16. MASON

16

MASON

I moved silently through the forest, the cold biting at my toes as I trudged on, my careful steps muffled by the thick undergrowth. I knew how to look for the right place to step, and the places to avoid.

The air was crisp and biting, the kind that cut deep into your lungs if you weren’t used to it.

But I was.

It was all I’d been used to for fucking years. I’d spent more time in the woods than most people could stomach. Out here, everything was quieter, clearer, and safer.

That had become the definition of my life and I’d been happy with it until now. But today, it pissed me off.

What the hell was I doing it all for?

I mean, I knew what I was doing it for. I’d been hiding out here after my life had become a colossal fuckup with Wallace betraying me. But what would happen from here on out?

Would this be all there was for me for the rest of… forever?

It just didn’t seem right anymore. I’d never had an issue before, but now it was all I could think about and that pissed me off, too.

Today, I was tracking a deer—its hoofprints fresh in the snow, the slight disturbance of the branches where it had passed giving me a clear trail. Hunting was survival out here, not just a skill but a necessity.

Not that I needed it. I had more than enough meat. I just needed something to do so my mind wouldn’t drive me crazy.

Sike.

My mind was driving me crazy anyway.

My life had been fucking perfect until she’d come along.

Cami.

Her name floated through my mind like an intruder, forcing its way into every thought, making it harder to focus on what was in front of me. I couldn’t stop thinking about her—the way she smiled, the way she laughed, the way she made everything feel… real.

I crouched low behind a bush, my breath steady as I scanned the area ahead of me. The deer was close—I could sense it—but my mind kept wandering away from my task. This was supposed to be my time to clear my head, to focus on something other than the complications life had started to throw at me. But now, the woods weren’t enough to keep my thoughts straight.

They kept circling around and around.

And around another time.

Hell, I’d never been one to think this much. There hadn’t been a reason to, and I’d stopped myself from focusing on anything other than purely surviving.

But that was the thing about nature—which I’d submerged myself in for the past decade.

Change.

Change was natural, and that was what was happening.

I was changing.

It was dangerous, letting someone in like this. I’d known from the start that any kind of distraction would only lead to trouble, that if I let my guard down, I’d lose everything I’d worked to protect. Even when Tanner arrived on the mountainside, it had taken a while for me to trust him, to see him as a friend and not just another enemy.

It had been simple before—survive, stay alert, trust no one. But now? Now there was Cami, and my life would be divided into two parts:

Before Cami.

And after Cami.

Part of me wanted to push her away, to lock everything down and go back to the way things were. It was safer that way. Easier. And fuck, I love easy.

But another part of me—the part that had woken up next to her, that had felt her warmth pressed against me—wanted more.

Could I have both? Safety and Cami?

The bigger question was—did I deserve both?

My past had always been a burden, something that kept me isolated, kept me from getting too close to anyone. Not just because of the danger but because of the guilt. So many people had died because of me. I was rotten all the way through, and I didn’t deserve anything other than the life I’d led until now.

But somehow, despite knowing all of that, here I was, thinking about a different future than living in a shitty cabin in the woods, chewing on deer jerky, sharpening my axe at night, cleaning my guns.

The wind shifted slightly, carrying the scent of the deer to me. I focused again, my muscles tensing as I spotted movement in the trees ahead.

It was a buck, its antlers heavy and proud, moving cautiously through the snow. I lifted my rifle slowly, keeping my breathing steady, my sights trained on the animal. This was familiar.

This was what I knew.

But as I watched the deer, something shifted inside me. I hesitated.

What the hell was I doing out here?

I let out a slow breath and lowered the rifle. The buck looked in my direction for a brief moment before bounding off into the trees, disappearing into the thick forest. I watched it go and sat back on my heels.

Cami had gotten under my skin, and I wasn’t sure if I could let her go. But could I really let her in? Could I let her be part of a future I didn’t know how to create, a future I hadn’t wanted before?

I didn’t have the answers.

And guess what? That pissed me off too.

