The Hunt

A Dark College Romance

Kristin Buoni

Copyright © 2025 by Kristin Buoni

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Cover Design by Marika Veil

Important Note:

This book is recommended for 18+ readers. It contains very dark topics, heavy psychological traumas, and situations that some readers may find disturbing. A full list of trigger warnings is available on the next page.

Content warning/triggers:

Reader discretion is advised as this book contains:

Sexually explicit scenes

Organized crime (not mafia, but secret society)

Stalking

Bullying

Kidnapping

Abuse (mental/physical)

Home invasion

Drugging

Knife play/marking

Primal kink/play

Mask play

Blood/gore

Violent, graphic death

Patricide

Mention of rape/sexual assault (off-page, side character)

Child abuse (backstory, but please heed this warning as the character discusses their past trauma at length)

Loss of a parent (backstory)

Mention of pregnancy loss (backstory, minor characters)

Mention of necrophilia (minor character)

Mention of suicide

Mention of homophobia/related bullying

To the ones who crave darkness, I see you.

You’re safe here in the shadows.

Now, let’s play…

Prologue

Everly—Aged 9

June 28th, 2013

10:38 pm

It was Rhett’s idea that caused all the trouble.

All seven of us—the kids who’d been brought to Wildercliff Manor for the first week of summer vacation—were sprawled on the rug on his bedroom floor, the glow of a single bedside lamp casting long shadows that danced with every movement. A pile of pillows and blankets created a makeshift fort against the darkness, and in front of us lay a mountain of snacks that the boys had stolen from the kitchen earlier in the night.

“So, this one’s like… a ghost that can make you hear all these crazy whispers,” Jake said, frowning deeply in an attempt to seem spooky. His face made me giggle instead. I’d known him since last summer, and he was too nice to be scary, no matter how hard he tried.

Samantha rolled her eyes, a chocolate chip cookie crumbling in her hand. “Ugh, that’s so lame,” she said.

“Yeah,” Rhett said stiffly. “I’m sick of ghost stories.”

“Me too,” Ari added, leaning forward to grab a candy bar from the haul in the middle of the rug.

“Well, what else can we do?” Benji chimed in, stretching his skinny legs out in front of him as he leaned back against the pillows. “It’s soooo boring here at night.”

“Honestly, it gets pretty boring during the day too,” Merritt said, raising a brow. At eleven and a half, she was the oldest here, so I always listened to everything she said. She was really cool, too. Not a snob like Samantha. “The internet doesn't work, so I can’t watch anything on my iPad or play any games. And we already watched all the good movies here.”

“I know.” Samantha sighed. “Why do our parents make us do this every year?”

“It’s not that bad,” Jake said. He sounded annoyed. “It’s only for a week, and then we always go somewhere else really cool. Like the Bahamas last year.”

“But why can’t we just go straight to the cool place?” Samantha said, voice turning even shriller and whinier. “Why do we always have to come here first?”

“Wildercliff is cool!” Jake insisted, glancing at me. I could tell from his expression that he wanted me to back him up.

I hesitated, not quite knowing what to say. I wasn’t from the same group as these kids—I was only here because my father worked for Jake’s father—so I wasn’t used to flying all over the world and visiting exotic places like the rest of them. I definitely wouldn’t see a visit to this gigantic mansion as a boring, annoying thing that I desperately wanted to get over and done with, either. It was one of the coolest things I’d ever experienced, and it was also the first time in my life that I’d visited the East Coast.

Actually… it was the first time I’d visited any coast.

I didn’t want to say any of that, though. The other kids would probably all think I was the biggest loser on the planet.

I shrugged in what I hoped looked like a casual way. “I guess the beach is pretty nice,” I said lightly, as if I didn’t really care all that much.

Samantha smiled sweetly at me, but there was something sharp behind it. “You live in St. Louis, right?”

“Uh-huh.”

“You’re so lucky,” she said. “There’s no real beach there, so it probably feels so cool for you to visit one. Not boring like it is for us. I mean, back at home we have our own private beach, and it just gets so old, you know?”

Benji nodded. “Yeah. It’s like, when you see something all the time, you just get used to it, I guess.”

I swallowed hard, knowing exactly what Samantha meant when she said I was ‘lucky’. It was code for ‘poor’, given all the other stuff she’d said over the last few days.

I didn’t like how she looked down on me that way, because I knew from school how people liked to pick on kids with less stuff, and I could always tell how horrible those kids felt about it.

It was stupid, anyway. My family wasn’t even poor. My dad was the head engineer at his own company, and my mother used to be a doctor before she got sick last year. We had a big two-story house on a big block of land. We even had a swimming pool, and at my school, I was considered to be one of the ‘rich’ ones.

But compared to the kids around me now, my life back home felt small and inadequate. They all lived in mansions on huge estates with their own staff. One of the boys—Rhett—even had a private jet. His family could take it wherever they wanted, whenever they wanted.

As for Jake… this enormous, sprawling mansion was just a vacation home for him. That was probably why he got so defensive over it—because his family owned it. He didn’t need to, though. Anyone with eyes, apart from Samantha, would be envious of such a big, beautiful house.

“Maybe you can swap lives with Everly, then,” Rhett piped up, dark eyes narrowed on Samantha. “Seeing as you’re so jealous of her living in Missouri. I’ll even lend you the jet to take you there.”

The rest of the boys snorted with laughter, and Merritt giggled. Samantha pouted, but she didn’t say anything.

Up until this exact moment, I’d never liked Rhett very much. The other kids had mostly been nice to me this week, apart from the occasional ignorant comments from Samantha, but Rhett wasn’t nice to anyone. He always seemed angry, even when he was quiet. Boys like that scared me, so I usually tried to avoid attracting his attention.

I was glad that he’d stuck up for me against Samantha’s comment, but I was also surprised it had happened. It wasn’t like him to defend someone. Then again, he might’ve only done it so he could have an excuse to be mean to Samantha.

He seemed to enjoy that—being mean. Even though he’d never actually said or done anything cruel to me, I’d seen him do it to the other kids a lot this week, so I always felt on edge around him, like I was just waiting for it to happen.

He turned his gaze to me and cocked his head. “Why are you here again? I forgot.”

For a stomach-twisting second, I thought he was asking me the question in a hostile way, like ‘Why are you even here? You aren’t one of us.’ But then he added another question, and I realized he was genuinely curious.

“Wasn’t it something about your mom being sick?” he asked.

I nodded. “Yes. She can’t take care of me right now, but my dad had to come here for work,” I said. “So Jake’s dad said it was okay for him to bring me here while they do… whatever they’re doing.”

“What’s wrong with your mom?”

I swallowed hard. I didn’t like to talk about this much. “Um… I was going to have a baby brother, but then she got sick.”

Rhett’s dark brows rose. “Oh, she’s pregnant?”

“No. She was. But something happened and she’s been sick ever since then,” I mumbled.

None of the other kids responded to that. They just stared at me with looks ranging from confusion to pity.

Finally, Merritt broke the awkward silence. “Okay, guys, no more whining about being bored. We have to cheer up Everly about her mom by doing something really cool. Right?”

The others nodded enthusiastically.

“More ghost stories?” Jake suggested.

Merritt rolled her eyes. “Oh my god, no. No more stupid ghosts!”

“I know what we can do.” Rhett abruptly stood, casting a commanding look over the rest of us. “We’ll sneak out.”

“Where? Down to the beach?” Ari asked.

“No.” Rhett sighed impatiently. “I mean out out. Like past the fence.”

“Our parents said we aren’t allowed to go past the fence when we’re at Wildercliff. Ever. It’s too dangerous,” Benji said, eyes wide.

“But there’s so much to explore out there. You can see it all when you fly in,” Merritt chimed in, folding her arms. “There’s a forest and mountains. More beaches, too.”

Samantha frowned. “How would we even get out? The gate’s locked, and the fences are too high for us to climb. Also, they’re all spiky at the top.”

“I might have an idea,” Jake said. He paused, waiting for every pair of eyes to shoot to him. “There’s old tunnels here. My dad told me about them last summer.”

“What?” Samantha’s eyes widened. “Seriously?”

“Yup.”

“Why didn’t you tell us there were tunnels?” Rhett asked, eyes flickering with annoyance. “We could’ve spent the whole week exploring out there.”

“Well… Dad told me they’re dangerous. I’m not supposed to go in them.”

“Why did he tell you about them, then?” Merritt asked, tilting her head to one side. “It kind of seems like he secretly wants you to explore them, right?”

“No.” Jake shook his head. “He only told me because he was worried I’d find one of the entrances by myself when I was playing outside. And if I didn’t know any better, I’d probably go in.”

“Do you really think it’s dangerous?” Ari asked.

Jake shrugged. “I dunno. Maybe. But I guess he just doesn’t want us to wander too far away from the estate, because we could get lost.”

“Okay, it’s settled,” Merritt replied, lifting her chin. “You’ll show us one of these tunnels, and we’ll go exploring.”

“Uh… one problem.” Benji waggled a finger. “Our parents might still be awake. They’ll totally see us when we go downstairs.”

Merritt nodded slowly. “Good point. We need to send a spy to check first.” Her brows knitted in a small frown as she hesitated. Then she turned to me. “Everly… it has to be you.”

My eyes widened. “Why?” I asked, voice coming out in a squeak.

“Because you’re only nine. You’re still so small and cute. If the adults see you, you can easily convince them you were just going downstairs for a drink. They’ll probably believe anything you say.”

“Also, you have all that long blonde hair,” Samantha added. “It makes you look like an angel. Totally innocent.”

“Um…” I bit my bottom lip, cheeks flushing hot as I felt the weight of everyone’s expectation pressing down on me. “Okay. I’ll go now.”

Heart beating fast, I opened the bedroom door and peered outside. The hall was dark and empty. I gave one last look to the others, and they all waved or gave me a thumbs-up.

Spurred on by my desire to impress them, I stepped into the hall and began to make my way toward the main staircase.

I pressed myself against the wood-paneled walls, fingers trailing along the grooves, as I tiptoed down the long hallway. Every creak of the floorboards beneath my feet made my heart leap, but no adults emerged from any rooms, demanding to know what I was doing.

At the top of the staircase, I hesitated. The wide spiral of the banister curled down to the ground level, which would be dark if all the adults were in bed, but I could see a faint warm glow down there. I knew some people forgot to turn lights off before they went to bed, though, so I decided to go down and check if the coast was clear anyway. If I didn’t, the others would think I was a total scaredy-cat. Totally uncool.

I swallowed, forcing my trembling hand to grip the polished wood, and took my first step. As I slowly descended, I strained to hear over the thudding in my chest—no movement, no voices. That was a good sign.

Unfortunately, my hopes were dashed when I reached the three-quarter point. I could see the ground floor now, and my father and Jake’s father were visible to my left, sitting at a coffee table with their heads bent over a bunch of paperwork.

“I think we can make these additions and adjustments easily enough,” my father said, moving one piece of paper to look at another. “Especially if we get the team working on it as soon as possible. That won’t be a problem, will it?”

Jake’s father shook his head. “Not at all. We’ve got a solid team of workers. All of them have signed iron-clad NDAs, too, so there’s no concerns there.”

“All right. I think we could safely assume a finish date of mid-October. How does that sound?”

“Perfect. This year’s game is starting on October 31st.”

Dad chuckled, but it sounded a bit forced and awkward. “You don’t think that’s a little on-the-nose?”

“On-the-nose and dramatic is exactly what our audience expects.” Jake’s dad grinned as he spoke. “That makes Halloween the perfect start date. The only reason it was a little later last year was because of some complications with the applicants.”

“Ah. I see.”

I let out a tiny sigh as the conversation went on, figuring they weren’t going to bed anytime soon. I’d have to let the others know we weren’t safe to sneak downstairs. At least not yet.

I turned and took a step upward. The stairs groaned under my feet, and I winced. Why did floorboards always have to creak at the worst moments?

I quickly turned my head over my shoulder to see if I’d been caught. Dad and Jake’s father were looking around and upward. “Ev, is that you?” Dad asked, frowning as he caught sight of me. “What are you doing out of bed?”

“Um… I woke up and felt thirsty. Can I please have some water?”

“Of course. Come down here, honey. I’ll grab it for you.” Dad turned back to the table. “Sorry, I’ll just be a minute.”

Jake’s father smiled and rose to his feet. “No, it’s all right,” he said. “I just realized how late it is. I actually have a meeting to go to now.”

A meeting at night? I thought to myself as I descended. That seemed weird. I didn’t like to question adults, though, so I said nothing.

“All right.” My dad nodded and gestured to the paperwork. “We’ll finish this up tomorrow.”

“Yes, we will.” Jake’s father smiled at me. “For now… goodnight and sweet dreams, Everly.”

“Goodnight,” I said timidly. As much as I liked Jake, his father had always frightened me. He was just so tall and intimidating.

Once I’d gulped down my water, I fled back to Merritt’s room and burst in, heart racing. “Sorry I took so long,” I said as the others stared at me with wide eyes. “I got caught.”

“So we can’t go?” Jake asked. He looked slightly relieved.

“We can. We just have to wait a few minutes,” I said. “My dad and your dad were downstairs, but they’ve finished talking now, because your dad has to go somewhere else. I didn’t see any of the other adults, so they must be asleep already.”

“What about your dad?” Merritt asked.

“He said he’s going to bed soon, so we just have to wait a few minutes. Then we can go outside without anyone seeing us.”

“He wasn’t suspicious at all?”

I shook my head. “I did what you said and told him I just wanted a drink. I even faked a yawn so it looked like I just woke up.”

“Awesome!” She smiled at me. “I can’t wait! This is going to be so much fun.”

“Thanks for taking one for the team, Everly,” Ari said, snatching up a cookie. “My dad totally would’ve known I was lying.”

The other kids looked and sounded giddy with excitement. Even the always-grumpy Rhett had cracked a tiny smile.

I was excited too. Not just for sneaking out, but for gaining everyone else’s approval by being the spy, even if I technically got caught.

Once we’d successfully sneaked downstairs and outside, we followed Jake to the farthest part of the estate grounds. The moonlight bathed everything in an eerie silver glow, and the cool night air made goosebumps rise on my skin.

I glanced nervously at Jake as we made our way across the shadowed lawn. “Who built the tunnels?” I asked. “And why?”

“Good point,” Merritt said. “It’s kinda weird, right?”

“Dad said it was something to do with bootleggers,” Jake replied.

“What’s a bootlegger?” Samantha asked. “Something to do with pirates?”

Another shrug from Jake. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

Rhett snorted but didn’t add anything to the conversation.

When we reached the hedge-lined fence near the forest, Jake slowed his pace, eyes scanning the dark. “This is the closest tunnel,” he said. “There’s actually three of them.”

At first, I couldn’t see anything. But when I squinted and lowered my gaze, I spotted a dark hole in the bottom of the hedge. I crept closer and saw a stone archway lying just behind the opening, nearly swallowed by the creeping plants and moss that clung to its surface. Beyond the archway, I could see nothing but yawning blackness stretching downward.

“It looks so small,” Merritt said, wrinkling her nose.

“My dad said it’s big once you’re inside. These are just the steps leading down to it,” Jake replied. “But… I don’t think we should go in this one. There might be people in it.”

“Huh?” Ari said, frowning. “Why would there be anyone inside it? Especially in the middle of the night.”

“I don’t know,” Jake said. “Dad just told me that people still use it sometimes. So I think we should go to one of the others.”

“Fine. Whatever.” Samantha rolled her eyes. “Just hurry up. I’m getting kind of cold.”

Jake led us to another overgrown archway about a hundred yards away. Then he crouched, pushing aside the surrounding branches and thorns with his hands. “This is it.”

Rhett went first, followed by Merritt. I dropped to my knees and went after her, and the others followed suit.

Brambles and sharp branches scraped against my skin as we all crawled through the entryway and slowly made our way down the stone steps beyond. The tunnel finally loomed ahead, dark and foreboding.

“This is so cool,” Benji whispered as we trudged through the darkness. “It’s like a movie.”

“Yeah, a horror movie. Boo,” Merritt said right next to him, making him startle.

When we finally reached the end of the tunnel, we stepped out and found ourselves in the forest that lay beyond the Wildercliff estate. The air was thick with the scent of pine and a hint of woodsmoke.

Merritt tilted her head upward, frowning as she sniffed the air. “Do you guys smell smoke?”

“Yup. It’s gross.” Samantha grimaced. “Where’s it coming from?”

“That way, I think. Let’s check it out,” Rhett said, pointing to the right.

The forest was alive with the sounds of rustling leaves and distant night animals, and as we drew closer to the source of the smoke, faint voices began to drift through the air too.

“What’s going on?” Samantha asked in a low whisper. “Are there, like, witches out here?”

“Of course not,” Jake said. “It’s probably a party.”

“In the woods?”

“My older brother goes to bonfire parties in the woods all the time,” Merritt said. “It’s not that weird.”

“We should stay quiet,” Ari said. “If these people catch us, they’ll probably call our parents, and then we’ll get in trouble.”

We slowed our paces and stopped all conversation as we crept closer and closer to the noise and smoke. Every snap of a twig underfoot made me wince, and my heart was racing so fast it felt like it might explode.

“I can see a light,” Samantha whispered a moment later, lifting a shaky hand. Through the dense trees, I could see it too—a faint orange glow.

We kept going until we saw exactly where the light was coming from. Ahead, there was an enormous clearing in the woods with flaming torches planted in the ground along the edges.

Rhett suddenly dropped to his knees, pulling me down with him behind a thicket of bushes. The others did the same.

“Oh my god. What is that?” Merritt whispered breathlessly.

I peeked through the leaves. A large group of people were gathered in a circle in the clearing. They were all wearing black robes, and their faces were covered with silver and black skull masks. The hollowed-out eyes of the masks gave them a cold, menacing stare, making them look like Death itself.

In the center of the circle, a pale man was tied to a rough wooden stake. There was a defeated slouch in his shoulders and his eyes looked hollow and desperate. He stared out at the people before him with an unwavering gaze, his mouth pressed shut with a black gag.

“If this is a party, it’s the weirdest one I ever saw,” Ari muttered.

“Maybe they’re playing dress-ups,” Samantha whispered back to him. “Like, for some sort of game.”

“Oh, yeah. That must be it.”

“Adults don’t play dress-ups,” Merritt said.

“Or games,” Jake added.

“They totally do. My aunt does cosplay, and my dad plays Minecraft,” Benji replied.

Merritt let out a light snort. “Does this look like Minecraft to you?”

“It’s not that sort of game. But it’s definitely a game,” Ari insisted. “It has to be.”

Rhett remained silent next to me, face unreadable.

One of the masked people moved to the center of the clearing, his voice cutting through the night air with an authoritative tone as he gestured toward the tied-up man.

“Thank you for being here, everyone,” he said, turning in a slow circle to address everyone in the clearing. “This is the final test for our latest batch of recruits before this year’s game begins. The culmination of their dedication and training.”

Excited whispers stirred within the circle as several masked people stepped forward and formed a line in front of the others. I swallowed hard as I watched, my instincts screaming that we were witnessing something we were never meant to see.

“Are you all willing to do what it takes?” the man continued, cocking his masked head. “I suppose we shall see…”

He paused and took a step back, hands clasped behind his back. “Each of you must contribute to this man’s demise after his capture, as witnessed by your peers. Whichever one of you lands the killing blow will receive a thirty-minute head start in October’s game. It may not seem like much, but trust me… those thirty minutes could make all the difference in the end. Especially when you’re up against seasoned players like the rest of us.”

A low, collective chuckle filled the clearing. I wasn’t sure why the people were laughing. This was the strangest and scariest thing I’d ever seen, even if it was all part of a game.

The leader lifted a hand, and a deep horn sounded from somewhere behind him. The other masked people moved quickly, and the ropes that bound the gagged man were loosened.

“Go!” the leader cried out, staring at the man. “Save yourself!”

The man shakily dashed forward, trying to flee the clearing, but he only made it ten steps away from the stake before he was surrounded by the people in the skull masks.

One of them lunged at him, sending him tumbling to the ground. A strangled gasp escaped his lips, echoing in the clearing as the other masked figures closed in like a pack of ravenous wolves.

The man kept fighting, trying to claw his way to freedom, but his attempts were met with a series of thumping blows. Each strike was punctuated by a strange cracking sound, followed by a sickly gurgling noise.

“Guys… I don’t think this is a game,” Merritt said in a strangled whisper.

“It has to be,” Ari insisted. “Or maybe they’re making a movie. There’s no way this is real.”

Someone hit the man again, and I felt something wet splatter my face. I touched a hand to my forehead, then looked at my index finger. It was red and sticky with an unmistakable metallic scent.

My mouth dropped open, and Rhett’s hand instantly clamped down on my lips before the scream could burst out.

“Run,” he said to the others. “Now.”

With that, he hoisted me over his shoulder and carried me away, hurrying through the forest. I clung to him like a barnacle, letting out a petrified sob with each jolting step.

As we plunged deeper into the shadows, Rhett began to rub my back, muttering next to my ear as he hurried along. “It’s okay, Everly,” he said. “It was just a movie, like Ari said. It’s not real. Okay? Not real.”

“I… I…” I couldn’t get any other words out. I felt dizzy from the panic surging through me, and my heart felt like it was about to explode right out of my chest. All I wanted was to go home.

“It’s not real,” Rhett repeated. “This is all just a dream. Got it?”

“Okay,” I finally managed to whisper.

His hand continued to rub my back. “Close your eyes and breathe. We’re going back to the tunnel, back to the house, and then we’re going to bed. None of this ever really happened.”

I latched onto his words like a lifeline before letting my head loll and my eyes close, suddenly exhausted. Rhett was right. He had to be.

It’s not real. It’s not real. It’s not real…

1

Rhett

August 28th, 2024

“You stupid motherfucker.”

I stepped closer to Ryan, voice low and edged with barely restrained anger. The traitorous asshole stumbled backward, nearly tripping over his own feet as he tried to put some distance between us.

“Really thought you’d get away with it, huh?” I growled, closing the distance between us. I grabbed his shoulders and slammed his back into the cold wall of the underpass. “Thought you could run and hide from us? From me?”

Ryan flinched, eyes darting nervously from side to side as though searching for an escape. But he was trapped, cornered. “Please. It’s not what—”

I stared down at him, expression a cold mask of fury. “Let me guess. It’s not what it looks like?”

“Yes! Exactly!” Relief flickered over his face. “It was just—”

“This is the part where you say it was just a joke, huh?” I hissed, pulling him forward before slamming him back into the stone wall again. I followed that up with a swift punch to his gut. Just a warning tap, really. The next one would be harder.

A grunt of pain escaped Ryan’s mouth, followed by a rattling gasp as he tried to catch his breath. The faint light from outside the underpass cast shadows across his face as he raised his hands in an attempt to defend himself. His petrified expression was pitiful. Pathetic.

I felt no sympathy for the little prick. What the fuck did he think would happen when he crossed the Wilders like this? He knew better. Everyone did.

“Rhett, please,” he ground out, pre-emptively wincing as I yanked my right hand off his shoulder and curled it into a tight fist.

Just as I raised the fist, a voice echoed down the tunnel. “Hey! What the hell is going on down there?”

The words cut through the cold air like a knife, halting me in my tracks. I turned my head sharply to see a girl standing at the far end of the underpass. She was just a silhouette, but her stance was clearly defiant.

“Help!” Ryan yelped. “Call the pol—”

I clamped a hand over his mouth to shut him up, thumb moving downward to press down on his Adam’s apple until he was letting out gurgling gasps of pain through my fingers. “I think we both know what’ll happen if the cops get involved, and it won’t be good for you, will it?” I growled.

He stared up at me through wide eyes as understanding dawned on him. Then he nodded shakily.

“Hey!” The girl took several steps forward. Behind her, she was dragging an enormous suitcase on squeaky wheels, and a large tote bag hung from her left arm. “Leave him alone!”

I was about to tell her to fuck off and mind her own goddamned business, but then I realized how cute she was. Long blonde hair and a stunning body clad in tight skinny jeans and a loose jacket that did its best but still couldn’t hide her curves.

She took a few steps closer, eyes narrowing. Fuck. This girl wasn’t just cute. She was gorgeous. Plump, pouty lips I desperately wanted to bite, a heart-shaped face, and wide, flashing eyes that instantly telegraphed her spitfire attitude.

“Do I need to call the cops?” she asked, eyes fixed on Ryan.

I drew back and lifted my hands in mock surrender. “Nah, we’re cool here,” I said. “We’re just messing around.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You call that messing around?”

“Relax. It’s all part of a game.” I cocked my head and flashed the girl the same grin that usually made women stumble and fall at my feet. “You’d understand if you were a player. Are you interested?”

She scoffed. “A game? That’s seriously the best excuse you can come up with?”

Ryan gulped. “He’s not lying. I-it’s kind of like… a hazing thing.”

“See?” I raised a brow. “It’s nothing. You just walked in at a bad time.”

The girl’s jaw tightened, and she took another step forward. “I’d be more inclined to believe him if he wasn’t so clearly terrified of you,” she said, eyes darting between Ryan and me. “Also… hazing? Last I checked, that’s not a good thing.”

The grin stayed affixed to my face, and I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms. “Well, speaking of being terrified… why the hell are you, a barely five-foot woman, walking down a dark tunnel alone at night? Aren’t you scared?”

She returned my smile as she reached into her front pocket to reveal a small, sleek Taser. “Life becomes a lot less scary when you have one of these babies,” she replied, letting the faint blue spark crackle in the darkness. She held my gaze, unfazed, her smile widening just enough to hint at a challenge. “Do I have to use it, or are you going to let your friend go?”

I shrugged. “He can leave whenever he wants. Like I said, we were just messing around.”

Ryan took that as his cue to flee, feet loudly scuffing against the concrete in his haste to scurry out of the underpass. I didn’t watch the dirty little rat go. Didn’t care that he’d escaped my wrath, either. I would’ve liked to finish the job tonight, but it wasn’t the biggest deal in the world. I could easily find him another time.

For now, I wanted to stay and talk to this gorgeous blonde girl. I hadn’t found someone as alluring as her since… well, fuck, as long as I could remember. There was just something so damn magnetic about her confidence. It was like an invitation; a thrilling challenge that stirred the darkest parts of me.

It made me want to unravel her, to chip away at each bold layer until I finally found the vulnerability beneath. I wanted to watch the steel in her gaze soften, then shatter. See those pretty eyes fill with fear to replace the certainty that was once there. Fear that would eventually melt into desire.

Just imagining it all sent a surge of satisfaction through me—the thought of her finally breaking, her lips parting to release a scream of terror. One she’d been so sure she’d never, ever let slip.

Those were the best kinds of people to play with. The real challenges. Not the ones who were already a blubbering, shivering mess from the very start.

The girl’s eyes narrowed. “You really expect me to believe that was just a silly frat boy game?” she asked. “I saw you. You were beating that guy up.”

I ignored her remarks. “What’s your name, princess?”

She ignored my question in turn. “Even if it’s true, and you guys were just messing around, it’s hardly a fair fight, is it?” she said. “That guy was half a head shorter than you, and you’ve probably got around forty pounds of muscle on him. Maybe even more.”

I smirked. “All I’m hearing is: you think I’m jacked as fuck,” I said, tapping my chin with one finger. “Thanks for the compliment. Means a lot.”

“God, you really are an asshole, aren’t you?” she muttered, rolling her eyes. The end of the Taser crackled again, blue against black. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t call the cops right now and tell them there’s a guy going around attacking students.”

I sighed internally. If she called the cops on me, everything would work out fine in the end—it always did for guys in my position—but it would still cause a fucking headache, and I could really do without any of that shit right now.

“Would it satisfy you if I said that I can’t tell you why I have a problem with Ryan, but I can tell you that he deserves everything he gets?” I asked, cocking my head.

The girl scoffed. “That sounds like something a playground bully would say after he got caught,” she said. She took one more step toward me as she spoke, still brandishing the Taser. “But I guess that’s what you are, huh? A bully who doesn’t realize high school finished years ago.”

Now that she was even closer, and her face was a little less shadowed, something about it was nagging at a deep, dark corner of my mind. She wasn’t just beautiful—she was familiar. But why?

I usually had a pretty decent memory, but I couldn’t remember meeting this chick anywhere at Hollingsworth over the last few years. Or anywhere else, for that matter. And I’d definitely remember meeting a girl who looked like that.

Still… I knew her face from somewhere. Maybe she was some famous e-girl. Or a local Insta model.

“Where do I know you from?” I asked, raising my brows. “Have we met?”

“No, I’m pretty sure I’d know if we’d met before,” she said, nose wrinkling. “You have a very memorable face, and I mean that in a bad way.”

I grinned again, still loving that spark of hers. “Are you calling me ugly?”

“No. I’m just saying that even if you leave right now, I could easily describe you to a police sketch artist and get a perfect likeness of you. And that would be bad for you,” she said stonily. “So I’ll say it again. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t call the cops and tell them what I saw.”

“What constitutes a good reason?” I asked, casually leaning back against the underpass wall.

“Well, I hate bullies who act like assholes for no reason, but I’m not totally anti-violence.” She waved the Taser to underline her statement. “If you had a valid reason to beat that guy up, I could probably muster up some sympathy and forget I saw anything tonight. Like… if he poisoned your dog. Or murdered your family. So tell me. What did he do?”

I stared down at her, tight-lipped.

She arched a brow. “Your silence tells me you don’t have a valid reason.”

“Or maybe it’s just none of your fucking business,” I said, shrugging.

“It’s almost as if you want me to call the cops.”

“You’re not gonna call them, princess.” A cold smile spread over my face again. “See, I’ve just realized—that particular Taser in your hand is still illegal in this state. So if you try to take me down, I’m taking you right down with me.”

The girl’s haughty expression faltered, and she swallowed hard. That made me think about wrapping my hand around her pale throat. I knew it would fit perfectly. Like a fucking glove.

“I… it’s not illegal. I bought it at a legitimate store,” she said. I could tell she was bluffing. All the bite from her voice was gone, replaced by nervousness and defensiveness.

“We both know that’s bullshit. And the thing is, sweetheart...” I launched off the wall and stepped closer to her. “If the cops showed up right now, you’d be in a hell of a lot more trouble than me, because your claim against me is just words, isn’t it? A nasty little accusation with no proof. But my claim against you has solid evidence. Namely, that illegal Taser in your hand. So who do you think would be more screwed in the end?”

Her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water.

“Your silence tells me you know I’m right,” I said, echoing her words from earlier.

Before she could finally figure out a coherent response, a flashlight beam arced over the end of the underpass. “Hey! You two. Stay right there!”

The beam of light swept closer, and the heavy voice called out again. “What’s going on in here?”

I lifted a hand to block the bright light. “Nothing. We’re just talking.”

A campus cop stepped into view, brows furrowed. “Got a call from a dorm nearby,” he said, his tone firm. “Someone reported hearing shouting from this area. When they came down to check, they thought they saw someone getting attacked in the underpass.”

As he spoke, his eyes landed on my little blonde rival. She’d shoved her hand in her pocket to conceal her Taser, and her eyes were wide and swimming with anxiety.

“You okay, miss?” the campus cop went on, frown deepening. He stepped closer, his free hand resting cautiously on his radio.

“She’s fine. I was the one shouting,” I said. “I didn’t realize I was so loud.”

The cop’s gaze flicked to me, skeptical but waiting. “Why were you shouting?”

I motioned to my leg and affected an embarrassed expression. “Because I’m a clumsy dumbass. Tripped and fell while I was walking through here, and I twisted my ankle. Hurt like fucking hell. Luckily, she heard me groaning and came in to help me.” I paused and looked toward Blondie. “Sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”

She didn’t fall for my attempt to fish for her identity. Instead, she simply nodded. “I saw him lying at the end of the tunnel when I was walking past,” she said, gaze focused on the cop. “I thought his ankle must’ve been broken or something, from the way he was whining. Kind of pathetic, really. But it’s fine. No damage at all. It’s not even swollen.”

I suppressed the laughter rising in my throat. She was playing along with my bullshit ankle story, not wanting to get in trouble for her Taser, but she was having her own fun with it by mocking me and making me look like a weak asshole at the same time. The ensuing annoyance and anger I felt only made me hornier.

“Yeah, it feels fine now,” I said, baring my teeth at her in a malicious smile. “Guess I overreacted a bit, huh?”

The cop frowned at Blondie. “Listen, it was nice of you to offer your assistance, and I’m glad everything’s okay, but stepping into a dark tunnel at night isn’t safe. Next time, stay at a safe distance and call us if you see or hear anything. We can make sure everything’s okay without you having to put yourself at risk.”

“Shit, that’s a good point,” I said, nodding slowly. My eyes were still fixed on the blonde girl. Her eyes were narrowed with irritation, and her lips were pressed into a thin line. “Didn’t some serial killer from the seventies do that to lure in women? Pretended to be injured so they’d come over and help him?”

“Yeah. Some people do that. They prey on others by taking advantage of their kindness,” the cop said. He looked at Blondie again. “It’s an unfortunate fact of life, really. That’s why it’s a bad idea for girls like you to run in and help, no matter how badly the other person seems to need it.”

“Right,” she muttered through obviously gritted teeth. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

The cop turned his attention back to me. “Do you need a ride to the campus medical center to get your ankle checked out? They’re open until ten, so they should be able to squeeze you in.”

“Nah. I think it’s okay now,” I said, waving a dismissive hand. “I just need to walk it off.”

