Page 14 of Storm in Montana (Montana Becketts, Wild Spirit Ranch #3)

Snow whipped across the Montana wilderness in horizontal sheets, obscuring everything beyond arm’s length.

The search party moved as one through the drifts, their shoulders hunched against the assault of ice crystals determined to scour the flesh from their bones.

Annalee’s voice carried over the wind’s howl as she pointed toward a darker patch in the white void ahead.

“There’s something different in the snow pattern!” She leaned forward against the wind, her words nearly lost in its fury. The coat she wore, borrowed from Nathan’s closet, flapped around her legs as she pressed forward.

Brodie moved up beside her, his face lined with concern beneath his hat. “Stay close. This storm’s getting worse.” His hand brushed her elbow, steadying her as she stumbled in a particularly deep drift.

The search party spread out in a rough line. Grayson, Annalee, and Elijah to the left, Joshua, Brodie, and Parker to the right, with Nash bringing up the rear. Their shovels cut through the packed snow in rhythmic strokes, each scoop revealing another layer of white beneath.

“Check every depression,” Grayson called out, his voice firm despite his exhaustion. “We are going to find Cody and Nathan.”

The mention of his missing brothers sent Parker lunging forward with renewed vigor. “Over here! I think I see—” His words cut off as he sank waist-deep into a drift.

Joshua reached him first, hauling the youngest Beckett up by his coat collar. “Easy, Parker. We won’t help them if we need rescuing ourselves.”

The group paused, their breaths forming clouds in the frigid air as they surveyed the terrain. The storm had transformed the familiar landscape into an alien expanse of white dunes and ice-slick rocks. Somewhere in this frozen maze, two of their own fought for survival.

“Listen!” Elijah raised his hand for silence.

The wind moaned through the crags, carrying what might have been a human voice. Or perhaps just winter’s cruel deception dashing their hopes. Still, they moved toward it, their movements more urgent now.

“Clear that snow!” Grayson’s command sparked immediate action. Seven pairs of hands attacked the drift before them, shovels biting deep while gloved fingers clawed at the icy crust.

Nash worked methodically, his experience as a deputy evident in his systematic approach. “The snow’s different here. More compressed. Something’s underneath.”

Annalee’s fingers had long since gone numb, but she kept digging. The gloves felt too large, sliding on her hands as she gripped the shovel. Beside her, Brodie matched her pace, their shoulders occasionally brushing as they worked.

“I hear it again!” Parker’s young voice cracked with excitement. “Someone’s calling out!”

The sound came clearer now, a muffled cry from beneath the snow. The search party’s efforts intensified, their movements desperate yet coordinated. Each shovelful of snow revealed more of what lay beneath. A darkness promising either rescue or heartbreak.

Hours of searching had left them all bone-weary, their muscles screaming in protest with every movement. Yet they pressed on, driven by the knowledge time was their enemy. The storm showed no signs of abating, and the temperature continued to drop.

“Here!” Elijah’s shout cut through the wind. “There’s an opening!”

The group converged on his position, where a black slash had appeared in the white expanse. As they cleared more snow, the opening grew larger, revealing what appeared to be the mouth of a small cave.

Grayson moved to the front, his face set with determination. “Cody! Nathan!” His voice echoed into the darkness beyond.

For a moment, only the wind answered. Then, faint but unmistakable, came a response from within the cave. The search party’s exhaustion vanished in an instant, replaced by fierce hope and renewed purpose.

“They’re alive,” Annalee whispered, tears freezing on her cheeks. “They’re alive…”

But nature wasn’t finished with them yet. As they worked to widen the opening, an ominous crack split the air above them. The mountain itself seemed to shudder, and fresh snow began to slide down the slope.

“Move!” Brodie grabbed Annalee’s arm, pulling her back as chunks of ice crashed down around them. “We need to secure this opening before the whole slope comes down!”

The race against time had entered its final, desperate phase. Their brothers were within reach, but the mountain threatened to snatch them away again with every passing second.

The cave entrance gaped like a wound in the mountainside, barely wide enough for two men to squeeze through.

