Winter had set in hard. A blizzard had trapped them in the cabin, and food was running low.
Ellie shared out what little she had, making sure Mia and Ben ate first.
Caleb spotted his prey and began teaching her to hunt.
She held the rifle with trembling hands, but his patience reassured her.
“You’re stronger than you think,” he told her.
The bond between Ellie and the children grew stronger.
Mia helped her cook, and Ben held her close to his side, calling her “Mama Ellie.”
She taught them songs her own mother had sung to her, songs that filled the cabin with laughter.
She realized she was starting a family.
One night, Caleb found her looking at the stars. “You’ve changed,” he said quietly.
And it was true. She had changed on the outside, but she had changed on the inside. She was proud of herself.
When a bear got too close, Ellie, who had once been afraid of nature, stood by Caleb to scare it away.
Later, she squeezed his hand. “You’re a part of it now,” she said.
Ellie’s heart beat fast, not from fear, but from the realization that she had fallen in love with the man.
When her father came to visit, Ellie stood firm against his cold words. “I’m not here for you anymore,” she told him firmly. “This is my home now.”
Her father left in shock, and Caleb, who had heard everything, nodded respectfully.
