The MacDougals: Highland Scots
- Ross: half brother to Gillis, Ross takes after his Indian mother, Sunbird. He wants no part of marriage, living only to take vengeance on three men who killed a child. Due to his abilities with a knife, gun, or his bare hands, he is known as the MacDougal Devil, partly as he is always accompanied by at least one raven.
- Amelia Smathers MacDougal: facial scars keep her from marriage. Her older sister, Prudence, married Gillis and recently died of lung complications after giving birth to a daughter, Hope. Amelia signs a marriage contract to kindly Nevin, planning to raise her sister’s child. She arrives to discover Ross is her husband.
- Nevin: two years younger than Ross, Nevin looks almost like a twin, but without the dangerous edge. Prudence wanted Amelia to be his wife.
- Gillis : broken-hearted at the death of his wife, Prudence, and knowing a male heir is required to keep their ranch from his brutal older brothers, Gillis forges Ross’s name on Amelia’s marriage contract. He is Clan Chief of the Montana MacDougals, and his word is law to Ross and Nevin.
- Auntie: older sister to Sunbird , she moves to the MD Connected Ranch to care for the MacDougals as Prudence is too ill. She is a healer, loves babies and becomes part of their household.
- Hope: motherless infant daughter of Prudence and Gillis.
- Daniel Thompson MacDougal: orphan boy adopted into the Clan by Gillis.
- Prudence Smathers MacDougal (deceased): a good friend to Beth Elliott, she dies shortly after giving birth to daughter Hope, due to long-standing lung and breathing problems.
The Texan MacDougals
- Finan Senior: Clan Chief of the North American MacDougals, he is determined to make his Clan survive in a harsh land. Therefore, he treats his people even harsher. His first wife, mother of Finan Junior, Hugh and Gillis, was a full Scot who died birthing Louisa.
- Sunbird: second wife to Finan MacDougal, mother of Ross, Nevin, and Malcolm; daughter of the Bannock Chief
- Finan Junior: oldest child, expects to take over the Clan, a spoiled brute.
- Hugh: follows in older brother’s footsteps.
- Louisa: only girl, raised as a spoiled princess, she gets a rude awakening when she marries.
- Malcolm: youngest, spoiled and lazy, their father is unaware Finan Junior forces Ranger and Patrick Elliott to do his work.
