Wildly, Boldly (Return to Culloden Moor #4)

Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

#AlaskaLife #GhostHunting #SayingGoodbye #BearScare

S ophie settled deeper into the porch rocker, soaking in the early morning quiet. The sun painted the mountains in shades of gold, making every detail crystalline and sharp—from the glinting dew on the grass to the way the light caught the chrome on Darrow’s truck.

Her heart squeezed a little as she watched Quinn pace beside the vehicle, kicking at the gravel while Darrow spoke to him in that steady way of his. Though she couldn’t make out the words, the scene carried weight—a father figure passing on final bits of wisdom before sending his charge out into the world.

Her own parents were so different. They’d never outright disapproved of her TikTok career. They just didn’t get it. “So, people...watch you talk about ghosts, and that’s a job?” her dad had once asked, genuinely baffled. “I mean, yes, I suppose it is,” he’d added, like he was trying to convince himself. She knew they were proud in their own way. But they’d have been much more comfortable if she’d followed the traditional path—if she’d used her MBA to get a corporate job, something with an office and a 401(k).

She’d been on a FaceTime with her mom on her last assignment when a hilarious, unintentional viral moment happened. “Is that what you’re wearing online?” her mom had asked, leaning in close to the camera. “Shouldn’t you...I don’t know...brush your hair first?” The comment had been so perfectly out of touch that she’d clipped it, posted it, and watched the internet lose its mind. The video had a million views in under 24 hours, flooded with people commenting things like, Moms, man. and She’s trying her best.

When she’d mentioned the last guy she’d been seeing, her mom’s response had been predictably detached. “Are you sure he’s interested in you and not, you know, your following?” Not malicious, just...pragmatic. The kind of casual skepticism she’d learned to expect.

She’d tried to organize a family trip a few months ago—just a long weekend, something simple—but their schedules hadn’t lined up. “We have a wine tasting event in Bordeaux that weekend, sweetheart,” her dad had said, genuinely regretful. “Rain check?” She’d laughed, shaking her head. A rain check for quality time with their own daughter. That about summed them up.

The screen door creaked behind her, and Whitney emerged with fresh coffee, passing Sophie a steaming mug before leaning against the porch railing. Her expression was carefully neutral as she watched her husband with Quinn, but Sophie caught the slight tension in her shoulders.

Below them, Darrow placed a firm hand on Quinn’s shoulder—a gesture Sophie had seen him use countless times, always when someone needed grounding. Quinn’s answering nod was quick, his lips pressing together as if trying to hold something in. Then Darrow said something that made Quinn laugh, the sound echoing across the morning air, and just like that, the heavy moment transformed into something lighter.

“Stanford won’t know what hit them,” Sophie called out, earning a grin from Quinn that made him look younger than his eighteen years.

“Good luck at college!” Whitney added.

Quinn waved, then climbed into the passenger seat while Darrow circled to the driver’s side. The truck’s engine rumbled to life, tires crunching over gravel as they pulled away.

Sophie’s chest tightened as she watched them disappear around the bend. She’d only known Quinn a short time, but his departure marked another ending, another reminder that her own time here was limited.

The sound of an approaching engine had her checking her watch, and her pulse quickened. Right on time. Wyatt’s ranger truck appeared just as Darrow’s vanished, and Sophie forced herself to take a steady breath.

“That’s my cue,” she said, standing and gathering her ghost-hunting equipment. After last night’s spectacular aurora display, she was certain the old mining site would yield results. Even if Wyatt didn’t believe her theories about the connection between the northern lights and paranormal activity, he’d agreed to drive her out there. That had to count for something.

Whitney’s knowing smile had heat creeping into Sophie’s cheeks. “Have fun ghost hunting.”

Sophie shouldered her bag, trying to ignore the fact that she’d spent half the morning choosing her outfit and fixing her hair. This was strictly research. Professional investigation. The warm flutter in her stomach when Wyatt stepped out of his truck had nothing to do with it.

She climbed into the passenger seat, breathing in the familiar scent of leather and pine that seemed to follow Wyatt everywhere. The map on her phone showed their destination clearly enough, but she found herself second-guessing every turn. “I think it’s just around this bend. Unless I’m reading this wrong. Which, let’s be honest, wouldn’t be the first time.”

