White Wolf (28 page)

Spotting a large boulder, she gave in to the temptation to sit and soak up the wonderful cool breeze washing over her. After weeks of traveling across the hot, dusty, barren land of the Great Platte River Road, it was sheer heaven to be surrounded by the lush greenery and cool shade provided by the fifteen-foot-high ash trees that gave the six-mile-long plain known as Ash Hollow its name. Hearing the sound of a horse behind her, she put her hand on her whip and turned. She relaxed when she saw it was only Wolf.

“Tired, Jessica?” he asked, stopping his horse in front of her.

“Yeah, I am. That hill was unbelievable. My poor legs may never be the same.”

“You didn’t have to make all those trips back and forth to help, you know.” He glanced around. “Where’s your horse?” he asked.

Jessie grimaced and continued to work the tight muscles. “Rook’s got her. Are we stopping here for the night?”

“Just up ahead a bit farther. Come on, hop up behind me. Your brothers are bringing down the cattle.”

Too tired to argue, Jessie took his hand and placed her booted foot on his. She swung up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Giving in to the luxury of being so close to him, she laid her cheek against his shoulder. Wolf stiffened but didn’t say anything. Black Shadow picked his way through the picturesque wooded canyon. Content and happy, Jessie absorbed the beauty of the unexpected paradise. Surrounding them, white cliffs frowned down on them and fluffy clouds floated across the hazy blue backdrop like graceful swans on a pond.

Blue-gray sagebrush ran along the white sands and up the slopes of the bluffs, and everywhere she looked, there were beds of blooming flowers growing in wild profusion. But the most amazing and delightful sight of all was the splash of wild pink roses everywhere. She sniffed. The air was heavy with their sweet perfume. “It’s so beautiful, Wolf. Have you ever seen a more glorious sight? They should’ve named this place Rose Valley. I could stay here forever.” Wolf turned his head to answer. Suddenly only a mere breath separated their lips. Jessie and Wolf stared at each other, lost in the romance of their setting. The horse stopped with a snort and took advantage of the pause to nip at the tender green shoots growing along the trail.

Shifting in his saddle, Wolf tipped her chin up with his fingers. His thumb dipped into the shallow dent there. The blue of his eyes deepened. “I’m looking at a far more glorious sight. In your eyes I see the green of this valley, and here—” he stroked her lower lip “—are lips as soft as the pink rose petals.” He slid a finger between her lips. “And sweetness, Jess? Do you know what I taste when I kiss you? Honey. Sweet nectar.”

Jessie groaned when his lips brushed hers. His sweet, poetic words sent shivers of delight through her. They were unexpected, beautiful. Her heart pumped with the promise of his kisses. Her lips parted, eager, inviting, hungry.

Wolf accepted the invitation. His mouth was warm and soft as he kissed her with a passion that left her breathless. She was filled with dreamy intimacy when he thrust his tongue into her mouth. Her fingers tangled in his hair. She moaned in protest when he ended the kiss.
But when his mouth trailed downward, blazing a path of searing heat down her throat to the soft hollow where her heart pulsed with need, she tipped her head back, giving him full access.

“And here, my sweet Jess, pulses the sweet scent of your body: sunshine and morning dew, sweet innocence and wooded spice. You are the rose in this valley, my love. So potent are you, I want to say the hell with the consequences and take what you so willingly offer.”

“Oh, Wolf,” Jessie pleaded, staring into desire-laden gaze, “kiss me, like you did before.”

He stared into the dark jade of her eyes before crushing her to him. His mouth closed over hers, his tongue thrusting inside, finding no barriers, only welcome sweetness. Her passion matched his. Her tongue found his, and she took as much as she gave, demanding entrance to his mouth.

Back and forth they dueled, each seeking, retreating, thrusting. Their mating grew frantic. He pulled her across his lap, his hands roving the gentle curves of her body while his mouth loved hers. Her soft moans were music to his ears. Blood pooled and gathered in his groin. He pulsed with need. Damn the consequences. He had to have her.

She moaned. “Please, Wolf, don’t stop this time.”

The sound of her breathy voice brought him back to awareness of their surroundings. He didn’t want to stop, but now was not the time to… Cupping her face between his hands, he gave one last, lingering kiss, then lifted his head. His thumbs caressed her cheeks, following the trail of freckles across her nose. “I can’t deny myself or you any longer,” Wolf whispered, his voice hoarse with desire. “Tonight, sweet Jessica, I’ll come for you.”

