Can’t Win Me Back by Ginger Sue

Chapter 2343

Elias frowned deeply; his worry etched onto his face.

"We've been shouting Ms. Alyssa's name the whole way. With so many of us calling out, she should've heard us by now if she were nearby!"

In a deep voice, Jasper said, "The wind is too strong, and then there's the heavy snowfall. Our voices are being drowned out. Lyse might not hear us at all.

Lyse.

Her nickname slipped from his lips before he even realized it.

"I'm just afraid she's injured-or worse, fainted. If she blacks out in this cold..." Elias trailed off, his voice heavy with dread. "On a day like this, she won't survive long. She'll freeze to death."

The group exchanged uneasy glances, the reality of his words tightening their chests.

It wasn't that Elias was being a doomsayer. Rather, this was the cruel reality that might actually happen.

Crater Mountain claimed lives every year. Danger lurked unpredictably in the woods on the mountain-anything could unfold.

"Let's split up," Jasper commanded, his eyes fixed on the shadowy forest. His voice carried an edge of desperation. "We're not leaving until we find her."

Elias hesitated. "But what if-

voice trembling with

and strode into the

sigh. "They're right when

the snow,

But she didn't mean just a hike. She wanted them to retrace their past. If he were Alyssa, where would he go? Jasper's heart raced as he strained to stay vigilant. He arrived at the cave-the very place where he and Alyssa had

memories of that day surged back-the harrowing brush with death, the suffocating fear, and

protect you, I

in dizzying chaos. A heavy thud echoed as his strength gave out, sending him crashing to his knees. His eyes, bloodshot and

have to find

clawed at the frozen ground, forcing himself to stand. His muscles screamed in protest,

of hopelessness, the

ruthless and cold

snow blanketed her almost

shade of purple as hypothermia took its toll. Disoriented and barely clinging to awareness, her

frozen stiff, and she would be at

into herself. Lost in a daze, fragments of heartwarming childhood memories flickered in her mind-a fleeting warmth against the

depths of her daze, her late mother had appeared, her arms wide open, enveloping Alyssa

Don't be afraid. I'm

you've been through a lot. Go to

"Mom... I'm exhausted...