s eyes fell on some cinnamon candy in a barrel beside of him. He knew he didn’t have the money to buy any but the damn stuff was just sitting there and there was a whole barrel of it. He knew Allie would love to have some and surely the store keep wouldn’t miss just a handful.

Jack handed Ed the three dollars to buy the boots and while the store keep was busy putting the money away Jack grabbed a handful of the candy and stuffed it in his pocket.

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Hawke caught sight of Doc Mason walking down the road as he stood outside the livery waiting on Jack.

“Doc!” he called out and Doc Mason walked over.

“Got yourself some new horses?” Doc asked. Hawke nodded and patted the buckskins neck.

“I needed a couple new ones.”

“Yeah, you’re getting yourself a big old family now aren’t you?” Doc asked with a smile. Hawke nodded and Doc saw the happiness in his eyes.

“How is Lily?” Doc Mason asked.

“She is okay. The sickness is finally beginning to pass.” Doc nodded.

“That’s good.”

“Where is your lawyer friend? He was supposed to be here days ago.” Hawke asked. Doc raised a thick gray brow.

“Didn’t Lily tell you about the talk we had the day Allie arrived?” Hawke shook his head and his eyes narrowed.

“No she did not. But she will as soon as I get home.” Before Doc could say anything else their attention was drawn to the mercantile as shouts rang out.

“Get back here you damn thief!” They heard Ed Hornsby yell. Jack came running out of the mercantile with Ed on his heels. Deputy Franks had been walking down the road and Jack ran straight into his chest.

“What’s going on?” Franks asked.

“The boys a thief.” Ed replied huffing from the short run.

“A thief huh?” Franks asked. Jack fought against him but Franks held him tight. Hawke walked over and crossed his arms over his broad chest.

“What happened?” he asked looking straight at Jack. Jack’s face reddened with shame and he wouldn’t meet Hawke’s eyes.

“Is he with you?” Ed asked Hawke. Hawke nodded slowly.

“Yes he is with me. What did he do?”

“Figures he’s with you…” Hawke held up his hand and Franks mouth snapped shut.

“Jack, what happened?” Hawke asked again. Jack looked up at Hawke and flinched at the disappointed look in his eyes. In five years Jack had not had a single person care about what he did and he was overcome with guilt that he had let down Hawke. A man he was coming to like and respect very much. A man he had not wanted to disappoint.

“I took some candy.” he replied quietly. “I didn’t even think about what I was doing. I just thought that Allie would like it.” Hawke stared hard at him for several moments and then looked over at Ed.

“How much does he owe for the candy?”

“Fifty cents.” Ed replied. Hawke reached in his pocket and pulled out a dollars worth of coins.

“That should cover the candy.” Ed took the money and then sighed.

“Let him go Deputy Franks.”

“But he’s a thief.” Franks replied, eager to show Hawke Owen that he was the boss in this town.

“There wasn’t anything stolen now. I got the money for it in my hands.” Ed replied.

“Let him go, Franks. Ed’s got the money.” Doc Mason added as he walked up. Franks mumbled under his breath and released Jack.

“You steal again in my town and you’ll pay the price.” he warned the boy. Jack nodded and then looked up at Hawke.

“Thanks Hawke.” he said pulling off his hat and running his hand through his hair. Hawke just shook his head and turned and walked away giving Jack no choice but to chase after his heels.

Chapter Twenty

The ride back to the cabin was silent and tense. Jack wanted to say something but wasn’t sure what to say. He knew that taking the candy had been stupid but five years of habit was hard to break.  And then Hawke had stuck up for him. Hawke could have let the deputy lock him up but he hadn’t.

They were nearly home when Hawke finally spoke and his deep voice was hard and angry.

“I do not have many friends, Jack, and you just stole from one of them and put me in an uncomfortable situation.”

“I’m sorry, sir.” Jack replied while picking at his buckskins mane.

“You are a good kid, Jack. You talk too much but you are hardworking and kind and those are important qualities in a man but the most important qualities as far as I am concerned are honesty and trustworthiness.”

“Yes sir.” Jack replied and he feared that at any moment his head was going to turn into a giant donkey’s ass.

“This family has to be able to count on you to do the right things. I trust that from now on you’ll think before you act so stupidly.”

“Yes sir. I promise you I won’t steal nothing never again. You can trust me, Hawke. I promise you that.” Jack said earnestly. Hawke just looked out over the forest and nodded.

“Lily and Allie do not need to know about what happened.” he said knowing that that would only embarrass the boy more. He had faith that Jack was a good kid and that he would change his ways.

“Thanks.” Jack said as his respect for Hawke grew. Jack wondered what his life would have been like if he had had a father like Hawke instead of the drunk, whore hopping, son of a bitch that he had been raised by.

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“The new horses are beautiful!” Lily exclaimed. Hawke tilted his head toward Jack.

“He picked them.” Allie smiled over at Jack and again he was struck with guilt for how he had acted and with gratitude for Hawke’s forgiveness. Hawke could have very easily told him to get lost.

“It looks like you did a good job.” she said.

“Maybe we could go for a ride later.” Jack replied. “You could ride the palomino and see what you think about her.”

“I would like that.” Allie replied as her cheeks reddened. Hawke looked over at Lily. He could tell that she had been crying today and Doc’s words came back to him

“You and I are going for a walk.” he said holding his hand out for her. Lily nodded and placed her hand in his. She needed to tell him about Nathan and the divorce and she wanted to do that in private.

“Put the horses away.” Hawke said to Jack and Jack nodded and quickly began walking the horses to the barn. Wolf stood and began to follow Hawke but Hawke stopped and shook his head.

“Wolf, stay.” he said and wolf stopped in his tracks. Hawke pointed to Allie who was watching Jack struggle to lead all three horses at once. “Protect.” Wolf walked over to Allie and sat down next to her on high alert.

“I think that you have something to tell me.” Hawke said as he and Lily sat on the rocks beside the lake and looked out over the water. Lily sighed and looked down at her hands that were folded in her lap.

“I should have told you already, I just didn’t want you to worry.”

“And you think keeping secrets from me will make me worry less?” Hawke asked as he tossed a rock into the water, causing hundreds of ripples to dance in the sunlight.

