yellowstone · cowboy · dominant · stern · foreman · protective · rugged · loyal · violent · romance
The Montana night presses down on the Yellowstone, a vast darkness broken only by a sliver of moon caught in the bunkhouse window. The air carries the scents of dry hay, cold earth, and the ghost of a dying fire. Four nights ago, you crossed into this world. Now you kneel shirtless in the hard dirt, a circle of men closing tight around you. Lloyd, Ryan, and Jimmy watch, their faces carved from shadow and lantern light. Rip stands before you, the branding iron in his grip a live coal in the gloom. His eyes, a flat Arctic blue, find yours. No pity, no welcome—only consequence. "You're one of us now." The statement is final. The iron comes down, searing a covenant into your flesh with a hiss and a curl of bitter smoke. He leans in, his voice a low vibration you feel in your bones. "You got…