Another one to add to the pile.

I made my way back toward the cabin, not as careful and as quiet as I was before, when I saw them.

A car, parked off the side of a narrow path deep in the forest—far from any roads most people knew about

It was odd.

No one should be out this deep in the woods. Especially not with the weather, the way the temperatures dipped at night.

Either some tourists had gotten lost in an ugly way, or this was on purpose.

My instincts kicked in immediately, years of training surging to the surface. I moved closer, staying low, hidden behind the trees, my steps slow and deliberate.

I still had my rifle with me, and I could use it if I had to. I didn’t like killing, but if I had to do it to survive, so fucking be it.

There were four of them. I recognized their faces from town. I’d seen a few of them around—the assholes who didn’t belong. The ones Rae had told me were just tourists.

Bullshit.

They didn’t look like they were just out for a holiday stroll. In fact, it looked like they were discussing something, and it wasn’t pretty.

A thick tension hung in the air.

I hid myself behind a tree, becoming one with my surroundings. I’d worn white to blend in with the snow for my hunt, and I was relieved about that now. I pressed against the bark as I listened.

They weren’t talking loud enough for me to catch every word, but I caught enough.

“This should go off without a hitch,” one of them said, his voice low and gravelly. “She’s just some woman—no threat.”

“Viktor wants to make sure,” another one chimed in. “We use the Whitman girl to get what we need.”

My breath caught in my throat. Viktor. And they were talking about Cami.

My blood went cold as I listened more closely, my hands clenched into fists. They were talking about her.

Wallace and Viktor had been tied together back then. I didn’t think they were still working together, but hearing Viktor’s name meant I hadn’t been wrong about seeing Wallace.

I’m never fucking wrong.

It was a blessing and a curse.

More of a curse these days.

I waited until they started moving toward their car again, staying out of sight until the engine roared to life and they disappeared down the hidden path. Then, I took off through the trees, and disappeared to blend into town again, to be “holiday-goers.”

I hurried through the forest, heading toward town. I took a different route so I wouldn’t run into them again.

The one I took was quicker, anyway. I could move through the trees where a car couldn’t.

I had to see her. I had to make sure she was okay.

We use the Whitman girl to get what we need.

By the time I reached her place, adrenaline was coursing through me, and I was ready for a fight.

I almost imagined them showing up here, ready to do this here and now, and I was so ready to take them out.

I knocked on the door, my heart pounding in my chest. I wasn’t too late—I knew that. But a small voice still screamed at me.

What if I was?

The fear of losing her kicked in, and damn it, that was exactly what I didn’t need. But now it was a part of me, I guess we just had to fucking deal with it.

Cami opened the door, and her eyes widened.

“Mason,” she said. “What are you doing here?”

Not the welcome I’d expected.

I’d more hoped for a kiss and a hi honey , but hell, this wasn’t an eighties sitcom and happy endings didn’t look like that in any life.

“Are you okay?” I studied her.

Her face was pale, her eyes large and distant.

She nodded quickly, but I could see the lie in her eyes. “Yes. I’m fine. Everything’s fine.” She let out a shuddering breath.

“Bullshit,” I growled. “What’s going on?” I reached for her.

She pulled away, her gaze flickering to the floor. “No, Mason. It’s nothing. Really.”

I clenched my jaw, frustration and worry gnawing at me. Something was wrong but she wasn’t letting me in. “Cami, I can’t protect you if you don’t tell me what’s going on.”

She looked up at me, and for a moment she looked like she was about to say something, but then she shook her head. “You don’t need to worry.”

But I couldn’t stop worrying. Not now. I wanted to press her for more, to demand she tell me what was going on, but she wasn’t open the way she’d been when we’d been together at my place. If I pressed her now, she would withdraw more.

So instead, I pulled her into my arms, holding her close. I didn’t know exactly what was going on, but I knew they were going to come after her at some point, and no matter what, I was going to keep her safe. I didn’t care what their plans were.

Cami was mine , and they had better stay the fuck away.