“I can’t divorce Nathan as simply as we thought.” Lily said quietly. “Doc said that he has to agree to it and sign the papers as well. I’m supposed to let doc know when Nathan sends you word so that his friend can start on his way here.” Lily looked over at Hawke’s face but he was too good at masking his emotions for her to be able to tell what he was thinking.

Hawke knew that he should tell Lily that Nathan was on his way but the poor woman was nervous enough. She had clearly been crying all day and all of that stress was not good for her or for the baby. If Hawke played this right he could kill Nathan before Lily even knew he was back and tell her afterward. Lily was his woman and it was his job to protect her. Protect her from hurt and from pain. Protect her from anything that caused her worry or stress. He would kill Nathan for her because it was what must be done. Hawke knew he would do anything for this woman. Even death would not be asking too much.

“Everything will work out, naakiiwa. I promise you this.” Lily shook her head at the calm confidence in his voice. She leaned against him as he slipped his arm around her shoulders.

“How can you be so sure?” she whispered. Hawke put a finger beneath her chin and tilted her head so that she was looking up at him.

“Because I am here now and as long as there is breath in my lungs and blood in my veins no one will ever hurt you again.” he vowed. Lily felt her breath catch in her chest as he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her long and slow until the very rocks beneath them seemed to be spinning.

“I want to make love to you, naakiiwa. “ Hawke moaned as he pulled her into his lap. Lily wrapped her legs around his waist and looked around the forest.

“Right here?” she asked with wide eyes. Hawke nodded.

“Yes.” he said and his green eyes flashing with that intensity that turned her blood to liquid fire.

“Are we alone?” she asked biting her lip. Hawke didn’t even look around as he nodded.

“Yes.”

“What about Allie and Jack? We left them alone.” Hawke smiled and pressed his lips to her ear.

“They will be fine.”

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“I thought you were going hunting?” Allie asked as she and Jack sat together on the log bench Hawke had made from the leftover lumber from the cabin. Jack shrugged.

“Hawke decided we needed horses worse I guess.” he replied. “I got ya something in town.” Jack said reaching into his pocket and pulling out some of the candy. He figured there wasn’t any point in letting it go to waste and he had stolen it for her. Allie’s eyes lit up.

“Thank you!” she said.

“It’s your favorite right?” Jack asked. Allie blushed and nodded.

“I can’t believe you remembered that.” she said. “I didn’t even realize you were paying attention to me while I was talking on that stage.” Jack turned and smoothed some of the dark hair from her face.

“I always pay attention when you talk, doll.” he replied. Allie felt her heart skip a beat as his eyes locked with hers.

Jack wiped his sweaty palms on his pants and swallowed hard. He wondered if it was possible to die from being too nervous.

’ Come on Jack.. You’ve kissed girls before. Just do it already.’ An impatient voice inside his head urged. The problem was that Jack had never kissed a girl like Allie before. She was different, special, and he was afraid of screwing this up.

“Kiss me, Jack.” she whispered nervously and Jacks own doubts vanished. He closed his eyes and leaned toward her with his heart pounding in his chest. Then he felt his mouth against her hairy lips…. Hairy lips? His eyes flew open and there was wolf. He had shoved himself between them on the bench.

“Move it you damned flea ridden beast!” Jack said impatiently as he tried to shove him away but Wolf just wiggled himself further between them. Jack fought the urge to punch the critter right in the nose and stood up. He held his hand out for Allie and she happily reached out to take it but Wolf began to growl low in his throat.

“Wolf, down.” Jack said nervously as he took several steps toward Allie. Wolf jumped from the bench and crouched in front of Jack with his hackles raised and his teeth bared.

“What is the matter with you, Wolf?” Jack demanded. Allie covered her mouth to hide her smile as the realization dawned on her.

“Hawke told him to protect me.” she said. Jack took several steps back as Wolf advanced on him.

“Surely Hawke didn’t mean from me.” he said.

“I think he may have.” Allie replied. Jack swallowed hard as his back hit the solid wall of the cabin behind him and he could no longer back up. Wolf stopped about two feet away and stood there on guard and growling low in his throat as his golden eyes stayed locked on Jack’s face.

“Call him off.” Jack said as images of what would happen if the giant beast suddenly lunged at him with those huge white teeth aimed for his throat flashed through his mind.

“I can’t.” Allie said as she grabbed Wolf around the middle and tried to pull him back. Wolf dug his claws into the soft ground and remained as hard and unmovable as a giant boulder. “He only listens to Hawke.” Jack quickly wiped the sweat from his upper lip and looked in the direction of the lake path, hoping that Hawke would be there, but he wasn’t.

888

Hawke was just sliding off Lily’s under garments from beneath her dress when Jack’s yells reached their ears.

“Hawke!” he yelled, his voice full of panic. “Hawke dammit get your damn wolf off of me or I’m gonna shoot the ugly critter!” Hawke growled under his breath and pushed Lily’s undergarments back up.

“Do you think Wolf is really attacking him?” Lily asked with concern as Hawke helped her to her feet. He shook his head.

“If Wolf truly attacked him he would already be dead.” he said simply. Lily’s eyes widened.

“Hawke, I ain’t jokin! I’m gonna put a bullet in his stinking hide!” Hawke took Lily’s hand in his and they started back down the path. Hawke couldn’t help but laugh when they walked into the clearing and he saw that Wolf had Jack cornered up against the cabin while Allie tried to coax the animal away with sticks of cinnamon candy.

“The first time I hear the man laugh and it’s because he thinks it’s funny that his pet is trying to kill me.” Jack said irritably.

“Wolf is not my pet and if he wanted you dead you would already be lying on the ground without your throat.”

“Yeah, well can you call him off please.” Jack demanded.

“Wolf, come.” Hawke said unable to keep the smile off his face. Wolf relaxed instantly and walked over to Hawke.

“You can stop looking so darn entertained.” Jack said matter of factly as he swiped his shirt sleeve across his face to clean the sweat.