“All right.” His gaze swiveled back to Blondie. “I can take you to your dorm. It’s safer than walking alone late at night. Looks like you’ve got a heavy suitcase, too.”

She opened her mouth to reply, but I jumped in. “It’s okay. I offered to walk her there as a way of saying thanks for helping me. Right?”

She swallowed hard again, eyes flashing with barely contained annoyance. “Right.”

“You sure?” the cop asked, brows knitting.

“Yes.” Her lips curved in a small smile. “It’s a nice night, and I like walking. And I’ll be safe with, er—what was your name again?”

Nice. She’d played my name game right back at me, obviously wanting to know who I was to make it easier for her to avoid me in the future. Little smartass.

“Rhett,” I offered up.

“Rhett. That’s right.” She gave me a saccharine smile that didn’t meet her eyes. “Sorry, I forgot.”

“Speaking of names,” the cop cut in. “I’ll need to know both of yours for my incident report.”

“Report?” I asked, eyes narrowing.

He nodded. “Even though this turned out to be nothing, I still have to fill out all the forms. Bureaucracy, you know?”

“Oh. Right. I’m Ev,” the blonde girl said.

“Sorry, I should’ve been more specific. I’ll need to see your student IDs.”

I fished mine out of my wallet and craned my neck as Ev did the same, trying to catch a glimpse of her full name. It was too dark, though. Goddammit.

“All right. Thanks,” the cop said once he’d noted our names and ID numbers. “Stay safe, okay?”

“You got it.” I flashed a smile at him. “Thanks for checking on us.”

Once he’d finally left, Ev whirled around, eyes narrowed. “You’re not actually walking me to my dorm,” she hissed, grabbing her suitcase handle. “You know that, right?”

“I sure as hell am,” I said, smirking. “You heard the guy. It’s not safe for little ladies like you to walk alone at night.”

“Yeah, mostly because of assholes like you,” she shot back. “Anyway, as we already established, I can look after myself, remember?”

“Ah, yes. Little Miss Rebel with her illegal tactical gear.”

She huffed and took off, suitcase wheels squeaking behind her. I followed her, easily catching up in under three seconds. Her little legs could never outwalk—or outrun—me. I’d certainly love to see her try, though…

Fuck.

I had to stop thinking with my dick or I actually would start to have trouble walking, courtesy of the raging hard-on in my pants. No twisted ankle necessary.

“So what’s Ev short for?” I asked, raising a brow.

“Electric vehicle,” she said flatly.

“Ha-fucking-ha. Is it Evelyn? Evangeline?”

“None of your damn business.” She halted, fished the Taser out of her jacket again, and waved it in my face. “In case you hadn’t noticed, we’re alone again, so if you’re not careful, I’m gonna use this. Right on your crotch.”

Well, that would certainly take care of my boner issue.

I took a step closer. “Tell me your name and I’ll leave you alone.”

“You obviously only want to know my full name because you have no intention of leaving me alone at all,” she said, rolling my eyes. “So let me be clear. I’m not interested in dating or hooking up with anyone right now, and I’m especially not interested in doing either of those things with a guy who never mentally graduated past junior high.”

“You just assume I want to hook up with you? Or date you?” My smirk widened. “Bit arrogant, no?”

Another eyeroll. “I’m not arrogant. I just can’t think of any other reason to explain why you’re still following me and demanding to know my name.” She hesitated and tilted her head. “Unless you’re planning on stalking me and jumping me in a tunnel, like you did with that guy back there.”

My face hardened at the mention of Ryan. “You have no idea about all the things I could do to you, princess,” I said in a low voice.

Ev snorted. “Ooh, I’m so scared,” she said, sarcasm practically dripping off her tongue.

“You can pretend to be unbothered all you want, but deep down, you are scared. I can see it in your eyes, as much as you try to hide it,” I said, leaning down to let my breath fan across her throat. “Besides, why else would you be carrying a Taser around wherever you go? You’re obviously only pretending to be fearless. But really, you’re just a scared little girl. This big, bad world terrifies you.”

I could tell from the way her face instantly fell that I’d struck a nerve. “Fuck off, psycho,” she muttered, jerking away before turning around and setting off along the path again.

I didn’t follow her this time. She wasn’t far from the main part of campus, where there were bound to be more people hanging around, even at this time of night. Besides, she’d already made it clear she could take care of herself.

For now, anyway. But not for much longer. This game between us was only beginning, and the idea of being the one to slowly unravel her and break her down was far too enticing to let pass by.

I turned and strode over to the parking lot. Once I was in my car, I headed for the Wilder house—my home for the last few years, which I shared with many of my society brothers. The hulking mansion stood a mile off campus, hidden behind iron gates and a line of towering oaks. Its dark stone walls were worn and pitted, but those marks of age only added to its imposing presence.

I parked and went inside, lips twitching in a ghost of a smile as I considered the evening’s happenings. Four of my society brothers—Nick, Jake, Ari, and JJ—were sprawled on the couch in the main living room, watching a game on the massive TV.

“Hey, man,” JJ called out. “Did you deal with Ryan?”

I shook my head. “Not yet. I’ll do it tomorrow instead. He’s not gonna say anything to anyone in the meantime. He knows what’s coming if he does.”

“True.”

Jake’s forehead wrinkled. “So you couldn’t find him?”

“I did find him.” I crossed my arms, brows slowly rising. “But then I found something even better.”

“What?”

“A girl. But not just any girl,” I said, lips curving in a wicked smirk. “The perfect girl.”

2

Everly

What the hell was that?

I sucked a ragged breath into my lungs and hurried along the path, pulse pounding so loudly in my ears that it almost drowned out the annoying squeaky wheel on my suitcase. Once I’d counted out two minutes in my head, I risked a look over my shoulder to see if Rhett was still following me. Thankfully, he wasn’t.

Despite the relief flooding my veins, a tiny, treacherous part of my mind was weirdly disappointed to see the empty path behind me.

Oh my god. Why?

I knew fear could make a person do crazy things, but I’d never experienced it doing something like this to my brain—drawing me to danger and making me crave the presence of a psycho like Rhett.

Every single thing about him disturbed me, from the violence I’d initially witnessed down to the way his mask of harmless jocularity dropped the second he realized I wasn’t falling for his bullshit. Even his attempt at a friendly smile came across as predatory, sending shivers down my spine. But despite all that, there was an undeniable pull there; a heat that lingered on my skin long after I’d walked away.

I took another deep breath and tried to focus my thoughts on something else, but I still couldn’t shake the feeling my encounter with Rhett had left in my chest, like a jagged splinter lodged too deep to reach.

The way his dark, intense eyes seemed to look right inside me, seeing things I wanted to keep hidden from the world, had left me shaky and uneasy. It was beyond unsettling. He shouldn’t have been able to do that. He was just a stranger.

Ah.

That had to be it. That was why I couldn’t shake the thought of him. I was pissed as hell that someone who barely even knew me had so easily teased out the truth about me. So easily deduced that my confidence was just a show. Something I put on to prove to others, and myself, that no one could get to me anymore.

Rhett got to me, though, and he did it in record time, because he gleaned the truth about me in five minutes flat. And that truth was exactly what he claimed it was—at the heart of things, I was just a scared little girl, trying to survive a world with countless horrors.

“Asshole,” I mumbled, heat rising in my cheeks. I had a feeling tonight wasn’t the last I’d hear from him, and I also had a feeling there wasn’t much I could do about that.

I could tell as soon as I made eye contact with him that it was a mistake for me to approach him. He’d seemed so enraged at that Ryan guy before I made him aware of my presence, but the second he caught sight of me, he’d seemingly forgotten all about his hapless victim, not even caring as the smaller guy fled the underpass. Then, as I stepped closer, and our eyes finally met for the first time, I instantly felt like I’d been caught in the gaze of a predator who’d just chosen its next target.

That campus cop was right—I should’ve known better than to walk into a dark tunnel just because I thought someone needed help. My Taser was a godsend for making me feel safer as I navigated the world, but it had clearly made me reckless, resulting in me launching myself right into Rhett’s crosshairs.

Ugh. Why didn’t I just mind my own damn business?

I finally arrived at Ashcroft Hall and let myself in with the code the college admins had sent me prior to my arrival on campus. Then I made my way to my new dorm, wishing the stupid wheel on my case would stop squeaking.

As I fumbled in my pocket for my new keycard, the door opened, and a tall girl with curly red hair in pink and white heart-print pajamas greeted me. “Hi! I thought I heard someone out here!” she said, smiling brightly. “Are you Everly Marlowe?”

I smiled back at her. “Yeah. Are you—”

“Tessa Morgan. I’ve been waiting for you.” She thrust her hand out, motioning for me to let her take my tote bag. “Please, let me help.”

“Thanks.”

She glanced at me over her shoulder as she stepped toward the bed on the right side of the spacious dorm. “I’m so glad to finally have a roomie. Last semester was so boring without anyone in here.”

“Glad to be of service.”

Tessa set my tote on the end of the bed and looked at me again. “So, not to be awkward, but… are you okay?” she asked, brows knitting. “Did something happen?”

I sighed and rubbed the bridge of my nose. “Yeah. I was supposed to get here around five, but there was some sort of incident on the highway, and they ended up closing every lane, so I had to double back and take a totally different route. Then I ended up getting totally lost for a while. Sorry if I woke you, by the way. I know it’s pretty late.”

“Don’t worry, I was still wide awake. But I wasn’t talking about the time. I meant, like… did something happen just before you got here?” she said, tilting her head. “You kinda look like you’ve seen a ghost, as majorly clichéd as that sounds.”

As soon as she said it, I glanced in the mirror to my left and felt a jolt of surprise at my reflection. My face was pale and drawn, and my eyes were opened wider than usual, giving them a distinctly haunted look. On top of that, my hair—which was perfectly smooth earlier—was now disheveled from all the sweat on my scalp, with a few damp strands sticking to my forehead.

“Oh, um…” I briefly bit my bottom lip. “I ran into this guy on my way here, and it ended up turning into a whole thing. But I’m okay.”

“Ooh, was he hot?”

Yes.

The answer floated unbidden into my mind before I could consciously think of a response. I hated to admit it, even to myself, but Rhett was damn sexy. Tall and broad-shouldered with tousled dark hair and full lips that seemed like they were designed to be spread in a perpetual smirk. Heat unfurled in my chest as I pictured him, and this time, it had nothing to do with my earlier fury.

“He was one of the biggest assholes I’ve ever met,” I said. It was an avoidant non-answer, but Tessa didn’t seem to notice.

Her thin brows rose. “Oh, so it wasn’t a meet-cute situation.”

“Definitely not.”

“Damn. What happened?”

“He was beating up some guy. I stepped in to make it stop.” I lifted a hand as my new roommate’s mouth dropped open. “I know, I know. It was stupid. But I have a stun gun, so I thought it would be okay.”

Tessa’s eyes were like saucers now. “Oh my god. That’s so badass. Did you use it?”

“No. I didn’t need to. The guy didn’t actually attack me, or anything like that. He was just…” I trailed off, slowly shaking my head. “He was really scary.”

“Did he threaten you?”

Rhett’s words swept back into my mind, along with the memory of his dark gaze when he said them. You have no idea about all the things I could do to you, princess.

My stomach flipped again, as if I was standing right back there on that path with Rhett looking down at me. I swallowed thickly and shook my head.

“No, he didn’t threaten me. Not exactly, anyway. I don’t really know how to explain it,” I said. “He was just so… intimidating. Arrogant, too. Like he just knows the whole world revolves around him.”

“Ah.” Tessa nodded sagely and leaned back against the pale blue wall. “Sounds like you encountered your first Wilder.”

“My first what?”

“There’s a secret society here called The Wild Hunt. Don’t ask me why they’re called that, because I honestly don’t know. But the members are called Wilders for short.” Tessa paused, lips thinning. “Most of them match the description you just gave.”

Of course. There were a few secret societies at my old college, and they were filled with arrogant assholes too. Guys born with the world at their feet, willing to do anything and everything it took to ensure the world stayed that way.

“Mental note: avoid all Wilders,” I said.

“That could be a little hard, given that they throw the absolute best parties. But let’s not think about that right now.” Tessa waved a dismissive hand. “I want to know all about you. I’m guessing you’re a sophomore like me?”

“Yup.”

“Where’d you transfer from?”

“Blackwood.”

“Oh, wow. That’s a great school! Why’d you leave?” she asked. “I mean, Hollingsworth is obviously great too,” she hastily added before I could reply. “But it’s just so far from Blackwood. I’m way too lazy to make a move like that.”

“Yeah, it took a while.” I flashed her a rueful smile. “As for why—long story.”

“Spill the tea, girl.” Tessa’s lips stretched into a playful grin as she sat up straight. “You’re eventually going to realize that I simply need to know everything about everyone. So you might as well make it easy for yourself and fill me in now.”

I laughed softly and sat down. “All right. As stupid as this sounds, I switched schools for my boyfriend,” I said. “Well… ex-boyfriend now.”

“Ouch. What happened?” Tessa raised a palm. “Wait, no, let me guess. He cheated?”

I pursed my lips. Jake did cheat multiple times, as I discovered after our breakup, but that wasn’t the catalyst for the destruction of our relationship. It was only the tip of the iceberg, and not even a tenth as bad as the other fucked-up stuff he did. But I didn’t want to go into any of that right now. Especially not with a girl I’d only just met, friendly as she was.

“Yup.” I nodded slowly, lips pressed in a grim line. “I guess it’s pretty common with long-distance relationships, huh?”

“Unfortunately, yes. Hence that being my first guess.” Her brows dipped in a frown. “But why are you only arriving here now? After the breakup?”

“Like I said… long story. Sure you want to hear it?”

“Of course.” Tessa waggled a finger. “If I ever say no to hearing a story, it’s because I’ve been replaced by alien body-snatchers.”

I let out another soft laugh. “Noted. But I’ll try to make it as short as possible so we aren’t up all night.” I paused to clear my throat. “So, we met when we were kids. Became really good friends. That turned into a relationship, albeit long-distance most of the time, because I’m originally from Missouri and he’s from Rhode Island. We were officially together for six years. Spent every summer together.”

“Aww, childhood sweethearts! That’s so cute!” Tessa said, brows rising and eyes sparkling. Her face quickly fell flat. “At least it would be if I didn’t already know how it turned out.”

“Yeah. He wasn’t so sweet in the end,” I said. “Anyway, he was always set to attend Hollingsworth because he’s a legacy. I went to Blackwood because they offered me a really good scholarship, and to be honest, I totally needed it.”

“Oh, right.”

“He kept making comments about how he missed me so much. Telling me I should see if I could apply for a scholarship here so we could be together all the time. Stuff like that.”

Tessa’s eyes filled with sympathy. “But he didn’t really mean it? He was just sweet-talking you?”

“Yep. He assumed I wouldn’t do it, because getting into Blackwood on a scholarship was such a big deal for me. He thought I’d never give it up.”

“Ugh. What a prick. He totally led you into doing it!”

I grimaced. “Yeah, he’s definitely a total prick. But the thing is, I had no idea. I mean, like I said, we’ve known each other for over a decade, and we were together for so long. I genuinely believed he wanted me here, because that’s what he told me. So I looked into a few things, and I was able to get my course and my scholarship transferred because Hollingsworth and Blackwood are part of the same collegiate network.” I lifted a hand. “Huge fuck-around, by the way, and unfortunately irreversible. You can change, but only once.”

Tessa visibly cringed. “I see where this is going now.”

I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. “I was due to visit him over the summer, and I figured that’s when I’d drop the big news. But that’s when I found out… all the bad stuff.”

“And by then it was already too late to go back to Blackwood?”

“Exactly. I was totally locked into Hollingsworth at that point.” I lifted my hands in a theatrical surrender. “So now I have to be here whether I like it or not.”

“Ugh, that sucks so much.” Tessa slowly shook her head. “I mean, you practically gave up your whole life to move for him, and he just… ugh. I hate this guy already.”

“Me too.”

“If it makes you feel any better, Hollingsworth is amazing, and I’d never switch. Not even for a billion dollars,” she said. “I love walking around and looking at all the old buildings. Especially in the fall. The vibes are just sooo right then, you know?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I’ve seen photos. It’s beautiful. Also, my ex is a senior this year. So I guess I’ll only have to worry about running into him for a year before he’s gone.”

“See? It’s not so bad.” Tessa smiled. “Also, I might be a hugely annoying gossip queen, but I make the best flavored teas. So as long as you’re stuck here, you’ll never be dehydrated.”

I returned her smile. “You’re not annoying. And I love tea.”

She leapt up. “I’ll make some now. You have to try my caramel apple pie flavor. Oh, and this probably goes without saying, but please don’t ever mention to the RAs that I have an electric kettle in here.”

I mimed a zip going across my mouth. “My lips are sealed. Unless I’m opening them for your tea. Herbal or verbal.”

Tessa grinned. “I knew I liked you,” she said, eyes sparkling. She paused and lifted her hands, displaying her palms. “Also, it’s probably a bit late for me to say this, and awkward as hell given your situation, but… welcome to Hollingsworth!”

My first two weeks of sophomore year ended up going much better than I expected. My professors were all nice, the other students were mostly pleasant, and I didn’t run into Jake anywhere on campus. I didn’t see Rhett, either, as much as that rankled at the tiny, hidden part of me that craved dark thrills.

Tessa had very kindly integrated me into her main friend group, which was originally a trio including her, a gorgeous Alt girl named Bree Bennett, and a petite, freckled brunette named Sloane Parker. Bree was vibrant and cool with a fierce edge, and Sloane was sweet and insanely smart. Above all, the three girls were really nice, allowing me to slot right into their group as if I’d always been there.

I was beyond grateful for their acceptance of me, especially after the rumors my old Blackwood friends had shared about Hollingsworth. They’d begged me not to leave my old course, telling me they’d heard it was difficult—or even impossible—for transfer students to make new friends at Hollingsworth, due to the presence of so many cliques along with the palpable air of exclusivity. I’d heard horror stories about groups of rich legacy kids who seemed to rule the social landscape, viewing so-called outsiders or scholarship kids with total disdain and treating them so poorly they ended up dropping out.

Upon my arrival here, the sight of the sprawling campus and imposing Gothic architecture had already made me nervous enough. My unsettling encounter with Rhett had only worsened that anxiety, making me wish I’d listened to my Blackwood friends and never transferred. But Tessa, Bree, and Sloane had shown me my worries were for nothing.

Sure, there were assholes here—like Rhett and Jake, obviously—but there were assholes everywhere in the world. Really, it was just like any other university, albeit with a few more rich kids, given the college’s uber-prestigious reputation and proximity to Havenport, which was one of the East Coast’s wealthiest towns. Nothing to stress about in the grand scheme of things.

Unfortunately, all of my positive thoughts about my new college instantly vanished when I caught sight of Jake standing outside the library.

“Shit,” I muttered, heart dropping into my stomach. I ducked behind a stone column, waited a few seconds, then peeked out, praying Jake hadn’t spotted me. Thankfully, he seemed far too engrossed in his conversation with a perky brunette girl to have noticed my arrival in the area.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I retracted my head, deciding to remain hidden in my spot until I knew Jake was long-gone. I knew it was pathetic and childish to hide from an ex, but I really, really didn’t want to deal with his shit today. Especially not after all the recent messages I’d received from him.

I peeked out again and saw him sauntering away, heading for the east side of the quad. That was the opposite direction from where I needed to go. Thank god.

I stepped out and hurried past the library, glancing at my watch as I went. I was supposed to meet the girls in the West End Café in two minutes, so unless I ran, I would be late.

“Excuse me!”

I glanced to my left and saw the brunette girl Jake had been speaking with waving at me. At first, I assumed she was one of his friends who wanted to berate me for ‘stalking’ him to Hollingsworth, or whatever his latest nasty claim about me happened to be, so I looked past her, pretending I hadn’t seen or heard her.

That didn’t deter her. She waved at me again and smiled brightly. “Hi! How are you doing today?”

“Uh… hi,” I replied, brows dipping in a slight frown of confusion as I stopped. Had I met this girl somewhere and forgotten? “I’m okay, thanks.”

With that, the girl launched into a speech about helping people get off the streets and into housing. “For the same cost as one Starbucks frappe per day, you could help us provide shelter and meals,” she said, her eyes wide with practiced empathy. “It’s such a good cause, and it’s really easy to sign up too. All on a tablet.”

I winced, feeling a tug of guilt but knowing I couldn’t commit to even a small donation right now. “I’m sorry. I’d love to help, but I’m pretty strapped for cash. I can’t even afford a Starbucks frappe for myself once a week, let alone every day,” I replied, managing an apologetic smile. “But if I’m ever not a broke student anymore, I’ll look you up.”

“Oh, no worries! That’s totally fine.” The girl waved a casual hand. “Have a nice day!”

“You too.”

I resumed my walk toward the West End.

“Wait!”

The charity girl called out to me again, and I turned to see her hurrying toward me. I stopped and let her catch up, wondering if I’d dropped something.

“Hey,” she said, fishing a business card out of her pocket. “Sorry, I know this is totally awkward, but when you mentioned being a broke student, I figured this might come in handy for you one day.”

“Um… what is it?”

She handed me the card. “This is the other place I work at. It’s a finance center in Havenport that specializes in loans for students.”

“Oh, thanks, but I don’t really need a loan right now.”

The girl pressed on, seemingly oblivious to my words. “The owner started it to combat all those payday loan places with super high interest rates that prey on desperate students,” she said. “Our rates are very flexible. Some of them are as low as 2%.”

I still didn’t want to take out a loan for anything, but that rate piqued my interest. “Only 2%?”

“Yup. It’s really low, right?” the girl said. She lifted a palm and went on. “Anyway, don’t worry, I promise I’m not trying to sell you anything. But from one broke student to another, I just thought I’d mention it in case you ever end up in a tough spot. Like, say… your computer suddenly dies. Or you get a bigger phone bill than usual. Stuff like that. I know from experience how stressful it can be, and there are just so many horrible places willing to take advantage of people in situations like that.”

“Thanks. I’ll keep it in mind,” I said, tucking the card into my purse.

“Cool.” She smiled brightly. “Anyway, have a nice day.”

The girl went to turn away, but I took a slight step forward and spoke up again. “Sorry, I was just wondering… do you know that guy you were talking to before me?”

Her brows puckered. “What guy?”

“Tall. Sandy-blond kind of hair. Black sweatshirt.”

“Oh, him.” The girl wrinkled her nose and waved a dismissive hand. “I don’t know him. I was just trying to get him to sign up for the charity. But he said no after wasting my time trying to flirt for ten minutes.” She sighed, eyes rolling upward. Then she cocked her head. “Anyway, why do you ask?”

“I just wanted to say—if you happen to run into him again, be careful. I know him, and he’s a bad guy. A really bad guy.”

“Oh. Wow. Okay. Thanks for the heads up.”

“No problem.” I glanced at my watch. Shit. I was really late now. “Sorry, I have to be somewhere. Nice to meet you, and thanks for the tip about the finance center!”

I made it to the West End Café five minutes later. Tessa, Bree, and Sloane were at a table by the window, chatting over mugs of coffee and plates of pastries.

“Sorry I’m late,” I said, sliding into a chair next to Tessa. “I got caught up talking to someone outside the library.”

“No worries. I got you a pumpkin cream chai.” Tessa nodded toward a tall mug and pushed it closer to me. “But it looks like you might need some water too. You’re literally sweating, babe.”

“Yeah, I ran all the way here,” I said with a rueful smile.

“You didn’t need to run!” Bree said, grinning at me. “You aren’t that late.”

“I know, but I was also kinda worried about running into you-know-who.”

“Oh my god, did you finally see him?”

“Yup.” I grimaced. “This is so embarrassing to admit, but I hid from him. Like, full on crouched behind a column. I must’ve looked crazy to anyone who went past and saw me.”

“Girl, we’ve all been there,” Sloane said, brows rising. “No judgment from me.”

I sighed and wrapped my hands around the warm mug in front of me. “I guess I just need to get used to it. Now that we’re here, we’re bound to keep running into each other.”

“Yeah, it really sucks ass,” Tessa replied.

Bree and Sloane nodded, but their eyes were now focused somewhere over our heads. Tessa and I turned and looked over our shoulders to see a tall, dark-haired guy in jeans and a dark green Henley striding into the café. The tight shirt showed off his Greek-god physique, attracting lusty stares from every single woman in the spacious café.

Oh, for fuck’s sake. Of course it had to be Rhett.

He caught sight of me and smirked, brows rising. Then he gave me a mocking wave before striding away to the other side of the café.

I groaned and turned back to face the others. “I guess today’s the day where I meet my quota for running into assholes,” I muttered.

“You know Rhett Sinclair?” Bree asked, brows shooting up.

“Yeah, why did he wave at you?” Tessa added.

“I don’t really know him. I just ran into him on my first night here.”

“Wait, Rhett is the Wilder you got into an argument with in that tunnel?” Sloane asked, leaning closer. “The one you told us about?”

Tessa lifted a hand, flashing me a guilty look before she addressed the other girls. “The one I told you about,” she said. She turned back to me again. “I didn’t know it was Rhett, though. Was it actually him?”

“Yup.” My nose wrinkled. “Do you know him?”

“Not really. I know of him, though. He’s like, the hottest senior at Hollingsworth, bar none. And he’s also the head Wilder, I guess.”

“At the collegiate level, that is,” Sloane added. “I’m pretty sure The Wild Hunt is a lifelong membership thing.”

“Oh. Right.”

“It’s not exactly a secret who the members are on campus,” she went on. “All the uber-rich guys, basically. Like, the ones from billionaire families. They share a house off-campus, and they all wear silver skull rings.”

“How is it a secret society, then?” I asked, brows furrowing. “If all the members are known.”

“It’s more about what they do. No one knows.”

Bree nodded. “A friend of mine dated one of them for two years and he never breathed a single word to her about any of it,” she said. “There are rumors, though. Based on the name.”

My interest was really piqued now. “Like what?”

Bree lowered her voice. “I heard they run some sort of sex club where they hunt down women and fuck their brains out.”

“No way.” Sloane scoffed. “Someone would’ve talked at some point, if that was what they were getting up to.”

“Maybe they make the women sign NDAs,” I said, raising a brow.

“Honestly, I think they’re just assholes who like to shoot deer,” Tessa said. “Like, actual hunting.”

“Why would that be a secret, though? Tons of people hunt.”

“But it’s totally mean, right? Killing cute, innocent animals,” she said. “I bet they wouldn’t get laid half as much if everyone knew they were shooting at Bambi every weekend.”

“I don’t know about that,” Sloane replied. “My mom’s an environmentalist, and she said the deer population in this area is actually way too high. It can mess up the ecosystem, so hunting isn’t exactly the worst thing that can happen to them.”

As the girls debated the ethics of hunting animals, my gaze drifted to the table that Rhett had gone over to earlier. He was holding court with a few other guys… including Jake.

Shit.

I jerked my gaze away, cheeks instantly aflame. I hadn’t even noticed Jake come in. It made sense that a prick like him would be friends with Rhett, though. Birds of a feather stick together.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him glaring over at me. Damn. I hadn’t looked away fast enough, and he’d spotted me. Like clockwork, my phone chimed with a text from him thirty seconds later.

J: Stalking me now, huh? You really need to get the fuck out of Hollingsworth, you crazy cunt. You’re not welcome here. Get it through your fucking head.

“Asshole,” I muttered.

Tessa frowned. “What happened?”

“See that guy three spots away from Rhett? With the blondish hair,” I said, slightly tilting my head. “That’s him.”

“He Who Shall Not Be Named?”

“Yup. He just sent me this.” I lifted my phone to show the girls the nasty message.

“Why don’t you just block him?” Bree asked, eyes flashing with anger.

“I have him blocked on socials already. But I left his number unblocked.”

“Um, why?” Tessa said, forehead wrinkling. “Are you a masochist or something?”

“I want to have proof to show to the police if he ever gets really bad. Like, full-on threats or whatever.”

“Oh, right. That makes sense.” She slowly shook her head. “Still, it sucks that you have to deal with this. Why can’t he just leave you alone?”

“Because he’s a monumental dickhead, clearly,” Sloane said before I could reply.

A shadow fell across our table, and we all looked up. Rhett was standing there with a familiar smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. His dark eyes held a glint of amusement, like he knew the effect he had on women and wasn’t shy about using it.

“Ladies,” he said, voice smooth as he slid his hands into his pockets. “How are you doing?”

“Um… good?” Sloane practically squeaked.

“I wanted to let you know that there’s a bonfire party at the Wilder house on Friday, and you’re invited.” His gaze lingered on me a beat longer than necessary, a silent dare flashing in his eyes. “All of you.”

Bree’s face lit up, and she exchanged a glance with Sloane, barely able to contain her enthusiasm.

I suppressed the urge to shout, ‘Fuck no!’ and met Rhett’s eyes, trying not to give him the satisfaction of a reaction. “Thanks. I’ll see if I’m free,” I said, keeping my voice steady even as my heart raced at a million miles an hour.

His sardonic smile widened. “See you there,” he said confidently, as if there was no room for argument. With that, he turned and strolled away, his sense of casual dominance lingering in the air long after he’d gone.

“Oh my god.” Sloane was jokingly fanning herself with a napkin, lips cracked in the widest grin I’d ever seen on her pretty face. “I can’t believe we got invited to the bonfire party!”

“Is it a big deal?” I asked, brows rising.

Tessa nodded. “The Wilders always throw awesome parties, but their annual bonfire party is like, the absolute best. At least from what I’ve heard. I didn’t go last year, because the invite list is pretty exclusive.” She paused and threw up her hands. “But hey, apparently we’re on it this year!”

“We’re totally going, right?” Bree asked.

“Um, obviously!” Tessa said, eyes widening. “Why wouldn’t we?”

“I don’t know,” I murmured, fidgeting with my hands on my lap. “I already have a ton of assignments to do.”

“You have to come! You’re probably the first brand new transfer student to get invited to a Wilder bonfire party in the history of time. Plus, you were personally invited by Rhett freakin’ Sinclair! No one says no to that.”

My nose wrinkled. “Maybe I do. Rhett’s an asshole.”

“Yeah, but he’s a sexy-as-fuck asshole.” Bree waggled her eyebrows. “Anyway, you don’t need to hang out with him. Just come with us and have fun.”

“Exactly. It’s a party! That’s what it’s for—having fun!” Sloane added.

“Did we forget to mention that it’s a costume party?” Tessa said in a wheedling tone. “I seem to remember you telling me how much you love costume parties last week.”

I slowly shook my head, lips stretching with a slow smile. “Okay, fine,” I said, throwing my hands up in mock defeat. “I’ll go.”

3

Everly

The Wilder bonfire party was even bigger and better than I expected.

By tradition, it was held in the deep woods on the Wilder property, a sprawling estate that felt worlds away from the hustle and bustle of Havenport and the busy college scene at Hollingsworth.

A massive black lake lay in the middle of the woods, and the party stretched out along the edges, where warm, golden light from several small fires flickered against the dark water, casting eerie shadows.

Strings of colorful bulbs hung in loops around the surrounding trees, leading up to the center of the action in a large clearing next to the lake. There, a massive bonfire blazed high into the night, sparks crackling and spiraling into the black sky as party guests drank, laughed, and hooked up all around it.

On the other side of the clearing, a DJ booth had been set up on a raised wooden platform, blasting music that thumped through the trees. Some people were dancing in clusters near the booth, swaying to the beat, while others stood back with drinks in hand, leaning close to talk over the music. The air was thick with excitement, mingling with the woodsy scent of burning pine and the heady aroma of cigarettes, cologne, and alcohol.

Tessa told me that the party was inspired by an old pagan festival, meant to honor the end of summer and the subsequent descent into the darker, colder months. But really, it was just an excuse for privileged, popular students to get loose and revel in the anonymity of their costumes as they partied like there was no tomorrow.

Many costumes kept the pagan theme, though, with some dressed as forest spirits draped in ivy, others as haunting figures in antlered masks, and a few adorned in shimmering gold, embodying ancient gods and goddesses. Others were dressed in more random costumes—sexy vampires, shadowy specters, and masked figures in cloaks. Some of those wore full masquerade masks, while others opted for elaborate face paint in grotesque patterns like skulls or demons.

As for the girls and me—we’d all chosen to dress as ‘harvest sacrifices’ in long, gauzy white gowns, gold domino masks, and ivy wreaths atop our heads. It seemed in keeping with the theme while also granting us some anonymity, making it easy for us to avoid people we didn’t want to hang out with.

People like Jake.

I’d already spotted him over an hour ago, hanging out with a group of guys—including Rhett—at one of the smaller fires near the lake’s edge. All of them were dressed in black with black and white face paint that transformed the left half of their faces into death masks. It seemed to be the standard Wilder costume, setting them apart from the other guests.

“I need another drink,” Tessa shouted over the music. “Want one?”

I shook my head. “No, I need to pee,” I shouted back, gesturing toward a path that led away from the bonfire. “I’m going up to the house.”

“Oh, do you want me to come? We can get more drinks after.”

“Sure.”

We started pressing our way through the crowd around us. A moment later, a tall guy in a vampire costume gave Tessa the eye and leaned down to whisper something in her ear. She giggled, grabbed my arm, and murmured in my ear. “Mind if I go and dance with him instead?”

I grinned and waved a hand, signaling for her to go ahead. We’d lost Bree and Sloane to a sexy masked guy and a pretty woodland nymph earlier, so I was already half-expecting to lose Tessa at some point too. “Sure! I’ll be okay. The house isn’t that far.”

