Thorne stays silent beside me, but his arm tightens around my shoulders. He has not taken his eyes off me since we lifted off. There’s something protective in his gaze. Something that makes the knot of fear in my chest loosen just a little.
The helicopter begins to descend. Through the window I see lights below. Warm golden lights nestled among the trees. A compound of log cabins and a larger building with smoke curling from its chimney. The pilot sets us down gently on a cleared landing pad.
Thorne helps me out, keeping one arm around me as my legs threaten to buckle. The cold hits again, but it’s nothing compared to what I endured earlier. He half-carries me towardthe largest building. The door opens before we reach it. A beautiful woman with soft brown curls steps out, a blanket in her hands.
“Harper,” Thorne says. “She needs warmth and dry clothes.”
Harper drapes the blanket over me and smiles kindly. “We’ve got you, honey. Let’s get you inside.”
They guide me into the lodge. The warmth hits me like a wave. A fire crackles in a massive stone fireplace. The smell of coffee and something baking fills the air. Several people are waiting. A tall man with silver at his temples steps forward first.
“I’m Rafe,” he says. “You’re safe here at Haven 7. No one will touch you while you’re with us.”
Eli guides me to a chair near the fire. “Let me take another look at that ankle now that we’re out of the storm.”
I sit down gratefully. Thorne stays close, standing just behind my chair like a silent guard. His eyes never leave me. Even when Eli carefully removes my boot and examines my ankle, Thorne watches every movement.
Harper brings me a mug of hot tea. “Drink this slowly. It’ll help warm you from the inside.”
I take the mug with shaking hands. The heat seeps into my palms. I sip carefully and feel the warmth spread through my chest. For the first time since I started running, the knot of terror in my stomach begins to loosen.
Eli finishes wrapping my ankle and looks up at me. “You’re going to be okay. Frostbite is mild. The ankle is a bad sprain but nothing is broken. You need rest, fluids, and warmth. We will take good care of you.”
A woman with kind eyes and a gentle smile kneels beside me. “I’m Daisy. If you need anything at all, just tell me. We have extra clothes, food, whatever you need.”
I look around the room at all the faces watching me with concern but no judgment. No suspicion. Just quiet kindness. Thorne still stands behind me, close enough that I can feel his presence like a shield.
“Thank you,” I whisper. My voice cracks. “All of you. I don’t know how to repay you.”
Rafe shakes his head. “You don’t need to repay anything. You’re safe now. That’s what matters.”
Thorne finally speaks, his voice low but firm. “She stays with me tonight. My cabin is closest and I can keep an eye on her.”
No one argues. Harper nods. “We’ll bring clothes and anything else she needs in the morning.”
Eli stands. “I’ll check on her again first thing. For now, rest is the best medicine.”
Thorne helps me to my feet. His arm slides around my waist, supporting me as we walk toward the door. I lean into him without thinking. He feels solid. Safe. Like nothing can touch me while he’s there.
We step back out into the cold, but this time it doesn’t bite as hard. The walk to his cabin is short. He keeps me close the whole way, one arm around me, the other ready at his side. When we reach his cabin he unlocks the door and guides me inside.
The space is simple and warm. Exposed log walls. A stone fireplace. A large bed with a navy quilt. It smells like him. Cedar and clean soap.
Thorne helps me to the bed and kneels to remove my boots. “You need dry clothes and more rest. I’ll find something for you to wear.”
I watch him move around the cabin with quiet efficiency. He brings me a thick pair of sweatpants and one of his shirts. He turns his back while I change, giving me privacy even though I’m too tired to care.
When I’m dressed he helps me under the covers. The bed is warm. The quilt is heavy. I sink into it with a sigh.
Thorne sits on the edge of the bed. “I’ll be right here on the couch. You’re safe. Sleep now.”
I reach out and catch his hand before he can stand. “Thank you,” I whisper. “For finding me. For carrying me. For everything.”
He looks down at our joined hands. His thumb brushes over my knuckles once, sending a shiver straight to my core. “Get some rest, Sadie. We’ll talk more in the morning.”
I nod and let my eyes close. The last thing I feel before sleep takes me is the warmth of his hand and the steady presence of the man who pulled me out of the storm.
For the first time in weeks, I fall asleep without fear.
