Teton Sunrise (Teton Romance Trilogy) Read Online Free PDF

alerted the band of Blackfeet who were camped not a hundred yards away. Their campfires had burned down long ago, and Alex was ready to execute his plan. For two days, he’d tracked this group of Injuns who had stolen not only his saddle and packhorses, but those of several of his companions as well. Luckily, no one had lost their hair in the skirmish with the Blackfeet that day, but he wasn’t about to let them get away with his horses.
    Last fall, after nearly six years of working for the Rocky Mountain Fur Company, he’d finally decided to strike out on his own, and his pack animals carried all his worldly possessions, not to mention a year’s worth of back breaking work in the form of beaver pelts that he planned to sell at rendezvous in a few days. He’d be damned if he was going to lose it all to a bunch of cutthroat Injuns. His friend and mentor, Daniel Osborne, had convinced him that he’d be better off as a free trapper rather than busting his back to stuff the pockets of William Ashley and his partner. Even after the company was sold to Jed Smith and the Sublettes , who were all experienced mountain men, he still had to turn in every beaver pelt he brought in while in their employ.
    “Keep low and stay behind me,” Alex cautioned the inexperienced Yancey, and led the way back to his hiding place behind several downed lodgepoles . He dropped to the ground and leaned his back against a log, motioning to the greenhorn to do the same.
    “When do we attack?” Yancey whispered almost eagerly.
    “We don’t.” Alex emphasized the word we in his quiet reply. “You’re gonna keep your sorry hide right here.”
    “I’ve heard that the Indians call you Shadow Walker because you’re known to attack when they least expect it, but you can’t go against all those savages on your own,” Yancey protested.
    Alex inhaled a deep breath and clenched his jaw. If he had any sense at all, he’d have followed through with his threat and slit the greenhorn’s throat a few minutes ago and been done with him. Memories of his first year in the mountains pushed to the forefront of his mind. Over the years, he had gained a reputation as a fierce fighter when his life or the life of one of his companions was threatened. Thanks to the man he considered to be his mentor, he was also an excellent tracker and marksman. But hadn’t he been the same stupid youth six years ago? Eager to prove that he had what it took to be a mountain man, he hadn’t listened to the more experienced trappers any more than Yancey was listening to him now.
    A twig snapped in the darkness just beyond Alex’s hiding place, and he tensed instantly.
    “ Wha —”
    Alex clamped a hand over Yancey’s mouth before the fool could finish his word, and cursed silently. Slowly, he reached for his rifle. Another twig snapped softly, this time only a few feet from his hiding place. Alex inhaled a deep breath, waited another five seconds that felt like an eternity, then sprang to his feet and swung the butt end of his rifle like a club through the air. With a dull crack, it connected with the solid form of a man’s head. Dropping like a felled log, Alex’s adversary hit the ground.
    “Sweet Jesus,” Yancey gasped. “What was that?”
    “Unless you plan to go under tonight, you’ll do what you’re told and stay put,” Alex growled, then leapt lightly over the log he’d been crouched behind for the last several hours. It was time to steal his horses back before the sentry was missed. 
    ****
     
    Evelyn swayed precariously on the back of the horse she’d sat on since before dawn. Her head pounded fiercely, and she thought for sure her skull would split in half at any moment. Her limbs felt about as heavy as lead anchors, and trying to focus her vision on anything became impossible. This morning was no different than all the others she had endured since that fateful night on the boat. The six mountain men had killed not only her brother, but all the