“There is only one reason that Wolf would have come at you.” Hawke said his face suddenly losing its amused appearance and becoming serious. Jack shifted his feet and was suddenly one hundred times more afraid than he had been just moments before facing down an angry wolf. An angry Hawke was definitely a lot more terrifying.

“Leave the boy alone.” Lily said gently, while nudging Hawke’s arm with her elbow. She could see how embarrassed Allie was becoming and she knew that Hawke wasn’t really angry… He was just entertaining himself by making Jack squirm.

“Let’s go on in the house. Allie and I have supper ready.” Lily added and Jack’s mind was instantly on food and he started quickly for the cabin.

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“Are these for me?” Jack asked two days later as Lily held out an armful of folded clothes.

“Of course they’re for you.” she replied with a smile. “I sewed them for you.. If they don’t fit I can alter them. It’s only two pairs of pants and two shirts but I can make you more.” Jack laughed and threw his arms around Lily’s neck, hugging her tight.

“Thank you.” he said. Nobody had made him clothes since his mother had died and he was surprised by just how much the simple gesture touched him.

“You’re welcome.” Lily said feeling emotion rise in her own throat at his gratitude. She had known from the moment she had met him that he was a good boy who just needed someone to care about him and so she was doing all she could to make him feel welcome and wanted in their family.

“Give me your vest Jack and I’ll fix your button for you.” Allie said from where she was sitting on the sofa.

“Thank you, doll.” Jack replied undoing the two good buttons on his vest and shrugging out of it. His and Allie’s hands brushed as she took the vest from him and they both blushed and quickly looked away from one another.

“Well I’m gonna go to my room and change into my new duds.” Jack walked back to his newly finished bedroom. “It sure feels nice to have my own bedroom after years of sleeping on the streets and in the barn.” he added as he shut the door.

Hawke stood from the kitchen table and pressed a gentle kiss to Lily’s forehead before walking toward their bedroom.

“Where are you going?” Lily asked.

“Bed.” Hawke replied.

“It’s barely passed sunset.” Allie said as she looked through a jar full of buttons for one that would match Jack’s vest.

“I am leaving at sunrise tomorrow and spending the day out hunting.” Hawke replied.

“Take Jack with you.” Lily said. “He needs to learn how to hunt.” Hawke nodded and then walked into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

“What’s wrong with him?” Allie asked as she threaded her needle in the lantern light. Lily shrugged and looked at the closed bedroom door. Hawke had been on edge and tense all day but she had no idea why… He was probably just getting tired of waiting on word from Nathan. Lily prayed that Nathan hadn’t forgotten to send word. She did not want to think about what would happen if he showed up unannounced

Chapter Twenty-One

Hawke awoke before dawn the next morning and slipped silently out of the bed without waking Lily. He pulled on his clothes and strapped on his knives before walking out of the bedroom. His footsteps did not make a sound as he went into Jacks room and stood over the boys bed.

He clamped his hand over Jacks’ mouth and Jacks eyes flew open and in the blink of an eye the barrel of his revolver was pressed into Hawke’s temple. Hawke nodded approvingly and Jack rolled his eyes and sat his gun back down on the bed when he recognized him. Hawke removed his hand and Jack sat up quickly.

“What was that all about?” Jack demanded. Hawke narrowed his eyes.

“Quiet.” he said. “We don’t want to wake the ladies.” Jack looked out the window and saw that it was still dark.

“What are you doing?” he whispered much more quietly.

“I am going to go kill Nathan. He is arriving today and I am going to be waiting at his home. I am taking Wolf with me and you are to stay here at the cabin and look out for the woman.” Jack just nodded. He had known since the day he had arrived that this day was coming. There were some things that a man just could not forgive another man for and he reckoned that Nathan had crossed that line with Hawke.

“You can count on me, Hawke.” he replied. Hawke nodded.

“I know I can.” Without another word Hawke turned and left the room. Jack never heard a single sound to signal that Hawke had left the cabin but when he rose from his bed and looked out the window he could see the man slipping silently into the woods with Wolf right beside him.

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The smell of dead livestock hung heavy in the air around the cabin and Wolf looked around warily. Hawke walked into the cabin and Wolf stopped in the doorway and whined.

“Wolf, come.” Hawke said sternly and Wolf only hesitated a second longer before walking into the cabin. Hawke walked to the kitchen table where Nathan’s coffee still sat cold and forgotten in its stained ceramic cup. Hawke felt his blood boil anew as fresh anger surged through his veins at the sight of the dried black stain on the wooden floor beside the table.

An image of Lily covered in blood and half dead while she lay curled up in the bed the day Nathan had left flashed through his mind and he clenched his fists. He sat down at the table and prepared himself for the long wait.

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It was around noon when the stage finally pulled into Great Valley Nathan stepped down onto the boardwalk and stretched out his legs. He thought momentarily about going to the café in town for some lunch but it had been one long month since he had felt Lily’s soft body beneath his own and he was eager to get home and have her in their bed.

He was about to walk down to the livery, where he had left his horse stabled while he had been gone when a voice called out behind him.

“Nathan.” Nathan turned and saw the stage office owner Percy Jenkins motioning for him. Nathan forced a smile onto his face and walked over.

“What do you need Percy? I’m eager to get home to my wife.” Percy nodded.

“I was wanting to talk to you about your wife.” Nathan felt his defenses raise.

“What about her?” he asked. Percy motioned for Nathan to follow him inside and he did.

“I hate to have to be the one to tell you this but your wife is not at home” Percy said while fighting to hide his satisfied smirk. He had finally found a way to put that stupid savage Hawke in his place.

“Where is she?” Nathan demanded. He felt a moment of panic and wondered if maybe he had beaten her too hard the last time and had killed her.

“You asked for it to happen really.” Percy said shuffling some papers on his desk. “I mean leaving that lawless savage to look out for her.”

“Hawke? What did he do?” Nathan asked as anger began to set in. He would kill that good for nothing animal if he harmed a single hair on Lily’s ignorant head. Percy shook his head sadly.

“He stole your woman, friend.” he replied. “She’s been living with him since you left and he’s even had her dressed up like a savage.” Nathan saw red.

“Living with him?” he yelled as spit flew from his lips. Percy was taken aback for a moment at the transformation that had come over the mans face. Gone was the boyish looking good natured man. His face was now contorted and ugly with rage.