Inside, two figures huddled together in the darkness, their bodies pressed against the rough stone walls for whatever meager warmth they might provide.

Natural light caught the gleam of familiar eyes.

Cody’s hard blue stare and Nathan’s weary green gaze.

“Thank God,” Grayson breathed, already shrugging off his coat to pass inside. “How bad?”

“Nathan’s worse,” Cody answered, his voice hoarse from the cold.

Elijah and Joshua worked to widen the opening while Nash directed Parker to gather blankets and the supplies their mother had put together. Annalee pressed forward with blankets from their packs, her hands trembling as she reached for Nathan’s ice-cold fingers.

“You’re not getting rid of me this easy, Annie,” Nathan managed a weak smile. His lips had taken on a bluish tinge.

“We need to move fast. This whole slope’s unstable.” Brodie positioned himself at the cave entrance, helping guide Nathan’s nearly frozen form through the narrow opening.

The extraction required careful coordination. Cody insisted on helping Nathan out first, though he could barely stand himself. The older brother’s stubborn pride warred with exhaustion as he tried to support Nathan’s weight.

“Let us help,” Grayson said firmly. “You’ve done enough.”

A deep rumble from above punctuated his words. Small chunks of ice and snow began to rain down around them.

“Move!” Nash’s shout galvanized them into action. “The whole slope’s coming down!”

They half carried, half dragged the brothers away from the cave entrance. Nathan’s feet barely touched the ground as Grayson and Joshua bore his weight between them. Cody stumbled forward under Elijah’s supporting arm, his usual independence forgotten in the face of pure survival.

The mountain’s groan became a roar. A wall of white death rushed down the slope, consuming everything in its path. The group scrambled for the shelter of a massive boulder, pressing themselves against its weathered face as the avalanche thundered past.

Snow filled the air, making it impossible to breathe. Annalee felt Brodie’s arm wrap around her waist, pulling her tight against him as he shielded her with his body. The contact sent a jolt through her that had nothing to do with the cold.

“Hold on!” Parker shouted, his young voice pitched high with fear.

The world dissolved into chaos. The sound was deafening, a physical force pressing against their ears and rattling their bones. Snow poured around the edges of their shelter, threatening to bury them where they stood.

Then, as suddenly as it began, the avalanche passed. In its wake came an eerie silence, broken only by their ragged breathing and the soft patter of settling snow.

“Everyone all right?” Grayson’s voice cut through the quiet.

A chorus of affirmative responses followed, though Nathan’s came as more of a groan. The cave entrance they’d just evacuated had vanished, replaced by a solid wall of snow and debris.

“A couple minutes later…” Parker let the thought hang unfinished.

Cody stared at the buried cave, his expression unreadable. For a moment, the hard shell he’d worn since losing his wife and daughter cracked, revealing a glimpse of the brother they’d known before tragedy struck.

Annalee became aware of Brodie’s arm encircling her waist. She turned to face him, their eyes meeting in a moment of shared relief and something more. The year she’d spent in Philadelphia seemed to fall away, leaving only the connection they’d always shared.

“We should get them back to the ranch,” Brodie said softly, though he made no move to release her.

“Yes,” she agreed, her hand resting briefly on his chest. “We should.”

The moment passed, but something had shifted between them. As they helped prepare Nathan and Cody for the journey home, Annalee caught Brodie watching her with an intensity that made her chest tight. Perhaps near death had a way of bringing important truths to light.

The rescue party regrouped, checking their gear and redistributing supplies to accommodate their weakened brothers.

The storm had begun to slacken, as if satisfied with its display of power.

Through breaks in the clouds, pale sunlight gleamed on the fresh snow, transforming the deadly landscape into something beautiful.

“Next time you want attention,” Joshua told Nathan as they helped him onto a horse, “try writing a letter instead.”

The weak joke drew chuckles from the group, releasing some of the building tension during the rescue. Even Cody’s mouth twitched in what might have been the ghost of a smile.

As they prepared to depart, Annalee found herself riding beside Brodie. Neither spoke as the horses picked their way through the snow.

