Three ex-military men. One remote mountain. Zero plans for drama. Magnus, Brody, and Creed made a pact at eighteen—serve their country, then build a quiet life off-grid. Now in their mid-forties, Magnus and Brody are settling into their hard-earned peace, waiting for Creed to return and complete their dream homestead. But everything changes the day a century-old casket is unearthed in their garden. When the local police come knocking, they bring Trent—a charming antique dealer with a keen eye and a hidden longing for something more. He’s lived in Emberwood his whole life, where nothing ever happens... until now. Drawn into a century-old mystery, Magnus and Trent must unravel secrets buried deep in the mountain’s history—before someone makes sure they stay buried for good. A body. A mystery. A sizzling connection neither man saw coming. Can love bloom while danger looms—or will the past drag them down with it?

A falling tree. A forgotten name. A fight for survival. Brody came to the mountain for peace—quiet mornings, honest work, and a simpler life. But when a routine tree clearing turns chaotic and he discovers an injured man beneath a crushed tent, everything changes. The stranger can’t remember who he is... only that he might be named Ellis. Taking Ellis to the homestead to recover seems like the right thing to do—until masked men ambush them on the road. With no memory and no clear reason anyone would want him dead, Ellis clings to Brody as his one constant. His North Star. Desperate to uncover Ellis’s identity, the two follow a trail of fragmented memories and buried clues—only to find themselves tangled in something far older and more dangerous than they expected. The deeper they dig, the more it becomes someone will do anything to keep them from unearthing the past. When the earth literally shifts beneath their feet, revealing a hidden tunnel beneath the homestead, Brody and Ellis descend into the darkness—where answers might finally be waiting... and so is the threat that’s been hunting them all along. Is Ellis just a lost man with a shattered past... or the key to something much bigger? And in the heart of danger, can Brody protect more than just Ellis’s life?

A secret journal. A dangerous trek. A second chance that could cost them everything. Creed didn’t expect to arrive at the homestead this broken. His time in the military is over, but the nightmares aren’t—and watching his best friends find love only makes his isolation harder to ignore. Just as he starts settling into civilian life, his childhood friend Kayden calls with an invitation to go off into the wilds of the mountain terrain for a few days. Creed agrees, even if something about the timing feels... off. Kayden’s no seasoned outdoorsman, but he’ll take his chances in the wilderness if it means time alone with Creed. He’s never told his best friend he’s gay—or that he’s been in love with him for years. But when danger strikes on the trail and hidden feelings come to light, their friendship ignites into something neither of them saw coming. Then everything goes wrong. Kidnapped. Forced to cooperate with a ruthless enemy who wants the secrets buried deep within an old journal. With innocent lives on the line, escape is the only option—but even freedom comes with a price. As Creed and Kayden fight to survive and protect the vulnerable in their care, a deeper mystery unravels around them—one that threatens to upend everything they thought they knew about the mountain... and themselves. Will their bond survive the secrets, the danger, and the past that refuses to stay buried? Or will the fight to stay alive cost them their second chance at something real?