Page 24 of My Secret Santa Mason

But everything went to hell the moment we set foot in that compound. We thought we had the upper hand, but they knew we were coming.

They were ready for us.

It wasn’t until later we realized why. Wallace, our commanding officer, had been working with Viktor the entire time.

He’d sold us out, led us right into a trap. I’d trusted him, we all had, but he’d been feeding Viktor information for months, lining his own pockets while putting us at risk.

The betrayal cut deep.

When the bullets started flying, it was chaos. Men I’d known for years—men I trusted with my life—were cut down before they even had a chance to react. The mission fell apart in seconds. We barely made it out alive.

But Wallace didn’t.

At least, not in the way we’d hoped. We uncovered his betrayal and exposed him to the authorities, but he slipped through their fingers, disappearing into the shadows.

He’d been out there ever since, trying to tie up loose ends, hiding from the law and living a tainted life.

I ran. Too many innocents had died. The team members who were left didn’t trust each other anymore. We all went our separate ways.

And now, years later, I was still running. Still hiding. Still waiting. That’s why I was here, in Silver Ridge, keeping my head down, staying out of sight. But Cami… she’d brought me out of hiding in a way I hadn’t expected. Her fucking social media had alerted someone to something, I was sure of it. Had she known what she was doing? Had she done it on purpose so that they could find me?

Wallace—Viktor—hell, anyone from that world—could track me down if they were here for me. It was just a matter of time.

Wallace wasn’t here for a holiday visit. If it really was him, he was looking for me. And that meant shit was about to hit the fan.

I looked over my shoulder back toward the center of town, watching as the holiday decorations swayed in the wind, the wreaths and lights looking almost too cheerful against the backdrop of danger that had come knocking. I needed to get back to the cabin and figure out which way to turn next.

If Wallace was here, it wasn’t just a coincidence. And the people in this town? They had no idea what was coming.

11

CAMI

It felt earlier than it was, with the sun rising so much later.

The air was so cold it felt like it could cut right through me. My breath came out in soft puffs, hanging in the crisp morning air before disappearing into the gray sky. The sun hadn’t fully risen yet, casting a faint light over Silver Ridge, but it wasn’t enough to chase away the cold. I pulled my scarf tighter around my neck, tucking my hands deeper into my coat pockets as I hurried down the quiet street. The snow crumpled softly under my boots with each step, and the town was still, as if it were waiting for something to stir.

The holiday decorations were everywhere—garlands with bright red bows wrapped around lampposts, icicle lights strung across the storefronts, and a massive Christmas tree standing tall in the square, its branches heavy with ornaments. Silver Ridge looked like Christmas now that all the decorations were up. I was proud—I’d had a hand in a lot of it and the whole town looked like something out of a holiday movie.

But something felt wrong.

I glanced over my shoulder, back toward the cottage. I’d checked and double checked that I’d locked it. Mason had come in last time, but that didn’t bother me so much. Lately, it felt like I wasn’t alone.

Even now, I felt like someone was following me.

I glanced over my shoulder again, but the street behind me was empty. There was no one—just snow and shadows, the early morning light making everything look softer than it was.

Still, my heart hammered in my chest, my pulse quickening as I picked up the pace, my boots slipping slightly on the icy sidewalk.

It’s nothing, I scolded myself.

I was being paranoid.

But the feeling wouldn’t go away, crawling up my spine with cold fingers.

I shivered.

The wind picked up, biting at my exposed skin, and I pulled my coat tighter around me, ducking my head against the cold. I wasn’t far from the general store, which would be open by now, but the distance suddenly felt longer, like the street was stretching out in front of me, keeping me away from the warmth and safety that waited for me.

---