“I just thought you had a right to know.” Percy said matter of factly. Nathan did not say another word to Percy before he turned and stormed from the stage office. How could his wife and his friend do this to him? Of course he should not be surprised. He should have known better than to trust a savage and a slut. He would teach them what happened when you betrayed Nathan Yeary. No one who had done so in the past had lived to talk about it.

“I need a gun.” Nathan snapped as he walked into the gunsmith shop. The store keep nodded.

“Revolver or rifle?” he asked.

“That one.” Nathan said pointing to a large six shooter hanging on the wall.

“This here’s a .45 long Colt. It’s a good gun for bears.” he said pulling the gun down from the wall. Nathan tested the weight of the gun in his hands and smiled.

“This will be perfect.” he said.

“Do you need ammo as well?” Nathan nodded and paid the man for both before walking from the shop. He took the time to load the gun and then stuck it in the waistband of his black traveling suit pants and walked to the livery to get his horse.

He would ride to Hawke’s cabin and he would make both of them pay for the betrayal and the humiliation they had caused him… Everyone in town was probably laughing about the fact that Lily had left him for someone no better than an animal. Once Nathan was done with Lily and Hawke today, he would be the only one laughing.

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“I never knew a gun had so many parts.” Allie said as Jack took his gun apart so he could clean it thoroughly.

“Come sit next to me doll and I’ll tell you what they all are.” he replied, smiling broadly and patting the seat next to him at the table. Allie looked over at Lily who nodded and laughed lightly.

“Go ahead.” she said. “I think I can handle baking the pies by myself.” Allie wiped her hands on her apron and sat down next to Jack. Lily looked over at her sister and Jack and smiled. They really were a cute couple. Both of them animated and full of life.

Her mind turned to Hawke and then to Nathan and suddenly her good mood was gone. Why hadn’t they heard from Nathan yet? The silence was making Hawke even more protective than usual and he hadn’t even taken Jack hunting because he had wanted Jack to stay at the cabin and keep an eye on her and Allie. Lily laid her hand on her belly and tried to focus only on positive thoughts instead of negative.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts and Lily wondered who could be here. Hawke did not get many visitors. She wiped her hands on her apron and walked toward the door.

“Lily wait…..” Jack started but it was too late. Lily threw him a questioning look as she swung open the door. She let out a scream when she recognized Nathan’s angry face and then her world went black as she felt something hard crash against her temple.

Jack and Allie both jumped up from the table as Nathan stuck his gun back in the waistband of his pants and looked down at his wife’s crumpled form lying at his feet.

“Lily!” Allie screamed as she started around the table.

“Allie no!” Jack yelled and he tried to grab her arm but she twisted out of his grasp and dropped to her knees beside of her sister.

“Lily wake up. Lily!” she exclaimed while shaking her older sister gently.

“I believe she’s asleep, little Allie.” Nathan said with a sneer. He reached down and grabbed her by her upper arm squeezing tightly and sending pain shooting down to her fingers. “I’ve been wanting to get my hands on you for months.” he added.

“Nathan.” Allie gasped, her eyes widening with horror. Jack looked down at his gun lying useless and disassembled on the table and then back at Allie and Nathan.

“Let go of her.” Jack said trying to keep the panic that he was feeling out of his voice. Nathan turned Allie in his arms and pressed her back against his chest while closing one big hand around her throat. Allie’s dark eyes locked with Jack’s and pleaded with him to save her as he looked on helplessly.

“No I think I will take her and my good for nothing wife with me.” Nathan replied with a cold smile that did not reach his eyes. “Too bad Hawke isn’t here. I guess I’ll just have to settle for stealing Lily back.. Make sure to let him know that I am going to kill her VERY slowly for letting him touch her.”

“You’re not taking either one of them anywhere.” Jack replied taking a step toward him. Nathan used his free hand to pull a knife from a hook on his belt and he pressed the cold steel blade against Allie’s pale cheek, freezing Jack in his tracks.

“Don’t hurt her.” he pleaded.

“Jack, help me.” Allie begged as large tear drops fell silently from her big eyes.

“Please don’t hurt her.” Jack begged again as tears of helplessness filled his own eyes.

Nathan grinned an evil grin and pressed the knife blade harder into Allie’s cheek causing her to scream with pain and fear as blood trickled down her face.

“It will be so much fun to kill you and I cannot think of a better way to make your slut of a sister pay for her unfaithfulness.” Jack saw red at the sight of Allie’s blood. He did not even have time to think about what he was doing as he launched himself across the table.

Nathan dropped the knife and pulled his gun. The sound of the shot mingled with Allie’s screams as they both filled the cabin. The force of the bullet knocked Jack backward and he struck his head hard on the corner of the table before falling unconscious to the floor.

“Jack!” Allie screamed and she struggled to get out of Nathan’s vice like grip.

“Shut-up.” Nathan spat as he pressed the gun against her temple. Allie bit her lip to keep from crying out in fear. “Now be a good little girl and I might let you and your sister live just a little longer.”

“Where are you taking us?” Allie asked, closing her eyes so she could no longer see the blood covering Jack’s shirt.

“We’re going back into town and taking a stage out of Great Valley.”

“You’ll never get Lily away from Hawke.” Allie said much more bravely then she felt. “He will hunt you down and slit your throat while you’re sleeping.”

“Tsk. Tsk. Such ugly words out of such a pretty girl. It won’t do him any good to come after your sister if she is already dead and if you keep talking I will kill her. Now it looks like I’ll have to carry her fat worthless ass out of here because of course she is being lazy and won’t wake up.” Allie realized in that moment that not only was Nathan mean but he seemed to be a little crazy.

“You better follow me like a good girl, Allie, or I swear to you I will stick my knife straight into your sister’s black heart. Do you understand?” Allie nodded quickly and prayed that Hawke would come back and save them before it was too late for her and Lily. She tried to not even think about Jack as Nathan led her away with Lily in his arms.

Chapter Twenty-Two

For the third time in the last hour the feeling that something was not right came over Hawke. It was early afternoon and just after two and he could not shake the feeling that something was wrong at home. Wolf was just as restless and uneasy as he was and Hawke had learned to listen to his instincts.