“Thanks, babe!” She grinned and took the vampire’s hand, and they disappeared into the crowd.

I headed down the path, rubbing my bare arms as goosebumps cropped up all over them. By the bonfire, the air was warm and toasty, but out here, the air was cold, and the breeze blowing through the trees wasn’t helping.

My breath hitched as I caught sight of the smaller fire that the Wilders had marked out as their exclusive spot for the evening. Jake was sitting on a log, loudly telling the others a story about some beach club he’d visited last summer.

Thankfully, he was too distracted by his own bullshit to notice me creeping down the path near the fire. The golden mask around the upper half of my face probably helped too.

I let out a small sigh of relief and kept walking. A familiar deep voice echoed through the frigid air a minute later.

“You lost, princess?”

I stopped in my tracks and whirled around to see Rhett staring down at me, dark eyes looking even more intense than usual due to the creepy skull paint on his handsome face.

Ugh. Apparently, my mask wasn’t much of a disguise after all. Unless he called everyone ‘princess’.

“I’m fine,” I said curtly, lifting my chin high. “I’m just going to the bathroom.”

He jerked a thumb in the opposite direction. “The house is that way.”

“Oh.” I looked around, brows furrowing. Damn. Just a minute ago, I’d genuinely believed I was heading in the right direction, but Rhett was right. If I’d continued down my current path, I could’ve wound up hopelessly lost in the woods for the whole night.

Rhett’s eyes narrowed slightly as he regarded me. “You okay?”

“Yeah. I… um… thanks,” I muttered, stepping past him.

“Ev. Wait.”

I turned back to him, my forehead wrinkling. “What?”

“I didn’t just stop you to give you directions. I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Oh. Um… okay.” I hated how squeaky my voice suddenly sounded, but I couldn’t help it. “What is it?”

“Well, I know you think I’m a giant asshole, and I fully admit that I am in some respects, but still…” He trailed off and flashed me a smile; one that probably always got him exactly what he wanted from women. “I think we got off on the wrong foot when we met. I want to fix that.”

My eyes narrowed. “Rhett, I saw you beating up a guy half your size like some sort of pathetic high school bully. I doubt there’s much you could say to fix that,” I said. “Besides, I gave you the opportunity to explain yourself that night, and you said no.”

“I can explain it now.” He paused and rubbed his jaw, eyes slowly traveling over the lines of my dress. “Unless you’re too busy getting yourself lost in the woods.”

I raised a scornful brow. “I thought you said it was none of my business.”

“It’s not, and I really shouldn’t be telling you anything at all.” Rhett took a step closer. “But I want to anyway.”

I swallowed thickly, pulse picking up. “Why?”

“Because I don’t like it when hot girls hate me for no reason.”

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. “Wow, what a line. Truly the height of romance.”

“Well, you haven’t run away screaming yet, so it obviously worked,” he said, baring his teeth in another wolfish grin. “I thought I might have to chase you through the woods to get you to talk to me.”

“Okay, whatever. Go ahead and explain,” I said, waving a nonchalant hand.

On the inside, I wasn’t nonchalant at all. I was practically hyperventilating in my mind, trying to push away thoughts of Rhett chasing me and pinning me against a tree, his skull-painted face looming over me as his hot breath fanned over my throat and—

Stop it, I chastised myself. I’d already dated one major asshole. I didn’t need to start obsessing and fantasizing over another one.

“I can’t tell you much, but I can tell you just enough to make you understand,” Rhett said. “And this stays between us, okay?”

“Got it.”

He gave me a hard look. “I’m serious. You can’t tell anyone. Especially not your roommate.”

“Tessa?”

“Yeah. She has a bit of a reputation,” he said. “Nice girl, but she has a big mouth.”

I wondered how he knew who my roommate was. Did someone simply happen to mention it to him during a conversation? Or had he been checking up on me?

I took a deep breath and nodded. “Fine. I promise I won’t breathe a single word.”

“Good girl,” he said, lips quirking in the tiniest of smirks. The dark, commanding tone of his voice coupled with his choice of words made my pulse spike, but I managed to keep my cool as he went on. “I’m sure you’ve already been told that I’m a member of The Wild Hunt.”

“Yes.” I raised a brow. “Are you about to spill all the society secrets to me?”

“You wish,” he replied, still smirking as he rubbed the stubble on his jaw. “Anyway, Ryan Gardner—the guy from the tunnel—was a member like me. Key word: was.”

I nodded slowly. “Okay.”

“Basically, the way it works is: you get initiated in freshman year, go through training and trials, and then in the summer before senior year, you have your final trial. If and when you pass that, you become a full-fledged member, and you gain access to the encrypted society files.”

“So you’ve just become a full-fledged member, then?”

“Yeah. About three months ago. Ryan passed too, which surprised everyone, because no one thought he’d make it through any of the trials, given what a fucking pussy he is.”

“What exactly happens in these trials?”

“I can’t tell you that that part. We’re sworn to secrecy. But the point is: Ryan had full access to all the society secrets.” Rhett’s jaw tightened. “Anyway, The Wild Hunt only has male members, but we have both men and women working for us in various capacities. Like event planning, admin, and so on. One of those women is named Lila. She’s like a secretary, I guess. Sends out the meeting invites, and so on.”

“Right.”

“Ryan asked Lila out after the last trial. She wasn’t interested. But he doesn’t like to hear the word no. So he decided to go with blackmail as his next move.”

My brows rose. “Blackmail?”

Rhett nodded, eyes flashing with malice. “He told her he was going to leak all the society information online. Make it look like it came from her. Even though she’s not a member, she’s still around us a lot, so it makes sense that she’d know some stuff.”

“Let me guess,” I said in a low voice. “He said he wouldn’t do it, but only if she slept with him?”

“Yup. She was scared of retribution from the Wilders, so she felt like she had to fuck him to stop him from doing it.”

“That’s coercion.”

“No shit. He basically forced her to fuck him even though she didn’t want to. So he might not be the same as some asshole who drags a woman into an alleyway and holds a knife to her throat, but the way I see it, he’s barely half a step away.”

I nodded slowly. Perhaps Rhett had some morals after all. “Yeah, I agree,” I said. “It’s horrible.”

“We only found out because one of the members heard her crying in the bathroom at the last meeting,” he went on. “She refused to say anything at first, because she was so fucking scared. She thought we wouldn’t believe her.”

I didn’t blame her for that. All-male organizations had reputations for closing ranks around members to protect them. The poor woman was probably terrified.

“But you did?” I asked, brows rising.

“A few of us did. But some of the older members didn’t,” Rhett said. “So she was given a chance to prove it. We gave her a bug and told her to meet with him and say no to his demands. With that bug, she was able to get a recording of him spewing all the bullshit about leaking the secrets.”

“I’m guessing he’s no longer a member, then?”

“No. He’s out.”

“What’s stopping him from leaking all the secrets now? As revenge for getting kicked out?”

“He knows what’ll happen to him if he breathes a single word, and he’s lucky it didn’t happen already.” As he spoke, Rhett’s eyes flickered with a dark intensity, something dangerous lurking just beneath the surface. “I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t have actually leaked the stuff online. Ever. But Lila didn’t know that when he approached her.”

My upper lip curled. “God, what a slimy, cowardly little prick.”

“Yeah.” Rhett’s dark brows lifted. “So… do you still think I’m an asshole? Or do you understand why I decided to beat the living shit out of him?”

I sucked in a deep breath. As much as I hated to admit it, I’d definitely judged Rhett too harshly after our first encounter. “Yeah. I get it.”

“Like I said, you can’t tell anyone about this.”

I shrugged. “It’s not like you revealed any real secrets to me.”

“I know. But society business is meant to stay in the society.”

“So why did you decide to tell me, then? I’m practically a stranger to you.”

Rhett slowly rubbed his jaw again. “I guess I meant what I said earlier. I don’t like it when hot girls hate me for no reason,” he said. He smiled wickedly and leaned in a little closer, minty breath ghosting over my face. “I’d rather give you a good reason to hate me.”

I laughed softly. “Wow. Just when I was starting to like you,” I said. “But seriously… I think you did the right thing. I kinda want to beat the shit out of Ryan myself right now.”

“Don’t worry. I took care of him.”

I let out a light, nervous laugh. “You know, when you talk like that, you kind of sound like you’re in the mafia.”

Rhett’s wicked grin widened. “Aren’t women into that? The whole bad boy thing?”

“Maybe some.” I shrugged. “But not me. If I ever decide to date again, all I want is a nice guy.”

“I bet I could change your mind about that.”

“Oh, really?” I arched a brow. “Good luck with that.”

Rhett’s grin disappeared, replaced by a slight frown. “Are you sure we haven’t met before?” he asked. “You look so familiar. But I can’t figure out why.”

“I don’t think we’ve met. I only moved here a few weeks ago,” I replied. “Maybe you just hooked up with a girl who looks a bit like me, or something like that.”

As I spoke, I kept my voice airy and casual, like it was just a throwaway comment, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t using those exact words to gauge his interest in hooking up with a girl who looked like me.

Not that I was interested. No, definitely not.

Rhett’s tongue briefly darted out to wet his bottom lip as he regarded me with that dark, intense gaze of his; the one that made my knees feel like jelly.

“Nah,” he finally said. “I wouldn’t forget hooking up with a girl like you.”

As he spoke, he leaned his head even closer to mine. The air between us crackled with tension, filling my stomach with nervous butterflies, and when his gaze dropped for a moment, lingering on my lips, I felt a rush of heat flood my cheeks.

I couldn’t tell—was he actually interested in me, or was this just some game he played with girls? Feeding them all the right lines until they fell at his feet minus their underwear?

Either way, the thrilling idea of his lips brushing against mine sent a surge of desire through me, mingled with the nervousness that had settled in my chest. But letting him kiss me was a bad idea… right? Especially as I’d already decided that I was absolutely not interested in him.

Oh, come on.

Who the hell was I fooling? I was obviously interested.

I sucked in a shaky breath and glanced off to the side, anxiously chewing the inside of my cheek. As my eyes swept over the woods and the distant fire surrounded by Wilder guys, I took a step back.

“Look… since you were so honest with me about the Ryan thing, I think I should be equally honest with you about something,” I said, lifting a palm.

“I already know you don’t date,” Rhett said. “You told me.”

“It’s not that.” I swallowed thickly. “It’s something else.”

He stepped back, the electric tension still humming in the air around us. “What is it?”

I sighed and glanced at the fire again. “I think you should know what kind of men your friends are deep down,” I said. “Well… one of them, anyway.”

Rhett frowned. “What do you mean?”

“One of your Wilder friends happens to be my recent ex, and he also happens to be a terrible person. Even worse than Ryan.” As I spoke, I gestured to the Wilder fire, eyes narrowing. “I’m pretty sure he wants me gone from Hollingsworth so I don’t spill his dirty secret to anyone, but unfortunately for him, I’m not going anywhere.”

“Wait, who’s your ex?” Rhett asked, turning his head over his shoulder to look back at the guys around the fire.

“Oh, sorry. I forgot to say. It’s Jake.”

“Jake?” He glanced at me, then turned to look over his shoulder again. “As in the tall blond guy standing right over there? That Jake?”

“Yeah, that’s him.”

He whirled back around, eyes narrowing. “You’re seriously telling me he dated you?”

I bristled, not appreciating the implication that I wasn’t good enough for Jake. “Yes. He did.”

“All right. I’ll bite.” Rhett crossed his arms over his chest. “What did he do to you?”

“To me specifically… well, it turned out he was lying to me and cheating on me the entire time,” I said. I lifted a hand and went on. “But that was nothing compared to what I caught him doing to other wom—”

He cut me off. “Hold on. Jake cheated?”

“Yes,” I said impatiently. His skeptical interruptions were getting more annoying by the second. “But like I was saying, he did much worse than that. Honestly, he’s a total monster. And I don’t say that lightly.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Rhett’s tone was noticeably colder now. “What did he do that was so bad?”

I lifted a palm as I tried to piece together my jumbled thoughts. “Just so you know… it’s kind of hard for me to talk about this.”

“You’re the one who brought it up.”

“I know. I just… I don’t quite know how to put it all into words, because it’s such a long story. I don’t even know where to start. And really, it’s not even my story to share,” I said. “But look, the main thing you need to know is that Jake is seriously sick. I’m pretty sure he hates women deep down, and he has a disgusting way of showing that hatred. When I caught him doing this shit, he tried to claim it was some sort of sexual fetish, but—”

“Okay, Ev.” Rhett cut me off, lifting a commanding palm. “I’m going to stop you right there. I’ve heard enough.”

I frowned, taken aback. “What?”

“We’re done talking.”

“But I haven’t even told you what he—”

“You don’t need to say any more,” he said, nostrils flaring. “I’m not going to stand here and let you spew all this hateful shit about my best friend.”

“Look, I get that he’s your friend, so it might be hard to believe bad things about him, but I can prove it,” I said. An anxious tremor had slipped into my voice. “At least… sort of. It’s not really enough, but I—”

Rhett cut me off again, eyes filled with cold fury. “You know, when you stepped into the tunnel that night, I thought you were feisty as fuck. Brave, too. It was a huge turn-on,” he said. “But now I can see I was just thinking with my dick. I obviously confused feistiness and bravery with you being a brazen fucking bitch.”

I stepped back, shaken. No one had ever used that word on me before… except Jake.

“Wow, now I see why the two of you are best friends,” I said. “Neither one of you has any respect for women, huh?”

Rhett snorted. “Oh, yeah. That’s definitely what it’s about,” he said, voice dripping with sarcasm. “That’s why Jake is the way he is. Because he hates women, right?”

“Yes,” I said through gritted teeth. “He does.”

“This conversation is over.” Rhett jerked a thumb toward the path that led up to the house. “You need to get the fuck out of here.”

“You’re really going to defend him without even listening to what he did first?” I asked, glowering at him. His inability to let me get more than a few words in at a time was frustrating as hell. Typical chauvinistic rich-boy shit.

“First of all, I shouldn’t even need to defend him, because I know he’s done nothing wrong,” Rhett said. “And secondly, he’s like a brother to me, so if I have to, I’ll defend him with my fucking life.”

I shook my head, eyes narrowing. “So you don’t even want to know if your friend is a sick pervert who goes around—”

Much to my annoyance, Rhett cut me off yet again. “I know exactly who Jake is, okay?” he said, voice icy-cold. “I’ve heard all this ‘sick pervert’ shit before, from people just like you, and I really don’t give a fuck.”

My heart dropped into my stomach. “You know what he does? And you don’t even care?”

“Not one bit. And none of the others do either,” he said with a malicious sneer. “I guess this really isn’t the place for a girl like you, huh?”

“Wow. So much for liking and caring about women,” I snapped. “A few minutes ago, you were all about it. But the second I bring up one of your friends being a sick freak, suddenly it’s a different story. Suddenly anything goes.”

Rhett’s eyes narrowed again. “People like you make me fucking sick.”

“People like me?” I shook my head, flabbergasted, and held up a palm. “Okay, seriously, I think we need to start again. This has to be a misunderstanding. Just let me tell you the whole story.”

“Nah. No misunderstanding here.” He rose to his full height, staring down at me with dark, hate-filled eyes. “You’ve made it very clear what sort of girl you are, and you need to get the fuck out of here. Now. And just so you know, you’re barred from all future Wilder parties too. Got it?”

“You’re actually serious?”

He stepped closer again, lowering his voice to a deep, intimidating mutter that sent a chill down my spine. “Don’t make me grab you by the neck and drag you out of here, Ev.”

I blinked. “W-what?”

“You fucking heard me,” he growled. “You’ve got five seconds to start running. I suggest you do it.”

I shrank back, shock and anger colliding inside me. How dare Rhett speak to me like that? How dare he treat me this way? He hadn’t even let me get a damn word in edgewise before he blew up on me, all because I insulted one of his elite boys-club buddies. What a colossal prick.

Despite all that blinding rage and hurt, a tingling heat surged through me again as I pictured him grabbing my neck as he’d promised, awakening things inside me that I’d long tried to keep buried. Desire, curiosity, and a thrill that teetered right on the edge of danger.

I had to get out of here. Right now.

“Fuck you, Rhett,” I muttered, pushing past him.

He didn’t say a word. Just turned and strode away.

I hurried up the path, fumbling in my purse for my phone. With shaking hands, I tapped out a text to the group chat I shared with the girls. Sorry, not feeling so good. Calling the escort shuttle now. Have fun!

After I hit send, I turned and looked over my shoulder, spying the distant flames of the Wilder fire. My head was still spinning, barely able to process what had happened back there. It was so unexpected. So jarring.

Rhett had briefly redeemed himself in my eyes with the Lila/Ryan story, but then he’d turned into a total asshole only seconds later when I tried to bring up Jake’s beyond-shady history. It honestly made me feel like I had whiplash, and I regretted ever agreeing to come to this damn party.

I was glad about one thing, though. When I first met Rhett, everything about him had warned me to run. Warned me that he was a bad guy. I’d started to doubt myself after he laid on all the disarming charm tonight, but now I knew my initial instincts were spot-on.

I was right to be afraid of him.

4

Rhett

Jaw clenching, I tore through the woods, barely noticing the branches snapping back at me. My chest felt tight, rage burning through me like the fire I could see flickering ahead.

How had I been so fucking blind?

The realization had hit me like a punch to the gut: Ev was a liar, and a manipulative one at that. And worse, she was exactly the kind of person I couldn’t stand. The kind I usually saw coming miles away. But this time, I’d been too wrapped up in her looks and irresistible spark to notice until she was spewing all that bullshit right to my face.

My fists clenched, and I let out a growl as I kicked a fallen branch out of the way, anger at Ev mixing with anger at myself. How could I have missed the warning signs that showed what a shitty person she was?

I knew I wasn’t a good person myself. Not by any means. I beat a guy half to death with my bare hands two weeks ago, for fuck’s sake, and I didn’t feel an ounce of remorse over it. In fact, I relished the sound of his bones cracking and savored the feeling of his warm, sticky blood dripping off my knuckles. And that wasn’t even close to the worst thing I’d ever done.

So no, I wasn’t good. But at least I was honest.

I knew for sure that Ev was lying about all the shit she said. Had to be. It already seemed obvious enough when she claimed to be Jake’s ex-girlfriend who broke up with him recently, because Jake had a long-term boyfriend, and they’d been together for three years.

Even if Ev dated him before he came out, all the way back in fucking high school or whatever, I didn’t believe for a second that he would ever cheat on anyone. He was one of the best guys I knew.

Other Wilders? Sure, I could easily believe a story about them two-timing—or even ten-timing—a girlfriend or boyfriend, given their lack of integrity when it came to getting their dicks wet.

But Jake? Fuck no. He was a genuinely loyal guy.

Based on that, I already had my suspicions about Ev’s motives when she started shit-talking him, and those suspicions were confirmed when she started saying all that nasty shit about him ‘hating women’ and having ‘disgusting sexual fetishes’, which then snowballed into her calling him a ‘sick pervert’ and a ‘sick freak’.

That was when I knew she wasn’t just a liar. She was a raging bigot too.

I’d heard ignorant, intolerant shit like her shrill rant many times in the past, and it always made my blood fucking boil. It was 2024. How had so many people on this planet still not figured out that other people’s love lives or sex lives simply didn’t affect them? I couldn’t give less of a fuck about it, and I couldn’t even comprehend why others did.

On top of that, the way Ev seemed to imply that Jake didn’t like or respect women just because he didn’t want to fuck them pissed me the hell off. As if not being attracted to women was some sort of hate crime, or whatever the fuck she was trying to say.

What a joke. Jake loved women.

Hell, just two years ago he’d helped to coordinate a fundraising effort that paid for multiple schools in the state to give out free pads to girls, all because he saw a news article about period poverty in those areas, and it made him think about how shitty it would be for his little sisters to go through something like that. Hardly the actions of a guy who hated and disrespected women. But Ev still certainly seemed to think his lack of attraction to her constituted ‘hatred’.

For fuck’s sake.

I just couldn’t stand hearing that shit. Couldn’t let her run her fucking mouth for a second longer tonight.

She kept saying that I needed to hear her out, but she didn’t deserve that. Not when I could already tell exactly what she was getting at. I really didn’t need to hear any more of that bullshit, and as for Jake… he really didn’t need any more of that shit in his life.

He already had a hard time coming out all those years ago, because he was so nervous about being accepted, and he still had hard moments sometimes. Like last year when some protestors showed up on campus to rally against the college’s LGBT club, holding signs about sinners and screaming about gay people supposedly being ‘sick perverts’—the exact same words Ev had slammed him with.

I, along with the other Wilders, got rid of those assholes as fast as we could, but the damage had already been done. I saw the hurt on Jake’s face. The hollow look in his eyes as he doubtlessly wondered when these fuckers were finally going to leave people like him the hell alone and let them live their damn lives in peace.

The fire crackled louder as I got closer, the warmth reaching me even before I stepped into the clearing. It seemed fitting, because there was something primal and consuming about the flames that matched the fury coursing through me.

I wanted to forget all about Ev, to erase the memory of every time I’d thought maybe, just maybe, she was worth my time. A worthy challenge to pursue. But there it was—the ugly truth, staring me right in the face. She was no good. Not for me or anyone. And if anything, I hated her more for making me wish she was.

“Hey, man,” Jake called out, noticing my arrival in the clearing. “Everything okay?”

I hesitated. Part of me wanted to tell him about Ev’s bullshit, but a bigger part of me figured I should keep it to myself. At least for now. Jake didn’t need to have his good night ruined by the knowledge that some crazy homophobic bitch was going around trying to smear his reputation.

“Yeah, I’m good,” I said, forcing an amiable grin as I stepped closer to the fire. “Just need another drink.”

“I was about to go grab another beer.” Jake rose to his feet. “I’ll get one for you too. Anyone else?”

After he’d gone, I dropped down onto a log near the fire, barely feeling the rough bark digging into my palms as I braced my hands against it.

JJ looked over at me, brows lifted. “You sure everything’s okay?” he asked in a low voice. “You look pissed as fuck. Did Ryan try to show his face?”

I shook my head. “It’s nothing, really,” I said. “I was talking to some girl, but she turned out to be a total piece of work.”

He glanced toward the path I’d just come down. “You mean Ev? I thought I saw you with her.”

“You know her?”

“Oh, er… sort of.” He rubbed his jaw. “I met her outside one of my classes last week.”

“Well, stay away from her,” I said. “Trust me. She’s not worth it.”

JJ’s forehead wrinkled with confusion. He stayed silent for a beat, clearly waiting for me to say more. When I didn’t, he nodded. “Okay,” he said. He cocked his head and frowned. “By the way, what happened to that other girl you were telling us about a while back? The one you thought was perfect for you.”

I clenched my jaw and shook my head again. “Turned out she wasn’t so perfect,” I muttered.

I looked back at the fire. The flames flickered wildly, throwing sharp shadows across the clearing, and I stared into them, as if they could somehow burn away the anger still churning inside me.

I couldn’t stop replaying the conversation with Ev in my mind, each word dripping with the kind of hypocrisy that made my skin fucking crawl. She’d been so smooth at first, spinning her web with a sweet smile and doe-eyed looks, pretending to be open and honest with me like I was with her.

But it was all an act.

My frown deepened as I recalled what she said about having so-called proof of the ‘bad things about him’. What the hell was that about? Was she hinting that she had a sex tape she’d secretly recorded of Jake with another guy? Did she plan on releasing it online in an attempt to humiliate him?

I had no idea, but I did know that I wasn’t going to let her pull any shit like that. No fucking way.

Another one of her remarks echoed in my mind a moment later. I bet he’d love to get rid of me, but unfortunately for him, I’m not going anywhere.

I gritted my teeth, exhaling sharply through my nose.

Ev was wrong if she thought anyone at Hollingsworth would put up with her particular brand of bullshit. I wasn’t sure if Jake actually knew her, let alone told her that he wanted her gone… but if he had, he was damn well right.

We had to get rid of her.

5

Everly

“Excuse me!” I called out to the blonde girl in front of me as she stepped out of the lecture hall. “You dropped your pen!”

I stooped to pick the pen up as I spoke, and the girl turned back to me with a bright smile. “Oh, thank—”

She cut herself off abruptly, and her smile vanished, replaced with a sour expression. Then she snatched the pen from my hand and stood up straight. “Thanks,” she muttered before turning and stalking away.

“You’re welcome,” I said under my breath, wondering what on earth her problem was.

Come to think of it, what was everyone’s problem today? It was so weird. My first class had been fine, but the next one was full of people whispering to each other behind their hands, and it always seemed to happen after they caught a glimpse of me. A couple of girls had even glared daggers at me and then went on to ignore my presence like I was a ghost after I tried saying hi to them.

I honestly had no idea what was going on. I could only assume that everyone was hungover from the weekend and in foul moods as a result.

I put my sunglasses on and set off across campus, heading for the library. On my way, I passed the West End Café and spotted Tessa, Bree, and Sloane through the window, huddled at a table with tall latte glasses.

Shit.

I stopped in my tracks. Had I forgotten about a meetup with the girls? I racked my brains, then realized I hadn’t checked our group chat for the last three hours. I’d been too caught up with my back-to-back classes.

I stepped into the café and hurried over to the table. “Sorry, I haven’t even had a chance to look at the chat today!” I said. “I’ve been so busy with classes. I must’ve missed—”

As I spoke, Tessa picked up her bag and plopped it right on the chair I was about to slide into.

“Oh, sorry. Was this a private thing?” I asked as a spike of hurt twisted in my chest. I tried to play it off with a casual smile, but it barely held. It hadn’t occurred to me that I might be intruding.

Tessa gave me a saccharine smile that didn’t meet her eyes. “No, it’s not private. More like exclusive,” she said in a biting tone. “No raging homophobes allowed.”

My eyes flicked over to the other girls. Sloane wouldn’t look at me, and Bree’s face was set in a mask of disdain.

“Um… is this a joke? I don’t get it,” I said, heart thumping painfully fast.

“It’s all over campus, Everly,” Bree said stonily. “Apparently you hate gay people.”

“What?” My eyes widened with incredulity. “That’s not true!”

“It’s not just one person saying it, Ev,” Sloane said softly. She still wasn’t meeting my eyes.

“That shit really doesn’t fly here,” Tessa added. “Not in this day and age. Maybe it’s okay where you come from, but—”

I cut her off. “No, it’s not okay where I’m from!” I said hotly, lifting a palm. “Seriously, I swear, I’m not homophobic! Who the hell is even saying this stuff?”

Bree exchanged a dubious glance with Sloane. Then she sighed and handed me her phone. “Open Holler.”

I frowned and clicked on the black and white H icon on her screen. Holler was a bit like the Gossip Girl app, but it was exclusive to Hollingsworth. Students could send in tips or comment on posts, and it was all anonymous. I’d continually put off downloading it because it seemed so silly and high-schoolish, but I majorly regretted that decision now.

Today’s top post featured a clear photo of me, taken during my first class of the day. The student who’d sent it in had attached a story filled with total lies about me.

Avoid this girl LIKE THE PLAGUE. Seriously!! She was sitting in front of me today and I could see everything she was doing on her laptop. I guess she didn’t realize I could see. Or maybe she didn’t care??

Anyway, she was on some streaming site writing a comment about how gay people should be forced to put content warnings on all their videos. Just for existing, I guess?? Then after that, she went on some weird forum and complained about gay/bi people on that. I literally saw her write these exact words: ‘I’m sick of being forced to witness their immoral lifestyles’.

So fucked up! We need to stamp this shit out at Hollingsworth. No hate welcome on our campus!!

The comments were filled with people agreeing with the original poster or expressing shock at the revelation.

HollerAnon236: Yup that tracks with my experience. I overheard her at a party saying the most hateful homophobic shit I’ve ever heard after she saw two guys kissing. Unbelievable.

HollerAnon781: OMG I actually know her! She lives in the same hall as me. Always seemed so bubbly and nice. Never would’ve guessed she was such a nasty bigot. Crazy!!!

HollerAnon902: Wouldn’t surprise me if she’s racist too. These things go hand-in-hand most of the time, right?

HollerAnon156: Yup agreed. Probably got a bunch of internalized misogyny going on too. It’s always the same with these fascist assholes.

HollerAnon332: Ew what a bitch.

HollerAnon379: Go back to the Stone Age please….

I stared at the words, my brain scrambling to put them together in a way that made any sense. My pulse was pounding so hard I could feel it behind my eyes, and heat was flooding my cheeks, a wave of humiliation mixed with anger.

My breath hitched as I tried to force my next words out, my throat tight with the effort. “It’s not true,” I said, gaze shooting between the girls. “Do you honestly believe this shit?”

Sloane finally met my eyes. “I really don’t want to, Ev, but more than one person said it.”

“It’s all anonymous! It could be the same person pretending to be multiple people!” I said, shaking my head. Hot tears spilled out over my cheeks. “Can’t you see what’s happening? This is Jake! It has to be!”

Bree’s expression shifted from dark disdain to a contemplative frown. “You think he wrote all that stuff just to get at you?”

“Yes.” I wiped my face with a shaky hand. “I told you; he hates me and wants me gone. He’d probably do anything to make me leave. I mean, just look at the message he sent me yesterday.”

I opened my texts and showed the girls the most recent pile of abuse Jake had sent to me.

J: Think you’re safe here, cunt? Think again. Just fucking wait and see what happens. By the time I’m done you’ll be begging me to stop, but I won’t.

Tessa, Sloane, and Bree stared at the words in silence.

“Wow,” Sloane finally said in a breathless whisper. “He’s disgusting.”

“See?” I sniffed as more tears pricked at my eyes. “He basically admitted that he’s planning a bunch of stuff to ruin my life here at Hollingsworth.”

“How do we know you didn’t send that message to yourself so you could have a convenient scapegoat to blame if you got caught doing something?” Tessa asked, narrowing her eyes.

“I didn’t. I would never do something like that.” I slowly shook my head and opened my tote bag to display its contents to her. “And look… I didn’t even take my laptop to any of my classes today. It’s back at the dorms. So how could that person have seen me using it in the lecture hall?”

Bree and Sloane gave each other uncertain looks. Tessa continued to look mad as hell.

“Please,” I went on, voice cracking with hurt. “I thought we were friends. I know we’ve only known each other for a few weeks, but I thought you’d all gotten to know me well enough to know that this stuff can’t be true. At all. I’m not homophobic, or racist, or anything those comments are saying. And I’m not lying about Jake either.”

Sloane’s shoulders slumped, and guilt flashed across her face. “She’s right,” she said, gaze shooting between Bree and Tessa. “I mean… we’re really just believing the first rumor we hear about her? That’s insane.”

“It’s not just any rumor,” Tessa snapped.

Bree’s lips pressed together in a firm line, and she leaned forward. “Tess, come on. We need to talk about this properly,” she said. She looked back at me and patted the table, indicating for me to take a seat. “I’m sorry, Ev; you’re totally right. We should’ve given you the benefit of the doubt and agreed to hear you out first.”

“Thanks,” I murmured.

Tessa snatched her bag off the seat and rose to her feet. “Fine. Whatever. Have fun, guys!” she said, voice dripping with sarcasm. With that, she stomped away and exited the West End.

Bree sighed as she watched her go. “Just give her some time,” she said, looking back at me. “She’s really sensitive about this sort of stuff.”

Sloane nodded in agreement. “I’m not sure if she told you about this yet, but her best friend in high school was bullied really badly after she came out.” She paused and lowered her voice. “Like, so badly she ended up trying to kill herself.”

My stomach lurched. “That’s horrible.”

“Yeah. She’s fine now, but it was really bad back then. That’s why this kind of stuff upsets Tessa so much.”

“She’ll come around and listen to you eventually,” Bree added. “Like I said before, she just needs some time to process it all.”

“But you two…” I trailed off, eyes flickering between the girls. “You believe me?”

Bree was silent for a moment. Then she nodded. “I can tell you’re not lying about the Holler stuff, unless you’re the best fucking actress on the planet,” she said. She hesitated and leaned forward, eyes narrowing slightly. “But you are hiding something, aren’t you?”

I blinked. “What?”

“Something about this Jake guy. I mean, there’s no way he’d go to such crazy lengths to run you off campus just because you caught him cheating,” she said. “There’s something else, isn’t there? Some other reason for him to want you gone so badly.”

I sighed and looked down at the table, fingers anxiously twisting together. “Yeah,” I finally murmured. “You’re right.”

“So what is it? What did he do to you?” she asked. “Or what did you do to him?”

“Did he really cheat?” Sloane quickly added.

“Yes. But I didn’t actually find out about that until after I dumped him,” I replied. “He kept cycling between apologizing and flying into rages after the breakup, and that’s when he admitted he’d been sleeping with other girls the entire time.”

Bree leaned even closer, forehead creasing. “So why did you dump him? And why does he hate you so much?”

“I… I don’t even know where to start with this,” I said softly. “It’s such a long story, and honestly, I worry you won’t even believe me, because it’s just so—”

“Girl.” Bree lifted a palm. “Just take a breath and start from the very beginning. One word at a time. You can do it.”

“Okay.” I inhaled deeply and looked her in the eye. “I’ll tell you everything.”

6

Everly

I took another deep breath and folded my hands on my lap. “So, you know how Jake and I used to spend every summer together?”

“Yup,” the girls said in unison.

