Page 18 of Protected By the Mountain Man

“Kat?” Gabe's voice cut through my panic, and I turned to see him assessing the situation with a sharp gaze.

“Stay back,” I warned, already sprinting towards the barn—but Gabe kept pace beside me, his long strides eating up the ground effortlessly.

“What’s the game plan?” His voice was calm, measured. He was good under pressure. I appreciated that.

“Game plan…” I panted, skidding around a corner. “There is no game plan. Shadow’s been a nightmare since—since the shooting. He's likely to kick or bite.”

“Okay.” Gabe nodded, surprisingly unfazed. “We'll figure it out. Just tell me what you need me to do.”

I glanced over at him as we started to sprint after the horse, the two of us side by side. I didn't want to admit that having someone else here, someone who could handle the unpredictability of a spooked horse, made me feel a sliver less alone.

But that didn’t matter right now. Shadow was one of the only things I had left of Ben…

…and we had to get him back.

EIGHT

Kat

Shadow was on the move, and I had to grab him before he decided to jump the fence.

I bolted to the barn with Gabe on my heels, my lungs burning. We skidded inside, and I snatched a lead rope and lunge line from their hooks on the wall.

“Check the stalls,” I barked at Gabe, tossing him the lunge line. The echo of hooves and the musky scent of hay filled the air as we moved, ensuring no other horse could make a break for it. A couple horses let out frightened whinnies, huffing in their stalls.

“Locked tight,” Gabe confirmed. Relief flickered briefly in my chest; it was one less thing to worry about.

We headed out into the last gasp of daylight, squinting across the expanse of the smaller enclosure. “There he is,” I said, pointing. Shadow was standing on the far edge of the enclosure, his tail thrashing.

“Got it,” Gabe nodded.

“Keep it calm and slow,” I instructed, fixing my gaze on the black figure of the horse. “He spooks easy, especially now.”

Gabe nodded again. “Understood.”

We edged forward, the grass crunching softly under our boots. I couldn't help but watch Gabe out of the corner of my eye, taking in his surprisingly gentle steps.

We were going to catch him. We had to.

“Easy, Shadow,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper as we closed in on the skittish horse. “It's just me.”

Shadow's head snapped up, his eyes wide and rolling with fear. He took a step back, ears pinned.

“Shit,” I hissed, freezing in place.

“Stay steady,” Gabe said, his voice unexpectedly soothing. He moved slightly ahead, a hand outstretched towards Shadow.

“Good boy, Shadow,” he coaxed, inching closer. “I'm not gonna hurt you.”

My heart hammered against my ribs as I watched Gabe. Shadow's muscles twitched, ready to bolt, but Gabe kept talking, his words a low hum in the cooling air.

“Shh…there you go.”

I took a breath, stepping alongside Gabe, my own hand extended. “That's it, buddy,” I whispered, drawing on every ounce of patience I had. “Settle.”

Shadow's nostrils flared, his head lowering an inch, then two. We held our breaths, willing him to trust us.

“Come on, Shadow,” I urged. “Let's get you home.”

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