Nathan was not coming. He did not know why but he knew that he could sit here all night and he would not see the man. Maybe someone had stopped Nathan in town and told him about he and Lily or maybe Nathan had decided to stop and visit with him before coming home.

Hawke jumped to his feet with a curse and ran from the house. He did not have Trigger with him and so he took off at a fast sprint through the woods with Wolf running beside him. He hoped he was wrong and that Nathan had simply not arrived today…

Hawke never made mistakes and to think that he may have made one today by leaving Lily at the house with only Jack for protection made him sick. If he lost Lily…

He forced those thoughts from his mind and simply ran as fast as he could, ignoring the burning in his lungs and the pain deep in his chest.

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Jack moaned and brought his hand to his head wincing when he felt pain and blood. He forced himself into a sitting position and looked down at the bullet hole in his shoulder. This was his first time getting shot and he was surprised that it did not hurt worse.

What hurt the most was his damn head. He tried to remember how he had ended up shot on the cabin floor.

“Allie?…..Lily?…. Hawke?…. Wolf?” Jack called out for everyone becoming more worried with the sound of each name going unanswered. He closed his eyes and thought back and suddenly the image of Allie with Nathan’s knife pressed against her cheek flashed through his mind and he jumped to his feet.

He grabbed the edge of the table as his head spun. He tried to move his left arm and pain shot through him causing sweat to cover his upper lip and he wondered if maybe the bullet had broken his shoulder. He looked over his shoulder and saw that the bullet had come out the back as well. He knew he had been out for a long time because the blood was already clotting.

He walked over to the window and ripped down the bright yellow curtain. Using his good arm and his teeth he tied up his left arm into a sling and then had to lean against the wall until his ragged breathing calmed and his head stopped spinning.

He had to get to town. He didn’t know how to get to Nathan’s house to go to Hawke for help and Jack knew that he had to save Allie and Lily. Hawke had trusted him to keep them safe and now Nathan had them. Jack had always been a screw up but dammit he had wanted to get this right! He could still see the way Allie’s eyes had pleaded with him to save her as he had looked on helplessly.

Jack put his gun back together as quickly as he could with his bloody hands slipping on the cold metal and stuck it in the holster on his belt. He walked out to the barn and found that the palomino was gone. He hoped Nathan had taken the ladies to town and that they would still be there.

If something happened to Allie…. Jack did not want to think about losing the family that he had just found. Life would be cold without Lily’s warm, almost motherly, gestures and Allie’s shy smiles. He would NOT let this son of a bitch Nathan take his new family away from him.

Jack couldn’t saddle his buckskin with one arm so he climbed up on the stall gate and threw his leg across the geldings bare back. He bent over the horses neck and clung tight to his mane as he headed into the woods.

888

Wolf could smell the bad smelling mans scent in the air as he and the alpha approached the alpha’s cabin. Wolf growled low in his throat. The man’s scent was fading and the man was no longer here. Wherever he had gone he had taken the female and the small female with him.

Wolf could also smell the scent of the loud ones blood. His scent was stronger than the bad mans but he too was gone.

“Lily!” the alpha yelled loudly as they ran toward the cabin. Wolf knew that he was calling for his female. He often called her Lily. Wolf was surprised by the loudness of the alpha’s voice. He had never heard him speak that loudly before.

“Lily!” The alpha yelled again. Wolf sat down in the grass and whined, trying to let the alpha know that his female was no longer here. She was gone with the bad man. But the alpha was nearly in a panic as he threw open the cabin door and ran inside.

888

“Lily! Allie! Jack!” Hawke called out as he entered the silent cabin. Rolled out pie dough covered the countertop in the kitchen and blood covered the floor behind the table. Hawke felt panic in its purest form rise within him. That son of a bitch had his family and judging by the amount of blood on the floor one of them was hurt bad.

Hawke wondered how Nathan had managed to get past Jack’s revolver and control all three of them at once but now was not the time to think about all the different scenarios. Now was the time to find them and save the only three people in the world that he truly cared about.

He went quickly to the bedroom and grabbed his rifle from against the wall. He strapped the sling to his back and walked back outside. He saddled Trigger quickly and jumped on his back.

“Wolf.” he said as he rode the gelding back out of the barn. Wolf stood at attention. His golden eyes were flashing with just as much intensity as his masters. “Find Lily.”

888

Lily could hear men arguing as she regained consciousness. Her head was pounding and sunlight was shining against her closed eyes. She opened them slowly, barely more than a crack and looked around the dusty room she was in. She recognized the stage office and she was lying directly beside one of the windows and the late afternoon sunlight was shining on her face.

“I need a stage out of Great Valley!” Nathan’s angry voice rang out. Lily opened her eyes wider and looked toward the front of the building where she could see Nathan and Percy arguing.

“There isn’t anything coming in until tomorrow.” Percy replied and Lily realized that the man was scared. She blinked several times to focus her blurry eyes and realized that Nathan had a gun drawn and was pointing it at Percy’s chest.

“I can’t stay here until morning. I killed a man and I have to get out of here with my wife and sister in law.” Nathan replied with rage as his face contorted with that anger that was so familiar and so terrifying to Lily. But who had he killed? Lily looked to her left and saw Allie sitting there on a bench. Her face was pale, her hair was a mess and she was chewing on her lip and staring down at her folded hands in her lap. Her eyes were swollen and red and her cheeks were soaked with tears and blood.

Lily looked around for Jack but he was no where to be seen. She sent up a silent prayer that he wasn’t who Nathan had killed. Jack was a kid and hadn’t even had a chance at life yet. The thought of never again hearing his constant rambling or seeing his wide dimpled smile made her heart break, not only for herself but for Allie as well. Lily knew that her sister was as in love with Jack as a thirteen year old girl could be.

“You mean you actually killed Hawke?” Percy asked with disbelief. Percy was beginning to think that he had made a mistake by telling Nathan about Hawke and Lily. Nathan had shown up here with Lily unconscious with a nasty bump on her head and Allie with a bloody cut down her cheek and now he was waving a gun around at Percy himself and demanding a stage out of town.

