Roman Wolfe is a Vietnam War veteran. More accurately, he was an expert at night time stealth combat.
His silent, undetectable killings were psychological warfare at their most horrifying. They demoralized and terrified the enemy, especially when the surviving enemy kept seeing a frightening white wolf after Roman's lethal attacks.

When the war ends Roman attends college, becomes a teacher, is married and has a daughter. However, all is not well with Roman's psyche. The sublime peace that he seeks is constantly shattered by episodes of depression.

After a few years of on-and-off mental struggles he seeks professional assistance. While in therapy, and on a pre-Thanksgiving weekend, Roman and his wife and daughter visit his in-laws at a very rural area in Chemung, New York.
While on an outdoor walk, Roman and his daughter are kidnapped by a brutal mountain-man and his two miscreant sons who are all running from the law.

Roman and his daughter are driven to the Adirondack Mountains where they are forced to journey to a hunting cabin in an extremely remote wilderness area, where the white wolf appears, again.