Page 60 of Claimed By 3 Mountain Men

“What the hell are you up to?”

I stop myself from calling out to Ben and Hank. Neither one of them would admit it but they’ve grown fond of her.

I can tell because neither one of them brought her up in conversation after Hank drove her away this morning. They’re acting the same way they did after our family dog got lost in the woods.

Rufus, the hound, had found his way back, and I have a feeling Mac had as well. I’m just wondering if they know about it. It wouldn’t surprise me if Hank let her back on the property. He acts tough, but he’s softer than either Ben or I.

“I’ll catch up in a minute. I gotta take a leak!” I holler up to them.

“Sounds good,” Ben shouts back. Hank never stops once, and keeps his gaze firmly forward.

He’s mad I made Mac leave after the storm.

The tracks lead me further from the trail, into a part of the forest we hardly visit. The trees grow closer together here, theirbranches twisted and gnarled, blotting out the moonlight so that I have to rely on my flashlight to see where I’m going.

She went deep in the woods into parts that are too dangerous for her. We have bears out here after all.

I follow them, my breath coming in short, sharp bursts, the cold seeping into my bones.

And then I hear it—a sound that sends a jolt of adrenaline through my veins.

A cry for help. Faint, desperate, but unmistakable.

I freeze, my heart pounding in my ears as I strain to listen. The cry comes again, a weak, ragged sound that cuts through the silence like a knife.

“Mac?” I whisper, not daring to believe it.

I break into a run, the flashlight beam bouncing wildly as I follow the tracks, the sound of her cries growing louder, and more urgent. The trees whip past me, the branches clawing at my clothes, but I don’t stop. I can’t stop.

“Mac!” I shout, my voice hoarse, filled with a fear I can’t suppress.

And then, through the twisted branches and shadows, I find her.

She’s at the bottom of a pit, her leg caught in a metal trap, the sharp teeth digging into her flesh, blood staining the earth around her. Her face is pale, twisted in pain, her eyes wide and terrified as she looks up at me, barely able to comprehend that I’m really there.

“JT… please…” she gasps, her voice is so weak it’s almost drowned out by the pounding of my heart.

I don’t hesitate. I drop to my knees at the edge of the pit, the cold, wet earth soaking through my jeans as I lean over, reaching down to her. The trap is old, rusted, but still strong enough to hold her fast, its jagged teeth cutting into her ankle with every movement.

“Hold on, Mac,” I say, keeping my voice calm, even though my hands are shaking. “I’m going to get you out of here.”

I grab the edge of the pit with one hand, the other reaching down to her. The pit is deeper than I thought, and it takes every ounce of strength I have to brace myself and reach her. Her hand is cold, slick with mud and blood, but I grip it tightly, pulling her toward me.

“Come on, I’ve got you,” I murmur, more to myself than to her, as I heave her up, the muscles in my arms burning with the effort. She cries out as the trap tugs at her leg, and I have to bite back the surge of panic that threatens to overwhelm me.

The trap. I need to get it off.

I glance down, my breath coming in ragged gasps, and see the cruel, rusted metal biting into her flesh.

Without hesitation, I leap down, landing beside her.

I set down the flashlight and kneel beside her, my hands shaking as I assess the situation.

“JT… it’s no use…” she whispers, her voice weak and trembling. “Just... just... go… get help…”

“No,” I say, my jaw clenching. “I’m not going anywhere without you.”

I fumble for the multi-tool in my pocket, my hands slick with sweat and mud as I flip it open, my fingers trembling. The trap is old, the hinges rusted, and it takes everything I have to pry it open, the metal groaning in protest as it finally gives way.

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