3. Sadie
THREE
SADIE
The world comes back in pieces.
First the cold. It’s still there, deep in my bones, but not as sharp as before. Then the pain in my ankle, a dull, steady throb. And finally the warmth. Real warmth. Not the weak shelter of pine branches, but actual heat pressing against my side.
A man is carrying me.
His arms are strong and steady beneath my knees and back. I can feel the hard muscle of his chest through his jacket. My head lolls against his shoulder. I try to lift it, but my body refuses. Everything feels heavy. Slow. Like I’m moving through deep water.
“You’re safe now,” he says, voice low and calm, cutting through the wind. “I’ve got you.”
I blink slowly. Snow swirls around us, but we’re moving. Fast. His boots crunch through the drifts with purpose. I catch a glimpse of his face when the beam of his headlamp swings across it. Strong jaw. Dark eyes focused ahead. He looks like he was carved from the mountain itself.
A low, rhythmic thumping grows louder above us. I tilt my head back and see lights cutting through the storm. A helicopter. Its rotors beat the air, sending snow flying in every direction. The man adjusts his grip on me and keeps walking toward the clearing where it’s landing.
“Stay with me,” he says. “We’re almost there.”
The helicopter touches down with a heavy thud. The side door slides open. Two men jump out and run toward us. One carries a medical bag. The other has a blanket ready.
The man holding me hands me over carefully. “She’s hypothermic. Twisted ankle. Possible frostbite on her fingers. She was conscious a few minutes ago.”
They wrap me in the blanket and help me into the helicopter. The man who carried me climbs in after us and sits right beside me, one arm still around my shoulders like he’s afraid I might disappear. The door slides shut. The rotors spin faster. We lift off, the ground falling away beneath us.
Inside the cabin the noise is loud but the air is warm. Blessed warm. I can finally breathe without the cold stabbing my lungs. My body starts to shake as the heat hits me. The man beside me pulls the blanket tighter around me.
“You’re safe,” he says again. His voice is steady. Certain. “No one is going to hurt you here.”
I look up at him through half-closed eyes. “Who… who are you?”
“Thorne,” he answers. “Thorne Prescott.”
I swallow, my throat raw. “Sadie,” I whisper. “I’m Sadie Calloway.”
He nods once, like my name matters. Like he’s filing it away. His eyes never leave my face, watching every flicker of expression, every shiver that runs through me.
The helicopter banks gently and heads toward the mountain. Through the window I see nothing but white and dark shapes of trees. The storm rages below us, but up here we’re above it. Safe. For the first time in days I feel safe.
The man with the medical bag kneels in front of me. “I’m Eli. I’m going to check you over, okay? Just stay still for me.”
I nod weakly. His hands are gentle as he checks my pulse, shines a light in my eyes, and carefully examines my swollen ankle. He works quickly but with care, wrapping it in a temporary brace.
“You’re lucky Thorne found you when he did,” Eli says. “A few more hours and this would have been much worse.”
Thorne stays silent beside me, but his arm tightens around my shoulders. He has not taken his eyes off me since we lifted off. There’s something protective in his gaze. Something that makes the knot of fear in my chest loosen just a little.
The helicopter begins to descend. Through the window I see lights below. Warm golden lights nestled among the trees. A compound of log cabins and a larger building with smoke curling from its chimney. The pilot sets us down gently on a cleared landing pad.
Thorne helps me out, keeping one arm around me as my legs threaten to buckle.
The cold hits again, but it’s nothing compared to what I endured earlier.
He half-carries me toward the largest building.
The door opens before we reach it. A beautiful woman with soft brown curls steps out, a blanket in her hands.
“Harper,” Thorne says. “She needs warmth and dry clothes.”
Harper drapes the blanket over me and smiles kindly. “We’ve got you, honey. Let’s get you inside.”
They guide me into the lodge. The warmth hits me like a wave. A fire crackles in a massive stone fireplace. The smell of coffee and something baking fills the air. Several people are waiting. A tall man with silver at his temples steps forward first.
“I’m Rafe,” he says. “You’re safe here at Haven 7. No one will touch you while you’re with us.”
Eli guides me to a chair near the fire. “Let me take another look at that ankle now that we’re out of the storm.”
I sit down gratefully. Thorne stays close, standing just behind my chair like a silent guard. His eyes never leave me. Even when Eli carefully removes my boot and examines my ankle, Thorne watches every movement.
Harper brings me a mug of hot tea. “Drink this slowly. It’ll help warm you from the inside.”
I take the mug with shaking hands. The heat seeps into my palms. I sip carefully and feel the warmth spread through my chest. For the first time since I started running, the knot of terror in my stomach begins to loosen.
Eli finishes wrapping my ankle and looks up at me. “You’re going to be okay. Frostbite is mild. The ankle is a bad sprain but nothing is broken. You need rest, fluids, and warmth. We will take good care of you.”
A woman with kind eyes and a gentle smile kneels beside me. “I’m Daisy. If you need anything at all, just tell me. We have extra clothes, food, whatever you need.”
I look around the room at all the faces watching me with concern but no judgment. No suspicion. Just quiet kindness. Thorne still stands behind me, close enough that I can feel his presence like a shield.
“Thank you,” I whisper. My voice cracks. “All of you. I don’t know how to repay you.”
Rafe shakes his head. “You don’t need to repay anything. You’re safe now. That’s what matters.”
Thorne finally speaks, his voice low but firm. “She stays with me tonight. My cabin is closest and I can keep an eye on her.”
No one argues. Harper nods. “We’ll bring clothes and anything else she needs in the morning.”
Eli stands. “I’ll check on her again first thing. For now, rest is the best medicine.”
Thorne helps me to my feet. His arm slides around my waist, supporting me as we walk toward the door. I lean into him without thinking. He feels solid. Safe. Like nothing can touch me while he’s there.
We step back out into the cold, but this time it doesn’t bite as hard. The walk to his cabin is short. He keeps me close the whole way, one arm around me, the other ready at his side. When we reach his cabin he unlocks the door and guides me inside.
The space is simple and warm. Exposed log walls. A stone fireplace. A large bed with a navy quilt. It smells like him. Cedar and clean soap.
Thorne helps me to the bed and kneels to remove my boots. “You need dry clothes and more rest. I’ll find something for you to wear.”
I watch him move around the cabin with quiet efficiency. He brings me a thick pair of sweatpants and one of his shirts. He turns his back while I change, giving me privacy even though I’m too tired to care.
When I’m dressed he helps me under the covers. The bed is warm. The quilt is heavy. I sink into it with a sigh.
Thorne sits on the edge of the bed. “I’ll be right here on the couch. You’re safe. Sleep now.”
I reach out and catch his hand before he can stand. “Thank you,” I whisper. “For finding me. For carrying me. For everything.”
He looks down at our joined hands. His thumb brushes over my knuckles once, sending a shiver straight to my core. “Get some rest, Sadie. We’ll talk more in the morning.”
I nod and let my eyes close. The last thing I feel before sleep takes me is the warmth of his hand and the steady presence of the man who pulled me out of the storm.
For the first time in weeks, I fall asleep without fear.
I’m safe.
And for now, that is enough.