Forty-Nine

Isobelle

It was the first time in a long while that I woke before sunrise. I felt energized, super-charged, and more alive than ever. Stretching my arms with a yawn, I expected to knock against one or two other bodies . . . but all I found was a cold, empty bed.

That startled me, forcing me to bolt upright, finding nothing but a quiet, peaceful bedroom shrouded in darkness. I strained to listen, hoping to hear bickering coming from the living room, boisterous banter in the kitchen, even a belch or a fart in the bathroom . . . but nothing. Nothing but painstaking silence festered throughout the cabin.

Confused by this, I flung back the sheets and searched for my men. The events of last night replayed a continuous loop in my head. There was plenty for us to talk about. We had things to discuss and a lot of planning to do for the baby. A mixture of fear and excitement wrestled for dominance, neither winning, both equally matched.

“Alex. Grayson. Lucas. Mason. Where are you?” I called out