Branches whipped across Emma’s face as she tore through the woods, her breath ragged and shallow. Each step sent a jolt of pain up her legs, but stopping wasn’t an option.

Behind her, she heard it... the steady, deliberate crunch of leaves. Not running. Not rushing. Just Following.

Alex’s voice carried through the dark. "Run, little rabbit... let’s see how far you make it."

Her stomach lurched. She pushed harder, dodging low hanging branches, fighting the urge to look back.

Her phone screen glowed faintly in her shaking hand... No Signal. She cursed under her breath and shoved it into her pocket.

Suddenly, her foot caught on a root. She stumbled, hitting the ground hard, biting back a cry. Pain shot up her knee as she scrambled to her feet.

The sound behind her changed... faster now. He was closing in.

Emma spotted a fallen log ahead and vaulted over it, nearly losing her balance. The darkness seemed to thicken, her own heartbeat drowning out everything except the occasional snap of twigs that told her exactly where he was. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"Emma..." Alex’s tone was mocking now, playful. "If you keep running, you’re only going to be more tired when I catch you."

Her chest tightened. She didn’t answer... her voice would only give away how close to breaking she was.

And then she saw... a light. Dim, flickering.

She sprinted toward it, praying it wasn’t just a trick of her mind.

Please let it be a street.

Emma’s breath came in ragged pulls, the night air sharp in her throat. The darkness felt thicker here, swallowing the trees, muffling every sound except the crunch of leaves beneath her boots.

And then... nothing.

No more footsteps behind her. No rustle. No sound at all.

Her heartbeat was deafening in the silence.

Slowly, she turned. Mistake!

Alex stepped out from behind a tree, his smile curving like a blade. The moonlight slid over the gun in his hand, catching on the black metal as he leveled it at her head.

"There you are," he said, voice low and calm... far too calm. "I was worried I might lose you in the dark."

Emma’s stomach knotted. Her hands stayed low, fingers curling slightly, but she didn’t dare move. "You won’t make it out of here alive," she managed, though her voice shook.

Alex’s smile deepened, his eyes glinting. "I think we both know I already have."

He took a step forward, closing the gap, his boots barely making a sound on the damp earth. Emma’s pulse pounded in her ears. Her breath hitched when he tilted his head, finger sliding along the trigger.

"This won’t hurt," he whispered.

She braced herself...

A voice, deep and unyielding, ripped through the night. "Put it down."

Emma’s eyes widened. Henry!

From the shadows behind Alex, Henry emerged, tall and steady, the muzzle of his own gun glinting under the fractured moonlight. His stance was unshakable, his gaze locked on Alex with lethal precision.

"Step away from her," Henry said, his tone carved from ice.

Alex didn’t turn, but his shoulders stiffened. Slowly, he looked over his shoulder, eyes narrowing. "Well... the loyal guard dog arrives."

Henry took another step closer, his weapon unwavering. "One more second, and I put you in the ground. Drop it."

The forest seemed to hold its breath. A gust of wind shivered through the leaves, carrying the smell of damp earth and cold metal.

Alex’s smirk flickered... not gone, but less certain. His eyes darted to Emma, then back to Henry, calculating.

The forest seemed frozen in time, every shadow holding its breath. Alex’s finger stayed on the trigger, the barrel of his gun still aimed at Emma’s forehead.

"You won’t pull that trigger, Henry," Alex said, voice dripping with mock certainty. "You’re all talk... always have been."

Henry’s jaw flexed, but his stance didn’t falter. "Try me."

Emma’s pulse thundered in her ears. She couldn’t see Henry’s face clearly in the gloom, but she could feel the weight of his presence... like a wall between her and death.

Alex chuckled under his breath, tilting his head as if studying a puzzle. "You think she’s worth dying for?" He pressed the muzzle harder against Emma’s skin. "Because I’ll make sure you go first."

Henry’s voice came back like steel snapping. "If you’re so confident... then look me in the eye when you do it."

The challenge hung in the air, sharp as broken glass.

Alex slowly turned his head toward Henry, his smirk never fading. Their gazes locked... predator to predator.

A faint breeze stirred the leaves. Somewhere far off, a branch snapped. The noise was enough to draw Alex’s eyes for the briefest fraction of a second.

Henry moved.

It wasn’t a big step... just enough to shift the aim of his gun square to Alex’s temple. His tone dropped into something lethal. "Last chance."

Alex’s grip tightened on his weapon. His thumb slid toward the hammer. And then, in one fluid motion, he shoved Emma to the ground and spun toward Henry...

A gunshot shattered the night.

The blast cracked through the night like lightning. Alex’s snarl twisted into a cry of pain as his leg buckled under him.

Henry’s shot had been clean... low and deliberate. The bullet tore through Alex’s knee, sending him crashing to the ground, his gun clattering away into the dirt.

"Son of a...!" Alex’s roar broke into a ragged grunt as he tried to move, but his leg gave way instantly. "Fuck! Fucking hell Henry!"

Henry was already there, kicking the gun out of reach. "Stay down, or the next one won’t be a warning." His voice was ice.

Emma scrambled toward him, her hands trembling as she clutched at his arm. The fear she’d been holding in spilled over the moment her fingers gripped him. She pressed her face into his chest, breathing fast and shallow.

Henry’s arm came around her instinctively, holding her close while keeping his weapon trained on Alex. "It’s over. I’ve got you," he murmured, steady despite the tension in his shoulders.

Alex lay in the dirt, clutching his bleeding leg, glaring at them with pure venom. "You think this ends with me? You’ve got no idea what’s coming."

Henry didn’t answer but his eyes said he did. And he was ready for it.