Page 2 of Hunted By the Mountain Man
Or before this mountain winter kills me first.
two
Cole
Theblizzardhitsmyposition without warning, transforming the Alberta wilderness from peaceful to deadly in the span of minutes. I'm finishing my evening perimeter check when the wind picks up, driving snow horizontal and reducing visibility to almost nothing.
That's when I hear it through the storm—a woman's voice, weak and desperate, calling for help.
I move toward the sound, using the terrain to guide me through the whiteout conditions. Three years of living off-grid in these mountains has taught me to navigate by touch and instinct when visibility fails.
I find her collapsed in a small clearing, barely visible against the snow. Dark hair, pale skin, wearing street clothes that are completely inadequate for these conditions. She's curled into a ball, shivering violently, trying to conserve body heat that's already mostly gone.
"Ma'am," I call out, approaching slowly with my hands visible. "I'm here to help."
She lifts her head with obvious effort, eyes unfocused and glassy. Hypothermia has her in its grip—she's past the point where she can think clearly or make rational decisions.
"Can't... can't feel my hands," she mumbles, her words slurred. "So cold."
I kneel beside her, quickly assessing her condition. Core temperature dangerously low, clothing soaked through, signs of severe hypothermia setting in fast. In these conditions, she's got maybe fifteen minutes before irreversible damage occurs.
"What's your name?" I ask, carefully lifting her into my arms.
"Anna," she whispers against my chest. "Anna Rice. There were men... with guns..."
"You're safe now," I tell her, though I'm already scanning the tree line for threats. If she's running from someone, they might still be tracking her. "I'm going to get you warm."
My cabin is only a few hundred meters away, but in this storm it feels like kilometers. Anna goes limp in my arms, her breathing becoming shallow and irregular. Bad signs—her body is shutting down non-essential functions to preserve her core.
The cabin door opens to blessed warmth and shelter. I carry Anna straight to the bedroom, laying her on my bed while I quickly gather what I need—dry clothes, blankets, medical supplies.
"Anna," I say firmly, sitting beside her on the bed. "I need you to stay awake. Can you do that for me?"
Her eyes flutter open, unfocused. "So tired..."
"I know, but you can't sleep yet. I need to get you out of these wet clothes."
I work quickly, stripping away her soaked jeans and sweater with clinical efficiency. But even trying to stay professional, I can't help noticing that Anna is beautiful—graceful limbs,smooth skin, the kind of quiet strength that shows even in vulnerability.
Her underwear is soaked through too. Everything has to come off if I'm going to save her life.
"This is medical necessity," I tell her, though she's barely conscious. "Your body temperature needs to come up fast."
I wrap her in every blanket I own, but it's not enough. Her skin is still cold to the touch, her shivering has stopped completely—which is actually worse, meaning her body doesn't have the energy to generate heat anymore.
There's only one option left.
I strip down to my boxers and slide under the blankets with her, pulling her naked body against mine. The shock of her cold skin against my warmth makes me suck in a sharp breath, but I force myself to focus on the medical aspects.
"Body heat transfer," I explain to her unconscious form. "Most efficient way to warm someone with severe hypothermia."
I wrap my arms around her, pressing as much skin contact as possible between us. Her back against my chest, her legs tangled with mine, my arms encircling her to share my body heat. It's intimate in a way that has nothing to do with sex and everything to do with survival.
Hours pass. I drift in and out of light sleep, constantly monitoring Anna's breathing and temperature. Gradually, warmth returns to her skin. Her breathing deepens and steadies. The dangerous pallor fades from her lips.
Sometime near dawn, she stirs against me, making small sounds of confusion.
"Easy," I murmur, tightening my arms around her. "You're safe."