“We’d always meet up at his family’s main house first, and then we’d drive or fly to whichever summer house we were staying at. They’re super rich, so they have about twenty of them all over the country,” I said. “This summer, I was meant to arrive at the main house on the 7th. But I thought I’d surprise him and arrive a couple of days early.”

“Uh-huh,” Bree said, head tilted slightly to one side.

“Because we were together for so long, I was pretty close with his family, and they trusted me with the gate code. I had a key, too. So I thought it would be fun to let myself in, sneak into Jake’s room, and shout ‘surprise!’.” I paused and shook my head. “It sounds so childish now.”

“No, it’s cute,” Sloane said.

Bree raised her brows. “I’m guessing you saw something you weren’t meant to see?”

“Yup. I walked in and saw him on top of one of the maids. Naked.”

“I thought you only found out about him cheating after the breakup,” Sloane said.

“He wasn’t cheating with the maid,” I said in a hollow voice. “At first, that’s what I assumed, but then I realized she wasn’t moving at all, and her eyes were closed.”

“She was unconscious?”

“Yes. At first, I honestly thought she was dead. She just looked so… limp.” I swallowed hard and went on. “Anyway, I screamed, and Jake jumped up. He started crying and shouting all this crazy, nonsensical stuff. Then he went and locked himself in the bathroom.”

“What the fuck?” Bree muttered.

“I went over to the maid. Checked to make sure she was breathing and covered her with a blanket. Then I tried to wake her up,” I said. “The whole time, Jake was in the bathroom crying like a baby. Just howling.”

Sloane’s eyes were like saucers. “Did the maid wake up?”

“Yes, after a few minutes. She was really groggy and confused at first. Then she was scared. Really, really scared.” I briefly closed my eyes and took another deep breath. “I asked her what happened, and…”

I trailed off as hot tears of rage, regret, and sorrow welled up in my eyes. Sloane reached over and put a hand on top of mine. “It’s okay. Take as long as you need.”

I sucked in another deep breath and continued. “She told me she was cleaning in the hall outside Jake’s room. He asked her to come in and watch the game with him because he didn’t want to watch it alone. She wanted to say no, because she had work to do, but at the same time, she felt like she couldn’t reject him.”

“Because he’s her boss,” Bree said, nodding slowly.

“Technically, his dad is. But it’s the same thing. She felt like her job might be at risk if she pissed off any of the family members.”

“Yeah, I get it.”

“She said yes. He offered her a soda. She drank it, and that was the last thing she remembered before waking up naked on the bed.”

“So he drugged her.”

“Yes. I got her dressed and took her to the hospital because she looked really sick and could barely walk. But when they asked what happened, she lied.”

“About what?” Bree asked, brows knitting.

“She told them a stranger had drugged her at a bar. I stayed silent when she was talking, because I was so shocked,” I said. “But after the doctors left, I asked her why she lied. She said she felt like she had to.”

“Because of Jake and his family?”

I nodded. “Like I said, they’re rich as sin. Julia—that’s her name, by the way—was genuinely terrified of how they might retaliate if she reported him. She was also scared of losing her job, because she really needed the money for her own family. So she begged me not to say anything to the doctors, because she knew they’d call the police.”

“That’s a tough spot to be in,” Sloane said, wincing. “On the one hand, I’d be frothing at the mouth to turn him in. On the other hand, I’d hate to force a woman to take on a case like that when she already said she can’t deal with it.”

“That was the exact problem,” I said softly. “I didn’t want to force her to do anything. Especially because she was already so scared. But I told her that I was willing to help out. Make a statement about what I’d seen. Even testify in court if necessary. But she still said no. She said she would only turn Jake in to the police if there was real, solid evidence.”

Bree frowned. “Like what?”

“Like him admitting what he did on camera, or something like that.” I sighed and shook my head. “She thought her word and my word wouldn’t be enough. Not when his family has access to the most cutthroat lawyers that money can buy. They’d tear us apart in court. Make it look like we cooked up some scheme together to get money from the family.”

“I hate how accurate that is,” Sloane muttered. “It’s so fucking unfair.”

“Yeah. I understood where she was coming from. So I promised not to say anything.” I hesitated and twisted my fingers nervously on my lap. “I still feel so guilty about that. Like… I should have done more to convince her to come forward.”

“Don’t do that to yourself,” Bree said, shaking her head. “Like Sloane said, it’s a really tough spot to be in.”

I let out another sigh and went on. “They did a blood test at the hospital to confirm that she’d been drugged. They wanted to examine her for signs of sexual assault, but she refused. Told them nothing happened. I just stood there and stayed silent, as much as I didn’t want to,” I said. “After that, the doctors wanted to keep her there for observation, just for a few more hours. While they were doing that, I went back to the house to grab my suitcase. I figured Jake would’ve lawyered up already and called his parents to come home from wherever they were. But he was alone.”

“Still in the bathroom?”

“No, he was out of there by then. When he saw me walk in, he had the audacity to come over and try to hug me.” My upper lip curled with disgust. “He was still crying and panicking. Begging me to forgive him and not tell anyone what I saw. I told him the maid was okay, and that he was lucky she wasn’t pressing charges. Then I said I was leaving and never wanted to see him again. But he blocked the door. Told me I had to listen to his explanation before he’d let me leave.”

“As if there’s anything he could say that could possibly make it okay,” Bree said, nostrils flaring.

“No shit,” I muttered. “But I was still in shock. I just couldn’t believe this stuff was happening. And I was scared, too. So I agreed to hear whatever he had to say.”

“What was his excuse?”

“He… he said he has a sexual fetish.” I pinched the bridge of my nose and shook my head. “I really can’t say it. You’ll think I’ve lost my mind.”

“Everly. We believe you.” Bree leaned forward again. “Just tell us.”

“Okay.” I took another deep breath, revulsion churning in my stomach. “He said he’s always fantasized about sex with… a dead body.”

“What the fuck?” Sloane instantly looked sick with horror. “He wants to fuck corpses?”

“He said he’d never actually do it, but he thought about it all the time. So then he thought it might work if he did something close to it instead.”

“Like… with an unconscious woman,” Bree said in a low voice. “Without any consent, I might add.”

“Yes. He said he only did it that one time, but I have no way of knowing if that’s true. And once is terrible enough anyway.”

Bree’s lips thinned. “No shit.”

“He would’ve had to plan it all in advance,” Sloane muttered, shaking her head. “Like buying the knockout drugs. Waiting until he and Julia were alone together. And then…”

She trailed off, and I nodded woodenly. “I honestly couldn’t believe it. I’ve known him since we were kids, and he was always the sweetest guy. Always considerate. Always asking for consent from me. I had no idea he was such a monster underneath it all. I just… I was so shocked.”

“I don’t blame you,” she replied. “I think I’d straight-up faint if someone admitted that stuff to me.”

“Oh my god!” Bree briefly clapped a hand over her mouth, eyes widening. “I just remembered something. I saw him hooking up with a girl at the bonfire party. What if he did something to her?”

“I doubt it,” I said in a hollow voice. “Because, unbelievably, the story gets even worse.”

Her brows puckered. “What do you mean?”

“Well, when he was admitting everything about the fantasy, I asked him if he’d ever done it to me,” I said. “He told me he hadn’t, and that he would never consider it, because he sees me as being from the same league as him. Like, socially speaking. But he doesn’t see Julia the same way. I guess she’s not even a real person to him.”

Sloane looked sick again. “That’s so fucked up.”

“Yeah. Even though I don’t come from a rich background like him, I was still his girlfriend, and our families know each other too, so I guess he’s always viewed me as good enough to be on his level because of that,” I said, putting the words ‘good enough’ in air quotes. “But other people, like the house staff—he sees them as below him. Sub-humans who exist to be used and abused.”

“So he’s an elitist about who he chooses to drug and rape.” Bree slowly shook her head. “That’s a whole new layer of twisted assholery.”

“Do you really believe me about this stuff?” I glanced anxiously between her and Sloane. “I know how crazy it all sounds.”

Bree patted my hand and nodded. “This shit is too wild to make up,” she said. “I believe you. I promise.”

“Me too.” Sloane’s eyes filled with sympathy. “And now I totally get why he’s running a smear campaign. He wants to turn everyone against you because he’s scared you’re going to tell everyone the truth about him.”

“I would if I could,” I said bitterly. “But like Julia said, it’s just my word against his in the end. Especially with her being too scared to come forward. So I can’t tell people. He’ll just say I’m crazy.”

“That’s the real reason you haven’t blocked him, right?” she asked. “Just in case he texts you something incriminating?”

“Yes. He’s spent the last few months cycling between sending me furious messages attacking me and sad ones begging me to take him back. Lately it’s mostly been the furious ones.”

“But he’s never actually admitted what he did in the texts?”

“He did, but only sort of,” I said. “At one point while he was sending me all the sad messages, I tried to bait him. I texted him something like: ‘You know that I saw exactly what you did to Julia, and I’m sick of hearing your excuses. Be honest with me about what you did and why you did it, and maybe then I’ll see you again.’ This was his reply.”

I fished my phone out of my purse, opened my conversation thread with Jake, and scrolled up until I found his response to my bait message.

J: Babe, it was just a one-time thing. I swear! I’ve never done it before and never will again. You catching me was the wakeup call I needed. I’ll get therapy, I swear. Please give me a chance.

Sloane’s nose wrinkled as she read it. “Too bad this would never hold up in court.”

“Yeah, because he didn’t actually say what he did,” I replied. “So his lawyers could argue that it’s about something else. Like him cheating, for instance.”

“Exactly.”

I gritted my teeth and inhaled through my nose, anger spiking in me all over again. “I just wish I could get him to admit it out loud while I’m recording him. Then I could give that recording to Julia. See if she’s willing to move forward with a case against him.”

Bree nodded. “That would be the best-case scenario.”

I let out a frustrated groan and scrubbed my hand over my face. “Honestly, it kills me that he’s freely walking around when I know what he’s capable of,” I said. “I worry every single day that he’s drugging other women he considers below him on the social ladder. I just go over it in my head again and again. It’s driving me crazy.”

Sloane grimaced. “And there’s nothing you can really do about it. Like you said, you can’t report him to the police unless Julia changes her mind,” she said. She paused and tilted her head. “Are you still in contact with her?”

“Yeah. I text her every few weeks to see how she’s doing.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Is she still working for Jake’s family?”

“Yes.” I sighed. “But she asked for a transfer to a different wing, at least. So she doesn’t have to see him when he’s there.”

“A different wing?” Bree’s eyes widened. “Wow, they really are rich.”

“Yup.” My lips tightened. “Getting on their bad side is a really bad idea.”

“I get that, but you can’t just let Jake run around smearing you like this,” Sloane said, shaking her head. “These days, online rumors don’t just blow over. They can affect your future in so many ways. You can miss out on a ton of opportunities, and you can even get fired if your employer sees a nasty post accusing you of stuff.”

Bree nodded. “You could also get kicked out of Hollingsworth if enough people complain about you. So we really need to do something about that post.”

I shrugged defeatedly. “What can I do? Other than say it’s not true, which hardly anyone will believe anyway.”

“I have an idea.” Sloane lifted her chin, eyes glimmering with intent. “I know I’m only pre-law, but I already know legalese pretty well. Enough to make me sound like a lawyer, anyway. So I’ll write a professional-sounding email to Holler threatening to file a defamation suit if they keep that post up. It’s not even wrong, because what they’re doing is literally defamation. I’ll also get them to post a retraction.”

“You think they’ll do that?”

“They will after I’m through with them. I’ll even ask one of the law professors for help if I need to,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “I’m really sick of these anonymous assholes who go around trying to wreck people’s lives from behind a screen.”

“Thank you so much,” I said, shoulders slumping with relief.

“Don’t thank me. I feel like such a bitch for jumping to conclusions earlier. I’m a shit friend.”

“We both are,” Bree muttered, looking down at the table.

I sighed. “It’s okay. I get it. It’s hard to know what to believe when so many people are saying it.”

“No, we should’ve known better.” Bree jerked her gaze back up to meet mine, guilt etched on her face. “Really… I’m so sorry, Ev.”

“Shit,” Sloane blurted out as she glanced at her watch. “I have to get to my next class. I’ll write that email to Holler afterwards, okay?”

“Okay.” I nodded and rose to my feet. “I’m going to go hide in a corner of the library for a while. I think it’s safer for me there than anywhere else on campus right now.”

“That’s probably true.” Bree sighed. “I’d come with you, but I have to go meet my study group soon.”

After I’d said goodbye to the girls and promised to meet them for much-needed drinks at a local bar later, I headed for the library with my jacket hood up and sunglasses on, hoping that would be enough to disguise me from all the people on campus who were out for my blood. Thankfully, it seemed to work, and I made it to my usual corner on the third floor without anyone giving me dirty looks or yelling at me.

I sank into a chair and let out a groan, leaning forward to rest my head on the desk. Guilt was weighing down on me constantly, like a shadow I couldn’t shake.

I hadn’t told the girls the whole story about how Jake’s actions had affected me mentally. I didn’t tell them for two main reasons. Firstly, because I worried about how they’d look at me afterwards, and secondly, because it wasn’t really relevant to what happened to poor Julia anyway.

It was relevant to me, though, and the crushing shame of that dark secret pressed down on me all day, every day.

The truth was: for as long as I could remember, I’d had a fantasy that I’d never explored. A desire to be taken against my will. Completely helpless and at the mercy of a big, strong man.

I thought that fantasy would vanish after I saw how Jake violated Julia, but it didn’t, and every day since then, I’d worried what that said about me—that even after witnessing another woman’s fear and trauma from such a terrible crime, I still had all these dark wishes lurking deep down.

I kept trying to tell myself it was harmless; that I’d never actually want it to happen in real life. It was just a fantasy that had nothing to do with who I really was. But if that were true… why did I feel so guilty all the time?

It was almost suffocating, constantly reminding me that somewhere inside me was this inexplicable desire that didn’t align with what I knew I should feel. I should’ve been horrified by the mere idea of that desire; repulsed enough to wipe it from my mind completely.

And yet... it was still there. That wish to be hunted down and brutally claimed with absolutely no say in the matter.

I took a deep breath, forced those thoughts aside, and sat up straight. Then I spent the next few hours going over my old lecture notes and rewriting them so the information would really sink in.

At five, my stomach started to grumble. I packed up my books and trudged out of the library, keeping my head down to avoid people’s gazes. I considered going to one of the dining halls for a meal, but I knew it would be packed at this time of day, and I didn’t want to face any verbal abuse, so I decided to head straight back to my dorm instead. I had a few bags of pretzels and mushroom jerky on my desk, so that would have to be my dinner for tonight.

A few people in the hallway threw dirty looks at me when they saw me, but no one said anything, unless you counted the guy that mumbled something unintelligible under his breath as I passed.

When I arrived at my dorm, I hesitated and knocked on the door first. “Tessa, it’s me. Just letting you know I’m back, in case you need a minute to mentally prepare, or whatever.”

I heard footsteps from inside, but she didn’t respond.

With a sigh, I grabbed my keycard and pressed it on the electronic lock. Then I pushed the door open and slowly stepped inside, stomach churning with anxiety as I wondered how Tessa would react to my presence.

She wasn’t at her desk or on her bed. The bathroom door was closed, and I could see light spilling out from the crack at the bottom.

I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed. Then I cleared my throat and called out. “I know you’re still really mad at me, but if you let me explain, I think you’ll understand what’s going on. Can you please come out of there and talk to me?”

She didn’t reply, but I heard her feet shift on the tiles.

“Tessa, come on. You can’t hide in there all night,” I said. “Unless you plan on sleeping in the shower.”

My words were met with more silence.

“I was just joking about the shower, in case you—”

I abruptly cut myself off as I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket. I pulled it out to see Bree’s name flashing on the screen.

I slid the green answer button across and lifted the phone to my ear. “Hey, how’s your study group going?”

“Oh, that ended ages ago, but it was fine,” she replied breezily. “Anyway, you need to come to The Cabin!”

I frowned. “I thought we weren’t meeting there until eight.”

“I know, but I ran into Tessa a while ago, and I explained everything to her. Please don’t be mad. I know you wanted to tell her yourself, but I really wanted to fix everything to make up for what an asshole I was to you earlier.”

My frown deepened. “Hang on… what?”

“Don’t worry! I made her promise not to say anything to anyone, and she won’t, because she knows Jake might escalate if he realizes you’re finally telling people what he did,” Bree said hastily. “Anyway, she feels horrible about how she spoke to you today, and she wants to apologize. But she’s too chickenshit to call and ask you to come here herself, because she’s convinced that you totally hate her now.”

I took a slow step backward, eyes focused on the shadows moving in the crack of light spilling out from the bathroom. “Bree… are you saying you’re with Tessa right now?” I asked in a low voice. “Literally as we speak?”

“Yes, we’re at The Cabin. Can you meet us? Sloane is on her way too.”

“Oh my god,” I whispered, slowly backing away. “I think someone’s in my dorm.”

“What?” Confusion filled Bree’s voice. “Ev, are you okay?”

The bathroom light turned off. Then the door burst open, and a tall man dressed in black stepped out, his face hidden behind a black-and-white skull mask.

I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. The hollow, empty eye sockets of the mask seemed to pin me in place, as if they saw straight through me. It felt like every nerve in my body was screaming for me to run, but my feet wouldn’t move. I could only stand there, frozen, as the masked man took one slow, deliberate step toward me, silent as a shadow.

Then he lunged at me.

I screamed and scrambled out of my dorm, legs feeling like they might collapse beneath me at any second as my heart slammed against my ribs. The skull-faced man strode straight past me without another glance in my direction, cutting through a group of students gathered in the hall. They all laughed as they saw him pass, presumably thinking it was some sort of prank.

I ran back into my dorm and slammed the door shut. Every nerve in my body was buzzing with panic, but I forced myself to step into the bathroom. As I flicked on the light, my heart dropped.

There, lying shattered in the sink, was my laptop, its screen a jagged spiderweb of cracks. Cold dread clawed up my spine as my gaze lifted to the mirror above, where blood red letters were smeared on the glass. A warning.

Get out before it’s too late.

7

Everly

“I’m so sorry, Ev.” Tessa squeezed my hand, her teary, red-rimmed eyes wide and beseeching. “I will never, ever forgive myself for this shit.”

“You’ve already apologized a hundred times,” I said, giving her a watery half-smile. “It’s okay. You didn’t know the full story.”

“That’s no excuse, and it’s really not okay.” She shook her head. “I’m such an asshole. I should’ve believed you about Jake. He’s clearly a total fucking psychopath.”

I swallowed thickly and glanced at the university officials, campus police, and Havenport PD officers who were clustered on the other side of the dean’s office.

I turned back to Tessa. “You didn’t say anything about him to the police, did you?”

“No. Don’t worry.” She lifted a palm. “I know I’ve had trouble keeping my mouth shut in the past, but I promise I won’t breathe a single word about him to anyone. Not unless that Julia girl changes her mind.”

I sighed. “She won’t unless we get solid proof of what he did.”

“Yeah, I know. They told me what her deal is,” she said, glancing at Sloane and Bree. “Anyway, I think we should try to get something on him. I mean, we can’t just let him get away with terrorizing you like this.”

Sloane nodded. “I agree. I don’t know how exactly, but we need to prove to the world that he’s a total piece of shit.”

“I really wish we could,” I said glumly, shoulders sagging. “But I have no idea how. He’s never going to admit it on camera, or anything like that.”

“There has to be something we can do,” Bree muttered.

“I managed to get that horrible Holler post taken down, at least,” Sloane said. “I just hope they print the retraction soon.”

I breathed a quiet sigh of relief. “Thanks so much.”

Tessa sighed heavily, her face still etched with guilt. “I know you’re sick of me saying sorry, but I’m going to keep saying it, okay?” she said. “I feel like such a bitch for jumping to conclusions over a stupid Holler post.”

“Tess. Seriously. I forgive you.” I gave her another small smile. “I’m just glad we’re friends again. I really need all the support I can get right now.”

“Excuse me, ladies.” The dean drew our attention to him as he stepped over to us. He offered me a conciliatory smile. “Ms. Marlowe, first and foremost, I wanted to offer my sincerest apologies about this evening’s incident. I want you to know we’re doing everything we can to investigate it and keep you safe in the future.”

Bree narrowed her eyes. “How, exactly?”

“As we speak, the Havenport PD forensic team is sweeping your dorm for evidence. Our security team is also investigating the breach that allowed someone to bypass the electronic lock on your door.” He briefly glanced at Tessa, then back to me. “You both confirmed in your statements that neither of you have had your keycards stolen or borrowed by anyone recently, correct?”

I nodded. “Mine was on me all day, and I’ve never lent it to anyone.”

“Same with me,” Tessa added.

“From now on, we’re increasing security measures at Ashcroft Hall, just in case. A security guard has been posted at the front door, and no one will be allowed past him without showing proof that they reside in the building.”

“That’s a relief,” Sloane murmured.

“Unless the person who broke into the dorm is a fellow Ashcroft resident,” Bree said, brows rising. “In which case he can still get in easily.”

Dean Hopewell dipped his chin in a curt nod. “That’s true, so we’ll be looking at all possible angles,” he said. “In fact, some officers are going door-to-door right now to interview your fellow residents, and they’ll also be conducting searches for the skull mask you described, along with the red paint that was used on the bathroom mirror.”

Just check Wilder House, I wanted to say, but I kept my mouth firmly shut. There was no point in accusing Jake. It would only make things worse for me here.

“Also,” Hopewell went on. “I wanted to tell you that we’ve made arrangements for new accommodation while the investigation is carried out.”

“What arrangements?” Tessa asked, frowning.

“There’s two empty single suites on the same floor as your current dorm. You can stay in them until your old dorm is ready for you again.”

“How long will that take?” I asked.

“The forensics team said they should be done by nine o’clock tonight, but the security team will probably need a few days to look into the breach and figure out exactly what happened with the lock on your door. So, for your own peace of mind, I would recommend you stay in the single rooms until we’ve ascertained that your dorm is completely safe for you to move back into.”

“So… three days?” Tessa asked, forehead wrinkling.

He nodded. “Probably around that, give or take a day. We’ll keep you updated as we learn more. But you can return to your dorm after the forensics team is done tonight to pack whatever you need.”

“Have they found anything yet?” I asked, anxiously twisting my fingers on my lap. “Like hair or fingerprints?”

“So far, no prints apart from yours and Ms. Morgan’s have been found, but the team isn’t even close to being done yet, so I’m hoping they’ll locate something eventually,” he replied. He briefly hesitated, forehead creasing. “They did find an illegal ViperTech Taser, though.”

Tessa’s eyes widened in faux surprise. “That’s not ours!” she said, fervently shaking her head. “The crazy stalker guy must’ve left it when he ran out!”

“That’s what we assumed—that the assailant forgot it in his haste to escape,” Hopewell replied. His brows rose. “If it belonged to either of you, we’d have another problem on our hands.”

I swallowed thickly and nodded.

“I was also informed that the police noticed an electric kettle on your desk, Ms. Morgan,” Hopewell went on, looking at Tessa. “As you know, they aren’t permitted in the dorms, but given the distress you’ve both experienced due to this incident, along with the inconvenience of having to temporarily move, I’m willing to let it slide.”

“Thank you, sir,” she said, lowering her eyes. A pink flush was rapidly creeping up her neck.

“Once again, I’m deeply sorry this has happened,” Hopewell said. “And I want to reiterate that we are taking this very seriously. We won’t sweep it under the rug, and we certainly won’t allow it to happen again.”

I mustered up a half-smile. “Thank you.”

He cleared his throat and pulled two keycards out of his pocket. “Here’s your temporary room keys. Ms. Marlowe, you’re in 304, and Ms. Morgan, you’re next door in 306.”

Once he was gone, Bree looked at the clock and tilted her head slightly to one side. “He said you can’t go back to the dorm to pack your things until nine, right?”

“Yes.”

“Well, it’s only six-thirty now. Should we go back to The Cabin?” she asked. “I think we all need a drink. Especially you, Ev.”

I sighed. “I would, but I can’t. I need to go and sort out a new laptop as soon as possible.”

“Why?”

“I have about a million assignments due in the next few days, and the library computers are awful.”

“Oh god, I know, right?” Sloane said. “You’d think a university with a thirty-billion-dollar endowment could shell out for decent Wi-Fi and computers that don’t freeze and lose all your saved files every twenty minutes, but apparently not. I know because I made the mistake of using one for an essay last year.”

I rooted around in my purse until I found the small white business card the charity signup girl had given to me a few weeks ago. “I need to go to this finance center, too. If they’re even open this late.” I looked down at the card, scanning the text. “Oh, it’s open until eight. Thank god.”

“Why do you need to go there?” Bree asked.

“Because even the lowest-end laptop is at least five hundred dollars, and my bank balance is currently seventy-three dollars and sixty-six cents,” I replied glumly.

“Can you ask your parents for help?”

“Not an option, unfortunately.”

“Then let me pay for it,” Tessa said. “It’s the least I can do after what an asshole I was to you this morning.”

“That’s such a nice offer, Tess. But I can’t.”

Her eyes widened. “Why the hell not? I want to help!”

“I know, but my parents always told me: don’t mix friendship and money,” I said. “And honestly, I think they had a good point. It can make things awkward.”

“Are you sure? I really don’t mind.”

“I’m sure.”

She sighed. “Okay. But if you change your mind, just ask.”

Bree cut into the conversation, brows rising. “So… raincheck on The Cabin?”

I nodded. “Tomorrow night instead?”

“Done. And I’m paying for all your drinks.” Tessa lifted a palm. “I won’t take no for an answer on this one.”

After I said goodbye to the girls, I left the dean’s office and headed to my car, stomach churning as I replayed today’s incident in my mind’s eye. The masked man was haunting me, his image imprinted on my mind like a tattoo.

Every detail felt too vivid: the glint of his eyes behind the mask, the chilling stillness of his posture, the way he’d looked straight at me as if he’d been waiting for me all along.

I had no proof that it was Jake, but I knew it was him. It had to be. Who else would want to scare me away from Hollingsworth that badly?

I arrived at the finance center just before seven, and I was greeted by a bored-looking receptionist who barely even looked up from her phone when I walked in. “Do you have an appointment?” she asked.

I shook my head. “No, but I was hoping—”

“Oh, it’s you. Hi!”

I turned to the left to see the charity signup girl waving at me. When I caught her eye, she smiled and motioned behind her. “Come through, if you like.”

“She doesn’t have an appointment,” the receptionist said.

The girl waved her hand. “It’s fine, Maggie. We’re pretty dead tonight anyway,” she said, gesturing around the half-empty office. She looked back at me and smiled again. “You can come with me. I’m Nikki, by the way.”

“Everly,” I said, returning her smile.

I followed her through the maze of cubicles, the fluorescent lights casting a harsh glow over the muted colors of the office. Papers were strewn across desks, and the faint hum of computers filled the quiet space.

We stepped into a cubicle at the end of the corridor, and she gestured for me to sit down, her gaze warm but appraising. "So," she said, settling into a chair across from me. "What brings you here tonight?"

“I wanted to ask about those small loans you told me about. My laptop broke today, and I really need to buy a new one.”

“Oh, no,” she said, brows dipping in a sympathetic frown. “Are you sure it’s not fixable? Sometimes all you need to do is turn it off and on again.”

“I wish I could do that, but it’s totally shattered,” I said, shaking my head.

“Oh, damn. Did you drop it?”

I sighed. “No, someone broke into my dorm and smashed it.”

“What?” Nikki looked horrified. “Please tell me you called the cops.”

I nodded. “The university called them for me. They’re doing forensics on the room right now.”

“They don’t expect you to go back and sleep there tonight, do they?” she said, eyes saucer-wide.

“No, they’re actually handling it really well. They’ve organized another temporary dorm for me, and they’ve upped security around the building too.”

“Oh, that’s really good. I’m glad they’re taking it seriously.” Nikki paused and pursed her lips, head slowly shaking. “One of my friends went to Salamence for her degree, and she ended up with a crazy stalker from one of the frats there. The college officials didn’t take her complaints seriously, and when it escalated, guess what? She was asked to leave for causing too much trouble.”

“Ugh, really?”

She nodded somberly. “Sometimes college admins really suck. But I’m glad Hollingsworth is taking your case seriously,” she said. “Anyway, I should really stop yapping about this stuff and explain all our different loans to you, shouldn’t I?”

I smiled. “That would be great.”

She ran through the terms and conditions of the most appropriate loan for me and explained that the center was partnered with a bank that could do instant transfers to any other bank, meaning the money would be in my account the second she authorized the loan.

“Before we get started on the paperwork, do you have any questions?” she asked, tilting her head.

“Only one.” I hesitated. “Sorry if this seems rude, but this place almost seems too good to be true. How is it possible that the interest rates are so low and the repayment terms are so good?”

“Don’t worry, it’s not rude. We get asked that all the time,” she said, casually waving a hand. “Truthfully… this place barely turns a profit. That’s why they have to hire broke students like me to work here.” She paused, lips stretching in a sardonic grin. “Anyway, the owner is a rich philanthropist. He saw how people were being preyed on by other lenders, and he decided to do something about it.”

“Well, it’s a total lifesaver. I’m really glad I bumped into you a few weeks ago.”

Nikki smiled and reached for a black tablet on the other side of her desk. “If you’re happy to proceed, I’ll need you to fill out some information on this. I’ll also need to see some ID.”

“Sure.” I fished my license out of my purse. “Is this enough?”

“Yup, that’s perfect. Thanks.” She took it from me, glancing at her computer screen. “I’ll start on my end of things while you fill that out. Let me know if there’s any issues.”

I quietly filled out everything on the tablet. When I scrolled down to the end of the form, I hesitated and looked up. “I’m not quite sure what to do here. It says it needs a signature, but I can’t do that on a tablet. Do I just type my full name again?”

“Oh! Sorry, I should’ve told you.” Nikki leaned over and pointed to a small, illuminated square on the bottom of the tablet. “If you put your index finger right there, it’ll record a digital signature for you.”

“Oh, right.” I pressed on the square, and a green tick popped up on the screen to let me know I’d successfully signed the form.

“It’s a security thing we had to implement a few years ago,” Nikki explained. “We had a problem with people trying to apply for loans under other people’s names. Fraud, essentially. And it’s very easy to fake someone’s signature, which makes it harder for the investigators to prove anything after the fact. So we still get proper ink signatures on the physical copies of the paperwork, but the fingerprint thing is an added layer of security. Because you can’t fake that, right?”

I nodded. “Right.”

“Here’s your license back.” She pushed it over to me and turned back to her monitor. “Let me just print the physical copies. After you’ve signed them, I’ll authorize the payment.”

“Great. Thanks.”

A printer whirred nearby, and Nikki collated the documents before stapling them and presenting them to me. “You can sign them both on page six,” she said, handing me a pen. “Then you can keep a copy for yourself. We keep the other one here for our records.”

“Uh-huh.” I nodded as I scribbled my signature on the last page of each copy. Then I smiled and handed the pen back. “Done.”

“Great. All the terms are right there in your copy, but we’ll email you the information anyway, just in case,” Nikki replied. “And of course, if you have any questions or concerns, you can call or email us. Or just drop by the office. I’m always happy to help out a fellow Hollingsworth girl.”

“Actually, I do have one more question,” I said. “Do you know any tech stores around here that are open right now? The sooner I get my new computer, the better.”

“Hmm.” She twisted her lips in quiet contemplation. Then her face brightened. “Oh, I think NexTek is open until nine. It’s not far from here, and they’ve usually got decent deals on stuff. Maybe try there?”

“Will do. Thanks so much.”

Nikki was right—NexTek was open until nine, so I had plenty of time to browse and find a laptop that was cheap yet still functional and light enough to carry around to my classes if necessary.

Once I was done, I headed back to campus and parked in the closest spot I could get to Ashcroft Hall. It was a well-lit area, so I usually felt safe there, even at night, but my heart sank when I spotted Rhett and Jake standing by a fountain only a few yards away from the parking lot. They were hanging out with some tall blond guy I recognized as yet another Wilder, and all three of them were looking right at me.

Instinctively, I reached into my jacket pocket, and my stomach lurched. Shit. I’d totally forgotten that the police confiscated my Taser earlier.

I gulped and took a few tentative steps forward, praying the three guys wouldn’t say or do anything. I felt naked without the Taser; totally weak and defenseless. If the guys wanted to hurt me, I wouldn’t be able to fight back. I wouldn’t even stand a chance.

As I passed them, I felt their eyes on me, the weight of their gazes making my skin crawl. My breath hitched. I kept my head down, trying not to show any sign of fear, but the slight tremble in my steps betrayed me.

My stomach tightened further when I noticed the guys moving slightly, their attention never wavering. Rhett's sharp eyes locked on me, like a predator studying its prey. Jake and the other blond guy stood still, but the look in their eyes told me they were waiting for something. A signal from Rhett, probably. He’d always seemed like the one in charge of everything.

I almost stumbled when I misjudged my next step, but I forced my body to keep moving. When I finally reached Ashcroft Hall, I breathed an enormous sigh of relief, almost tempted to hug the security guard at the door as he demanded to see my ID.

Once he’d confirmed I was a resident, he gave me a tight smile and waved me past.

I pushed the door open and quickly glanced over my shoulder, the burning question of whether the Wilders had followed me gnawing at my insides.

Jake and the other guy had already turned away, their attention moving on to something else. But Rhett… he was still staring at me.

His eyes were cold, and his lips were pressed into a tight, unforgiving line. He didn’t look away. Didn’t even blink. It felt like he was daring me to do something.