The mountain stood silent behind them, its secrets once again buried beneath tons of snow and ice. They’d won this round against nature’s fury, but the cost had been nearly too high. As they began their careful descent, Annalee silently thanked God for leading them to find their brothers in time.

The frantic storm had given way to a strange calm as the rescue party made their way down the mountain toward home. Grayson kept a watchful eye on his brothers, noting how Cody’s shoulders hunched against the cold, while Nathan’s attempts at humor couldn’t quite mask his exhaustion.

“Stop fussing,” Cody muttered as Annalee rode closer to check on him. “I’m fine.”

“You’re as fine as a cat in a rain barrel,” she retorted, studying his pale face. “Your lips are still blue.”

Nathan managed a weak laugh from his position between Joshua and Elijah. “All I want is a hot meal and a warm fire. Maybe Ma’s beef stew if we’re lucky.”

The mention of food drew a collective groan from the group. None of them had eaten more than trail rations since the search began.

“First, we check for frostbite,” Grayson said firmly. “Then food.”

The journey down took twice as long as their ascent. Fresh snow made the footing treacherous, and both Cody and Nathan needed frequent stops to rest. During one such pause, Annalee found herself next to Brodie for a second time, their horses standing close enough their legs touched.

“Remember when we used to go sledding on this slope?” she asked softly.

Brodie’s expression softened. “You were fearless. Scared me half to death every time you took the jump by Millard’s Park.”

“You never tried to stop me, though.”

“I knew better.” His gaze held hers. “You always knew your own mind, Annie.”

The old nickname brought heat to her cheeks despite the cold. “Things were simpler then.”

“Were they?” He shifted in his saddle, turning to face her more fully. “Or did we just think they were?”

Before she could respond, Parker called out from ahead. “I can see the ranch!”

Through the trees, smoke rose from the chimney of the main house. The sight brought fresh energy to their weary group. The pace of their horses began to pick up, sensing home and a warm stable ahead.

As they approached, the front door flew open. Naomi Beckett rushed out, her normally composed features cracking with emotion as she saw her sons. Tears froze on her cheeks as she reached for them.

“My boys,” she whispered, touching Cody’s leg as Grayson helped him dismount. “My precious boys.”

For once, Cody didn’t pull away from her touch. He stood unsteady in the snow, allowing his mother’s embrace with unexpected vulnerability. Nathan practically fell into her arms next, his usual good humor giving way to exhausted relief.

“Inside, all of you,” Naomi commanded, her voice thick with tears. “I’ve got stew warming and coffee ready.”

The group began to disperse, leading horses toward the barn or heading inside. Annalee lingered, watching Brodie secure his mount. The events of the day had shifted something between them.

“Brodie, I—”

The thunder of approaching hooves cut off her words. Tripp Lassiter appeared from the direction of Iron Angel Ranch, his horse lathered despite the cold. His expression sent a chill through Annalee that had nothing to do with the weather.

“Grayson!” Tripp’s voice carried sharp urgency. “We’ve got trouble.”

The oldest Beckett brother turned back from the porch, instantly alert. “What kind?”

“More cattle missing. Twenty-five head this time. And—” Tripp’s voice caught. “My sisters are gone.”

“Gone?” Annalee stepped forward. “Grace and Hope?”

“They left Bozeman on the stage for Gumption. They never arrived. Neither did the stage.” Tripp’s knuckles whitened on his reins.

The news hit the group like a physical blow. Grace and Hope Lassiter were friends of both Annalee and Lilian, frequent visitors to Wild Spirit Ranch. The implications of their disappearance, combined with the cattle theft, painted a dark picture.

The exhaustion of the rescue faded as a new urgency took hold. Annalee felt Brodie move closer, his presence both comforting and concerning. As sheriff, he would be at the forefront of any search.

“We’ll need tracking parties,” Grayson said, already planning. “Brodie, can you and Nash help out?”

Before the sheriff could answer, a lone howl echoed across the valley. All eyes turned toward the sound. It came again, this time joined by more ominous choruses of what everyone knew to be a pack of wolves.