elena pov :
The waiting was always the hardest part.
I stood by the window of the cabin, watching the sun rise over the snow-covered peaks. The sky was a brilliant shade of violet and gold, breathtakingly beautiful. It felt wrong. How could the world look so peaceful when my family was out there, possibly walking into a trap?
Behind me, Maya was pacing. She had been pacing for four hours straight. Her knitting needles lay forgotten on the coffee table.
"They should be back by now," Maya whispered, stopping to look at the clock on the wall. "Calculated time... minus the snow delay... plus the extraction..."
"Maya, breathe," I said gently, walking over to her. "Caleb promised. He doesn't break promises."
"I know," Maya said, wringing her hands. "I just... I have this feeling. A kn
