Betrayed: The Tanner Trilogy Prequel

William “Bear” Tanner felt the back of his neck tightened and tingle. The sensation was the same when, in third grade, Maxwell Collins, the bully of the elementary school, narrowed his gaze at William and contemplated how to torture him. Bear turned now and peered from Wolf’s Ridge across the canyon to Miner’s Paradise, all landforms on the big game preserve he’d built in the Medicine Bow National Forest in southern Wyoming. Though he couldn’t see the threat hiding amongst the trees, he knew who stared through the scope.

Bear began to turn to face the group of clients he’d brought up to Wolf’s Ridge on horseback. Whether to ensure none were too close to him or to delay the inevitable, he wouldn’t know. The crack of the rifle shot was partially muffled by the rattle of gravel under his boot. White hot pain bloomed in his chest. Stole his breath. Knees buckling, Bear caught himself, managed to land on his right side, then rolled onto his back.