The Omega Knotting a Stranger

23

HUNTER

T he Arctic Thundercat 9000 Turbo growls beneath me, a mechanical beast straining against its own power. Its 998cc turbocharged, 4-stroke engine vibrates against my thighs as I guide it through the pristine morning snow. Behind me, James grips the handles at his sides, his body a tense presence against my back.

Each breath burns in my lungs, turning to vapor the instant it leaves my mouth. The storm has cleared, giving way to a deceptively beautiful sunrise—pink and gold light spilling across untouched white peaks, the kind of morning that feels like a lie after the break-in at my home.