In the frozen heart of Sterling, Illinois, fourteen-year-old Mason Wright is a boy defined by secrets. At home, he navigates the unpredictable violence of Dale, his mother’s drug-addicted boyfriend, while struggling to make sense of a world that views his dyslexia and ADHD as a defect. Seeking a sanctuary from the chaos, Mason finds what seems to be a godsend: Troop 98 and its charismatic Scoutmaster, Mr. Davis. A pillar of the community, Mr. Davis offers Mason the fatherly guidance and "protection" he’s always craved. But beneath the pristine white siding of the house on 4th Avenue, the protection comes with a devastating price. Mason soon discovers that some predators don't howl, they whisper, and they use the Scout Oath as a leash.

Parallel to Mason’s struggle, the spirit of a wounded buck moves through the frozen cedar groves, hunted by a patient predator who never misses. As the Winter Solstice passes and the ice hardens over the Rock River, the time for running is over. Mason realizes that to survive the geography of hell, he must stop being the deer and start learning the mind of the hunter. To save himself and the boys who will come after him, he must find the courage to shatter the "morally straight" mask of a local saint. In a town where everyone is watching but no one sees, Mason and Josh must forge a pact in the dark, a promise to fight back before the frost reaches their hearts and the hunter finally pulls the trigger.