The Lady in the Mist

  (The Western Werewolf Legend, Book 1)

  By Catherine Wolffe

  Copyright 2013 Catherine Wolffe

  All Rights Reserved

  Discover other titles by Catherine Wolffe at www.catherinewolffe.com.

  Adult Content

  In order to protect minors from viewing inappropriate material, please know that this book may contain language, situations or images inappropriate for children under 18 years of age.

  Other Books by Catherine Wolffe

  Salvation's Secrets (The Loflin Legacy Prequel)

  Comanche Haven (The Loflin Legacy Book 1)

  Casey's Gunslinger (The Loflin Legacy Book 2)

  The Lady in the Mist (The Western Werewolf Legend #1)

  Waking Up Dead (The Western Werewolf Legend #2)

  Wolfen Secrets (The Western Werewolf Legend #3)

  A Dance in Time (J.T. Leighton, Time Traveler #1)

  Table of Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter 1 - The Gift

  Chapter 2 - The Lady

  Chapter 3 - Circumstances

  Chapter 4 - Fear

  Chapter 5 - Loyalty

  Chapter 6 - The Future

  Books by Catherine Wolffe

  Acknowledgments

  To my grandchildren who are my heart.

  The Lady in the Mist

  (The Western Werewolf Legend, Book 1)

  Chapter 1

  The Gift

  He appeared in the shadows, preventing Sonja from viewing nothing more than his dark outline. Since she had lived alone after her husband, Robert's death, she carried a small Derringer in her skirt pocket at all times. With a hand on the gun, she hailed the person.

  No reply.

  How rude, she had mused. Perhaps he didn't hear her. "Hello, stranger. May I help you?"

  Still no reply.

  "You're trespassing on private land. State your business." Glancing behind her, she started to speak again and lost her voice when suddenly, a hand gripped her. Her snap peas had spilled to the ground before the basket followed. Sonja screamed as the stranger grabbed her arms pinning them to her sides. The small gun clattered to the ground. The vermin laughed coarsely in her ear, and his breath smelled hideous. His ragged nails tore at her flesh. Frantically, she struggled to get away.

  "Be still, girly. Nobody's going to hear you," he hissed.

  She didn't intend to obey the stranger. Darkness had fallen suddenly. His eyes glowed red from behind his mask. Sonja fought to see more but to no avail. "Show yourself, you bastard." She spits at him.

  He laughed again, this time the sound was vulgar and callous. "Don't fret, girly. I'll make it quick."

  Pain seared her senses as he slapped her across the cheek. Sonja's breath came in pants. He laid his grimy fingers over her mouth. She gulped down the bile that threatened to spill at his decaying carcass body odor. Swearing she had never forgotten the scent, she struggled with more force, but the man's grip held like iron. His breath tickled her skin. The pain that came next had the world going black.

  When she woke, she lay in a pool of blood. The trees above her swayed as if they'd come alive. She raised a hand to shield her eyes from the sunlight before crying out with the pain shooting through her shoulder. Gingerly testing the area, the flesh didn't hold over her collarbone. The hard marrow didn't appear damaged through the raw flesh exposed to the air. She whimpered, though, when her fingers came back with her skin mingled with dark, crimson blood clots. Panicked, Sonja jumped up, running blindly.