23. Sadie
SADIE
Something was wrong.
Terribly wrong.
The moment Beast disappeared into the trees, my stomach dropped.
The horse's scream still echoed across the ranch.
The pasture gate stood open.
The horses were running.
And Beast was gone.
The ranch yard had exploded into chaos.
Hank was shouting orders.
The boys were running everywhere.
Sheriff Cooper was already on his way.
But all I could think about was one thing.
Beast should have been back by now.
The realization settled like ice in my veins.
He should have been back.
I gripped the porch railing.
Hard.
Trying not to panic.
Trying not to imagine all the things that could have happened.
Failing miserably.
Headlights appeared in the driveway.
Sheriff Cooper's truck.
Behind him came another.
Then another.
Word traveled fast in Eagle River.
Especially when trouble was involved.
The sheriff climbed out.
One look at my face.
One look at the woods.
And his expression changed.
"How long?"
"Ten minutes."
The answer came out shaky.
Too shaky.
The sheriff immediately turned toward the trees.
That was when a gunshot echoed through the darkness.
Everything stopped.
My heart.
My breathing.
The entire world.
One shot.
Far away.
From somewhere inside the woods.
The boys froze.
Dad went pale.
The sheriff swore.
Then everyone started moving.
Fast.
Search lights appeared.
Flashlights.
Weapons.
Men heading toward the tree line.
I started after them.
The sheriff blocked my path instantly.
"No."
"I'm going."
"No."
"Beast is out there."
His jaw tightened.
"I know."
The words nearly broke me.
Because we were all thinking the same thing.
Something had happened.
Something bad.
The woods swallowed the search party.
Leaving me standing in the yard.
Helpless.
Waiting.
I hated waiting.
Minutes crawled by.
Five.
Ten.
Fifteen.
An eternity.
Then movement appeared near the trees.
Voices.
Shouting.
Several men emerged.
The sheriff.
Two ranchers.
And between them...
Beast.
My knees almost gave out.
Relief hit so hard it hurt.
He was covered in dirt.
Covered in blood.
One side of his face was swollen.
His shirt was torn.
And he looked absolutely furious.
Not injured.
Furious.
The moment he spotted me, his eyes locked on mine.
Everything else disappeared.
The people.
The lights.
The noise.
Just me.
I ran.
Straight across the yard.
Ignoring the sheriff.
Ignoring everyone.
Ignoring common sense.
I threw my arms around him.
Hard.
For one second he went completely still.
Like he couldn't believe it happened.
Then his arms wrapped around me.
Holding me against his chest.
Strong.
Protective.
Safe.
A sound escaped me.
Half laugh.
Half sob.
I didn't even care.
He was here.
He was alive.
Behind us, somebody cleared their throat.
Loudly.
The sheriff.
"Well."
Another voice joined in.
Mrs. Jenkins.
Of course.
"Oh, they're adorable."
I buried my face in Beast's chest.
Mortified.
The Magnolia Ladies had somehow arrived.
Again.
Nobody knew how.
Nobody ever knew how.
Doris sniffed dramatically.
"I've been waiting for this."
Betty nodded.
"Me too."
Beast looked like he wanted to disappear.
Unfortunately for him, Eagle River wasn't about to let that happen.
Sheriff Cooper crossed his arms.
"What happened?"
The humor vanished instantly.
Beast's expression hardened.
His arms tightened around me.
Just slightly.
Enough that I noticed.
"Gerald wasn't alone."
Silence.
Complete silence.
The sheriff's face darkened.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean somebody was waiting for me."
The yard grew quiet.
Dead quiet.
Every rancher.
Every deputy.
Every Magnolia Lady.
Listening.
"He set a trap."
My stomach dropped.
The sheriff swore.
Again.
Beast looked toward the mountains.
Toward the darkness.
Toward wherever Gerald had run.
His voice turned cold.
Colder than I'd ever heard it.
"I saw his face."
Everyone went still.
Every single person.
Because for weeks Gerald had been hiding.
Running.
Watching.
Now Beast had finally seen him.
And Gerald had made one fatal mistake.
He'd stepped out of the shadows.
The sheriff looked up.
"You sure?"
Beast smiled.
A terrifying smile.
The kind soldiers probably wore before battles.
"Oh yeah."
His eyes never left the darkness.
"I know exactly who I'm hunting now."