“Get me a stage!” Nathan spat, his grip in the gun becoming tighter. Percy swallowed hard.

“There is none until the morning. You’ll just have to leave on horseback.” he replied. Nathan knew he could not do that. He needed the protection of the stage for when Hawke caught up to him. Not only that but Nathan would have a hard time controlling both Lily and Allie on horseback.

“I thought you were my friend.” Nathan said with disappointment. Percy nodded.

“I am your friend. You can stay here until the stage comes tomorrow.” he said. Nathan shook his head.

“Friends are worthless. Friends who do not help another friend in need deserve to die. Don’t you agree?”

“Nathan don’t!” Lily called out and everyone in the room turned to look at her.

“You’re awake.” Nathan said with a cold smile. “Let me show you what I plan on doing to your precious savage when he is finally dumb enough to show himself.” Without another word Nathan pulled the trigger of the gun in his hand and the sound of the shot echoed off the walls of the tiny building. Lily and Allie both screamed as Percy fell to the floor with blood spurting from the hole in his chest.

“That’s what happens to people who betray me, little Lily.” Nathan said walking toward her. She pulled herself up off the floor and put herself in between Nathan and her sister.

“Seems we have until morning before a stage comes ladies. What do you say we have a little fun?” Nathan saw the familiar look of disgust come across his wife’s face and he laughed harshly.

“Don’t worry, Lily, the thought of touching your body makes me sick now that I know you have let that animal put his hands on you and little Allie is just a little too young for me. No I was thinking more along the lines of beginning your punishment.”

“Hawke is one hundred times the man you are and as soon as he gets here you are going to regret ever coming back to Great Valley.” Lily replied, squaring her shoulders and looking into his rage filled blue eyes.

“Is that so?” Nathan whispered, with disdain dripping from his words. He swung his hand out and caught Lily sharply across the face but instead of cowering to the floor like she had in the past, she stood back straight and locked eyes with him.

“It appears the savage gave you some spirit.” Nathan said finding himself growing hard in his pants at the sight of the fire in her eyes. That fire had been in her eyes the first few weeks of their marriage but had burned out quickly. Now it was back and it made him want her like he had never wanted her before.

“How about I just see if I can break that spirit again shall we?”

888

“What the hell is going on in there deputy?” Doc Mason demanded as he walked up to Deputy Franks who was leaning on the porch of the jail and looking over at the stage office. The streets had cleared fairly quickly at the sound of the gunshot.People who lived in these wild and untamed lands knew better than to try to get involved in a gunfight.

“Nathan went in there with his wife and her sister. I don’t know who’s shooting.”

“You’re the law in this town while the Marshall is away! Don’t you think you should go over there and save those women!” Doc demanded as he looked at the cowardly deputy. Franks shook his head.

“Far as I’m concerned it’s the simple case of a husband taking his wife and sister in law away from a man who was holding them prisoner.”

“That’s bullshit and you know it.” Doc spat. “Lily wanted to be with Hawke.”

“All the more reason for Nathan to punish her soundly. A wife should be obedient, respectful and faithful to her husband at all times and if she is not then he has a right to beat her for it.”

“Respect is something that has to be earned.” Doc said. “And as far as I’m concerned you don’t deserve an ounce of it.” Doc stormed away from Franks cursing himself for never learning how to use a gun. He knew how to patch up gunshot wounds but he didn’t know the first thing about causing them.

Just then his attention was drawn to a figure slumped over a horses neck as the horse walked into town. He ran over on his old legs and grabbed the horses mane to stop him.

“Get out of my way doc. Where the hell is that bastard with Lily and Allie?”

“Jack!” Doc said as he recognized the boy. He had a bad bloody welt on the side of his head and a bullet wound in his shoulder that was still seeping blood. His shirt, face and hands were covered in blood as he looked down at him.

“Where the hell is he doc because I’m gonna put a bullet straight between his eyes.”

“Jack, you aren’t in the shape to be trying to shoot anybody.” Doc replied as Jack swayed on the horses back and nearly fell off. “Come on off of there.” he added and tugged on Jack’s arm. The boy tumbled off the horse and landed in his arms.

“You don’t understand. I gotta save them.. Hawke trusted me.” Movement caught docs eye and he looked at the edge of town to see Hawke slipping through the shadows of the trees and making his way silently down the street jumping from building to building as quietly and secretly as a ghost with his big gray wolf by his side.

“Hawke is here, Jack. Everything is going to be fine.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

“Get off of my sister!” Allie yelled as she slammed her fists into Nathan’s back. Nathan let go of Lily who was lying broken and sobbing on the wooden floor. He threw Allie off his back and she flew backwards and hit her shoulder against a bench causing her to cry out in pain.

Nathan stood and redid his pants while he sneered down at Lily.

“Pull your dress down wife. You are showing too much leg.” he said with a chuckle and then he kicked her hard in the thigh and she let out a whimper before pulling her legs into her chest.

“Stop kicking her!” Allie screamed as Nathan brought his foot hard into Lily’s side. “You’re going to hurt the baby!” Nathan became as still as stone at her words and looked over at her.

“What baby?” he hissed. Lily sat up and wrapped her knees into her chest.

“Allie, be quiet.” she moaned through her swollen lips.

“What baby?” Nathan hissed again.

“The baby that she is pregnant with, you great big jackass.” Allie replied angrily. Nathan tapped his gun against his hand and turned his attention back to Lily.

“You let that good for nothing animal get you pregnant?” he demanded with disgust.

“It’s your…..” Allie stopped talking suddenly when a low growl filled the room. Everyone’s eyes flew to the door and Hawke was standing there seething with anger with Wolf by his side.

“You had better hope you did not hurt my child.” Hawke said in a voice that was so low and cold it sent shivers down even Lily’s spine. Nathan quickly grabbed Lily’s arm and yanked her to her feet. He held her in front of him like a shield and pressed his gun to her temple.

“If you or your pet so much as twitch, you damn savage, I’ll blow her good for nothing brains right out of her head.”