She stroked his jaw. “Truly?”

He grabbed her fingers. “Be sure.”

Emotion filled her. “I’m sure.”

With a quick kiss, he moved her behind him once again. When they reached their camp, he helped her down. Before she walked away, he called her name softly. “Jess, be sure this is what you want. I can’t make promises, except that once we’re alone, there’ll be no turning back.” With that he kicked the horse into motion and returned to help James with the livestock.

Jessie finished putting away the pans and utensils she and Rook had used for the evening meal. A soft whine drew her attention. She glanced around and saw Sadie sitting beside the wagon, her tail wagging. Dropping to her knees, she scratched the dog behind her ears. “Where have you been, Sadie girl? I was getting worried about you.” Sadie’s response was to lick Jessie’s hand, then lift her muzzle to swipe her tongue across Jessie’s face. “All right. You’re forgiven. Just don’t disappear like that again.”

Sadie barked once, then stood, peering beneath the wagon. She barked again, this time softly. To Jessie’s surprise, Wahoska’s pale, furry body emerged from the shadows. He answered by licking Sadie behind her ears. Unbelievably, Sadie accepted Wahoska’s nuzzling. Jessie removed her hat and tossed it into the back of her wagon, but Sadie ignored it, preferring the wolf’s attentions.

Shaking her head, she grinned at the two animals. “You must have it bad, Sadie, to ignore my hat. About time the two of you patched up your differences.” She watched Sadie lift her muzzle to the wolf’s. “You’d better watch out, girl. He’s as unpredictable as his master, even if he does tolerate a collar.”

Wahoska turned from Sadie and barked, jumping up to plant his large forefeet on the back of the wagon. His nose pointed upward as he sniffed the air. Tail wagging, he turned his pale blue gaze onto Jessie. Jessie rolled her eyes. “I take it the pair of you are hungry?” Both animals answered with eager whines. “All right, here you go. Rook sure spoils the two of you.”

“Me, spoil them varmints? I’m jest keepin’ ’em from fightin’, that’s all,” he said, joining her. He stuck his pipe between his lips and glowered at the tails wagging in greeting.

Jessie ducked her head to hide her grin as she set two tins of fatty scraps on the ground. Glancing around, she saw that everything was neat and put away. There was nothing more for her to do, so she went to her wagon and unrolled her bedding under it. But it was too early to retire for the night. Leaning against the wagon, she crossed her arms in front of her and stared at the darkened sky. Stars twinkled, and the moon glowed. Around her, families readied themselves for bed. Nervous anticipation filled her.

Would Wolf really come? Could she go with him, knowing that at the end of the trail he’d leave her? Jessie sighed. Yes. Not only could she, she would. She’d take whatever he offered. She just wished she knew why he was so adamant that they had no future. Why was he so against taking her back with him? The thought of never seeing Wolf again left an ache deep in her heart.

But loving him meant she’d have to leave her brothers to go to his home. There in the quiet of the evening with the wind caressing her skin, she felt torn between love and family. True, the thought of leaving her brothers, of maybe never seeing them again, was hard to bear, but she’d found the man she loved and wanted for her husband. The man she wanted to father her children. To have what her dreams promised, she’d have to trade one family for the promise of another—leave one family to start a new one.

Jessie knew that given the choice, she’d gladly go with the man she loved, that this was what life was about. She belonged with Wolf. Jordan had Coralie, and if she weren’t mistaken, James was sweet on Eirica. Soon her brothers would each be engrossed in their own lives, as she should be. Somehow she had to find a way to convince Wolf that this was the way of things. They belonged together. She frowned. He’d spoken of duty. But duty to what? She couldn’t fight an enemy she didn’t understand. And somehow, deep inside, she knew that this was the key.

Rook’s tuneless whistling drew her attention. He sat before a fire, whittling as he did each evening. Her eyes narrowed. Rook knew Wolf better than anyone. With purposeful strides, she headed for the fire. She sat across from him, elbows on knees, chin resting on her fisted hands as she tried to find a way to broach the subject.

“All right, lass. Spill it. What’s got ya bothered?”

Jessie grimaced. So much for easing into it. “You know Wolf pretty well, don’t you?”