I held his stare for a few more seconds before I looked away, heart pounding in my chest. I hated how much it unsettled me that he hadn’t moved or turned away like the others. What was he thinking when he looked at me like that? Did he just hate me like everyone else, or was he planning something on behalf of Jake?

Heart still hammering, I headed to the third floor to see if the police had finished in my dorm yet. It was only half past eight, so I didn’t like my chances, and upon my arrival they confirmed that they needed a little more time.

I didn’t mind too much. On the one hand, I was eager to grab my stuff to take to my new dorm, but on the other hand, I was glad the police and university officials were being thorough.

If they could somehow prove it was Jake behind the break-in, the tide would start to turn on him without me needing to throw a single accusation his way. Then he wouldn’t be able to claim that his ‘bitter ex was trying to ruin his life’ or whatever bullshit he’d likely come up with if I openly spoke out against him.

While I waited, I sat cross-legged on the hallway floor and set up my new laptop. Once it was ready, I opened a search engine and typed in ‘The Wild Hunt’, pulse racing with a mix of anticipation and anxiety. After my unsettling experience a few minutes ago, Rhett and the other Wilders were still on my mind, lingering like a dark cloud.

The first search result involved mythology.

The Wild Hunt is a widespread mythological theme found in various European cultures, often associated with ghostly or supernatural hunts led by a powerful figure, usually a god, king, or mythical leader.

In the mythology, a group of hunters ride through the sky or across the land in pursuit of prey, usually accompanied by wolves or dogs.

The Wild Hunt is commonly seen as an omen of disaster, death, or war, and those who witness it are often believed to be marked for misfortune. It is described as a chaotic, terrifying spectacle, with ghostly riders, howling winds, and the sound of galloping hooves.

In some versions of the myth, the Wild Hunt can be seen as a type of punishment, where souls are forced to ride in the hunt forever, or it might be a symbolic transition between life and death. The hunters themselves might include figures from various realms, such as spirits of the dead, faeries, or even mortals who have been cursed.

The Wild Hunt has evolved over time, becoming entwined with seasonal festivals, particularly those that deal with themes of death, rebirth, and the passage of time, and it remains a powerful image in folklore, literature, and modern pop culture.

“Huh,” I muttered to myself, wondering why the Wilders had decided to co-opt this particular piece of ancient mythology.

I wanted to believe that Tessa was right, and the society was simply filled with deer hunters, but a more cynical part of me knew that wasn’t true. Not when they had members like Jake. Bree’s theory was probably closer to the truth.

I heard they run some sort of sex club where they hunt down women and fuck their brains out, she’d said.

If her theory was accurate, I had to wonder how many of those women were giving consent. Or if any of them were consenting at all.

I sucked in a deep breath, trying to dispel the dark images suddenly flooding my mind, but the eerie thoughts lingered anyway.

“Ms. Marlowe?”

I looked up to see a friendly-faced forensic technician looking down at me. She smiled. “We’re all finished. You can come in and pack your things now.”

“Oh. Thanks.” I rose to my feet. “Did you find anything?”

“A few prints that couldn’t be matched to you or your roommate, and a few fibers that we’re taking in for testing. The dean will let you know the findings.”

Tessa arrived a few minutes later, and we talked as we packed our stuff.

“It really sucks that they took your Taser,” she said, shaking her head as she looked at the spot on the shelf where it used to sit, tucked behind a thesaurus.

“Hey, at least you got to keep your kettle. Maybe next time I can throw boiling water on the guy.”

She snorted with amusement, and then her face hardened. “I really hope there isn’t a next time,” she said. “This one was bad enough. I feel responsible, too.”

“Why?”

“Because I wasn’t here. I spent most of the day sulking at the mall after the fight we had.” She lifted a hand to cut me off as I opened my mouth. “The fight that was totally my fault. I know, trust me.”

“I wasn’t going to say that. I was just going to say it’s not your fault,” I replied. “Jake—or whoever he sent to do his dirty work—would’ve done this shit no matter what. Even if you were here all day and night, they would’ve just waited for another day when neither of us were in.”

“I guess so.” Tessa sighed heavily. Then her nose wrinkled. “I really can’t get over the police taking your Taser. It would be so useful for you to have right now.”

“Well, at least I didn’t get in trouble for it after that amazing act you put on. Have you considered going to Juilliard?”

A glimmer of amusement appeared in Tessa’s eyes, and she lifted her chin, one hand fluttering at her chest. “Dean Hopewell!” she said, mimicking her earlier indignation. “How could you ever think that two sweet, innocent, young girls like us could have an illegal weapon in our possession?”

I laughed, and it felt damn good to do it after the awful day I’d endured. The weight of the tension seemed to lift with each giggle, and for a moment, I forgot about the gnawing worry in the back of my mind.

By nine-thirty, I was mostly settled in my new dorm, and exhaustion was taking hold, physical fatigue mixing with the emotional rollercoaster I’d been on all day. I turned the light off and sank into my new bed.

As I waited for sleep to claim me, I thought about Rhett, unable to shake the earlier encounter from my mind. When I thought back to the bonfire party on Friday, his words started echoing loudly in my head.

Are you sure we haven’t met before?

The question replayed over and over, each repetition gnawing at something deep inside me. He was right. I felt it now too—the strange sense that somehow, in some way, we were connected. But how? Jake had never introduced me to his friends when we spent our summers together. A huge red flag, I now realized.

So where could Rhett and I have met before?

I tried to push the question aside, focusing on the exhaustion that weighed heavily on my limbs. My eyelids fluttered, my thoughts blurring into hazy fragments, and just as I started to drift off, a fleeting image of a dark forest came to me like a distant echo.

It disappeared just as quickly as it appeared, and I snapped wide awake as the remnants of the image slipped through my fingers like smoke. I racked my brains, but I couldn’t pull it back. It felt like a piece of me had been lost somewhere. No matter how hard I tried to grasp it, it was just… gone.

I forced myself to focus on something else, and I finally drifted off again. My very last thought before I fell asleep was that I might actually have a peaceful rest tonight… until a strange sound jolted me awake again.

My breath caught in my throat as I blinked, struggling to focus on the dim, blurry room around me. I tried to sit up, but a firm weight was keeping me down.

When my eyes finally adjusted to the darkness, a gasp tore from my throat, my heart hammering wildly in my chest.

A man—his face obscured by a black balaclava—was on top of me.

8

Rhett

It was a good night for hunting. Dark and quiet; the kind of night where shadows swallowed everything whole. The kind of night where monsters thrived.

Too bad I didn’t need to hunt my prey down. That part of the game was already over, thanks to the eyes and ears the Wilders had all over campus. I knew exactly where Ev was right now—curled up in her new bed, blissfully unaware, in dorm 304. Waiting. Vulnerable. Completely at my mercy.

It was a pity, really. I always liked the chase. Still, I couldn’t wait to get in there, catch her off guard, and see her big blue eyes flash with fear.

Usually, nothing turned me on more than seeing that fear slowly bleed into desire. However, in poor little Everly’s case, her desire wasn’t welcome. I only wanted her fear.

I stepped up to the new security guard posted at the front door of Ashcroft Hall. It would be laughably easy to get past him. The Hollingsworth administration was fucking stupid for thinking that his presence would make any difference. The Wilders had always had a bought-and-paid-for connection with the college security team, granting us the ability to go wherever we wanted on campus without any issue.

That included any dorm, regardless of the fancy electronic locks the administration had dropped fifteen million dollars on a few years ago. I had a master keycard in my pocket right now, courtesy of the security team’s manager. It was programmed to override any lock.

I flashed an easy smile at the guard. “Hey.”

“Name and dorm number?” he said stiffly. “I’ll need to see some ID too.”

I showed him the silver skull ring on my right ring finger. That was all the fucking ID I needed around here. “I’m here to see my girlfriend.”

The guard’s eyes widened slightly, and he nodded, posture instantly straightening. “Of course, sir,” he said, stepping aside. “Have a good night.”

I pushed the glass door open and headed straight for the elevator. My black backpack was slung over one shoulder, and a black-and-white skull-print cloth face mask hung loose around my neck. As soon as I reached the third floor, I yanked my jacket hood over my head, pulled the skull mask up to cover my mouth and nose, and strode toward 304.

Ev needed to learn her lesson. Fast. She had to realize that it didn’t matter if she moved. Didn’t matter how much she whined to the college officials. Didn’t matter how much security they added to protect her. She wasn’t welcome here, and the sooner she figured that out and got the fuck off campus, the better.

A smile curved up my lips as I slid the master keycard into Ev’s door. The lock clicked open, and a sound instantly hit me—a whimper, followed by three choked-up words.

“No, please… stop!”

What in the hell?

My pulse spiked as I pushed the door all the way open. The dim light from the hall cast shadows across the room, making it difficult to see much. Still, I could make out the dark silhouette of a man looming over Ev’s bed, pinning her down.

“Motherfucker!”

I dropped my bag without a second thought and launched myself at the guy, tackling him off the bed with a force that rattled through my shoulders. He hit the floor hard, but it didn’t slow him much. He thrashed beneath me, twisting like a wild animal, trying to buck me off as I tightened my grip on him, forcing his shoulders to the floor.

His black clothes and balaclava made him almost indistinguishable from the darkness. All I could make out was the occasional glint of his eyes, cold and calculating, as he struck out at me.

I slammed my knee into his side, trying to keep him down, but he was relentless, clawing at my arms and attempting to wrench himself free. A fist came flying toward the center of my face, but I managed to twist my head in time to avoid a broken nose. Pain shot through my cheek as his knuckles skimmed me, but I didn’t let go. I threw a punch of my own, hitting the guy’s ribs with enough force to make him grunt. He clawed at me then, his hands scrambling for purchase as we rolled across the floor.

I tried to pin his arms, but he was quick. Too quick. Like he’d been trained. His knee came up, slamming into my side, and I cursed under my breath as the impact stole my breath for a second. He used the opening to shove me off balance, and we crashed into the side of the desk.

This guy might’ve been trained to fight, but I was trained better. I managed to get on top of him again, slamming the back of his head into the floorboards. He grunted in pain but didn’t relent, free hand going for my throat.

“Fuck you,” I hissed. My vision narrowed, pure adrenaline driving me as I batted the asshole’s hand away and landed another blow to his temple. His head snapped to the side, and he faltered. Finally, I had the upper hand.

But then I heard it.

Ev’s moan, strained and desperate, cut through the chaos like a blade. My head whipped toward her, and what I saw made my stomach drop. She was crumpled on the bed, one hand holding her phone to cast faint light across the room, presumably in an attempt to see what the hell was going on. Her other hand was clutching her face, blood pouring through her fingers.

Jesus. This fucking bastard had really hurt her.

My chest tightened at the thought, and for just a second, my focus slipped. That second was all it took.

The guy beneath me surged upward, smashing his shoulder into my chest. I slammed my knee into his side, trying to keep him down, but he was relentless, and he managed to roll out from under me before I could hit him again. With that, he sprang to his feet and sprinted through the open door.

Shit.

I got up and charged toward the door. “You’re fucking dead, asshole!” I roared.

“Wait! Please!” Ev’s broken voice floated after me. “Don’t leave me alone. Not like this.”

She sounded so small, so terrified, and it hit me like a fucking gut punch. I froze in my tracks, my heart twisting. Every instinct screamed at me to chase after her attacker, to drag him back and make him pay. But I couldn’t leave Ev, not like this. Not when she was begging so plaintively.

The guy was getting away now—I could hear his footsteps pounding down the hall—but I stayed where I was, pulse pounding. I just had to hope the security guy at the front would do his job and stop the asshole in his tracks.

“Please,” Ev whimpered again.

“It’s okay. I’m staying with you,” I muttered.

Gritting my teeth, I yanked my phone out of my pocket and called 911 to report the incident. Then I pulled my mask off and flicked the dorm light on, trying to quiet the war raging in my chest.

“Here,” I said, stepping over to Ev. I handed the cloth mask to her. “Use this to stop the bleeding for now. I’ll go grab some towels from the bathroom.”

“Oh. It… it’s you,” she said, eyes widening in disbelief as she stared up at me. Her faltering voice was broken, but not angry. Just confused and scared. There was no anger in her gaze either. Only raw vulnerability.

I stepped into the bathroom to grab a couple of hand towels. I wet one in the sink and left the other dry. When I returned to the room and gave them to Ev, she flinched as my hand briefly brushed against hers.

“It’s okay,” I said gruffly. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

“Th-thank you,” she said in a ragged voice.

“You don’t need to thank me for not hurting you.”

“I know. I just meant…” She swallowed audibly and looked away. “I know you hate me. But you saved me anyway. So… thank you. For that.”

I sank onto the bed next to her. “Tell me what happened.”

“I was asleep. Then I woke up and there was a guy on top of me.” She paused, swallowing hard. “He was trying to… to…”

She trailed off, pressing the cloth face mask against her mouth as more blood trickled out.

“I tried to fight him off,” she finally went on. “I bit him on the arm. Really hard. That’s when he hit me.”

“Shit, I only called the cops,” I muttered, pulling out my phone. “I should call an ambulance too.”

Ev shook her head. “It’s okay.”

“It’s not fucking okay. Your face is pissing out blood.”

“No, really. It’s fine. My lip went right into my teeth when he hit me,” she said. She opened her mouth briefly to show me the cut inside her swollen bottom lip. “That’s why it’s bleeding so much. But nothing feels broken. My teeth and nose are fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure. It just hurts like a bitch.”

As she spoke, she looked down at the blood-smeared face mask. Her brows suddenly dipped in a frown, and she unfolded it to display the skull pattern on the front. She blinked slowly, twice, and then looked back up at me.

“Wait… why were you in my room tonight?” she asked. “How did you even get in here?”

Ah, shit. Here we fucking go.

“That’s not important right now,” I said brusquely.

“Yes, it is.” Her nostrils flared, and she sat up straight. “It was you in my other dorm earlier, wasn’t it? You smashed my stuff and wrote that message on the mirror. And now you’ve come back for more?”

There was a wild expression in her eyes now, like she was about to jump up and scream. I clenched my jaw and clamped a hand over her mouth. “That’s not up for discussion right now, Ev,” I said, eyes narrowing on hers.

She moaned in protest, head vehemently shaking.

“Some guy just broke into your room and tried to rape you,” I went on. “We need to focus on that now. Get the sick fuck caught. Okay?”

Ev’s eyes flashed with defiance, but then her shoulders slumped, and she slowly nodded.

I pulled my blood-smeared hand away. “Do you have any idea who it was?”

She looked down, head shaking slightly. “It was too dark to see, even when you opened the door. Plus he was wearing that balaclava,” she said. “He didn’t say anything, either. But…”

She trailed off again, and I frowned. “But what?”

“I could smell his breath through the balaclava when he leaned in close.”

“Bad?”

“No. Not bad. Familiar.” She swallowed thickly. “It was someone I’ve spent a lot of time with in the past. Someone I’ve breathed the same air as a thou—”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Not this shit again.” I jumped up, cutting her off. “It wasn’t Jake, so don’t even try to blame him.”

“It had to be him,” she said, voice rising an octave. “Who else would it be?”

“Jake isn’t at Hollingsworth right now,” I said, eyes narrowing. “In fact, he’s not even in the fucking state.”

“Yes, he is. I saw you with him earlier!”

“That was hours ago,” I replied, crossing my arms over my chest. “He caught a plane down to New York at ten, and he’s still there.”

Ev blinked. “That’s not possible.”

“It is, because it’s the fucking truth,” I snapped. “He got a last-minute interview for tomorrow morning at a law firm he wants to intern at later in the year, so I called my father and got him to arrange a flight on our private plane. I dropped him off at the airfield myself at nine-thirty.”

Ev’s head was slowly shaking now. “That’s not possible,” she said, voice dropping to a low murmur. “He must’ve just pretended to go. But really, he stayed right here.”

I gritted my teeth and unlocked my phone. “So you think he faked these skyline pics from his hotel window?” I asked, briefly turning my screen to show her the Instagram story that Jake had posted a couple of hours ago, showing the glittering lights of Manhattan at midnight. “Or somehow faked his SnapMaps location, which clearly shows him at that exact hotel right now? Just so he could sneak in here, attack you, and make you look crazy?”

“I don’t know how he did it,” she murmured, head still shaking. “But it was him. It had to be.”

I lifted a hand. “Listen, Ev,” I said in a low voice. “I’ll wait with you until the cops get here, because I know you can’t be alone right now. But we’re done talking. Got it?”

She nodded listlessly. “Okay,” she murmured, picking up one of the towels. “And for what it’s worth… I really am grateful.”

“For what?” I snapped.

“For you helping me, even though you don’t believe a word I say,” she said shakily, lifting the towel to her face. With that, she finally broke, sobs spilling out over the terrycloth in ragged gasps.

My chest tightened at the sound of her cries. As much as I hated the girl, I couldn’t stand the pain in her voice or the mix of sadness and fear in her eyes.

“For fuck’s sake,” I muttered.

I moved closer and sat down again, my hand hovering for a moment before I slid a tentative arm around Ev. She collapsed against me, burying her face in my shoulder as the sobs wracked her body.

“It’s okay,” I muttered, rubbing her back in slow circles. “The cops will find the guy.”

She didn’t say anything. Just cried harder. Fuck.

“I’ll deal with him myself as soon as I know who he is,” I added. “He’s not going to get away with this shit. I promise.”

Ev finally lifted her head. “Why would you—”

She was cut off by a flurry of motion as a mix of Havenport PD officers and campus security guards arrived, their boots thudding against the floor as they filed into the room.

One of the cops, a tall man with graying hair, immediately moved toward Ev, eyes narrowing on her swollen mouth. He asked for her permission to inspect the cut, and when she acquiesced, he leaned in and gently tilted her chin.

“Ouch,” he said with a sympathetic wince. “It looks like it might need a couple of stitches, just in case. For now, keep applying pressure to it with that towel.”

“She can get it stitched at the campus medical center,” one of the campus security officers said. “I already called the emergency night nurse just in case.”

“We’ll go there soon. But first, I need to ask a few questions,” the cop said, his tone calm but firm as he kept his gaze on Ev.

She nodded, eyes wide and fearful. He asked her several questions, piecing together what had happened from the time she fell asleep to the moment she woke up to the guy pinning her down. Meanwhile, the other officers spread out, scanning the dorm for evidence with sharp eyes.

The gray-haired cop finally looked at me. “You’re the one who called it in?”

I nodded and rose to my feet. “Yeah. Rhett Sinclair.”

“Can you tell me what happened on your end?”

“I heard Ev crying from the hall, so I ran in here and saw a guy on top of her,” I said. “I managed to fight him off her, but he got away. I figured the guard at the door would probably get him.”

“Unfortunately, it seems he went out through an emergency exit at the back of the building,” the cop said. “That exit is always locked from the outside, so there was no guard stationed there, and the guard at the front saw nothing.”

“So he’s still out there somewhere.”

“For now, yes.” He paused, eyes narrowing slightly. “How did you get in here tonight?”

Fuck.

“I—”

Ev cut me off. “He’s my boyfriend,” she said hurriedly. “I invited him here and left his name with the guard to make sure he’d be allowed into the building. I know we’re not supposed to do that, but I just… I really didn’t want to be alone tonight. Not after what happened earlier.”

I stared at her, surprised that she hadn’t thrown me under the bus. I could only guess that she felt some sort of twisted loyalty to me now that I’d saved her from the other guy.

“Yeah, that’s right,” I said. “She invited me over.”

The cop looked back at Ev, frowning. “Didn’t you say you were sleeping when the attack happened?”

“Yes,” she said. A slight tremor had entered her voice. “I mean… I tried my best to stay awake until Rhett got here, but I was really tired, so I must’ve drifted off at some point. I don’t even remember doing it. But… that’s why I was asleep when he arrived.”

“Ah. I see.” The cop’s brows rose as he looked back at me. “So how did you get in if she wasn’t awake to let you in? To this room, I mean. Not the building.”

“The door was slightly ajar when I got here. The other guy must’ve left it like that after he broke in,” I said, rubbing my jaw. “Obviously, I’d usually knock and wait for Ev to let me in, but when I heard the weird noises and realized the door was already open, I went in and… well, you know the rest.”

“I see,” he repeated, dipping his chin in a curt nod. He turned his attention back to Ev, face softening slightly. “Are you sure there’s nothing you can tell us about the attacker that might help us to identify him? Anything you saw or heard, no matter how minor it seems, could be useful.”

She looked down, hands fidgeting on her lap. I knew she was considering her crazy theory that it was Jake who attacked her tonight, but the question had been specifically phrased to include things she’d seen or heard, and she hadn’t seen or heard a single thing that could be used to positively identify Jake, let alone anyone else.

“There’s nothing,” she finally said, meekly shaking her head. “It was too dark, and he didn’t say a word to me.”

Something suddenly occurred to me. “Wait, there is something that might help you find him,” I said to the cop. “She bit him. That could’ve left a mark, right?”

Ev sat up straight, eyes widening. “Oh! Yes! I totally forgot to mention that,” she said, nodding fervently. “I bit him really hard. Hard enough to draw blood.”

“Where?” the cop asked, forehead wrinkling.

She tapped on her left forearm, just below the wrist. “It was around here. I could tell because his hand was so close.”

“That’s helpful,” the cop said, nodding slowly. “We’ve already got several officers and half the security guards on campus searching for any lone men in the area. So, if and when they find anyone, we’ll have them check their arms for bite marks.”

“Okay,” Ev murmured, lowering her eyes again.

“For now, I’ll get someone to escort you to the medical center so you can get that lip looked at,” he said, eyeing her bloodied mouth again. “But I’d like you to come into the station tomorrow afternoon to give us a formal statement. By then, you might’ve remembered something else that could help us.”

“Okay,” Ev repeated. She sounded numb.

“After the nurse is done, we’ll need to sort out some emergency accommodation for you,” the head of campus security interjected. “We can—”

I cut him off. “No fucking way.”

“Excuse me?” he said, bristling.

“This dorm was supposed to be the emergency accommodation for Ev after what happened to her earlier, and look how that turned out,” I said in an acid tone. “You’ve obviously got a major problem somewhere. So until you can sort your shit out and get proper security around this campus, she’s coming to stay with me.”

Ev’s eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open. I knew exactly what she was going to say—that she didn’t want to stay at the Wilder house, given her chances of running into Jake after he returned from New York.

“At a hotel,” I hastily added. “There’s a good one near campus with top-notch security. I’ll book it now.”

The security head’s eyes narrowed slightly. It was clear from his sour expression that he wasn’t pleased with my interference, but he’d spotted my ring when he came in earlier, so he knew better than to argue.

“I suppose that’s an option, but we’ll still need to ensure someone checks in regularly,” he finally said. He looked at Ev. “Does that sound all right to you, Ms. Marlowe?”

Her gaze flickered between the officers and me, her hesitation palpable. I could see the conflict in her shadowed expression—she didn’t want to be around me, but she also didn’t want to be left alone in a place that felt unsafe, and campus security measures had already failed her twice today.

She finally nodded. “Yes, it’s okay,” she said, voice barely above a whisper. “I’ll go to the hotel.”

She grabbed her suitcase and hastily packed some clothes and essentials. I took the case from her when she was done, grabbed my own bag off the floor, and headed out into the hall with her trailing behind me. A few cops were still in the hall, either making notes or chatting amongst themselves.

I turned to look at Ev. “Walk next to me and hold my hand,” I muttered, extending my free hand to her.

She shook her head, eyes flashing with disbelief. “No way.”

“We need to look like we’re actually a couple, or they might get suspicious,” I said. “Now hold my fucking hand.”

She sighed, stepped closer, and slid her hand into mine. It felt small and fragile, her fingers trembling slightly as they curled around mine. A wave of protectiveness surged through me, stronger than I expected, and I gave her hand a gentle squeeze as we headed down the hall.

Once we were finally done at the campus medical center, I led Ev to my black Porsche and opened the passenger door for her. “Nice car,” she murmured.

“Yeah. A lot nicer than that shitbox you drive,” I said, lips curving in a smirk.

She frowned. “You know what I drive?”

“I’ve noticed a lot of things about you, Ev,” I said gruffly.

When we arrived at the hotel, the concierge greeted us like we were royalty, and within minutes, we were escorted to a suite on the top floor. The doors opened to reveal floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Havenport, soft golden lighting casting a warm glow over the elegant furnishings, plush carpets, and a massive bed with crisp white linens.

Ev stepped inside cautiously, her wide eyes taking in every detail. “This is... wow,” she whispered, like she was worried that speaking too loudly would ruin it.

She turned to me, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I stayed at some nice places when I was younger. Like, vacation spots my parents picked. But never anything like this. Not five-star.”

I set her suitcase down near the seating area. “You’ll be very safe here.”

Her gaze softened as she looked around again, her hand trailing along the back of a velvet chair. “Safe,” she murmured, like she was testing the word. Then, she let out a breath and sank onto the couch, her earlier tension easing just a little.

I cast my gaze over her, taking in the way the golden light from the overhead chandelier illuminated her features. Her hair framed her face, mussed from the night’s chaos, and her eyes, still wide with a mix of fear and wonder, seemed to reflect every emotion she was trying to suppress.

She was beautiful, and I hated myself for thinking it. This wasn’t the time, wasn’t the place, but the thought clung to me all the same, no matter how hard I tried to push it away.

My eyes dropped to her thin arms, and I frowned and stepped closer. “You can order room service if you want. It’s open twenty-four hours, and the burgers are amazing.”

“Oh, no, it’s really late,” she said softly, averting her eyes. “It’s so expensive, too.”

“It’s on my dime, so go crazy,” I said, shrugging. “Comfort food is a good idea right about now.”

“No, it’s okay. You’ve already done so much for me, and… you don’t even like me.”

I smirked. “You can’t stand me either. So why not take that loathing out on my wallet? Order the whole fucking menu.”

“I’m not hungry. Really,” she said. Right on cue, her stomach loudly grumbled.

I snorted and stepped over to the room’s landline. “Any dietary needs I should know about before I order?” I asked, brows rising.

Ev nodded. “I’m a vegetarian.”

“Of course you fucking are.”

She bristled. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing bad. Just that we couldn’t possibly be any more different.”

“You got that right,” she said, lips thinning.

I ordered two burgers—one with double meat for myself, one with fried halloumi for Ev—along with beer-battered fries and soda. After I hung up the phone, I gestured toward the bathroom. “I’ll wait for the food while you get cleaned up.”

By the time the burgers arrived, Ev had taken a quick shower and changed into a white terrycloth gown. Her hair, still damp, hung loosely around her shoulders, and her skin was bare. Even with the soft glow of exhaustion in her eyes and her partially swollen bottom lip, she looked... stunning. Annoyingly so.

“You were right,” she said after she’d chewed and swallowed her first few bites of the halloumi burger. “This is amazing. Like, I barely even register how much my mouth hurts whenever I take a bite. It’s that good.”

“Glad you like it,” I replied stiffly. I was trying to focus on my own food, but the sight of Ev sitting there—so naturally beautiful, so effortless—made it hard to focus on anything else.

She took another bite and slowly chewed. Then she glanced at me again. “So, um… what’s the deal here?”

“What?” I said, brows furrowing.

“How long can I stay here? And how can I pay you back?”

“It’s booked for a week. No need to pay me back.” I nodded to the left nightstand. “Keycard is over there, and you can order whatever food or drinks you need as long as you’re staying here. My credit card is on the room.”

“Thank you,” she murmured. “That’s really generous of you.”

“It’s nothing for me. Don’t worry about it,” I said, waving a hand. “I think a week should be long enough for Hollingsworth to sort out a safe dorm for you.”

“Safe from everyone?” she asked in a timid tone, forehead creasing.

“I won’t sneak into your dorm and break your shit again, if that’s what you’re asking. I think you’ve been punished enough.”

“Thanks, I guess,” she murmured, staring at a fry.

“Anyway, if it takes longer than a week for Hollingsworth to get their shit together, you can call the front desk and extend your stay in this room for another week. Like I said, my card is attached, so no payment from you is necessary. Oh, and there’s also a bus that goes from here to campus. That might be quicker and easier for you than driving.”

Ev was silent for a moment. “Why are you doing this, Rhett?” she finally asked. “I mean, don’t get me wrong. I’m beyond grateful. You’ve been a total lifesaver tonight. But… you hate my guts. So why help me like this?”

It was my turn to go silent.

Why was I helping Ev? I couldn’t stand her. Was it purely because she was hot, and I was just that much of a shallow asshole? Or was it because I couldn’t stand to see any woman look so broken, so vulnerable?

I didn’t have an answer. At least not one that made sense.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of silence, I spoke. “I don’t know,” I said, my voice low. “Just seems like the right thing to do, I guess.”

“Right,” Ev murmured. I could see it in her eyes—she’d been expecting to hear something more. Maybe even hoping. She took a deep breath and scratched the back of her head. “Do you think I could ask you for one more favor?”

I raised a brow. “What?”

“I’m really tired, but I don’t know if I can actually get to sleep because of everything that’s happened tonight,” she said, lowering her eyes to her plate. Her cheeks were rapidly flushing pink. “But maybe… if you stayed a while longer, that might help me sleep. Just knowing someone is there can make things better, you know? But it’s okay if you can’t. I totally und—”

I cut her off. “I can stay.”

She raised her chin again, eyes wide as they searched mine. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah. It’s fine. I’ll stay.”

She gave me a small, grateful smile. “Thanks,” she said. A softness had entered her voice; one that I’d never heard from her before now.

“You can try my technique if you want,” I said, nodding toward the TV.

“Technique?”

I smiled thinly. “When I was a kid, I used to have horrible fucking nightmares. I was scared to go to sleep because of it. But eventually, I found one thing that worked.” I gestured to the TV again. “For some reason, having the French news channel on helped me get to sleep.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Fuck knows why. Maybe me not being able to understand a single word made me sleepy because it exhausted my brain,” I said, shrugging. “But hey, whatever it was… it worked. So maybe it’ll work for you too.”

She looked skeptical but gave me a small nod. “It’s worth a shot, I guess.”

After she’d finished her food, she turned the TV on and clicked the remote a few times. A minute later, the faint hum of the French news channel filled the room.

With that, Ev climbed into bed and pulled the blankets over herself. I went and sat next to her on the other side of the bed, maintaining a careful distance.

After a few minutes, I could see her eyelids fluttering, the tension in her body starting to loosen. “Wow,” she murmured. “You’re right. This actually works. I’m already half asleep.”

I let out a soft chuckle. “Told you.”

There was a brief pause before she spoke again, her voice even quieter now. “What were the nightmares about?”

I cocked my head. “Hm?”

“You said you had nightmares as a kid,” she said. Her eyes were barely open now. “I did too. For me, it was house fires. I was always scared of being stuck in one, so I had a ton of bad dreams about it. What was it for you?”

I looked away and gritted my teeth, feeling the old, familiar weight of those memories pressing against my chest. They were always there, lurking just below the surface, waiting to come back when I least expected it.

“Trust me, you don’t want to know,” I finally muttered, face hardening.

I half-expected Ev to press me on the issue, but the room was silent except for the soft chatter from the TV news anchors. I glanced down at her again. Her breathing was slow and steady now, and her eyelids had shut all the way. She’d probably fallen asleep before I answered.

I knew I should get up and leave, but instead, I stayed and watched her rest, her face softening in the peace that had eluded her earlier.

Eventually, exhaustion caught up with me too. The long day, the adrenaline, the worry—it all just piled on. I let myself drift off, Ev’s steady breathing in sync with my own, and the demons in my head quieted for the first time in what felt like forever.

I absolutely fucking hated to admit it… but I could get used to this.

9

Everly

I woke slowly, caught somewhere between imagination and reality. For a moment, I wondered if it was all a dream. The attack, the hotel… Rhett.

My eyes blinked open, and it hit me: I was really here.

The sheets felt impossibly soft against my skin, and the faint scent of luxury—some mix of fresh linen and expensive wood polish—lingered in the air. I sat up, taking in the room, and my stomach tightened. Rhett was gone. His scent was still here, though, lingering on the bed, and he’d left a note on the nightstand.

I picked it up, reading his scrawled handwriting. I meant what I said. Order whatever you want and stay as long as you want. You’re safe here. - R

Safe. The word felt loaded. I’d never felt less safe than I had last night. But then, in the aftermath, Rhett was there. Protecting me, helping me, taking charge like it was second nature.

I was still beyond confused about it all. Why on earth did he help me? The guy utterly despised me. He’d made that very clear. Especially now that he’d admitted that he was the one who broke into my old dorm, smashed up my laptop, and left that threatening message on the mirror.

I let out a shaky breath, leaning back against the plush headboard.

Rhett Sinclair. What the hell was I supposed to think of him now? He was infuriating, arrogant, and an absolute asshole most of the time. And yet, he’d stepped up to take care of me when I needed it. He’d supported me when my entire world felt like it was collapsing, even stayed with me until I fell asleep last night. And damn, if he wasn’t the hottest guy I’d ever met…

Stop!

My head dropped back against the headboard as I groaned softly. What was wrong with me? One second I was mentally cursing him out for being such a prick, and the next I was thinking about his stupidly sharp jawline and those intense eyes of his.

Then again, none of that really mattered, because I had much bigger things to grapple with. The events of last night were still raw, sitting heavy in my chest like a cold stone.

The break-in. The man, who I was still certain was Jake. The way he’d pinned me down...