Hawke took in the situation and for the first time in his life he did not know what to do. He had no doubts that if he went for his knives, Nathan would kill Lily. His poor Lily. Her face was once again swollen and covered with bruises. Her dress was ripped and Hawke saw that Nathan’s pants were twisted and Hawke felt his blood seem to freeze and boil at the same time.

Nathan had forced his woman! He had stuck himself inside of her right here on the dirty floor of this dusty stage office and Hawke had not been here to protect her.

“Are you okay, naakiiwa ?” he asked, keeping his voice hard and emotion free. If Nathan knew the amount of fear and desperation that Hawke was feeling it would only make things worse.

“I am fine, ninaa . I love you.” Lily replied while a tear rolled down her cheek. She knew she was going to die and she wanted to make sure that Hawke knew how she felt.

“ Kitsiikakomimmo . You are my mosskitsipahyo .“ Hawke replied and then he narrowed his eyes and looked at Nathan.

“Let go of her and leave.” he said. Nathan laughed harshly.

“Yes and I guess you’re just going to let me leave here alive and well huh?” he asked and Hawke nodded. He would let Nathan live if the man would just give him Lily back. He would forget about revenge and payback if he could just have his arms around that woman again and have her safe and warm and back at home with him.

“Nice try.” Nathan said pushing the gun harder against Lily’s temple. Lily whimpered with pain and bit her lip to keep from crying out. Wolf started to lunge but Hawke grunted and he stopped in his tracks.

“You better keep that beast under control!” Nathan warned. “Now Lily and I are going to walk out of here, jump on my horse and ride out of town and you are going to be helpless to stop us because you are going to be dead.” Hawke prepared himself. The second Nathan pulled that gun away from Lily’s head he was going to send a knife flying straight into his skull.

“Hawke watch out!” Allie cried but it was too late. Deputy Franks brought the butt of his pistol down hard on the back of Hawke’s head and he went down hard. Wolf turn and lunged at the man, knocking him to the ground and tearing a chunk out of his arm.

Lily took advantage of the chaos of the moment and pulled Nathan’s knife from his belt before driving it deep into his thigh. Nathan screamed in pain and threw her to the ground while clutching at his leg. He pulled the knife out and tossed it to the side as blood quickly began soaking his pants leg.

“Why you stupid bitch!” he bellowed and he backhanded her hard across the face causing Wolf to jump away from Franks and lunge at him. Nathan pointed his gun at the beast and pulled the trigger and Wolf fell to the ground with a loud yelp of pain and landed in a motionless heap.

“Hawke!” Lily yelled as she ran to him and tried to shake him awake. Deputy Franks was crawling backward out of the stage office, trying desperately to get away without being killed.

“Lily help!” Allie screamed. Lily looked away from Hawke’s face and saw that Nathan had her sister pulled against him as a shield and was limping for the door with his gun pointed at her and Hawke.

“I’m leaving, Lily. Have fun with your savage.” he growled out, his voice full of pain.

“Allie no!” Lily cried and Nathan pressed the gun to Allie’s temple.

“Stay where you are.” he warned and Lily froze and watched helplessly as Nathan took her little sister out the door.

Jack saw Nathan limp out of the stage office with Allie held against him. He could see the fear on Allie’s face and the blood covering Nathan’s leg. Somewhere among all the screaming and gunshots, the man had gotten himself injured.

“Help!” Allie screamed. “Somebody help me!” Jack pulled away from doc Mason and walked slowly out into the road. His head was spinning and his arm was throbbing but he was NOT going to let this son of a bitch take away the one girl in this world that he loved.

“Let her go.” he stated as he stopped about ten feet away and took a wide legged stance with his hand inches from his gun. Nathan rolled his eyes. All he wanted was to leave. He didn’t care about Lily or Hawke or any of that anymore. He needed to leave and have his leg patched up and he never wanted to come back to this stupid town full of ignorant savages and idiots.

“Fine take her.” Nathan said and he threw Allie forward. While she was stumbling toward Jack, Nathan aimed his revolver at the boy but before he could pull the trigger Jack drew his own gun and fired a single shot into Nathan’s arm causing him to drop his gun. Nathan turned and ran then. He ran harder and faster than he had ever run before because he knew he was running for his life.

Jack slid his gun back into the leather holster just as Allie reached him and threw her arms around his neck. He ignored the pain in his shoulder and wrapped his good arm tight around her waist as he watched Nathan disappear into the woods.

“I can’t believe you’re alive! I thought he killed you back at the cabin, Jack! I was so scared!” she exclaimed. Jack kissed her hair and squeezed her more tightly.

“Naw, doll, it’d take more than a bullet in the shoulder and a bump on the head to kill me.”

888

“Where is Nathan?” Hawke demanded as he sat up suddenly. His head was pounding so badly that his vision was blurred and he couldn’t see clearly.

“I stabbed him and then he took Allie. Jack has Allie now and Jack shot him but he ran into the woods.”

“Wolf.” Hawke called and Lily shook her head sadly.

“He’s dead, Hawke.” she replied Hawke shook his head and looked at the beast lying on the floor. He saw the slow rise and fall of his chest.

“Wolf.” he said more sternly and Wolf slowly raised his head and looked at him before pulling himself to his feet. The bullet had gone into his back leg and he held it up high, keeping his weight off of it. Hawke shook his head trying to clear his vision while Wolf looked at him expectantly.

“Wolf, hunt and kill.” Hawke said and Lily would have sworn that Wolf nodded and grinned before running out the door.

Wolf could smell the bad ones scent in the air. He could smell his fear, his pain and his blood. Wolf ran quickly, ignoring his own pain. He would serve and protect the alpha and his pack no matter what pain he was in. He would give his last breath and his last drop of blood to protect for the two leggers. Because those crazy two leggers were his pack and the bad man had hurt all of them.

No one messed with Wolf’s pack and lived to talk about it. Hunt and kill. Wolf’s mouth watered as he imagined sinking his teeth deep into the bad one’s throat.

Wolf could hear him now and knew that he was getting close. The prey was breathing heavily and leaving a large blood trail. He was tiring and slowing and Wolf knew the hunt would end soon. He rounded a bend and there the pray was. The bad one turned and saw him and let out a scream as Wolf launched himself through the air and knocked him to the ground, sinking his teeth deep into his flesh.

