It has been seven years since Emma Hartwell's capture by a tribe of the Lakota Sioux. But her recent rescue by the U.S. Calvary feels like anything but salvation. Forced to leave behind her beloved child and returned to the family who can't accept her, and shunned by the townspeople as an outcast, Emma is haunted by her life with the Elk tribe. She sets off on a dangerous journey, fueled by a fierce love of her son and fears for his safety, in an effort to find the tribe and reclaim him.

Only Ridge Madoe stands in her way. A former army scout with a keen tracking sense and a keener sense of justice, Ridge has been sent by Emma's father to bring her back – a task that will give him the chance of reclaiming some of the land that was rightfully his. But he never expected a woman as determined and courageous as Emma. Now, Emma must appeal to Ridge to help her with her desperate quest, and Ridge must struggle with his desire for a woman who no longer has a place in his world ...