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Jack

I remembered how hard it was to forget how damn hot Nate’s little sister was. I couldn’t stop thinking about her.

We were sitting in the main room of the bed and breakfast Max had bought. He seemed surprised that we lived up here on Frasier Mountain, like he hadn’t connected the dots. It wasn’t until we mentioned Frasier that he remembered the stories Frasier used to tell us about his grandfather.

Nate dropped into the seat beside me. “What are you doing?” He asked.

“Did I tell you I ran into your sister in Willow Creek?” I leaned back, stretching out my legs. “She was in an alley, fighting with some homeless guy, trying to save a dog he was hurting.”

“What?” Nate said.

“Yeah. I was out jogging when I heard her yelling. The guy had her by the hair.”

“What?” Nate’s voice sharpened.

“I handled it, but she swore she could’ve shot the guy herself if I hadn’t stepped in.”

“She carries a gun now?” Nate shouted. “What the hell is she doing?”

“I didn’t see it.” I shook my head. “Damn, she’s hot.”

“What?” Nate practically choked. “Take that back. That’s my little sister.”

“Nate, she’s twenty-eight.”

“She is not—” He stopped, frowning. “Wait. I’m thirty-three… Damn. She is twenty-eight.” He let out a slow breath. “When the hell did she grow up?”

“You haven’t lived at home in fourteen years. To you, she’s still a kid,” I said, but my mind wasn’t on nostalgia—I was thinking about those curves, the way she filled out those leggings—

“I should visit my parents,” Nate said, breaking my thoughts. “They’re getting older. I’ll go next month. You and Frasier should come with me. They’ve got that huge house, but honestly, they should downsize.”

“I don’t have any plans on my end. I’m in,” I said.

“I’ll ask Max, too. He misses his family—especially his sister, Niki. It will be good for him to meet more people in Montana.”

“I think he hangs out with some of the Band of Navy SEALs guys,” I said. “He grew up with a few of them. His mom was an FBI Special Agent—she knew all the guys on their team.”

“That right?” Frasier said as he walked up, pulling out a chair. “We should have a big barbecue and invite them over one weekend.”

“Good idea,” Nate said.

“I’m going home next month. Jack is going, would you like to join us? I’m going to try to convince my parents that they need to downsize. Their home has six bedrooms and four bathrooms,” Nate said.

“Yeah, if nothing comes up. I haven’t seen your folks in a while, but I remember your dad being hilarious.” Frasier stretched his arms behind his head. “How many sisters do you have again?”

“Four. Two are married with kids. Eloise’s a veterinarian, and Maggie’s a schoolteacher. We’ll have a barbecue at my parents’ house—catch up with everyone.” Nate grinned. “Ellie makes the best potato salad and barbecue beans.”

Now, that sounded like a good idea.

I was more than ready to see Eloise again. But since Nate wasn’t thrilled about me even mentioning how beautiful his sister was, I knew damn well he wouldn’t like the idea of me doing anything else with her. Get that out of your head, Jack—before it’s written all over your face.

“What’s up with you?” Frasier asked. “You’re bouncing your knee like you’ve got a bad case of nerves. Thinking about a woman?”

Nate’s gaze snapped to me. “Hell no! She’s my sister . Get her out of your damn thoughts.”

“Calm down.” I grabbed my water bottle, taking a swig—and promptly choked on it. After coughing for a solid minute, I pushed to my feet. “I’m not thinking about Eloise,” I lied. “I’ll catch you guys later.”

I headed toward my cabin. It wasn’t far—just a short walk through the pines. I bought it last year, and damn, I loved that place.

From the moment I walked inside, it felt homey . Comfortable. A place where I could actually live , not just exist. Growing up, our house had been the opposite—huge, cold, and lifeless. Mom didn’t have a single homey bone in her body. She chased my father off when I was twelve, and I never understood why he left me behind.

Then again, maybe I did.