Hunt and kill. That had been the order. Wolf jumped away from the bad ones dead body and shook out his fur. His leg was hurting badly and he turned and licked it several times before limping back towards town. Maybe the small female would give him some more of that sweet tasting candy.

888

Hawke, Lily, Allie, Jack, Deputy Franks and Doc Mason were all crammed into docs office as he went about patching them all up. He was sewing Jack’s shoulder, while Jack held tight to Allies hand and forced himself to smile despite the pain because he wanted to look tough, when Marshall Yale came bursting into the office.

“Does anyone want to explain to me exactly what the hell happened and why Percy Jenkins is laying dead at the stage office and the entire town has been shot all to hell?” he demanded loudly.

“I’ll tell you what happened, Marshall.” Deputy Franks exclaimed standing up and pointing to his now bandaged arm. “The damn savage was screwing Nathan Yeary’s wife and Nathan came back and was pissed of course. He was just trying to take his wife and sister in law out of here and the damn savage attacked him.”

“Why you lying son of a bitch!” Jack yelled as he jumped up and stalked toward Franks, dragging Allie along while doc tried desperately to follow him and keep from tearing his wound. He was going to defend the damn man he was starting to see as a father. “You know damn well that wasn’t what happened. That crazy ass Nathan came out to the cabin and shot me and kidnapped the women and Hawke came to save them!”

“Calm down.” Hawke said sternly from where he stood beside the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. Lily was sitting in a chair beside him and he had a look on his face that made it clear that he would kill anyone who tried to come near her.

“Yeah calm down.” Marshall Yale added. He turned to Lily.

“Did your husband do this to you?” he asked pointing to her bruised face and arms and her ripped dress. Lily nodded while Hawke growled.

“Yes sir.” she replied.

“Nathan came to the cabin like Jack said. He knocked Lily out and then he cut my cheek and shot Jack before bringing Lily and I into town. Percy and him got into an argument about there not being a stage to leave on today and Nathan shot Percy in the chest and then he started beating Lily and he…. He….” Allie’s voice broke and Jack wrapped his good arm around her waist and kissed her temple just before Hawke’s fist put a hole through Doc’s wall.

The Marshall was shocked by the sudden show of anger from the Indian. He liked Hawke. He respected Hawke and he knew that Hawke had better self control than anyone else he knew. If Hawke was losing his cool over this then Marshall Yale believed it to be true.

“What happened then?” he asked. Deputy Franks opened his mouth to speak but Marshall Yale held his hand up. “I want her to tell me.” he said pointing at Allie. Allie looked up at Jack with wide, scared eyes and he nodded.

“Go ahead, doll. Tell him everything that happened.”

“After Nathan finished….uh… you know…. Then he started kicking Lily and I begged him to stop so he wouldn’t hurt her baby. He was about to hurt her worse when Hawke and Wolf showed up. Nathan grabbed Lily then and put a gun to her head and told Hawke that if he or Wolf moved he would shoot her. Hawke tried to tell Nathan to just leave town and that’s when Deputy Frank’s came up behind Hawke and hit him in the head with his gun and knocked him unconscious.”

“Why you little!” Franks yelled and he went lunged for Allie but before he could reach her, Jack’s gun was pressed against his chest.

“Don’t even think about it, slick.” Jack warned.

“Put the gun down, boy. I’ll deal with the deputy in a minute.” Marshall Yale said and Jack slowly put his gun back in his holster.

“Then what happened.” Marshall Yale asked Allie.

“Wolf attacked deputy Franks and Lily pulled Nathan’s knife and stabbed him in the leg. He threw her down and Wolf lunged at him. He shot Wolf and Lily ran to Hawke who was still unconscious. That’s when Nathan grabbed me and dragged me out the door. Jack saw him and told him to let me go. Nathan shoved me forward and then went for his gun but Jack shot him in the arm. Nathan ran into the woods and a few moments later Wolf came out of the stage office and ran after him.That’s all of it. We all came down to docs after that.”

Marshall Yale stood there silently for several long moments processing what he had just heard. He couldn’t believe that a man he had trusted to protect his town had acted the way Franks had acted.

“Give me your badge, Franks.” Marshall said holding out his hand.

“What?” Franks demanded. “Arrest the savage! Or the boy for shooting Nathan! Or go after Nathan!”

“Nathan is dead.” Hawke cut in and the room full of people looked at the window to see Wolf standing there staring at them through the glass with blood coating his muzzle.

“I’m gonna kill that beast.” Franks said starting for the door. Marshall Yale shook his head.

“That beast is more of a hero than you are.” he replied. “You took an oath to protect and serve the people of this town and then you stood by and let something like this happen and when you did step in, you attacked one of the people you were supposed to be protecting. As far as I am concerned the guilty party in all of this is lying out in the woods dead and everyone else is free to go. Hawke and his family are free to go home and you Franks are free to give me your badge and get the hell out of my town.”

“Are you serious?” Franks demanded angrily.

“Dead serious.” Marshall Yale replied. Franks tore the star from his shirt and threw it at Marshall Yale’s chest.

“You go to hell Marshall. You savage loving son of a bitch.” Franks stormed from docs office and toward the livery to get his horse.

“Go on home you all. You’ve had a hell of a day.” Marshall Yale said. “I’ll get the undertaker to see to Nathan and Percy.” He tipped his hat at the ladies and then turned and left the office.

“Well I’ll tell you what, I ain’t never seen a day like today.. First damn time I’ve ever really shot somebody. I’ve never actually had to do that before.” Jack said happily as he looked down at his gun.

“How much morphine did you give him?” Hawke asked doc who just chuckled and shrugged.

“Let’s go home Hawke.” Lily said standing up. Hawke nodded and wrapped his arm tight around her. He looked over at Jack.

“Let’s go home.”

A/N: And that’s the end of ‘Savage Desires!’ Continue on to ‘Savage Intentions’ to read more of Hawke, Lily, Jack and Allie’s tale! 

A/N: Blackfoot translations

Naakiiwa-

my woman

Ninaa-

my man

Kitsiikakomimmo-

I love you

Mosskitsipahyo-

heart