He thought he was checking out illegal logging in the Idaho mountains-until he found a German Shepherd locked in a frozen cage, staring at him like it had been waiting for exactly one person

cold. The third stood a half-step back, narrow and pale, studying everything without appearing to look at anything.

The tall one smiled. “Afternoon. Heard you found our dog.”

Atlas stepped forward.

The change in him was absolute. He did not bark. He did not lunge. He simply came to Grant’s side, squared his shoulders, and fixed his eyes on the men. The continue reading …