One bushy brow lifted. “As well as anyone, I s’pose. Quit beatin’ ’round the bush, lass.”

“Wolf says he’s duty bound. What does that mean? To what?”

Rook laid down his knife and hunk of wood. “Ah, lass. Would it be that I could tell you.”

Jessie sat forward. “Please, Rook. I need to know. I won’t say a word, I promise.”

Rook lit his pipe, and blue smoke rose into the air. “It’s not that simple. He don’t know. Nobody knows. That’s his problem.”

Her shoulders slumped. “I don’t understand.”

Rook chewed on the end of his pipe, his eyes glazing as he stared into the glowing embers. “Let me tell ya a story. Ya know that Wolf’s part Sioux?”

Jessie nodded, holding her breath. “I met his brother, Striking Thunder.”

“Yes, well. Wolf’s the second son. He was born jest minutes afore his twin sister.”

“He has a twin?” Jessie realized there was much she didn’t know about Wolf.

Rook lowered his brows. “Don’t go interruptin’ me every five minutes, lass, or we’ll be here all night. Now, where was I?” He drew on his pipe. “Ah, yes, he has a twin sister. Now,
Wolf’s grandmother, she had the sight. Could see the future. She foresaw that these twins, one boy, one girl, would each possess a gift that would serve the People.

“Star Dreamer discovered hers early on. She inherited the sight from her grandmother. Wolf’s gift is knowledge. He was even sent away for schooling.” Rook fell silent and resumed his carving.

Though Jessie sensed there was much more to the story, she knew he’d said all he was going to. She thought about what Rook had told her, and Wolf’s frustration the day of the buffalo stampede. Her voice was soft. “He still hasn’t figured out his role, has he?”

Rook sent slivers of wood into the fire. “No, lass.”

His tone, one of sadness, told her more than the words themselves. She stood, ready to return to her wagon. She had a lot to think over.

Rook called her name. “Jess.”

Surprised, she glanced over her shoulder at him. Seldom did he call her by name, preferring
lass.

“Sometimes the Lord works in ways we don’t understand. Sometimes the answers we seek are there afore us but we’s too blind to see.”

Jessie cocked her head. “Do
you
know what he should be doing to serve his people?”

“I’m tellin’ ya to keep an open mind and heart, lass.” Rook stood. “Mebbe you’s the answer.”

They fell silent. After a while Jessie returned to her wagon. As she slid beneath her quilts, her mind raced with what she’d learned from Rook. Though she’d felt all along that they were well suited, did that mean they were meant to be? She frowned. The thought that there was a higher power behind her love for Wolf made her a bit nervous. She knew nothing about Indians, had nothing to give them. All she was good at was farming and tending livestock. Even her talent at hunting or in using her whip would mean nothing to them.

Rook had told her a bit about Wolf’s cabin and horses. Now, that part of his life she knew she could embrace. What could Wolf’s duty be? One thing was for sure: meant to be or just suited, she had to help him find out before the next spring or he’d leave Oregon without her.

She turned onto her stomach to wait for Wolf. Her pulse quickened in anticipation, and at the same time, a sense of panic set in. What would he expect of her? She knew nothing about pleasing a man. Would he find her lacking? Could she go through with it?

One part of her, the emerging woman, longed for nothing more than to have him take her away and show her what it meant to be loved by the man who held her heart. And she did love him, did want to be with him. But another part of her feared the union, feared the unknown. Grimacing, she ran a hand through her hair; the curls were longer and not so tight now, and they framed her face.

Voices faded, fires burned down and soft snores filled the air, but Jessie remained awake. Switching to her side, she stared at the night sky through the spokes of the wheel. The stars hung against a deep backdrop of midnight blue. As her gaze followed one bright dot to another, she was reminded of the long, painful nights that had followed her parents’ deaths. Months after losing them, she’d leave her bed in the dead of night and sneak out into the yard while her brothers slept. With tears blurring her vision, she’d let her gaze roam across the dark heavens until she found the two brightest stars among the countless shiny lights.

Jessie had been only eight when her secure world had shattered, and she’d held firm to the belief that those bright, twinkling lights above were her ma and pa watching over her. She’d stand out in the cold of the night until one of her brothers woke to lead her back inside. Jessie
frowned. What made her think of that after all this time? “Must be because so much is changing—I’m changing,” she mused, once again finding two stars side by side that shone brighter than any of the others.