Title: The Wolf Within
Author: Jennifer Mueller
Published in March 2006 by DigitalPulp Publishing
Genre: Historical
ISBN: N/A
Other Books by Jennifer: An Arrangement Among Gentlemen Egyptian Nights All My Dreams
She was always tall for a woman, light on her feet, silent and deadly, and she had learned those skills at a terrible price. She trusted the tall handsome man, although it has not come easily to her, and that made the leaving even harder. At the time, it had seemed to be for the best, but as the time wore on, and her loneliness grew, she knew she had to go back. It was past time, far away and gone was the frightened girl she had been, and as life unwound around her, and time marched on, she knew she could put it off no longer. The trials of the past, the hatreds had to be dealt with quickly then put behind her. Euphemia and Helen were safe now; both even married in the years since she had guided them to safety. Her life on Euphemia's Uncle Jay's ranch had to end at some point; it couldn't remain her haven forever. She longed for her mountain valley, for the quiet, the distance, and for the solitude the mountains brought. Even more so, she longed for the steel-eyed man who had won her trust, and yes, if she would admit it, her love.
Life for Gabrielle had been hard, cruel, and lonely, but the memories were dashed in the arms of Matthew, the only man she dared to trust, the man given to her by her father. Driven away from her tribe, and the only family she had known, she was surprised to find Matthew in the valley she had called home for so long. She had watched him from afar, never drawing close to him, nor letting him see her or know of her presence. It was to the lake below his cabin that she fled when she was shot. It was Matthew who found her there, had cared for her, protected her, and guarded her from the soldiers and the Blackfoot scouts who wished her dead. It was Matthew, friend of her father Black Bear and her brothers, who had the patience to let her come to him, and it was Matthew who needed to know his son, to know the result of her trust in him, and her love for him. It was time to go home, and as she knew this in her heart, Matthew came for her.
She hadn't changed much, his She With the Eyes of a Wolf. She is much more than a memory, and she is now a face filled with joy, wonder, and a large amount of surprise. The time they were apart was hard on him, but from the look on her face when she presented him with his son, they were no easier on her. One thousand miles away from the mountains she loved, she still managed to bring with her the smell he remembered as her own. She still felt small in his arms, and she still worried him. The surprise on the faces of those around her was even greater, and the jealousy on one in particular made Matthew smile. In truth, he only cared that she was whole, well, and safe, and if she wanted him to stay, he would gladly leave all behind. Something told him she wouldn't stay though, he knows her well.
Gabrielle was his life, and he had missed her terribly. When he heard about the horse trainer who bore his name had animals to sell, animals that were beyond compare, he had come looking, and he was really glad he did. Now they would travel home together, he, Gabrielle, and their son. She was leaving with him, and going back to the valley. There they would see the old scores settled, and hope to find the peace Black Bear had always said the valley promised. Matthew had always wondered about the old Blackfoot, and what he saw when Black Bear looked at him. He had always wondered if Black Bear knew that his daughter hid in the secluded valley, and that she was the reason the mountain was said to be haunted by the spirits of warriors long gone. The natives said it was guarded by wolves, but there was only one he ever saw in all the years he spent there. Large, black, and menacing, it was the wolf that brought him out of sleep that fateful night when Gabrielle was shot, it was the wolf that guarded her when she was alone, and it was the wolf who had found her and guarded her still...
Welcome to another unique encounter, and with an eye to the talent of Ms. Jeniffer Mueller, This is a wonderful book and will not disappoint. The Wolf Within is a definite thrill. The hero is a soldier, disillusioned with life, and wanted to find the peace denied him by his family's demands. The heroine, a beautiful but alienated woman, who has been made a warrior by her own acts, who had had a life of rutality foisted upon her. In bringing these two together, Jennifer has woven a poignant story of loss, hatred, and revenge for lost innocence. The particulars of the story can be horifying, the story brutally raw in its intensity, but over all, Matthew and Gabrielle fight to survive, and with each other find the hopes for a future.
Surrounded on all sides by enemies, the woman the whites know only as a brave called Stalking Wolf must fight just to live. When she finds a man living in her valley, she is puzzled, watching him carefully, but staying in the shadows. Matthew is intrigued by the valley, and thankful that his friend Black Bear brought him here. A no-man's land between two tribes, the sheltered valley is a place of peace, a place for him to put down roots. When he finds Gabrielle wounded and bleding, her wolf by her side, Matthew has no idea just how much his life will change, and just how much his friend Black Bear had meddled in his solitude. Set in the mid to late 1800's, The Wolf Within is a story you will not soon forget, nor is it one you will only read once. The strength of the characters draws you to them again and again, the life of the story vibrant, alive, and full of anticipation. It will keep you on your toes, and will have you yearnig for more whenit ends. The Wolf Within is available through DigitalPulp Publishing now, and also through Project Gutenberg.
Yours in good reading,
Rose!
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