My hand trembled slightly as I dragged it through my hair. The terror from last night was rushing back now, making my skin crawl, but mixed in with it was something darker.

Guilt.

It was stupid—ridiculous even—but I couldn’t shake the thought. Did I somehow manifest the attack with my fantasies?

I hated myself for even thinking it. I’d always had these fantasies. The things I’d never dare say out loud. They were nothing like the horrible reality of last night, and yet some twisted part of me still couldn’t help but wonder.

I groaned and pressed the heels of my hands against my eyes, as if I could physically block it all out. It wasn’t my fault. I knew that. But knowing it and believing it were two very different things, weren’t they?

I exhaled shakily and lowered my hands, forcing myself to focus on the present. I was still here in one piece, still breathing, and for now, I was safe. Whatever Rhett’s reasons, he’d made damn sure of that.

I looked over at the clock on the other nightstand. It was 1:08 p.m.

“Damn,” I muttered. I’d slept half the day away.

Today was Thursday, which meant I had a two-hour lecture in the morning; one I’d obviously missed by now. That was okay, though. The professor always posted her lecture recordings online, so I could catch up later.

I picked up my phone and saw a voicemail notification. It was the detective I’d spoken to last night, letting me know I could come into Havenport PD anytime today to give my formal statement about last night.

Now was as good a time as any.

After I’d showered and dressed, I headed to the police department and picked up my temporary visitor badge at the front desk. A young officer greeted me and escorted me down a hallway to an interview room.

Detective Harris, the one I’d spoken with last night, entered a few moments later. “Ms. Marlowe. Thanks for coming in. How are you feeling?”

I clasped my hands tightly in my lap. “My mouth hurts like hell, but I’m still alive.”

He gave me a faint smile. “I know this can’t be easy, but it’s important that we get a detailed account from you about what happened last night. We can go as slow as you want, and if it starts to hurt too much to talk, we can take a break until you’re ready to continue.”

“Thanks.”

“Before we begin your statement, I wanted to let you know what we’ve discovered so far.”

My heart skipped a beat. “Did you find the guy?”

Please tell me you found Jake lurking in the bushes outside Ashcroft with a bite mark on his arm, I silently prayed.

Harris shook his head. “No, unfortunately not. But here’s the good news—we found a partial fingerprint on the side of your desk. It’s in blood, so we’re assuming it’s from the man who attacked you.”

“It could be Rhett’s fingerprint, couldn’t it? Seeing as the two of them fought.”

“We already asked him to come in earlier and submit a print profile, and it wasn’t a match, so I’m quite confident that it belongs to your attacker.”

My heart soared. This was it! Real proof that could undeniably tie Jake to what happened last night.

If he was charged, people would finally realize what a criminal asshole he was. Julia might even feel emboldened enough to come forward with her own story about him.

“Here’s the bad news,” Harris went on, lips thinning. “The print doesn’t match anyone who’s already in the database. Without any suspects, that leaves us at a standstill. But it’s still positive news overall, because it means we have solid evidence to tie to any suspects who might come up during our investigation.”

As he spoke, I swallowed hard, conflict roiling in my belly. I desperately wanted to tell him to look at Jake as a suspect, but I knew if I did that, Rhett would absolutely hate me—more than he already did, that is—and I felt a strange sense of loyalty to him after all he’d done to help me.

On the other hand, this was my big chance to show the world who Jake really was. To add to that, I felt like I had a duty to other women at this point. Jake had already attacked one woman that I knew of, and now he’d tried to do it to me too.

If I failed to speak up when I had the opportunity handed to me on a silver platter, and he later went on to attack someone else, I’d feel responsible, because I could’ve done something to prevent it and chose to stay silent instead.

Sorry, Rhett. My loyalty to my fellow women trumped whatever weird, twisted loyalty I felt to him. Besides, I was doing him a big favor by not turning him in for breaking into my old dorm and smashing my laptop, so in the end, we could probably call it even.

I took a deep breath and steadied myself. “I think I might know who it was,” I murmured.

Harris lifted his brows, leaning forward. “Who?”

“Just to be clear, I don’t have any proof that it was him,” I said, lifting a palm. “Like I said last night, I didn’t actually see anything. But I have a feeling it could be my ex-boyfriend.”

“What makes you think that?”

“We broke up on really bad terms, and he’s sort of threatened me before,” I said. “I say ‘sort of’ because he never says anything directly. Just vague stuff. Also, he’s in a secret society that seems to have a lot of influence at Hollingsworth. So I bet he could’ve found someone to hack the keycard lock system on campus. That would explain how he got in without breaking anything.”

Harris tilted his head. “Can you elaborate on the vague threats you mentioned?”

I pulled out my phone and showed him the most recent text from Jake. Think you’re safe here, cunt? Think again. Just fucking wait and see what happens. By the time I’m done you’ll be begging me to stop, but I won’t.

Harris stared at the screen, lips pursed. Then he handed it back to me. “You’re right. This guy is definitely worth looking into. Can you give me his details?”

Once I’d provided them, I leaned forward in my seat, hands twisting nervously on my lap. “Does this mean you’ll bring him in?” I asked.

Harris nodded. “Yes. We’ll see if his prints match the partial we found. We can also check him for that bite mark you mentioned.”

I breathed a quiet sigh of relief and leaned back again.

After my admission about Jake, I still had to give a full statement about last night, but I felt much more confident about everything now that I knew the police would officially investigate him.

We wrapped up about an hour later, and as I walked out of the station, the chill of the day hit me. I’d done what I needed to do, but the weight of it all hadn’t lifted yet. It probably wouldn’t for a long time.

I headed to Hollingsworth to take out a book from the library, and then I caught up with Tessa, Bree, and Sloane at a quiet boba tea café on the edge of campus. They were furious and scared for me after I filled them in on what happened last night, but those negative emotions soon transformed into elated victory when I told them about the bloody fingerprint left on my desk.

Like me, the girls couldn’t wait for Jake to be taken down.

After the catchup, I headed back to my hotel suite and slumped on the gigantic bed, letting out a sigh of relief that the day was finally over. My phone started vibrating a moment later, and I rolled over to see that a private number was calling me.

Figuring it was the police calling with another update, I answered, heart thumping with anticipation. “Hello?”

“Hi, Everly.”

My stomach instantly began to churn. It was Jake.

“I’m hanging up,” I said through gritted teeth.

“Wait. I think you’ll want to hear this.”

I rolled my eyes. “Fine,” I said. I quickly switched the call to speakerphone and pressed ‘record’ on my voice memo app. “What do you want? Are you calling to apologize for breaking in last night?”

“I know what you’re doing, Ev, so you might as well stop recording me,” he said smoothly. “Anyway, I heard what happened to you, and I wanted to make sure you’re doing okay.”

“Bullshit,” I hissed. “I know it was you.”

He sighed. “I know you believe that. That’s actually how I heard about it—the police got in touch with me and asked me to come in for an interview.”

I smiled thinly, even though he couldn’t see me. “The second they take your prints and lift your sleeve to see that bite mark, they’ll know it was you.”

“Here’s the thing, though. They already cleared me.”

My stomach dropped. “What?”

“They already cleared me, so I don’t have to come in,” he replied. “And if they change their minds about that, they’ll need to go through my lawyers, and that’ll take a long, long time to muddle through.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“I’m in Boston right now,” he said. “I took a train here last night with my girlfriend. She has some family and friends here, so we decided to visit until Monday. We left so late at night because she had to work late, but it was still a while before that awful man broke into your dorm and assaulted you.”

“Boston?” I clenched my jaw. “I thought New York was your alibi.”

“What? Why would I be in New York?”

“Never mind,” I muttered. I must’ve misremembered what Rhett told me about Jake last night. I could’ve sworn he said New York—Manhattan, specifically—but I’d gone through a lot recently, and the stress was probably affecting my memory.

“Anyway,” Jake said. “I was more than happy to share my location data with the police. It clearly shows me leaving Havenport on the 9:15 train and arriving in Boston an hour later. It also confirmed that I’ve been here ever since. Plus, they spoke to Maya, and she’s told them the truth too—that I’ve been with her the entire time.”

Anger spiked in my gut. “Let me guess. You paid this Maya girl to catch the train to Boston with your phone in her bag, so you could fake the location data, and then you drove up there after you attacked me in my dorm,” I said. “Tell me—how much are you paying Maya for such a service?”

“You sound like a conspiracy theorist, babe. But I forgive you for it. I know that what you went through was an awful experience. You’re obviously still very shaken.”

“Fuck you,” I seethed. “The police aren’t stupid. They’ll realize you could’ve faked this alibi, and your print profile will confirm it. The bite mark, too.”

“I didn’t fake anything. But for argument’s sake, even if I did, the print and bite mark don’t mean a thing,” he said breezily.

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. I’ve already been very cooperative with the police, but if they continue to push me by trying to poke holes in my alibi, I’ll have to get my lawyers involved. And like I said a minute ago, that will drag things out for a long time. I probably wouldn’t have to go into the station for at least a month.”

I sneered. “That might be long enough for the bite mark on your wrist to heal, but you can’t wait out the fingerprint issue,” I said in a low voice. “That evidence is there forever, so you’re screwed. Unless you burn your prints off with acid or cut your fingers right off. And we both know you’re too much of a coward for that.”

“You know what really sucks?” Jake asked, apropos of nothing.

I narrowed my eyes. “What?”

“You wouldn’t believe how often evidence goes missing from police stations. Sometimes physical files disappear because someone misplaces them or accidentally tosses them in a shredder. Also, databases can get hacked, and digital evidence can be deleted forever,” he said. “Shocking, isn’t it? I really hope it doesn’t happen in your case, because that would be terrible.”

“So you’re admitting that you’ll pay someone to get rid of the fingerprint evidence before the cops have a chance to bring you in?”

Jake feigned a shocked intake of breath. “No, of course not! I’m just telling you what I heard and saying I hope it doesn’t happen. Honestly, I’m rooting for the cops to catch the guy as soon as possible.”

“Fuck you.”

He let out a heavy sigh. “Like I said before, I understand why you’re so paranoid about me. I’ve said some really nasty things to you in the past, and I’m sorry for that. But they weren’t threats, babe. I was just being an asshole.”

“Stop calling me babe!” I shouted, rage rising in my chest like magma.

“Calm down. You sound nuts.”

I sucked in a deep breath. “Listen to me, Jake,” I said in a low voice. “I’m going to make sure you go down for this shit if it’s the last thing I ever do.”

He sighed again. “I’m really starting to worry about your mental health, Evvy. Maybe you should see a therapist,” he said. “I can come with you, if you like. It might make it easier. I’m willing to pay for the sessions, too. I know money’s very tight for you.”

“Fuck off.”

“I’m serious, Ev. Let’s drop all this animosity and help each other out. I really miss you,” he said in a soft, wheedling tone. “If you forgive me for all the past stuff, I’m willing to forgive you too.”

“You’re willing to forgive me?” I said scornfully.

“Yes. For all these wild accusations,” Jake replied. “I’m willing to let it go because I know how good we are together. You know it too, don’t you?”

“No,” I snapped. “You’re a fucking monster.”

“Oh, come on. Don’t be such a drama queen.”

“Like I said before: fuck off.”

He ignored me. “You know, you’re depriving yourself of so many good things by ending it with me. I mean, when you were my girlfriend, you practically had the world at your feet,” he prattled on. “Think about it. Access, money, opportunities your parents could never give you… it’s all here with me, and you know it.”

I rolled my eyes again. “I know what you’re trying to do, but you can’t buy my silence or compliance,” I said in an acid tone. “Also, what about this new girlfriend of yours? Do you think she’d be happy to hear you saying all this shit?”

“Maya is just a rebound. She knows that. You’re the real deal, babe,” he said. “So come on. Let’s do it. Let’s bury the hatchet and get back together.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I am. So what do you think?”

“Honestly, Jake?” I said through gritted teeth, finger hovering over the end-call button. “I think I’d rather fucking die.”

10

Rhett

The Wild Hunt headquarters loomed ahead of me, its towering spires clawing at the night sky. The building was ancient, older than anything else in Havenport, its Gothic architecture a reminder of a time when fear and reverence were carved into stone. The dark gray facade was cracked and weathered, ivy snaking up the sides as if nature couldn’t help but claim a piece of its menace for itself.

I pulled my coat tighter as I stepped inside, the heavy wooden doors groaning ominously as they swung open. The air shifted instantly—colder, heavier, filled with the scent of melting wax and old stone. Black candles lined every crevice, their flickering flames casting distorted shadows across the vaulted ceiling.

As I strode down the main aisle, I glanced up at the masked figures seated in the pews above and below, their faces obscured behind intricate skeletal designs of silver and black. They didn’t move, didn’t speak. It was a sea of anonymity, the masks making them all identical.

Only the brand-new members at the front remained unmasked like me. We’d receive the masks for meetings after we went through our first hunting season.

To be honest, I’d never quite understood the reasoning behind masking at meetings. It just seemed so overly theatrical and ultimately pointless. After all, anyone who’d passed the summer trial knew who all the members were, because there was a list in the encrypted files we were granted access to after passing.

Not to mention all the society parties and other events, where we saw everyone in person. So what was the point of the older members hiding their faces during meetings? It only seemed logical to wear a mask around non-members.

I asked my father once, and he gave me some blathering excuse about adhering to tradition and the sanctity of the society’s rituals.

‘The masks aren’t just for secrecy,’ he’d said, puffing on his cigar with a pompous look on his face. ‘They’re a symbol. A reminder that in the society, we’re all equals. No names, no status. Just the Hunt.’

It sounded like nonsensical bullshit then, and it still did now. No one was truly equal in The Wild Hunt. Power was everything, and everyone knew exactly who wielded it: the Patriarchs.

Especially the Head Patriarch—JJ’s father Peter.

I’d let my father have his explanation, though, nodding like I understood. You didn’t challenge the society’s traditions. At least not if you valued your place in it.

But still, every time I walked into this building and saw those skull masks staring back at me, I couldn’t help but think about how much of it was just a show.

It was a show I enjoyed, though. The Wild Hunt had given me what I always needed: a place to channel the chaos inside me. All that anger, all that restlessness that used to get me into trouble, now had a purpose.

Here, I wasn’t just some reckless guy with a chip on his shoulder. I was part of something bigger. Something that demanded control, precision, and ruthlessness. The training, the rituals, the hunts… they were mere outlets, carefully crafted opportunities to unleash everything I kept bottled up.

Out there in the real world, losing control was a liability. In here, it was power. The society didn’t care if you were angry, probably didn’t even care if you were a full-fledged psychopath, as long as you were smart about it. As long as you used it to win.

And I definitely planned to win.

I spotted Jake seated in the second row, casually leaning back. I slid into the pew next to him, nodding at Ari, JJ, and Nick, who were on his other side. They slightly tilted their heads back at me.

At the front, the altar dominated the space. It was a raised platform of smooth, dark stone, illuminated by a dozen candles arranged in a perfect circle. Behind it stood the eight Patriarchs, their presence towering even from a distance.

Their masks were different to the others, adorned with intricate gold designs that reflected the dim light, marking them as the ones who wielded absolute power here.

The Head Patriarch—Peter Jennings—finally stepped forward and raised his hands. The room fell silent.

“Welcome, everyone,” he said, booming voice laced with the kind of authority that made every word feel like a decree. “We gather here tonight, not only to mark the upcoming game, but to acknowledge the strength, dedication, and commitment of those who have earned their place in this room. As always, it is an honor to be in your company.”

He paused, waiting for everyone to nod and murmur their acknowledgement. Then his voice carried through the room again, calm and deliberate. "As you all know, the year’s most important event is fast approaching. The Hunt."

The mere mention of it sent a ripple of excitement through the crowd, subtle shifts and murmurs of anticipation.

"This year, one-hundred-and-six of you applied to participate as hunters. From that number, thirty were selected, including seventeen of our college senior members. That’s a record for the seniors, so I offer my heartiest congratulations to them."

Peter paused again, allowing the thunderous applause that erupted to finish before continuing. "As we all know, senior year of college is the first time any member may compete in the Hunt. So, for these seventeen individuals, this will be their debut, and I’m sure they are more than ready to prove themselves."

More applause followed, louder this time, accompanied by whistles and cheers from the upper pews. It was part encouragement, part recognition of the challenge ahead.

"For those who didn’t make the cut this year, or those who chose not to apply, you’ll still be part of the excitement. Via our video link, you can watch every moment unfold from the privacy of your own home. Or, for the more adventurous, you can watch from the Lodge. Those who booked early enough to get one of the east or north-facing rooms on the top floor may even catch glimpses of the action with the binoculars provided on each balcony.”

The mention of the Lodge brought a fresh wave of murmurs. The rambling Victorian monstrosity was as much a spectacle as the Hunt itself; a place for voyeurs to revel in the chaos without stepping foot on the hunting grounds.

"Now," Peter said, his tone brightening. “Let’s talk about this year’s betting pool. Wagers are already rolling in, and I’m pleased to announce that the top three favorites to win are already emerging. I’ll read them out now, in ascending order.”

He gestured to one of the other Patriarchs beside him, who handed over a tablet displaying the leaderboard. A name was read out, followed by thunderous applause. The same for the second name.

"And the number one favorite," Peter continued. "We have a first-time player, Rhett Sinclair." His gaze swept the room, searching for me. "Rhett’s performance in the trials over the past few years has earned him this coveted position in the rankings. Congratulations, Rhett.”

The applause came fast and heavy, but I barely reacted, my face a mask of calm as I accepted the acknowledgment.

"But that’s not all," Peter said, lifting a hand to quiet the crowd. "This year’s seniors have shown exceptional promise, with three more earning places in the top ten. Chris Delfino, Luke Czerniak, and Jacob Jennings. All formidable competitors who are sure to give the veterans a run for their money."

A roar of approval swept the room as he finished his praise. "This year’s Hunt is shaping up to be one of the most competitive we’ve ever seen. We should all be very proud of what these members represent. Tradition. Strength. Excellence."

He raised his hands in a signal for more applause, and the room erupted once more, the sound echoing off the building’s ancient walls.

When it finally died down, he spoke up again. His tone had shifted, a slight edge of excitement creeping into his voice. “For the first time in decades, we’ve managed to secure exactly fifty prey players for this year’s Hunt,” he said. “Twelve in Group 1, seven in Group 2, and thirty-one in Group 3.”

The crowd erupted in applause yet again, the room buzzing with anticipation.

“We were at forty-nine for a while, but I’m pleased to announce that a last-minute applicant was approved, bringing us to the perfect number. You can find the details in your encrypted files, so let’s take a moment to go over them. Phones, everyone.”

The room shifted as each member reached into their robes or pockets, pulling out their devices. The soft tapping of screens filled the air.

I slowly scrolled past all the profiles in Groups 1 and 2. Every face looked familiar, meaning that the new applicant had to be in Group 3.

Interesting.

Group 1 was what I considered to be the most obvious, basic kind of prey to pick off. They were death-row prisoners who’d committed heinous crimes—murders or similar atrocities; the kind of offenses that made your skin crawl. The worst of the worst, trapped behind bars with nothing left but time, slowly ticking down to their execution dates.

The Hunt offered them a way out. In exchange for playing—and therefore risking their life—they had a shot at the $5 million prize awarded to the last standing civilian player.

More importantly, they’d have the chance to have their sentence commuted. Of course, this was made possible through the deep pockets and influence of the society, bribing corrupt judges, officials, and prison administrators to grant them that second chance.

The existence of Group 2 had left a bad taste in my mouth ever since I learned about it. They were terminally ill people, diagnosed with diseases that left them with only months to live. Maybe a year, max. They were still fully mobile—for now—but death was knocking at their door, and they knew there was nothing they could do to stop it.

For them, the Hunt offered a twisted sort of opportunity. They knew they were dying either way, but now they had a chance to win $5 million before they went out; a prize that could change the lives of their families forever. And if they didn’t make it to the end? Well, they were going to die soon anyway. Harsh but true.

Still, it’d never sat right with me. Unlike Group 1 and 3 members, Group 2 members hadn’t done anything that would make them deserving of a violent death at the hands of a Wilder.

Also, they might be active and mobile, but from what I’d heard, they weren’t much of a challenge. Some of them wanted to die in the Hunt, preferring a shot to the head over the weeks or months of suffering they’d endure once their illness finally started to ravage them. The $5 million they’d get if they actually survived to the end was just a consolation prize, really. Death was their real prize.

People like that—those who either wanted to die or were already on death’s door anyway—weren’t the sort of challenge I liked.

No, the challenge I preferred lay in Groups 1 and 3.

Group 3 members were both free and healthy. They were people who’d committed heinous, often-illegal acts in their past, and while their dark deeds weren’t known to the world, they were known by the society; discovered through careful surveillance and our network of informants.

They’d be approached with an offer they couldn’t refuse: a chance to atone for their sins by participating in the Hunt. If they won, all evidence of their wrongdoing was wiped from existence, and they could walk away with both the $5 million prize and their peace of mind. A twisted form of redemption.

However, if they refused the offer to participate, the alternative was very unpleasant. The evidence against them would be handed over to the authorities or any other relevant parties, and with the kind of power the Wilders wielded, that wasn’t a threat to be taken lightly.

I’d always found these people to be the most interesting prey, because for them, participation in the Hunt wasn’t just about freedom from prison or securing a future for their family.

Instead, it was about the struggle to keep their darkest secrets buried. That was what really intrigued me, and I liked to make a game of trying to figure out those secrets as I sifted through their profiles.

I scrolled to the next player profile, and my stomach lurched as my eyes landed on the new addition to Group 3.

It was Ev.

What the fuck?

I blinked slowly, certain I was seeing things, but the profile was still right in front of me.

Name: Everly Rose Marlowe

Age: 20

Occupation: Student

Height: 5’2

Weight: 120lbs

I stared at her scanned signature and driver’s license photo with wide, disbelieving eyes. For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. What the hell could Ev possibly have done to end up in the Hunt?

I had no fucking clue.

She was a bigot for sure; a painful fact I had to force myself to remember whenever I saw her pretty face and thought about kissing her or fucking her brains out. But just because someone was an asshole didn’t mean they deserved to die… and the people in Group 3 usually had secrets so terrible that they’d rather die than see them exposed to the world.

That meant that whatever it was Ev had done, it had to be something really fucking bad. So what had she done? What the hell was she hiding?

My mind raced, but no answers came. Only more questions.

I nudged Jake and tilted my screen to show him. “Look,” I muttered, wanting to gauge his reaction before I said too much. “It’s Ev.”

His eyes flickered with confusion. No recognition. “Uh… okay?”

“You know her, don’t you?”

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “I mean, she looks kinda familiar, but I don’t think I’ve met her.”

I frowned. “You sure?”

“Oh, wait.” He leaned closer, eyes narrowing on the photo. “I think I saw her on Holler last week. But they retracted it and said it was a fake tip, right?”

I nodded, lips pressed in a tight line as I wondered why he was pretending not to know Ev.

Was he trying to distance himself from whatever mess she’d gotten herself into, or was he just trying to distance himself from the past version of himself that used to know her?

A darker thought crossed my mind. What if he wasn’t lying, and he genuinely didn’t know her? What if Ev was only ever pretending to know Jake when she gave me that whole spiel about him being a terrible person? Hell, she could even be mentally ill, spinning a web of lies in her head that she honestly thought was the truth.

The thought unsettled me, but in the end, it didn’t matter. Whether she was caught in a lie or hiding something else, one thing was crystal clear to me—I couldn’t let her die. I didn’t like her, but the way she’d gotten under my skin made me want to protect her anyway. Fiercely.

I clenched my jaw and stared straight ahead at the altar, considering the issue. On my own, I didn’t have the power to petition to have Ev removed from the Hunt. Too many people stood in my way. Too many powerful hands holding the strings.

That left me with only one option.

When the game started, I’d have to hunt Ev down before anyone else could find her. Keep her safe and hidden until she was the last one standing.

Then I could claim her for myself.

11

Everly

The shower water poured over me, scalding hot. I welcomed the sting against my skin, as if it could burn away the exhaustion from the day’s back-to-back lectures, study groups, and assignment-writing. It would also be nice if it could burn away the grime of everything I’d been through lately.

Jake. His name slithered through my thoughts yet again.

I still couldn’t believe that he’d managed to skate away from what he’d done to me without so much as a slap on the wrist. After everything he’d done, and everything he’d tried to do, he was just out there living his life without a care in the world.

The thought made my hands ball into fists as the water streamed over me, my breath coming faster.

As furious as I was with Jake, Rhett wasn’t far from my mind either. A completely different kind of frustration swirled around him. That maddening smirk, his infuriating arrogance, the way he could go from being the world’s biggest asshole to unexpectedly generous and protective…

Dare I say… even a little sweet?

“No, I don’t dare say that,” I said to myself out loud, voice echoing loudly in the steamy shower. There was nothing sweet about Rhett Sinclair.

Still, I didn’t know what to make of him, and it pissed me off that he occupied so much of my brain.

I turned the shower off and stepped out, grabbing a towel to pat down my dripping hair. I didn’t bother drying off my body. To me, there was almost nothing better than slipping straight into one of the hotel’s terrycloth gowns after a shower. They were incredibly soft and comfy, and every day, there was a new one hanging on the back of the door, courtesy of the daily housekeeping service.

I padded out of the bathroom, steam trailing in my wake, and froze mid-step.

Rhett was standing there.

I didn’t even have time to process what I was seeing before a startled shriek escaped my lips. At the same time, my arms flew up instinctively, clutching the towel to my chest.

“Wh-what the hell are you doing here?” I managed to splutter, my voice shrill with shock.

Rhett didn’t flinch. Didn’t look away. Just stood there, his gaze steady, sharp, and unapologetic, like I was the one intruding.

For a mortifying moment, I couldn’t tell if the heat on my face was from the shower or the way his eyes flickered down, then back up, taking in my body.

“I wanted to see you,” he finally said, taking a step closer.

“Well, you’ve certainly seen me now,” I muttered as I awkwardly wriggled around with the towel, trying to wrap it around myself without exposing anything to him.

I knew it was too late, though—he’d definitely seen my entire nude body when I first stepped out of the bathroom.

He grabbed a fresh robe off the hook on the door and held it out to me. I snatched it from him, heart racing.

“Listen,” I began as I wrapped the soft fabric around myself and cinched the waist with the belt. “It was very generous of you to give me this room, but if you’re going to let yourself in here whenever you want, then I think I should leave. I didn’t agree to an arrangement like that.”

Rhett took a step backward, blocking the door. “You’re not going anywhere,” he said in a low voice.

“It’s fine. Really. I’ll crash on Tessa’s floor until my new dorm is finally re—”

He stepped forward and grabbed my arm, cutting me off. “I said you’re not going anywhere,” he growled. “It’s not safe for you out there. Especially not in the middle of the fucking night.”

My breath hitched as I looked up at him. His jaw was tight, his eyes a storm of agitation. “Is it safe for me in here?” I asked, arching a brow.

“Yes.” His fingers flexed slightly against my arm. “Do you have a passport?”

“Um… no. Why?”

“Never mind,” he muttered. “That wouldn’t work anyway.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” I asked, eyes narrowing.

He didn’t answer right away. Just stood there, chest rising and falling in steady breaths that belied the tension rolling off him.

“Can you please let go of me?” I asked, wriggling in his grip.

Rhett’s hand stayed exactly where it was, thick fingers curled around my arm. His gaze dropped to the floor for a split second, and I could see his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed hard.

With him standing there, gripping my arm with that mix of frustration and intensity, my mind suddenly flashed to the day he broke into my old dorm.

All I could see was him in that skull mask, with that chilling air of authority as he stood there like a reaper deciding my fate. It had terrified me in the moment, but now?

Now the memory clung to me in ways that made heat rise in my chest. He’d looked so wicked that day, so ruthless… and I hated myself for the way some twisted part of me no longer hated the memory.

Then there were his words at the bonfire party about chasing me through the woods, still burning in my mind like the embers from that night.

The way he’d said it—half-joking, half-menacing—should’ve sent shivers of fear down my spine. Instead, it was something else entirely. Something that made my heart race for all the wrong reasons.

“Rhett,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “Why are you here?”

“I just wanted to check on you,” he said. The words were low and rough, like they’d been dragged out of him against his will, and as he spoke them, he finally dropped his hand from my arm.

My skin itched, suddenly craving his touch again, but of course I would never admit that. Not to him.

“That’s all?” I asked. “You came here at midnight just to check on me?”

His brows furrowed. “Is that not enough of a reason?”

“Not when it involves you creeping in here while I’m naked,” I said hotly.

Rhett released a sharp breath, raking a hand through his hair. “I’ve just been thinking. Maybe I should—”

He cut himself off, jaw clenching like he regretted saying anything at all.

I frowned and tilted my head. “Maybe you should what?”

His eyes met mine then, and the storm in them made my heart stutter. There was obviously something on his mind. Something he didn’t want to tell me. Or maybe couldn’t tell me.

Maybe I didn’t even want to know what it was.

Some part of me wanted to comfort him, given his clear distress, but at the same time, I wasn’t so sure about that. Did I really want to comfort him? Or did I just feel like I owed it to him for all the help he’d given me?

“I checked the room charges,” he finally said.

Oh.

That was what this weird nocturnal visit was about. He was mad at me for spending so much of his money over the last few days.

I hadn’t eaten that much, though, and he’d expressly told me to order whatever I wanted whenever I was hungry, so I couldn’t understand why he was mad at me.

“Sorry,” I mumbled. “I’ll stop ordering so much. And I’ll pay you back when I—”

He cut me off. “I meant you haven’t been eating enough,” he said. “I’m ordering you more food right now. No arguments.”

My mouth dropped open. “It’s midnight! I can’t eat this late.”

“I said no arguments.”

“Why do you even care how much I eat?” I snapped.

“Maybe I just like taking care of you, Everly,” he replied, eyes flashing. “Did that ever occur to you?”

It was the first time he’d ever called me by my full name instead of my nickname. The way it rolled off his tongue sent a jolt straight through me, making my heart skip a beat.

“You don’t even like me, Rhett,” I said, trying my best to keep my voice steady. “So no, it didn’t occur to me. In fact, I’ve felt nothing but total confusion since you helped me the other night and brought me here.” I paused for a beat, shaking my head. “Honestly… I don’t understand you at all.”

Rhett lifted a brow. “You don’t like me either. So why haven’t you asked me to leave?”

I frowned. “Huh?”

“You’re acting like you don’t want me here right now, but you haven’t expressly asked me to leave.” His voice was sharp and challenging as he towered over me. “So ask me.”

I swallowed hard, my pulse racing. “I… I don’t—”

Rhett stepped even closer, his presence overwhelming my senses.

Why did he have to be so tall? And why did he have to smell so damn good?

“If you want me gone, I’ll go,” he said. “Just say the words.”

As he spoke, his fingers caught my chin, tilting my face upward. His touch was firm, commanding, and I couldn’t look away. Didn’t even want to.

"Go on," he said, his voice low and coaxing. "Tell me to leave."

I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. I couldn’t force myself to say the words.

"I… I can’t," I finally said, the admission so quiet it felt like a confession.

"Why?" he asked, his eyes searching mine.

"You know why," I murmured, my voice shaky.

"I want to hear you say it," he demanded. “Now.”

My heart thundered in my chest, the air between us charged with something electric and impossible to ignore. Rhett’s gaze burned into me, daring me to admit what I’d been too afraid to confront.

I swallowed hard, my lips parting. “Because… I don’t want you to go,” I whispered.

His eyes darkened, his hand still firm on my chin. Then he moved, closing the last sliver of space between us. His lips brushed mine, tentative at first, like a question waiting to be answered, but the second I leaned into him, the kiss deepened, and all the tension that had been simmering between us finally erupted.

His hand slid to the back of my neck, his fingers threading through my hair as he pulled me closer. My hands found his chest, gripping the fabric of his shirt like it was the only thing anchoring me to reality. He kissed me like he was claiming me, each movement fierce and consuming, and I let him, unable to think, unable to care about anything but this moment.

When we finally broke apart, both of us were breathing hard, his forehead resting against mine. “You should’ve told me to leave,” he muttered. His voice was rough, a mix of frustration and something that sounded close to hunger.

“Why?” I asked breathlessly.

His lips brushed against my ear as he spoke, sending a shiver down my spine. "If you'd told me to go, I would've walked out that door. But the longer you keep me here, the more I'll want to stay, and when I want something, I take it.” He pulled back just enough to look me in the eyes, his gaze dark and intense. "And right now, all I can think about is how much I want you."

I swallowed hard, knowing my next words were a mistake but unable to stop them from slipping out. “Take what you want, then.”

“You don’t know what you’re asking for, Everly,” Rhett said, voice low and gravelly, like a warning and a promise all in one. “Not really.”

Before I could get another word out, he grabbed my hair and pulled me close again, slamming his mouth back down on mine, tongue snaking between my lips.

There was no romance to this kiss, just him ravaging my mouth like a starved man while his fingers damn near yanked my hair out.

I let out a moan, half-pained and half-needy, and dragged my nails down his side. In response, he hissed into my mouth and moved one hand down to grab my leg and hike it up, letting me wrap it partway around him so I could start grinding against him.

I knew I shouldn’t do it.

I should hate him. Should stop this in its tracks right now. But I was already sinking under his spell, letting the wonderful heat rush through me as he devoured my mouth, nipping and sucking on my tongue.