My mother had learned everything from her mother, who I thought must be even colder and more calculating. I had no idea if either of them was still alive. I didn’t care much. I left home the second I turned eighteen. My grandfather had left me money, and the moment it hit my account, I was gone.

College. The service. The Navy SEALs .

That’s where I found my real family: my SEAL buddies, their wives, and their kids. Became my family. They actually cared about each other. Their homes were filled with love, laughter, and warmth.

Frasier’s family had been the first to show me what that life looked like. We met on the first day of college and became best friends overnight, and when I told him I had no family, he didn’t even hesitate. You come home with me , he’d said. And I had.

Once, I thought about tracking down my father. But then I remembered— he left me , not the other way around. So I washed my hands of him and my mother. I rarely thought about them much. I had no idea why I was thinking of them now. Maybe it was because Nate mentioned how big his parents’ place was.

The house I grew up in? It was ten thousand square feet. My “area” was its own wing. The maid brought me food. A private tutor showed up five days a week for twelve years. My only companion was a live-in caretaker, who mostly just told me how horrible my mother was.

They never lasted long. Mom fired them constantly. She hated it when people wandered outside of my designated space.

She was barely home anyway—always off somewhere in the world with people she called friends. Pretty sure they were just as cold as she was.

I pushed those thoughts away.

A low huff of breath drew my attention, and I smiled as the wolf pressed up against my leg.

“You hungry?” I asked, scratching behind his ear.

I found him when he was just a pup, only a few weeks old, left alone to die. I couldn’t leave him like that, so I brought him home. A year later, he was still with me.

I fed him, then changed into my sweats. We ran for hours, pushing through the thick mountain trails. He never knew when to stop.

“Wolf, where are you?” I called out, slowing my pace.

A loud snap cut through the quiet. Then a sharp, agonized cry.

My chest clenched. “ Wolf! ”

I took off running.

Branches lashed against my arms as I tore through the trees, following the sound of his whimpers. My breath caught when I saw him—caught in a goddamn bear trap.

“ Motherfuckers! ” I shouted into the forest, rage curling in my gut.

Who the hell would set something like this out here? We ran these trails all the time . Anyone could’ve stepped into that trap.

My hands shook as I crouched beside him. His golden eyes looked up at me, pain radiating from them. “I got you, baby,” I murmured, my voice rough. “We’ll fix you up. Just hang on.”

I grabbed my phone and dialed Nate.

“Yeah?”

“Wolf stepped in a fucking bear trap up on Frasier Mountain. I can’t get it off. Bring something to pry it open. And bring a four-wheeler—we’re gonna have to carry him out of here.”

“Shit. On my way.”

I kept my hands on Wolf, whispering reassurances. Minutes later, the low rumble of an engine broke the silence.

Nate and Frasier pulled up, both looking furious.

“I’m gonna kill whoever did this,” Frasier growled.

They forced the trap open between them. I lifted Wolf and carried him to the four-wheeler.

“He needs a vet,” I said. My jaw tightened. “But they’ll take him away if I bring him in.”

“I’ve already been warned,” I muttered.

Nate exchanged a look with Frasier. “We’re two hours from my sister’s place,” Nate said.

My pulse kicked up.

“She won’t call the law on you,” Nate assured me. “Ellie has everything you need at her vet hospital. She’ll take care of Wolf.”

That was all I needed to hear.

“Let’s go,” I said, climbing onto the four-wheeler.

Wolf’s breaths were deep and slow. Something about it made my gut twist.

“Why’s he breathing like this?” I asked.

Nate frowned. “I don’t know.”

A low, threatening growl echoed through the trees.

We froze.

More growls followed. Close. Too close.

“Let’s move ,” I said. “I don’t wanna kill any wolves.”

“They might be Wolf’s siblings,” Nate murmured.

Frasier’s hand rested on his holster. “If they attack, I will shoot.”

I didn’t argue.

I just hoped we’d get out of here before it came to that.