His lips twitched. “You mean like earlier when you tried to convince me that clearing was a shortcut?”

“Hey, the map showed a trail!” She laughed, remembering their earlier misadventure. “How was I supposed to know it was for mountain goats?”

The warmth of their shared amusement filled the truck cab, and Sophie found herself stealing glances at his profile. The morning light caught the angles of his face, highlighting the slight stubble along his jaw. She forced her attention back to the map.

“At least we got some great pictures of the valley,” she added, just as Wyatt’s hand shot out to grip the wheel tighter.

Sophie’s breath caught as she spotted what had caused his reaction. About fifty yards ahead, a massive brown bear ambled onto the road with the casual confidence of an apex predator.

“Look at that,” she whispered, her fingers already fumbling for her phone. “Is it a?—”

Brown bear,” Wyatt confirmed quietly, his gaze locked on the massive creature just beyond the tree line. “Adult male, probably around twelve hundred pounds—fattening up for winter, which means he’s hungry and not in the mood to be disturbed

Her hands shook slightly as she started filming, but she forced them steady. This was Alaska in its purest form—wild, untamed, and absolutely magnificent. “This is incredible,” she breathed. “The way he moves...”

The bear turned toward their truck, nose lifting to test the wind. Sophie’s heart thundered against her ribs, but she kept filming. “He’s beautiful. The way the sunlight catches his fur?—”

Her words cut off as the bear suddenly dropped to all fours and lumbered toward them with surprising speed.

“Uh, Wyatt?” Her voice came out higher than intended.

“It’s okay,” he said, his tone calm even as his knuckles whitened on the wheel. “He’s probably just curious.”

The bear stopped about twenty feet from the truck, rising up on his hind legs. Sophie’s phone wavered but she managed to hold onto it even as she grabbed Wyatt’s arm, her fingers digging into the solid muscle there.

“Still just curious?” She tried for humor, but her voice faltered.

“We’re fine. We’re in a metal box.” But he shifted the truck into reverse, his steady presence helping to calm her racing heart. “Though maybe we should give him some space.”

The bear dropped back to all fours and took another step forward.

Sophie’s grip tightened. “Space sounds good. Space sounds really, really good.”

Wyatt backed up slowly, his movements controlled and smooth. The bear watched them for a moment, then huffed and turned away, disappearing into the brush as quickly as he’d appeared.

Sophie’s fingers slowly unclenched from Wyatt’s arm. She turned off her camera. “So that just happened.”

“Welcome to Alaska.”

“Is it always like this?”

“Nah.” He glanced at her with a slight smile that did funny things to her insides. “Sometimes it’s moose.”

She laughed, the sound a little shaky. “I can’t believe I got all that on my phone. That is going to be amazing footage for my followers.”

“You did better than most visitors. No screaming, no trying to get out for a better shot.”

When she looked up, she caught Wyatt watching her with an expression that made her breath catch. There was something in his eyes, something that made her wonder if maybe she wasn’t the only one feeling this pull between them.

“So,” she said, holding his gaze. “About that mining site? After the aurora last night, I really think we might find something.”

He shook his head, but she caught the smile he tried to hide. “You’re still thinking about ghost hunting after that?”

“Are you kidding? This is perfect!” The excitement bubbled up inside her, pushing aside the lingering adrenaline from their bear encounter. “What if the spiritual energy is affecting the wildlife patterns? Maybe there’s a connection we haven’t considered!”

“Or maybe it’s just a bear doing bear things.”

“You’re such a skeptic, Wyatt Boone.” She couldn’t help grinning at his predictable response.

“Someone has to balance out all your theories.”

“Keep telling yourself that.” She settled back in her seat, watching him from the corner of her eye. “But I noticed you didn’t turn around. We’re still going to the mining site, right?”

“Yeah, we’re still going.”

Sophie bit her lip to contain her smile, but joy bubbled up anyway. She told herself it was just excitement about the investigation, about possibly proving her aurora theory. Nothing to do with spending more time with Wyatt, or the way his presence made her feel simultaneously safe and thrilled.

Nothing at all.