His hand moved up my lifted leg, palming my ass. I let out a hum of pleasure and slipped my own hand between us, sliding under his waistband. A little gasp of shock escaped my mouth as I delved into his boxers and wrapped my hand around his hard cock.

He was big… and pierced.

Heart pounding, I traced my fingers up the tiny metal bars on the underside, wondering how the ridges would feel if he fucked me. When he fucked me.

“Will it hurt?” I whispered, pulling back to stare up at him.

“Only if you want it to,” he said in a low voice.

I didn’t know what he meant, but I wanted to find out. Now.

I withdrew my hand and worked at the front of his pants, and his cock finally sprang free in front of me. My mouth began to water, as if I were having a Pavlovian response to the sight of it, and like an automaton working on previously-programmed commands, I sank to my knees, lips parting.

Rhett yanked his shirt off and tossed it aside before reaching down to fist my hair again. My eyes instantly stung with tears as pain raced across my scalp, and I blinked rapidly, noticing the tattoos covering his arms and chest—dark, twisted forms of skeletal hands, thorned vines, and shadowy figures that seemed to writhe with the movement of his muscles.

When I tilted my chin up slightly, focusing on the biggest tattoo, I noticed it seemed to have been inked over an old scar. The more I looked, the more scars I noticed, thin and jagged lines crisscrossing beneath the ink.

I barely had time to wonder what caused the scars before he thrust into my mouth, gagging me as the piercings slid over my tongue and hit the back of my throat.

I moaned as Rhett’s grip on my head tightened. The sting across my scalp was almost unbearable, but somehow, I wanted it anyway. I loved the way he towered over me, exuding power and control, as if I was nothing more than an object for his pleasure, completely at the mercy of his whims.

He kept hammering at my throat, fucking my mouth until it felt raw, and then he finally pulled out, staring down at the thin, silvery string of saliva connecting my lips to the head of his cock.

“Take it off,” he ordered, eyes moving to my white robe. “Then bend over the table.”

I got up on shaky legs, heart racing as I dropped the robe and turned to face the table. I planted my hands on it, arched my back, and waited.

A beat passed. Then another. By the time Rhett finally stepped up to me, one hand palming my ass, I was practically dripping all over the floor, aching with anticipation.

As soon as I felt his cock grazing my pussy, I whimpered, sinking my teeth into my bottom lip to stop that sound from turning into an all-out cry of desperation.

Rhett slapped my ass, making me jolt, and then he lined up the tip with my entrance. At the same time, one of his hands slid up my ribs and between my breasts to wrap around my throat and prevent me from moving.

I hesitated for a split second, a shiver of exhilaration running through me at the possibility of having my air cut off. Or worse.

Rhett was so much bigger than me. So much stronger. If he wanted to, he could seriously hurt me. Knowing that and feeling his hand squeezing my throat made me feel so vulnerable and yet so fucking alive at the same time.

Without warning, he thrust inside, eliciting a choked scream from my mouth. He was thick, too thick, and my body could barely accommodate him even though I was dripping wet. It felt like he was splitting me open.

“Does it hurt, baby?” he ground out against my ear as he leaned forward, burying himself inside me to the hilt.

My head was swimming, my nerve endings sizzling. “Yes,” I gasped. “And… no. It—”

I couldn’t finish my sentence. I loved the way Rhett’s cock stretched me and filled me up, but words were utterly failing me right now.

He let out a low groan as he pulled out and eased himself in again, and then again, making my body lunge forward with each movement. He panted, free hand holding my right hip in a bruising grip as his thrusts became even more powerful.

In the past, I’d always needed a finger pressing or rubbing on my clit to come, but this was different. The metal bars lining Rhett’s cock were rubbing another spot inside me that made stars form in my vision as pleasurable heat shot all the way from my curled toes to my core.

I let out another choked moan, wondering how long I had before my legs gave way beneath me.

Rhett bent forward again, plastering himself to my back, and tilted my head back to kiss me. It was ferocious, almost violent, and I tasted a bead of blood springing up on my lips as he swallowed my moans.

“I’m not going to stop until you come,” he muttered, hand squeezing my throat harder. “I’ll fuck you all night if I have to.”

“Harder,” I managed to choke out in response. “I want it harder.”

“Good girl.” Rhett breathed heavily into my mouth as he thrust into me again, so hard and brutal the table jolted. “I fucking knew it.”

“Knew what?” I asked in a ragged whisper, half in a daze.

“I knew you’d be perfect,” he gritted out, slamming back into me. “Knew it from the second I met you. This is what you need.”

I clenched around him repeatedly, my back arching even higher as my nerve endings sparked hotter. One more thrust and my orgasm hit like a crashing wave. It had my eyes rolling back as gasps spilled from my lips, and I was barely able to stand as my knees buckled. Rhett kept me upright with his powerful arms, hips snapping against mine as he fucked me through my climax.

I screamed and clenched on him, coming again only seconds later. Holy shit. Another thing that had never happened to me before. I didn’t even think it was possible.

Rhett groaned and stilled, finding his own release as he filled me with each drop of his cum.

Oh god.

We didn’t use a condom. I’d been so caught up in all the turmoil and lust that it hadn’t even occurred to me until now. I was on birth control, but that didn’t protect against everything, and I had no idea how safe Rhett was.

In fact… I knew almost nothing about him.

And yet you let him fuck you raw anyway, a little voice in my head admonished me. Real smart move there.

He pulled out and released me from his grip. I whirled around, still holding onto the table for support, and watched as he shoved himself back in his pants before turning away, chest rising and falling in heavy breaths.

He grabbed his shirt and pulled it back on. Then he finally looked at me again, one hand rubbing his jaw. “That was—”

“A mistake,” I blurted out, cutting him off. “I know.”

Part of me didn’t want to say it, didn’t want to believe it. That treacherous part wanted him to come back and fuck me all over again; wanted to feel the heat of his skin against mine. But that part was buried deep under layers of logic and fear.

It would be better for both of us if this never happened again.

Rhett hesitated, his eyes narrowing as he stared at me for a long, heavy moment. The air between us seemed to crackle with something dangerous.

Slowly, he tilted his head, the muscles in his neck shifting under the tension.

“Yeah,” he finally said. “You’re right.”

With that, he turned and left, letting the door slam behind him. I stayed motionless by the table, staring at the door, unable to move for a reason I couldn’t quite grasp.

There was a knock ten minutes later, jolting me out of my reverie. I hastily grabbed my robe and slipped it on before looking through the peephole, heart hammering hard and fast.

It wasn’t Rhett returning for round two. It was a uniformed hotel staff member, standing next to a cart laden with plates of food. “Room service,” she said, lifting her hand to knock again.

I opened the door a crack. “Sorry, I think you have the wrong room,” I said. “I didn’t order anything.”

The staffer looked at the receipt on the edge of the cart. “It was a rush order from a Mr. Sinclair. Do I have the right room?” she asked.

Oh.

Despite the tense way we left things, Rhett had still gone ahead and ordered all the food he insisted on me having tonight.

I inwardly sighed, letting the door swing all the way open. “Yes, it’s his room,” I murmured. “Thanks.”

I let her wheel the cart in and place the food on the table. My cheeks flushed hot as I wondered if she suspected what Rhett and I had done up against it mere minutes ago.

When she was finally gone, I sat down and stared at the heavenly-smelling halloumi burger in front of me, mind racing with thoughts I didn’t want to deal with. I couldn’t help it.

Every time I thought about the intense moments Rhett and I had just shared, my body seemed to react all over again. His touch, his kiss, the way he made me feel like I was on fire…

I put my head in my hands and let out a frustrated groan. It was a bad idea. A mistake, like I said. Like we both said. But I wanted him anyway. Badly. In spite of everything.

What the hell was I supposed to do with that?

12

Everly

The crisp night air bit at my skin as I made my way down the sidewalk, the faint glow of the bus stop flickering in the distance. I shifted my bag on my shoulder and tightened my scarf, groaning lightly. My mind was still running crazy circles around last week’s events.

The memory of my encounter with Rhett burned constantly in my thoughts, no matter how hard I tried to shove it aside. His intensity, his touch, his voice issuing dark commands, those damn piercings… all of it lingered like a tattoo on my brain.

Still, I was committed to doing the right thing, so I’d studiously avoided him since then. He hadn’t made any attempts to contact me either. That admittedly stung a little, but at the end of the day, I knew it was for the best.

That whole night was a mistake. Letting him kiss me was a mistake, and sinking to my knees in front of him was definitely a mistake. The sex was the biggest mistake, of course. And the best orgasms of my life were…

“A mistake,” I muttered to myself through gritted teeth, hating that my mind kept slipping back to wanting more from Rhett.

I inhaled deeply, lifted my chin, and forced my mind to focus on something else. Did I have any assignments due soon? Some class readings I needed to go over?

Yes.

I let out another weary groan, wishing I’d skipped tonight’s lecture. It’d turned out to be a total rehash of last week’s class, since the professor was off sick and left it in the hands of his TA, who was wildly out of his depth.

If I’d known how pointless it would be, I would’ve headed to the library to study for two hours instead. Maybe even let off some steam with the girls at one of the college bars afterwards.

Thankfully, I was no longer an unwelcome presence anywhere on campus. The bigot rumors had died down ever since Holler issued the retraction about me, and now I was only known as ‘that girl whose dorm got broken into twice’.

Not exactly the most positive reputation to have, but certainly far from the worst.

Speaking of the dorm break-ins… I hadn’t seen or heard from Jake since he called me from that private number, trying to worm his way back into my life. That was a relief, though it came with its own kind of unease.

I had to wonder what he was planning next, and how terrible it would be. Then that made me circle back around to Rhett, wondering if he would finally listen to me and believe me after it inevitably happened.

But then what? We’d magically forget we hated each other and ride off into the sunset together?

Hell no.

Rhett didn’t strike me as a relationship guy. He seemed more like the type of guy who’d fuck his way through an entire sorority in the space of a week, leaving total chaos in his wake before moving on to the next one.

Maybe I was being a little judgmental—especially for a girl who’d allowed herself to be totally dick-matized by him in the space of a few minutes—but realistically, guys with multiple cock piercings weren’t usually known for being sweet, white-picket-fence types, were they?

As I neared the bus stop, a prickling sensation crept up the back of my neck. I whirled around, half-expecting to see Rhett in that skull mask of his, watching me from the shadows.

Instead, I spotted two girls with a leashed dog making their way along the path that ran off the sidewalk into the nearby forest. They weren’t even looking in my direction, let alone staring at me.

I was just being paranoid. But who could blame me for that after everything that had happened recently?

Breathing a sigh of relief, I started walking again. My phone vibrated in my coat pocket a moment later, and I checked it to see an Instagram notification. Tessa has sent you a message.

I swiped down to see the preview text. Listen to these now please! Important!!

“What the hell?” I muttered, opening the whole conversation. Tessa had preceded the text with several voice notes. I scrolled up and clicked on the first one.

“Hey, babe. Sorry if it’s weird to send you a voice note, but this is kind of a long story, so I figured it would be easier than texting!” she began. She briefly coughed and went on. “So, I was just in the library with my econ study group. We had an all-nighter study sesh planned because we have a really hard exam coming up. So anyway, we were all sitting there talking, and then I saw your ex walking past. I glared at him and tried to give major ‘fuck off’ vibes, because what else would I do, right? But then—ah, shit. Sorry, I forgot about the time limit. One sec.”

I clicked on the second voice note.

“Sorry, I forgot we can only talk for one minute on these things. Ugh. Anyway, I noticed he was walking really slowly as he passed our table. Like, it was obviously on purpose, as if he was trying to intimidate us. He was also smiling creepily at the girl next to me. She kind of just… froze. Like, she looked terrified. So once he was gone, I took her aside and asked her what the deal was. She didn’t want to say anything at first, but I told her that I know the guy has a really bad rep, and I just wanted to help out if she needed someone to talk to. Don’t worry, I didn’t mention you or anything like that. I kept it vague. But anyway, she ended up breaking down and admitting that he did some really fucked-up stuff to her at a party. Hold on. Time limit again.”

Heart pounding, I played the third and final message.

“So, you can probably guess what he did to her. She was too scared to turn him in because of his rich family,” Tessa went on. “But look…. I am just so done with guys like this. We have to do something about this fucker. He’s running around campus doing whatever the hell he wants, hurting women, and he’s obviously not going to stop. So I was thinking. You, this girl Jane, Sloane, Bree, and me… we need to get together and brainstorm ways to take him down for good. I mean, five heads are better than one, right? So why wait? Let’s come up with something right now, before he gets the chance to attack someone else! Can you come meet us at the library?”

I sent back a voice note of my own. “Sure, I can come. Where exactly are you?”

She replied a minute later. “We’re on the ground floor on the east part, right near that side door that leads out to the courtyard,” she said. “I was thinking—when you, Sloane, and Bree get here, we can all go out there to talk. That way no one can hear us coming up with our plan. I know it sounds paranoid, but I really don’t want anything to get back to him. I want us to strike without that prick having any idea what’s coming.”

“Okay,” I replied, pulse pounding with anticipation. “Be there soon.”

I turned around and strode away from the bus stop, wishing I’d brought my car to campus instead so I could speed things up. Ten minutes later, the library loomed ahead, its towering windows glowing faintly from the dim light inside.

At this hour, the campus was much quieter, and my footsteps echoed loudly on the pavement as I approached the entrance, the faint chill in the air wrapping around me like a second skin.

Pushing through the heavy glass doors, I stepped into the quiet space. The main floor was practically deserted, save for the night staff at the front desk, who barely glanced up as I passed.

The east wing was even quieter. My sneakers squeaked against the tiled floor as I rounded a corner, heading toward the side door Tessa had mentioned. Rows of empty study tables stretched out ahead, the few reading lamps left on casting pools of warm light over the wood.

I scanned the space quickly. No one was there.

My pulse quickened slightly. “Tessa?” I said, my voice carrying further than I intended in the stillness.

Nothing.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and opened our conversation again. I’m here, I typed. Where are you? You said the east side, right?

I stood there for a moment, staring down at my phone and waiting for the typing bubble to appear. Nothing showed up.

Shoving my phone back in my pocket, I glanced toward the side door. The idea of going into the courtyard alone made me hesitate, but I took a deep breath, opened the door, and tentatively stuck my head out anyway.

“Tessa? Are you out here?” I called out.

A few seconds later, her voice drifted faintly over the chilly breeze. “Hey, girl! Sorry, Jane wanted a smoke!” she said. “Did you see Bree or Sloane yet?”

I breathed a sigh of relief and stepped all the way outside, glad that she was close.

“No, I didn’t see them yet,” I said, casting my eyes around. “I guess they’re still on their way.”

The courtyard was a wide, open space bordered by the shadowy outlines of towering trees and the gothic arches of the library's outer walls. In the center stood a circular stone fountain, its surface reflecting the faint light of the lampposts scattered around.

I walked slowly toward the fountain, my shoes crunching lightly on the gravel path. “Um… Tessa?” I called out. “Where are you, exactly?”

Her voice came again, faint but unmistakable. “Over here!” she said. “Can’t you see us? We’re literally waving at you. Hello!”

I took another step forward, but I still couldn’t see the two girls anywhere. My pulse quickened, and I tightened my arms around myself, the instinct to retreat back into the safety of the library overwhelming.

“Fuck it,” I muttered, pulling out my phone again.

I called Tessa, and she answered on the sixth ring, her voice thick with what sounded like exhaustion. “Hello?”

“Hi. Where are you? I can hear you, but I can’t see you.”

“Huh?”

“Where are you?” I repeated.

“In bed.” She let out a brief yawn. “I was asleep.”

My heart began to pound as confusion swirled in my mind. “But you asked me to come to the library, didn’t you? I literally just heard your voice.”

“Babe, I’ve been in bed for like, two hours. I know it’s really early for me, but I have to get up at five to study for this stupid quiz tomorrow, or else I’ll totally fail.”

I blinked, wondering if I’d lost my damn mind. “So you didn’t send me a bunch of voice notes about Jake?”

“No.” She let out a groan and went on. “Oh my god. Someone’s totally trying to scam you. You’ve heard about that stuff, right?”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Apparently scammers are using deepfake tech to copy real people’s voices. That way they can call their friends or family and ask for money. People fall for it all the time.”

“They didn’t ask for any money,” I muttered, switching the call to speakerphone so I could look at the messages. “And it came from your account.”

“It wasn’t me. Seriously. It must be some kind of scammer rip-off thing. They probably got my voice from all the reels I post and made a fake account. Just tell them to fuck off.”

I clicked into the profile that had contacted me. It had Tessa’s current profile picture and identical bio details… but we had zero mutual friends, and there were no photos or reels posted.

“Oh my god. You’re right,” I said, voice barely above a whisper. “It’s fake.”

“See? Tell them to fuck off.”

I didn’t reply right away. My mind was spinning too much, telling me I needed to get the hell out of this courtyard right now.

Clearly, this whole thing was a setup. The fact that the ‘deepfake scammer’ had pretended to be Tessa saying she wanted to come up with a big master plan to take down Jake… that meant it had to be Jake himself.

He knew exactly how to lure me into a trap—by cunningly preying on my desire to destroy him—and he’d correctly assumed that I’d told my friends about the things he’d done in order to craft a narrative that would draw me to the exact location he wanted me in.

Fuck.

I sprinted toward the side door of the library, praying I’d reach the safety of the building in time. As I ran, Tessa’s voice echoed faintly from the phone. “I don’t mean to be rude, but I really need to get back to sleep,” she was saying. “Talk tomorrow?”

“Tessa, call the pol—”

A big hand clamped over my mouth, cutting off my words. My phone slipped from my fingers, clattering to the ground as I thrashed, desperate to break free from the grip of the person wrapping themselves around me.

“Shh,” a masculine voice murmured behind me, low and calm, as if soothing a frightened animal.

My heart slammed against my ribs as the sharp sting of a needle pierced the side of my neck. Panic flared, white-hot and wild, but it was short-lived. Whatever was in the syringe worked fast, spreading like fire through my veins, making my limbs heavy and useless.

I tried to fight, to wrench myself free, but my body wouldn’t obey. The edges of my vision blurred as my knees buckled, and I felt myself being lowered to the ground as darkness rushed in to claim me.

The last thing I registered was the sound of Tessa’s voice on my phone, a distant murmur in the dark before everything went silent and black.

13

Everly

I woke with a groggy heaviness clinging to my limbs, like my body was made of lead. My head throbbed faintly, a dull ache behind my eyes, and my mouth was dry and sticky. There was a strange vertiginous sensation in my head too, like the world around me was swaying, though I quickly realized the feeling wasn’t just in my head.

Rocking. I was definitely rocking. But why?

Blinking, I turned my head to the right, and my breath caught in my throat. A small window, curved at the edges, showed nothing but endless water under a dark sky.

What the hell?

I sat up too fast, my stomach protesting the sudden motion. A quick glance around the room didn’t offer any answers. It was small with sleek, minimal furnishings in white and gray. There was no sign of my phone or my purse. Nothing familiar at all.

My heart started to pound as I swung my legs over the side of the bed. That was when I noticed the black garment bag hanging from a hook on the wall. A note was pinned to it, written in sharp handwriting.

Everly – get dressed and join the party.

A chill ran down my spine. Who the hell brought me here? And why did they want me to attend a party?

For a moment, I considered ignoring the note, refusing to play along with whatever game this was. Then again, what else could I do? Stay in this room and wait for something to happen?

No, I couldn’t take the awful suspense.

Slowly, I unzipped the garment bag and found a red dress inside. It was slinky and fitted; the kind of thing I would pick for a night out at the clubs. Alongside it was a pair of black heels, silver earrings, a matching necklace, and a sleek black and silver wristband.

I held up the wristband, eyeing it warily. It had a small, intricate design etched into it, along with a number. 50. Proof of guest status, maybe? Was that what the note had implied?

I dressed quickly, my hands shaking as I slipped into the heels and clasped the necklace. The wristband clicked into place with a quiet snap, fitting perfectly.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the door and stepped into the narrow hallway beyond. Soft lights lined the ceiling, guiding me to a staircase. Each step I took echoed faintly, the sound bouncing off the polished metal walls.

When I reached the top, a rush of cool night air hit me. A sprawling deck stretched out before me, gleaming under strings of fairy lights and the pale moonlight. At least fifty unfamiliar people, dressed in clothing that ranged from casual shirts and jeans to extravagant evening wear, were milling about, laughing and drinking. Silver trays of food were being passed around by waitstaff in matching uniforms.

The scene was dazzling, glamorous… and utterly surreal. None of it answered the only question screaming through my mind.

What the hell was I doing here?

I spotted a waitress gliding past with a tray of empty champagne flutes and hurried to intercept her. Her silver name badge said ‘Alison’.

“Excuse me,” I said, my voice shaky but firm. “Where am I? What is this?”

She blinked at me, clearly startled. “Sorry, ma’am… do you mean you want to know the name of the yacht?”

“No. I want to know what’s going on here,” I said, gesturing around us. “And I need to know how I got here, too.”

Her brows furrowed as if I’d just asked her to solve a riddle. “It’s a party,” she said slowly, her tone laced with confusion.

I stared at her, my frustration bubbling beneath the surface. “I can see that,” I said, trying to keep my voice even. “But where are we? What’s this party for? And can you tell me how we all got here? How I got here?”

Her puzzled expression deepened, and she glanced around nervously as if searching for someone else to answer. “May I see your wristband, ma’am?” she finally asked.

I showed her the black and silver band on my left wrist, and she visibly relaxed. “Oh! You are a guest,” she said, smiling. “For a minute I was worried you’d sneaked aboard.”

I stepped a little closer, lowering my voice. “I don’t actually remember coming aboard. Can you tell me what this party is for? Or who’s hosting it?”

Before she could answer, a sharp snap of fingers cut through the air, followed by a commanding voice. “Hey, where are those refills?”

She gave me an apologetic smile, her tray wobbling slightly as she turned toward the source of the voice. “Sorry, I’ll be back soon,” she said before hurrying off toward the door that led below deck.

I clenched my jaw, frustration simmering as my questions remained unanswered. The low hum of the party swelled around me. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, eating, drinking, and socializing, but all I could focus on was the unsettling feeling that something was deeply wrong.

It would help if I could remember the last thing that happened before I woke up below deck, but for the life of me, I couldn’t recall a single detail. I wasn’t even sure what day it was. All I knew was that one minute I’d been at a lecture at Hollingsworth, and then the next minute I was waking up on this mysterious yacht. There was definitely a bunch of stuff that happened between those two moments, but I had no idea what any of it was.

My stomach growled, and I let out a soft groan. Water. Food. That could help. Dehydration and hunger were obviously fogging my brain. Once I was satiated, things might start to come back to me.

I grabbed a glass from a nearby tray and chugged it before finding a buffet table laden with food on silver trays. After I loaded up a napkin with mini pumpkin quiches, I walked over to the edge of the deck, my gaze drawn to some lights in the distance. Civilization was close… but not close enough. I couldn’t even make out the skyline of the city I was seeing. Just the colorful lights twinkling like stars.

I shoved one of the quiches in my mouth, barely even registering the taste as I chewed. My mind was still reeling too much to focus on anything beyond my endless questions.

A voice broke through the silence.

“You looking forward to things kicking off tomorrow?”

I turned to see a man standing beside me. His casual stance didn’t match the tension I could feel crawling up my spine.

I swallowed my mouthful of food and replied. “Sorry, what do you mean?”

He smiled, but it didn’t quite meet his eyes. “Tomorrow’s game,” he said, tilting his head slightly. “Are you looking forward to it?”

“That’s what this party is for?” I said. “A game?”

The man’s expression soured. “Ah, so that’s how you’re going to play this,” he said. “Flying solo before we’ve even begun. You might regret that tomorrow, you know.”

I frowned, trying to process his words. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said. “I don’t know why I’m here, or what game is happening tomorrow. Could you tell me?”

He rolled his eyes. “No need to play dumb with me, sweetheart. You’ve got the wristband, which means you must’ve been accepted into the party at the dock earlier. And that means you’re a contestant in the game.”

My hand instinctively went to the silver wristband on my wrist. “I don’t remember coming here,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “Could you please explain what this party is for, and what this game is that you keep mentioning?”

The man shook his head with a small laugh and walked away. Before he could go far, he stopped another man who looked like he was considering approaching me. “Don’t even bother,” he said snidely. “She’s one of those people. Not the type to team up.”

I stood there, completely baffled, watching both men disappear into the crowd. Then I sighed, scanning the deck for another waiter to question. Someone had to answer me at some point, didn’t they?

Unfortunately, the wait staff were all rushing around, too busy to spare me so much as a glance. Frustrated, I turned my attention back to the edge of the deck and spotted a man leaning against the railing, staring out at the water with a cigarette in hand.

I approached him and gave him a tight smile. “Hi.”

He dipped his chin in a brief nod. “Hey. Looking for a light?”

“No thanks. I just wanted to ask you something.”

He shrugged. “Okay.”

“So, this is going to sound really weird, but… I woke up below deck about fifteen minutes ago, and I found a note telling me to join this party. But I have no idea what the party is for, or who brought me here, or what this game is that I’ve heard other people talking about. Can you tell me?”

The man’s brows rose. “Are you serious?”

“Yes. I just want to know what’s going on. I’m really confused, and no one will tell me anything.”

A slow grin spread across his face. “Ah. I know what this is," he said, voice laced with amusement. "You're a plant, right?"

"A plant?" I echoed.

He chuckled and mimed zipping his lips. "You're not a real contestant,” he said. “You're just here to see if any of us are willing to break the NDAs we signed before the game starts.”

“No, I—

He cut me off. ”Sorry, honey. You won’t get a word from me. Not falling for that."

Before I could respond, he turned and walked away. I stood there, mouth gaping, still trying to process what he'd said.

“Is that true?” a sharp feminine voice said from somewhere on my left.

I turned to see a tall, middle-aged brunette woman staring at me.

“Do you work for them?” she went on, stepping closer. “Trying to test us to see if any of us break the non-disclosures?"

I shook my head quickly, my breath catching in my throat. "No," I said, trying to steady myself. "I don't work for them. I don’t even know who they are. I honestly have no idea what’s going on here."

“So how did you end up here, then?” she asked, narrowing her eyes. She gestured to the dark water surrounding the yacht. “This is a pretty damn specific location. It’s not like anyone can just wander in off the street, for obvious reasons.”

My eyes began to sting with tears, and I blinked rapidly, trying to hold them back. “I really don’t know how I got here,” I said, shaking my head. “I woke up below deck in a bed feeling really weird, like I’d been drugged or something. I have no memory of who brought me here, and I don’t know anyone at this party, either. I’ve tried to ask people what’s going on, but they just talk vaguely without giving me any details. Like, apparently there’s some sort of game tomorrow? But when I asked the guy what it was, he got angry at me and walked away. And then that other guy started talking about NDAs. I just… I don’t know what’s going on. Can you please, please tell me before I totally lose my mind?”

As I rambled, the woman’s expression shifted from suspicion to something a little more cautious, though she still looked unsure. “Why do you have a wristband if you’re not a contestant?” she asked. “We all got them when we boarded.”

“I found it when I woke up. There was a note telling me I had to wear it, along with this,” I said, running my hands over the red fabric of the dress. My voice began to quiver, and a tear slid down my cheek. “Please believe me. Please.”

The woman’s voice softened. "You really didn’t choose to come here?"

“No! I don’t even know what day it is!” I said, voice hitching as more tears spilled out.

“Okay. Just try to calm down. Take some deep breaths,” she said in a low voice, moving closer. She placed a hand on my shoulder and gently patted it. “I’m Cheryl. What’s your name?”

“Everly.”

“Okay, Everly. It’s the 30th of October, 2024. Does that make sense to you?”

I frowned. “The last day I remember was the 29th,” I said, wiping my cheeks with the back of my hand. “But it’s pretty blurry. I was in a class at college, and then… nothing. It’s all gone after that. So there’s more than twenty-four hours missing.”

“What college do you go to?” she asked.

“Hollingsworth.”

Her brows rose. “Ah. That could explain it.”

“Explain what?”

Cheryl was silent for a moment, eyes flickering with unease. Clearly, she still wasn’t sure if I was a plant trying to bait her into breaking her NDA.

“Have you ever heard of The Wild Hunt?” she finally asked.

I nodded. “Yeah, it’s a secret society on my campus. I know some of the guys in it.”

“Friends of yours?” she asked, looking wary again.

“Definitely not,” I said through gritted teeth.

She frowned, tilting her head. “Have you signed anything with one of the members recently?”

“No.”

“Any contracts at all, even verbal ones? Maybe something you agreed to without thinking?"

“No,” I said, voice barely above a whisper as I choked back more tears. “Could you please just tell me what you know?”

An announcement crackled through the ship's speakers, interrupting our conversation.

"Attention all guests. We’ve just received a sudden wild weather warning. For your safety, please proceed below deck immediately while the crew takes care of things. I repeat, please head below deck now."

The calm yet commanding tone made it clear there was no room for negotiation. I looked around. Everyone else was already heading toward the stairs that led below deck, a ripple of murmurs spreading through the crowd.

Cheryl nudged me. "We better go."

My mind was still reeling from our strange conversation, but the urgency of the announcement made it impossible to delay further. As we slowly headed down the stairs, I felt a new layer of unease settle into my stomach. Whatever was going on here, it was obviously related to The Wild Hunt… and that couldn’t possibly be a good thing.

After five minutes of navigating our way through the thick stream of guests descending below the deck, we finally reached the bottom of the stairs. I led Cheryl to the room I’d woken up in earlier.

Once we were inside, I gestured to the note pinned to the empty garment bag. “See?” I said. “This is what I told you about.”

Cheryl took a step closer and stared at it for a long moment, her lips pressed into a tight line. When she finally spoke, her voice was low and full of disbelief. “You really weren’t lying.”

“No. I swear.”

“I’ve heard of this kind of thing happening, but I didn’t expect...” She trailed off, head shaking. “I didn’t think I’d get proof so soon.”

I blinked in confusion. “Proof of what?”

“Listen, Everly. I didn’t want to say this before, because I had no idea who you were, but I think I can tell you now,” she said in a low voice, eyes darting around to make sure no one else was listening in from the hall. “I’m a j—”

A sudden flash of light outside the window briefly blinded me, followed by a booming sound that rattled the walls. A sharp gasp rose from the crowd clamoring outside the room as the air filled with panic.

"Everyone, please remain calm!” The captain's voice crackled through the intercom, though it sounded strained. "This is what we call a freak storm. It seems to come out of nowhere, but really, it’s the same as any other storm. Everything is going to be fine. Right now, it’s directly above us, but we’re doing our best to navigate it. Stay where you are, stay calm, and let the crew handle things."

The booming continued, almost like the storm was actively trying to tear the ship apart. Another flash of lightning lit up the room, casting everything in an eerie, unnatural glow. The small windows rattled as rain poured down them in sheets, slashing against the glass with a fury that seemed to match the chaos outside.

“Holy shit,” I muttered. “This really did come out of nowhere.”

Cheryl moved closer to me, her face pale. She rubbed her forehead and muttered something under her breath. "I don’t feel right," she said, voice thin and tremulous. “Do you?”

I blinked, trying to focus, but the room around me suddenly seemed to ripple, like the air itself was warping. Shadows from the flashing lightning, perhaps.

“I feel a bit dizzy,” I said. “It must be from the storm rocking the boat so much. It’s crazy.”

“No, it’s—” Cheryl cut herself off midsentence, shaking her head. “It’s not the storm. I feel… I don’t know…”

She trailed off, voice going from shaky to outright slurred as she stumbled forward. I grabbed her arm to steady her, but it was difficult because my own legs were beginning to feel unsteady. My head was spinning too, like I was drunk, but all I’d had tonight was a glass of water.

A wave of dizziness washed over me, and I almost fell over, losing my grip on Cheryl’s arm. I clutched the edge of the bed to steady myself, my breaths coming in shallow, unsteady gasps.

"Everly?" Cheryl's voice reached me, but it was muffled, like she was underwater. "You feel it too, don’t you?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but all I could do was nod slowly. Everything was spinning, and my body felt heavy, my limbs unresponsive.

A voice from outside the room cut through the haze. “There’s a fucking hole!”

It was followed by another urgent voice. "We’re sinking! Get the lifeboats!"

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I tried to focus on the door, but the room was growing darker, the edges of my vision flickering in and out as if the storm outside was bleeding right into my mind.

A second later, there was a high-pitched scream. Then everything went black.

14

Everly

I woke up to the faint sound of waves lapping against the shore, my face pressed into cold sand. My head throbbed, and everything felt disoriented, like my brain was trying to catch up with my body.

Pushing myself up onto shaky elbows, I glanced down at myself. My red dress clung damply to me. It wasn’t soaked; just wet enough to suggest I’d been lying here for a few hours. My hair was fully dry, at least, and I brushed away a few stray grains of sand stuck in the ends.

My shoes were gone, and one of my earrings was missing too, but my wristband was still in place, the silver reflecting the sparse sunlight breaking through the gray clouds above. I scanned the area around me and spotted bits of debris scattered along the beach. A deflated flotation device lay a few feet away, tangled in seaweed.

As I struggled to my feet, brushing sand from my legs, a voice cut through the steady crash of the waves. "Hey.”

I spun around, startled, and saw a tall man with reddish-brown hair walking toward me. He was wearing a wristband like mine, and he looked just as ragged as I felt—clothes rumpled, hair mussed, shadows of exhaustion etched into his face. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“I… I think so,” I said shakily. “I’m just cold.”

