Carter watched her parents die at the age of fourteen, three years later, she is given responsibility of five other kids whose parents are executed. They can't survive in the unjust society of 2093 without breaking the law or getting killed themselves. Instead they are transported to the time period of 1890. A man is waiting for them, but during an ambush he is killed, so Carter and the kids run. Although, they are soon hunted down and caught by Morgan, the cowboy who worked with the man waiting for them. As a sentiment to the older man, Morgan takes the kids in against their will and decides to help raise them to Carter's displeasure. He is strict and expects them to work on the ranch, and Carter is set on getting away and taking the kids with her to start a life without the Cowboys. Although they try, their attempts to leave always end badly, with a reminder of what breaking the rules means. But Carter isn't giving up yet.

For over four years the boys had made a horrible error. They hadn't known honestly, hadn't given it that much thought. Now however, Zayn is gone and Harry, Liam and Louis are starting to realize what they've done.