Claimed by 3 Mountain Men (Silver Ridge Mountain Men)

Epilogue

EPILOGUE

I stand at the edge of the clearing, my breath catching in my throat as I take it all in—the vast stretch of land that once echoed with the sound of chainsaws and heavy machinery, now silent except for the rustling of the wind and the occasional call of a bird.

My fingers coil under my morning coffee.

The Truitt property has been declared a wildlife reserve.

No more logging, no more destruction. The brothers have made sure of it. It’s a safe haven now, for the silver lynx and every other creature that calls this place home.

It still feels surreal, standing here, knowing that we did this—that I played a part in saving this land. But not just me. The boys too—JT, Ben, Hank. Three men who once saw the forest as nothing more than a resource to be used, now see it for what it truly is—something sacred, something worth protecting.

I close my eyes, letting the warm breeze wash over me, the peace of this moment settles into my bones. It’s been months since the poachers were taken down, months of paperwork and meetings and negotiations to get this land protected, but now it’s finally done.

We’ve won.

I stare at the new sign declaring this land to be a sanctuary of nature, and by law to be protected. It’s perfect.

Behind me, I hear the sound of footsteps crunching on the soft earth, and I turn to see them—JT, Ben, and Hank—walking toward me, their faces lit with that easy confidence I’ve come to know so well. But there’s something different in their expressions today, something softer, more deliberate.

JT reaches me first, his hand sliding around my waist as he pulls me close, his lips brushing against my temple. “What do you think, Mac? Looks good, doesn’t it?”

I smile, resting my head against his shoulder. “It looks perfect.”

Ben stands beside me, his arms crossed over his broad chest, but there’s a playful glint in his eyes as he watches me. “You know, we couldn’t have done any of this without you. You saved this land, Mac. You saved us.”

Hank is on my other side, his hand brushing against mine as he gives me one of those rare, thoughtful looks. “We were a mess before you came along.”

I shake my head, laughing softly. “You’re giving me too much credit.”

“No, we’re not,” JT murmurs, his voice low and serious. “We mean it. You changed everything, Mac. And now, we want to make sure you never leave.”

I blink, looking up at him, confused for a moment. “What do you mean? Why would I leave?

JT pulls back slightly, and when I glance at Ben and Hank, they’re both watching me with matching expressions of anticipation.

“Guys? What are you doing?

JT takes a deep breath, his hand tightening around mine as he meets my gaze with those intense eyes that have always made my heart skip a beat.

“We’ve been talking,” JT says, his voice steady but laced with emotion. “And we’ve decided that we can’t imagine a future without you. Not just here, not just with the land, but with us.”

My heart stutters, and my pulse quickens as I stare up at him, my mind spinning. “JT, I…”

He cuts me off with a smile, leaning in close. “Mac, we love you. All three of us. You’re the missing piece we didn’t even know we needed. And we’re not asking for you to choose between us. We’ve already chosen. We want to be together, the four of us. Forever.”

Ben steps forward, his hand coming to rest on my other arm, his eyes soft but full of warmth. “We know it’s unconventional, but this is what feels right. We’re a team, Mac. We’ve always been stronger together, and that includes you.”

Hank’s fingers lace with mine, I can feel the weight of what he’s not saying. His eyes meet mine, and in that quiet way of his, I know he feels the same.

“We want you to marry us,” JT says, his voice filled with certainty. “All three of us.”

The world tilts for a moment, and I feel the breath rush out of me as the meaning of their words sink in. They’re not just asking me to stay. They’re asking me to be a part of their lives, of this family, in the most permanent way possible.

For a moment, I can’t speak, or think. My heart is pounding so hard I’m sure they can hear it. But then I look at them—all three of them, standing there, watching me with hope and love and something I never thought I’d find out here in the wild—and I know.

I know exactly what I want.

I laugh, the sound bubbling out of me like a release of everything I’ve been holding in for so long. “You’re serious? You all want to marry me?”

JT grins, his hand tightening around mine. “Hell yes, we’re serious.”

Ben’s smile widens, and Hank squeezes my hand gently. “So, what do you say, Mac?”

I look at each of them, my heart full, and I realize that this— they —are my home now. I’ve fought so hard for this land, for the lynxes, for everything we’ve built together. But the truth is, I’ve been fighting for something else too—something I didn’t even realize I wanted until now.

“I say yes,” I whisper, my voice trembling with emotion. “I’ll marry all of you.”

The joy on their faces is instantaneous, and before I know it, I’m wrapped in their arms. Their laughter mixes with mine as they pull me close, the four of us stand together beneath the towering trees that have now become our sanctuary.

The forest stretches out before us, endless and wild, but for the first time, I feel like I’ve found my place in it. With them.

And as the sun sets over Silver Ridge, I know that this—this is where I’m meant to be.