Wyatt crosses the room and stops in front of me. He cups my face with one big, warm hand, his thumb brushing my cheek. “We’ll find him. Or we’ll find out where he is. I promise. We’re not stopping until we do.”
His words settle something inside me. I lean into his touch for a moment, letting myself believe him. Then we head out together. The mountain air is cold, but the sun shines bright on the snow. Wyatt stays close as we walk to the truck, his hand on my lower back, ready to catch me if my leg gives out. He helps me into the passenger seat and buckles me in with careful hands. The simple act makes my heart squeeze. No one has ever taken care of me like this.
We pass by the main lodge on the way out. Silas and Harlan are standing on the porch, talking quietly. They see us and wave. Wyatt parks and helps me out of the truck. I limp over on my good leg, Wyatt staying close beside me.
Silas looks at Wyatt with a serious expression. “You sure you should go alone? We can send backup. This could be dangerous.”
Wyatt shakes his head. “It’s only a scouting mission. We’re not going to talk to anyone or do anything without coming back and relaying the info to the team first. We’ll stay at a distance. Observe. That’s all.”
Harlan crosses his arms. “Still feels risky. You don’t know what you’re walking into.”
Wyatt’s voice is calm but firm. “I know. But Junie needs answers. I’m not sending her out there alone. I’ll keep her safe. We’ll be back before dark.”
Silas studies him for a moment, then nods. “Be careful. Check in every hour. If anything feels off, you turn around and come home.”
Wyatt agrees. We say our goodbyes and head back to the truck. As we drive away, I glance in the rearview mirror and see Silas and Harlan watching us go. They look worried. I feel a pang of guilt again. I’m putting all of them at risk. But I have to do this. For Caleb. For the family I have started to care about here at Haven 7.
The drive to the address takes about forty minutes. Wyatt keeps one hand on the wheel and the other on my thigh, his thumb stroking gently. The road winds through thick forest, the snow sparkling under the sun. I watch the trees pass by, my mindracing with hope and fear. What if Caleb is there? What if he’s okay? What if he’s not? What if this is the end of this nightmare?
Wyatt seems to sense my nerves. “We’re just looking. We won’t do anything reckless. If he’s there, we’ll come back and get the team. We’ll do this the right way.”
I nod, but inside I know the truth. If I see any sign that my brother is in that house, I won’t stop at anything to rescue him. I owe him. He protected me our whole lives. He took the brunt of our father’s anger when we were kids. He made sure I had food and clothes even when he went without. He’s the only family I have left. I can’t leave him there. Not if I have a chance to save him.
We park a good distance away, hidden behind a thick stand of trees. Wyatt kills the engine and turns to me. “Stay here. I’ll scout first.”
I shake my head. “I’m coming with you. He’s my brother. I need to see.”
He looks like he wants to argue, but he sees the determination in my eyes. He sighs and nods. “Stay behind me. Stay quiet. If anything feels off, we turn around immediately. Got it?”
I nod.
We move through the woods together. Wyatt’s silent and careful, his steps barely making a sound. I try to follow his lead, but my leg makes it harder. He stays close, helping me over uneven ground. The house comes into view through the trees. It’s large and isolated, surrounded by a high fence. There’re a few vehicles parked out front. No obvious movement.
We stop behind a thick tree and watch for a long time. Wyatt scans the property with binoculars. I strain my eyes, hoping to see any sign of Caleb. My heart pounds. This could be it. This could be the end of the search. Or it could be another dead end.
We stay there for what feels like hours, observing. Wyatt points out details I would’ve missed. A security camera. A fresh tire track. A shadow moving behind a window. He’s patient. Methodical. I’m grateful he’s with me. I don’t think I could do this alone.
After a while, he lowers the binoculars. “We’ve seen enough for now. We go back and tell the team. We don’t go in alone.”
I nod, but inside I’m already planning. If I see my brother, I won’t wait.
We head back to the truck together. The drive home is quiet, but my mind is loud with possibilities. I look at Wyatt and feel a rush of gratitude and something deeper. Something that feels a lot like love. But it’s too soon for that, right? Right?
NINE
WYATT
We pull up to the cabin just as the last light of day fades behind the mountains. The drive back from the scouting mission took longer than I expected. The roads were icy in spots, and I drove slow and careful with Junie beside me. She’s exhausted. I can see it in the way her shoulders slump and her eyes drift shut every few minutes. I’m tired too, but the kind of tired that comes from hours of staying alert, scanning every shadow, every movement in the trees. My body feels heavy, but my mind’s still sharp. The house we found was quiet. No obvious signs of Caleb, but something about the place felt off. We will talk about it more tomorrow. Tonight, we both need rest.
I kill the engine and turn to her. “We’re home.”
She gives me a small, tired smile. “Home. I like the way that sounds.”
I get out first and come around to her side. She tries to step down on her own, but her leg is clearly hurting after the long day. I don’t wait for permission. I scoop her up into my arms, one under her knees and the other behind her back. She doesn’t protest. She just wraps her arms around my neck and rests herhead on my shoulder. She feels right there. Warm and trusting. I carry her up the porch steps and through the door, kicking it shut behind us.
The cabin’s cool but not cold. I set her down gently on the edge of the bed and kneel to help her with her boots. My fingers work the laces carefully, mindful of her injured leg. She watches me the whole time, her eyes soft in the low light. When her boots are off, I stand and pull the blankets back for her.
“You need to rest,” I say. “We both do.”