“Me too. It’s this fucking wind.” He pursed his lips and looked at the sky. “Do you remember what happened?”

“The boat sank, didn’t it?”

He shrugged. “Guess so. I didn’t actually see it happening,” he said. “I got caught up in all the panic and hit my head on a railing. I don’t remember anything after that, so I must’ve passed out. Next thing I know, I’m waking up here.”

“I don’t remember much either,” I said, frowning as I strained to recall the fuzzy events of the previous night. “I started feeling really weird just before the boat started sinking. Dizzy from the boat tilting, I guess. Then I must’ve passed out at some point.”

“What do you remember?”

“I remember someone saying there was a hole in the boat. And someone from the crew said we were sinking.”

“A hole?” The man’s brows rose, and he looked out over the water. “I guess that’d do it.”

I swallowed thickly. “Do you have any idea where we are?”

“None whatsoever.” He patted his pocket. “I had my cell phone zipped in here, so it survived. But there’s no signal. So wherever we are… it’s got to be the middle of fucking nowhere.”

I blinked at him, his words sinking in slowly. Behind him, the ocean stretched out endlessly under a slate-gray sky, its choppy waves dull and lifeless. Everything about it felt wrong.

Hell, everything was wrong.

“Where did the boat depart from?” I asked.

“Havenport,” the man replied, giving me an odd look. “You don’t remember?”

“No.” I waved a dismissive hand. “Long story.”

“Right. Well, we left Havenport Marina around six. We were meant to sail up the coast for a few hours, then turn around and come back by midnight. I think all the shit went down around ten or eleven. So theoretically, we should be somewhere between Havenport and…” He trailed off, shaking his head. “Shit, I dunno. How many miles can a yacht sail in a few hours?”

“I don’t know. But probably not super far,” I said. “And everywhere around Havenport is built up. So if we’re anywhere near there, or even fifty miles north or south, there should be a phone signal. Even down here at the beach.”

“I’m guessing the storm washed us out a lot further than any of us remember,” the man said. “We could be all the way up in fucking Maine, for all we know.”

I doubted we were that far away—unless we’d both been unconscious for more than a day before we washed up—but it seemed pointless to start an argument with the only other survivor I’d seen so far.

“I’m Everly, by the way,” I said, extending a hand.

“Chris.” He shook my hand and gave me a tight smile. “I’d say it’s nice to meet you, but…”

He didn’t need to finish the sentence.

“Yeah,” I muttered, glancing around again.

“Do you think this accident will affect the game?” he asked. “I mean, it has to, right?”

Oh, god. Not this shit again.

“Sorry, but you’ll have to explain this game thing to me,” I said. “I asked a few people last night, and no one really told me anything.”

He gave me the same half-confused, half-suspicious look everyone else had given me on the yacht when I tried to quiz them about the game. Then he sighed and shook his head. “Never mind that right now,” he said. “We need to start looking around. See if anyone else made it. Or if there’s any sign of civilization around here.”

We trudged along the shoreline, wet sand clinging to our bare feet with every step. To our right, the ocean churned under the dull gray sky, its waves crashing against the beach in a relentless rhythm. Pieces of wreckage littered the shore—torn life vests, shattered wood panels, a lone chair tangled in seaweed.

On our left, a dense wall of forest loomed, dark and uninviting. The occasional rustle from within sent a shiver crawling down my spine, the sound too faint to tell whether it was the wind or an animal.

My breath hitched as something caught my eye—a nametag lying face-up. I stepped closer and saw the name of the waitress I’d spoken with last night. Alison. My chest tightened as dread sank in. Was she dead? Or had she survived like me and lost her badge the same way I lost my shoes and earring?

I could only hope it was the latter.

Chris and I rounded a bend on the shoreline, and my eyes widened. A much larger group of survivors was gathered there.

“Hey!” Chris called out and waved to attract their attention. Some of them waved back, gesturing for us to join them.

When we arrived, the group was a mess of voices, everyone talking over each other, trying to make sense of what had happened. I caught snippets of disjointed sentences, panic laced in every word.

“I was drinking so much I barely even remember anything.”

“Me too. Thank fucking god for that. I don’t want to remember.”

“Where’s everyone else? There’s only twenty-two of us here, and there were a ton of guests and staff last night.”

“They can’t be dead, because I haven’t seen any bodies.”

“You haven’t seen any bodies yet, you mean. They could be anywhere. Maybe still floating out there.”

“God, I can’t believe I was in a fucking shipwreck!”

“Did anyone see the hole in the yacht? I heard it was huge.”

“If we were going to wash up somewhere, it’d be nice if it were a tropical island with a cocktail bar. Not this desolate shit. I’m freezing.”

No one seemed to have a clear memory of the night before, just vague flashes, so the general consensus seemed to be that everyone was so drunk or terrified that they’d passed out during the sinking.

“Will this affect the game?” a young brunette woman piped up.

“It has to,” another woman insisted. “I mean, half the contestants are probably dead, right?”

“Yeah, they have to cancel it. Or postpone it, at the very least.”

I held up my palms and raised my voice. “Can someone please tell me what this game is that everyone keeps talking about?”

A familiar voice was the first to reply. “Ugh, not this shit again.”

I turned my head to see a middle-aged man standing in the center of the group—the same one who’d approached me on the yacht last night.

“I’m serious,” I said frostily, narrowing my eyes at him. “I really don’t know what the game is.”

“Don’t listen to her,” he said, waving a dismissive hand. “She tried this last night. It’s some sort of strategy to—”

I cut him off. “It’s not a fucking strategy!” I shouted. “What the hell is this game you all keep talking about? Someone needs to tell me right now!”

The group of survivors fell into an awkward silence. Finally, Chris spoke up beside me. “We all signed up for a game called the Hunt,” he said in a tentative tone. “You didn’t do that?”

I shook my head. “I’ve never heard of it.”

“Last night’s yacht party was meant to be a sort of pre-game celebration before it starts tomorrow,” he said. “Well… today now, I guess. But they’re obviously going to postpone it after what’s happened.”

“No shit,” another woman said with a mirthless laugh. “I doubt they expected the yacht to get hit by a fucking freak storm.”

I took a deep breath, trying to push past the confusion that churned in my gut. “What happens in this Hunt game?” I asked, tilting my head.

One of the men, a tall guy with dark hair and a furrowed brow, stepped forward, glancing at the others before meeting my eyes. "It’s a survival game. We spend a week out in the wilderness getting chased by hunters.”

“Wait, what?” I said, brows shooting up. “You actually signed up for that?”

He lifted a palm. “We’re just eliminated from the competition if we’re caught. It’s not a real hunt.”

“Yeah, it’s sort of like Tag, but on a much bigger scale,” another man added. “I think they use paintballs to mark us.”

My shoulders sagged with relief. “Oh. Right.”

“Anyway, there can only be one winner at the end, and that person wins five million dollars.”

“Five million?” My eyes widened. “That’s… wow.”

He grinned. “No shit. It’s amazing. Why do you think I signed up?”

It did sound amazing in theory, but something about all of this felt wrong anyway. After all, I still had no idea how I ended up on that yacht last night. Also, why did I have a wristband? I didn’t sign up for anything.

“I was told it can take longer than a week sometimes,” another man chimed in. “Sometimes the contestants are just that good at hiding, so the hunters take ages to tag everyone and get it down to the last man standing.”

“Or last woman,” a short brunette said in a crisp tone, folding her arms.

“I took two weeks off work just in case,” Chris said. “I was told it’s never lasted longer than that.”

“How did you all find out about this game?” I asked.

The awkward silence that followed was thick and heavy, like everyone was holding their breath. No one spoke. No one met my eyes. A few shifted uncomfortably, eyes darting to the ground or the sky, anywhere but at each other. It was like the question had broken something open, exposing the cracks they were all desperately trying to ignore.

Finally, the man who’d accused me of lying about the game spoke up.

“Okay, I guess I’ll tell you my big sob story first,” he said. “I was approached by the recruiters at the hospital, of all places. You see, I’ve got pancreatic cancer.”

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry,” someone cut in. “That’s so awf—”

The man lifted his hand, signaling for her to let him finish. “I’m fine. Eight to ten months from now, I’ll be fucked. But for now, I’m fit as a fiddle. Can still run ten miles a day and deadlift twice my bodyweight. Hell, you wouldn’t even know anything’s wrong if I didn’t tell you. But that’s the kicker, isn’t it? It all comes crashing down when you least expect it,” he said. “Anyway, when the recruiters told me about the Hunt, I figured—hey, this’ll be a once in a lifetime experience. It’ll be like living in one of those reality shows. Like Survivor, right?”

“Right,” a few people murmured in unison.

“Even if I get caught and lose, it doesn’t matter,” the man said, shrugging. “I’ll still have had a lot of fun playing. And if I win, my family will have five million to help them out after I’m gone. It won’t take away their grief, but it’ll make their lives easier.”

“True,” Chris said softly, face etched with sympathy.

“But first things first,” the man went on, eyes twinkling as a slow smile spread over his face. “If I win, you can bet your ass I’ll be buying myself a McLaren before I kick the bucket.”

Everyone smiled and laughed, though the awkward mix of tension and sympathy for the man’s illness was palpable.

A tall blonde woman spoke up. Her face was flushed. “I’m not sick,” she said, rubbing the back of her neck as she looked down at the sand. “I was approached by the organization at my bank. I’ve been having, um… a little trouble with my mortgage.”

“You don’t need to be embarrassed by that,” Chris said. “A lot of people are having trouble with debt these days.”

“Yeah, I was approached the same way,” another man chimed in. “Not about a mortgage debt, but a similar situation.”

“Hold on.” I lifted a palm, my mind racing. “Do these recruiters happen to be from a secret society called The Wild Hunt?”

Several pairs of suspicious eyes swiveled toward me. “I thought you said you didn’t know about any of this stuff,” someone called out from the back of the group.

“I don’t. But I go to college in Havenport with a bunch of guys from The Wild Hunt, and all of this game stuff… it seems related,” I said, pulse racing. “I mean, the name and concept of the game, the location of the yacht party, the huge offer of money—it all seems linked. Am I right?”

A woman near the front nodded. “Yeah, you are. The recruiters said they were working on behalf of The Wild Hunt when they approached me.”

Someone else nodded too. “I’m from the area, and I heard they recruit out of Hollingsworth,” he said. He looked back at me. “That’s your college?”

“Yup.”

Chris cleared his throat. “I should be honest with you all,” he said. “I’m not sick like, er…”

“Peter,” the terminally ill man said, dipping his chin in a perfunctory nod. “Peter Salerno.”

“Right. I’m not sick like Peter, and I’m not in any kind of debt either. I was—” Chris abruptly stopped, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath before continuing. “I was in prison up until a few days ago.”

“Prison?” One of the women stepped back, eyes widening. “What are you talking about?”

“I was approached by a lawyer. He said I’d be eligible for some sort of parole period if I participated in this game. Next thing I know, I’m at the Havenport Marina, getting ready to sail away for the pre-game party.”

My stomach churned with rising unease. Nothing about this situation sat right with me. Why were these people being offered so much money for what was essentially a glorified game of Tag? It didn't add up. Not unless it was all for a reality TV show that could attract millions of viewers… but no one had said anything about it being filmed.

Also, why were literal prisoners being recruited into the scheme?

“Wait a minute, you were really in prison?” someone else said, clearly having the same thought process as me. “What for?”

Chris sighed and raked a hand through his hair. “I guess honesty is the best policy in this situation,” he muttered.

“Oh, shit. That means it was something bad,” a short, muscular guy piped up.

“Let him talk,” the tall blonde woman snapped.

“I was serving time for a double homicide,” Chris said, looking the short guy right in the eye. “So yeah, it was bad.”

I swallowed thickly and took a couple of slow steps away from Chris. This whole time, I’d been hanging out with a convicted murderer, and I had no idea.

“I didn’t do it. I swear,” he hurriedly went on.

“That’s what they all say,” the short guy muttered.

“I know. But I really didn’t do it,” Chris said. “You might even remember the case from the news, if any of you happen to be from Arkansas. I went out for a walk, came home, and found my parents shot to death. All I can guess is that it was a random break-in gone horribly wrong. But the state prosecutors were after my neck, and I had no alibi, so they pinned it on me. Easily.”

“I remember that case. I knew you looked familiar,” Peter said. He looked around the rest of the group. “A lot of people were protesting this man’s innocence. We shouldn’t be so quick to judge.”

“Speak for yourself. I’ll judge all I want,” the short guy said, eyes narrowing. “And my judgment is that I’ll be staying the hell away from this dude.”

Chris sighed. “Look, I understand, okay? I don’t expect anyone to get too close to me,” he said. “But the reality is: we’ve been involved in a terrible accident and washed up on a random beach somewhere, and we have no idea how close civilization is. This could end up being a literal life-or-death situation. So we need to put aside all the other bullshit for now and come up with a plan for what to do next.”

“He's right,” the blonde woman said. “We should—”

She was cut off by a shrill voice carrying over the chilly breeze. “Hey! Hey!”

I whipped my head around to see a young woman in a long navy-blue dress running up the beach. Another survivor. As she drew closer, I realized I recognized her from the finance center.

“Oh my god. Nikki?”

I dashed toward her. When she saw me, her eyes widened, and she closed the distance between us before throwing her arms around me.

“Oh my god, Everly! You’re here!” she said, cold body trembling against mine. She jerked back a second later, lifting her palms. “Sorry. It was so weird of me to hug you. We barely even know each other.”

“No, it’s fine!” I said, flashing a weak smile at her. “I’m really glad to see a familiar face.”

“Yeah, me too. This whole thing is just…”

She trailed off, head shaking slightly as tears sprang to her eyes. I put an arm around her shoulder and slowly guided her toward the rest of the survivors. “Everyone, this is Nikki,” I said. “And I’m Everly. I forgot to say earlier.”

“I’m Nathan,” the short guy said. He gave Nikki a hard look and jerked a thumb toward Chris. “Stay the hell away from that guy unless you want to die.”

Chris ignored the dig. “What do you remember about last night?” he asked, peering at Nikki. “None of us remember anything. We were drinking too much.”

“I was pretty drunk too, but I remember quite a lot,” she said, blinking back the tears. “After they said we were sinking, I saw a lot of people faint. From the shock and fear, I guess. Or maybe there wasn’t enough oxygen for so many people below deck.”

“Actually, yeah, that would explain why so many of us passed out,” Nathan said, nodding slowly.

“It’s all pretty fuzzy,” Nikki went on. “But I saw the crew carrying everyone onto the life rafts. Or guiding people like me, who were still awake. They were so strong and brave. So…”

She trailed off and sniffed as more tears spilled down her cheeks. I patted her on the back. “It’s okay. Take your time,” I murmured.

She sucked in a few deep breaths and continued her story. “The last thing I remember is being guided toward a life raft by one of the crew members. And then… I think I passed out. I was just so overwhelmed. Then I woke up here.”

“Do you think the crew are dead?” someone asked her bluntly. “We haven’t seen any of them.”

“I think they survived,” she said. “At least… some of them.”

Nathan’s forehead creased. “You’ve seen them?”

Nikki shook her head and pointed down the beach. “No, but when I woke up, I saw lots of footprints in the sand going in either direction,” she said. “I came this way first. But if we all head the other way, I think we’ll find more people. Maybe the crew are there.”

“Shit, that’s the first piece of good news I’ve heard since I woke up,” Peter said. “Let’s go.”

We turned to head down the beach, palpable hope flickering in the air. After a few minutes, Nikki gently prodded me in the side. “Do you see that?” she asked, pointing to the left.

I followed her gaze to a thick tree at the edge of the forest. A black ribbon was tied around the trunk. My brows shot up. “Yeah, I see it. Any idea what it is?”

“It could be some sort of marker for forestry workers, right? Like a signal that the tree needs attention,” she said. “And that could mean there are workers somewhere nearby. Or maybe even a road.”

I nodded. “We should go and take a proper look once we’ve found the others.”

“Yeah. They can’t be too far away now,” she said, wrapping her thin arms around herself for warmth. “I wasn’t running for that long.”

As we moved toward the area where the footprints led, the sound of voices reached our ears. A mix of confusion and desperation hung in the air, carried by the breeze.

We rounded a bend in the sand, and there they were—around thirty people, gathered in a loose cluster near the edge of the forest.

They all looked just as lost as I felt. Some were huddled together in groups, while others stood apart, their faces drawn with exhaustion and fear. I recognized Cheryl amongst the loners and waved at her to draw her attention.

Her brows shot up when she saw me, and she hurried over. “I thought you were gone,” she said breathlessly. “Thank god you’re okay.”

“You too. Do you know, um… anything at all?” I asked, gesturing vaguely around us.

Cheryl shook her head. “We all woke up here. There’s stuff from the yacht lying around, but not much else.”

“Any crew?”

“No.” She frowned. “Only contestants.”

“That has to mean something, right?” I said. “I mean, what are the odds that all these players happened to survive the sinking while none of the crew did?”

“Yeah, it’s really weird,” Nikki interjected. She looked around, eyes narrowing slightly. “How many of us are there altogether?”

“There were twenty-two of us back there, and then you showed up. So twenty-three plus—” I stopped and looked at Cheryl again. “How many were here before we arrived?”

“Twenty-eight.”

“So fifty-one all up.”

She nodded, lips setting in a thin line. Then she picked up a piece of driftwood, held it in the air, and raised her voice.

“Listen up, everyone,” she called out. “Someone needs to take charge of this whole thing, so for now, I’m appointing myself as the speaker. Can everyone be quiet and gather around me? Just for a minute or two while we figure out the best way to handle this situation.”

There were a few grumbles and mutters, but everyone did as they were asked and gathered in a close crowd.

Cheryl waved the driftwood in the air. “We’ll call this the talking stick. Whoever has it can speak. Everyone else zips it,” she said, arching an eyebrow. “Now, first things first. Has anyone seen anything that might help us figure out where we are? Raise your hand if you have.”

She glanced around the crowd, waiting expectantly. No one stuck their hand up.

I nudged Nikki. “Why don’t you mention the ribbon?” I whispered.

She shook her head. “I was thinking about it, but… it’s just a ribbon around a tree,” she whispered back hesitantly. “It could’ve been there forever. So it’s probably nothing useful, and everyone will think I’m an idiot for bringing it up.”

“No, it really could be something,” I said insistently. “And no one else has seen anything at all. So you might as well say something, right?”

She bit her bottom lip. Then she swallowed hard and put her hand up. Cheryl handed the driftwood over. “What did you see?”

Nikki coughed to clear her throat, looking down at the sand. She was clearly worried that everyone would think the same as her—that the ribbon was just some meaningless thing left there years ago.

I gave her an encouraging smile and nodded.

“I saw a black piece of ribbon tied around a tree on the edge of the forest,” she finally said. “I was thinking… maybe it could be a marker for forestry workers? Like, a sign that the tree is sick or something. And if forestry workers come out here, then that could mean there’s a road somewhere nearby.”

An excited murmur went through the group, and multiple heads nodded. Cheryl gestured for Nikki to return the talking stick, and then she spoke up again. “I think we should go and check out this tree,” she said. “Does everyone agree with that? Put your hand up if you don’t.”

Not a single hand shot up. Cheryl nodded at Nikki, eyes glimmering with satisfaction. “Okay. Lead the way, please.”

We all turned and trudged down the beach, following Nikki. She stopped around five minutes later and pointed. “There,” she said. “That’s it.”

Several of the group members sprinted toward the tree, abandoning all thoughts of order. “There’s something here!” one of them called back to the rest of us.

We all hurried forward.

“It’s an arrow!” someone else said. “Carved on the tree below the ribbon.”

“It’s pointing downward,” Nathan said, frowning as he craned his neck to peer at the thick trunk. “Do you think that means there’s something in the ground here?”

“Yeah, maybe. Should we dig and see?” a petite auburn-haired woman asked, voice tinged with anxiety.

“Fucking duh,” another woman shot back. “Of course we should. But not me. I hate sand getting under my nails.”

Nathan rolled his eyes and stepped forward. I stepped forward too, followed by Nikki, Cheryl, Chris, and a few other survivors whose names I didn’t know.

We arranged ourselves in rough lines, crouched down, and started digging into the cold, grainy mix of sand and dirt at the base of the tree. The wind picked up, howling in the distance, but it didn’t distract us as we worked, unearthed debris tumbling from our hands until—clink—one of us finally hit something solid.

Nathan’s fingers worked quickly to clear away the remaining sand, exposing the surface of a heavy metal hatch with a rusted latch.

"Help me open it," he ordered, his voice tight.

I reached forward, and so did Chris and Cheryl, our fingers scrambling for purchase on the enormous latch. It took everything we had for the four of us to pull it free, the metal groaning in protest as it creaked open to reveal what lay beneath.

It was an enormous cache, its contents piled neatly beneath the surface. My eyes widened as I saw an array of khaki backpacks, each one labeled with a number.

“What the hell?” Nikki muttered.

As if on cue, an audio device hidden in the cache crackled to life, its voice sending chills up my spine.

"Ladies and gentlemen... welcome to the Hunt."

15

Everly

A man crowed victoriously from the back of the crowd. “I fucking knew it!” he said. “I knew this was all part of the game!”

“Shut up,” someone else snapped. “We need to hear this!”

The deep voice on the audio device crackled to life again, smooth and composed.

“Firstly, please allow me to apologize for the unconventional manner in which you were brought here,” it began. “Let me assure you, it was necessary, for your safety and ours. You see, ensuring you never return and pinpoint this location is of utmost importance. But please, rest easy. At no point were any of you in actual danger.”

A murmur rippled through the group as the voice paused to let the words sink in. After a moment, it continued.

“The yacht was never in trouble. What you heard—the booms, the creaks, the storm—it was all simulated. Cleverly crafted sound effects, flashing lights, sprinkler systems for the fake rain. As for the strange quality of the air below deck that some of you may have noticed—it wasn’t smoke or a chemical spill. Just a harmless sedative, delivered in gas form. Completely safe for humans. It simply ensured you drifted off to sleep.”

Someone gasped, and the voice sounded as if it were gloating as it went on. “While you slept, you were carefully loaded onto boats and brought to this beach. When you awoke, the scene was set, just like in your favorite movies. Washed ashore. Confused but unharmed.”

A nervous laugh escaped from someone in the group, and within moments, more chuckles followed. Relief spread, loosening the tension as people exchanged wide-eyed glances, some shaking their heads at the absurdity.

“This is so fucking cool!” one guy said. “They really got me!”

I rolled my eyes, lips thinning. It wasn’t cool. It was cruel—making us all think we might die in a yacht sinking before stranding us in a random place. It was also needlessly elaborate, considering the whole point was just to scare us. It made it seem like the organizers reveled in their cruelty and the fear they instilled in the contestants. That didn’t bode well with the feeling I already had that something was wrong here.

Also, my first question still remained. Who the hell signed me up for this and brought me here? My first suspect for fucked-up shenanigans would usually be Jake, but he hated me, so why would he sign me up to potentially win millions of dollars?

An image of Rhett’s face, along with his tattooed, scarred chest and arms, suddenly flashed in my mind. No, I told myself. He wouldn’t bring you here either. Why would he?

The voice on the device continued, smooth and dispassionate. "The wristbands you were given at the marina weren’t assigned to prove your guest status. They’re actually GPS trackers. Don’t worry, the hunters won’t have access to the location data. They’re solely for our tech team’s use, allowing them to monitor your movements and ensure no one gets lost in the wilderness. Your safety is our priority, after all."

There was a brief pause, the silence hanging heavy before the voice resumed.

"Each of you will be assigned a survival kit. Inside, you'll find a map, basic clothing and shoes, essential tools, and rations. The bags also contain a radio that will communicate valuable information to each player through a small earbud that fits in your right ear. If you lose it, don’t worry. There are five spares in the bag,” it said. “How you use your tools and rations is up to you, but remember, these items are all you have; at least for the time being. You must rely on yourself—or on others, if you choose to form alliances. However, you must remember: there can only be one winner, so trust is a luxury, not a necessity."

The voice grew colder, more detached, as if relishing the weight of what was to come.

"In a game like this, out in the real wilderness, injuries are inevitable. Minor cuts or bruises? The first aid kit will take care of that. But should something more serious happen, don’t worry. You’ll be airlifted out and taken to a hospital immediately. Unfortunately, if that happens, you’ll be out of the game and therefore out of the running to win the prize.”

The tension in the air thickened, and I could almost feel the cold smile in the voice's words as it continued. “To make the game more interesting, there are safe zones all over the island."

“Wait, this is an island?” Nathan said, eyes wide with disbelief.

“Seriously?” The tall blonde woman next to him rolled her eyes. “You didn’t figure that out already from the lack of phone signal?”

The voice went on. "In these zones, you’ll find more rations and necessities, and you’ll be safe from the hunters. Even if they’re right next to the safe zone, they are not allowed to touch you,” it said. “The safe zones are available for limited times only, and the locations and times will be announced over your earpiece. You’ll need to keep moving, because after a few hours, the zones will shift. Once a safe zone closes, anyone still inside must leave immediately, or they will become vulnerable."

“Great,” Nathan muttered. “That means we can’t just find a safe zone and hole up there for the whole game.”

“Did you really think they’d make it that easy?” Chris asked, upper lip curling with derision.

I hushed them so I could hear as the voice droned on. "Some safe zones are hidden and marked only by certain symbols. These zones will not be announced over your earbud, and the information about their opening and closing times will only be available at the zone itself. You’ll need to be observant and resourceful to find these places. Not everyone will be able to locate them, but those who do will gain an advantage,” it said. “Next, there will occasionally be supply drops delivered to random locations within the safe zones. The contents of these drops are limited—first come, first served. Lastly, beware of false safe zones. Not all areas that seem safe truly are. Some places may appear to offer protection but come with unforeseen risks."

The voice paused for a moment to let all the information sink in. Then it went on, chillingly smooth as ever.

"Scattered across the island are hidden caches containing weapons, tools, and other items to aid you in your survival. However, not all caches are created equal. Some may hold items that could be your downfall if used unwisely,” it said. “Also, throughout the Hunt, some contestants will be randomly marked as 'bounties.' Hunters who capture and tag a bounty will receive extra points. For the bounty, survival becomes even more crucial. Be prepared—anyone could be next."

“It better not be me who has to be the bounty first,” a young woman said in a scathing tone. She was the one who’d complained about getting sand under her nails earlier.

I twisted my lips, wondering why she’d willingly signed up for a survival game when she so clearly hated the wilderness. I could only guess that the offer of five million dollars was too enticing for her to ignore.

"The game begins at five p.m. today,” the voice went on. “Until then, you have the rest of the day to prepare yourself, get to know your fellow contestants, or do whatever you want."

The crowd of contestants split off into smaller groups to chat amongst themselves as Nathan, Peter, and Chris began to unload the backpacks from the cache. I grabbed my bag when it was handed to me and carried it over to a shady spot beneath a tree, settling down to sift through its contents.

Inside was a survival kit, just like the voice promised: a map, a compass, a small pocket watch, a flashlight, water, a few packets of rations, a small roll of toilet paper, and a first aid kit.

Beneath that, there was a pair of sneakers, three pairs of socks, underwear, a khaki long-sleeved sweater, and matching pants. All of them were in my exact size. I frowned, wondering how they knew that information about me, before deciding it wasn’t even close to the most important question I had right now.

“Seriously,” I muttered to myself, head spinning. “Why the hell am I here?”

I sifted through everything carefully, mentally checking off what I thought I’d need the most. Then I spotted the small black box at the bottom of the bag.

I pulled it out, examining the sleek surface, and popped it open. Inside, there was a tiny radio, complete with a matching earbud. I placed the earbud in my right ear, testing the fit. It felt fine, but I couldn’t ignore the faint static that buzzed through it, followed by the sound of a voice, crackling softly.

"Test one, two… can you hear me?"

I froze, the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. The voice was faint but clear, as if someone was speaking directly into my ear.

"Test one, two… can you hear me?" the voice repeated. “Nod your head if you can. We’ll catch you on the cameras.”

Oh, great, we’re under constant surveillance here, I thought bitterly. As if this shit wasn’t already weird enough.

I nodded to confirm the earbud was working and slipped the box back into my bag. Then I peered up at the tree behind me, looking for the camera. I couldn’t see it anywhere, but I knew it had to be there somewhere. There were probably thousands of them all over the island.

I glanced over at the other contestants, trying to get a read on their reactions. No one seemed worried, but fear was starting to settle in my chest anyway; a dark knot that I couldn’t untangle.

Taking a deep breath, I turned my attention back to my map, checking out the various landmarks.

“There you are.” Nikki appeared in front of me. “You totally disappeared.”

“Sorry.” I smiled weakly and patted the ground next to me, gesturing for her to sit. “I just needed a few minutes to process all of this.”

“It’s pretty hectic, right?”

“Yeah, but…” I trailed off and sighed, shaking my head. “I didn’t sign up for this thing, so I’m really confused. It feels like it’s not even real.”

“Wait, what?”

I ran through the story—or what I knew of it, anyway, considering how much I couldn’t recall—and Nikki’s eyes widened more and more with each passing minute.

“Holy shit,” she said breathlessly. “Can’t you say something?”

“To who?”

“The game organizers. I’m pretty sure there’s cameras everywhere, so they must be listening to us, right?”

“I don’t think the cameras pick up sound,” I said, shrugging listlessly. “Besides, I’ve already talked about it to other people earlier. So if the organizers are listening, they already know I’m not meant to be here, and they don’t care.”

“That’s fucking crazy.” She shook her head, frowning, and leaned back against the tree. “I guess all you can really do is play. But hey… you might win. So that’s a silver lining.”

“I doubt I could ever win something like this,” I said. “Maybe I should just let myself get tagged at the start. Then I can go home right away.”

“I think you should at least try. I mean, it’s five million dollars.”

“I guess so.” I cocked my head. “Why did you sign up, anyway?”

“I’m drowning in debt, like half the others here,” she said with a rueful half-smile. “I know it sounds ridiculous, because I literally work at a loan center. So you’d think I could get it all under control, right? But everything is just so fucking expensive. And every month, it seems to get even worse.”

“I hear you,” I muttered, mentally cringing as I recalled the amount of student debt in my name. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I should try to win.”

Cheryl joined us a moment later. “Hey, I’ve been looking for you,” she said, giving me a tight smile. “Did you get your earpiece working?”

I nodded. So did Nikki, who then jumped to her feet. “Sorry to be rude and run away the second you arrive, but I really need to pee,” she said. “I’m going to go find a bush to squat behind.”

Cheryl watched her go. Then she crouched next to me. “I’m glad I’ve got you alone again,” she said. “No offense to Nikki. She seems nice. But I don’t know who I can trust yet, apart from you.”

I nodded. “I get it.”

“I’m guessing you remember our conversation from the yacht?”

“Most of it. But we were cut off.”

“Yeah.” She nodded curtly. “Right when I was about to tell you that I’m a journalist.”

My brows shot up. “Are you here to write about the game?”

“I’m an investigative journalist, to be specific. So I’m not just here to write about this so-called game. I’m here to expose The Wild Hunt for what it really is,” she said, her voice hard with resolve.

“I’m… a bit lost.”

“It’s fine. I don’t expect you to know anything, given how you’ve been dropped into this with zero knowledge of it,” she said, patting me on the shoulder. “But I’ve been looking into this game for four years now. Gleaning whatever snippets of information I can get. It hasn’t been easy.”

“Yeah, I imagine they’re very hush-hush about everything,” I said, nodding slowly. “I remember that guy talking about NDAs.”

Cheryl scoffed. “I don’t think the NDAs actually mean anything. I have a feeling they’re just for show.”

“For show?” I frowned. “What do you mean?”

She hesitated. “I mean… I think the contestants are made to sign them so they’ll feel like it’s all real and perfectly legal. But they don’t matter in the end.”

“Why?”

“From what I’ve managed to find out so far, no one who joins the game is ever seen again.”

My heart skipped a beat. “What?”

She lowered her voice. “I’m pretty sure this whole thing is either a trafficking scheme or a real hunt. A way for rich, powerful people to satisfy whatever sick fantasies they have.”

I stared at her, my stomach twisting as her words sank in.

A real hunt.

My breath caught in my throat as a wave of terror washed over me. I could almost see it—rich, faceless people watching us from the shadows, hunting us like animals, relishing every second of it.

No, no… it can’t be real.

I swallowed hard, trying to steady the panic rising in my chest, but it was impossible. The fear was tangible now, not just the anxious thoughts in the back of my mind, but an overwhelming dread that gripped my every sense.

If this was really happening—if they were really hunting us—then there was no escape. After all, we were on an island. The resources we had were limited, including space. There was only so far we could run before our backs were up against the wall. Or in this case… the vast, freezing ocean.

I kept staring at Cheryl, trying to find some kind of reassurance in her steady gaze, but I could see the same fear reflected in her eyes.

“You really think it’s real?” I finally said, voice almost cracking.

She nodded. “I believe it enough to have found a way to join the game myself. That’s why I’m here.”

“How did you do it?” I asked, eyes wide. “And if you honestly think there’s such a risk, why the hell would you want to do it? Surely an article isn’t worth your life.”

“To answer your first question—I faked some paperwork to make it look like I was in terrible debt. Then I went to a bank owned by a family that’s known to be associated with The Wild Hunt. One of the society’s founding families, from what I’ve gathered,” she said. “The bank rejected my loan application, obviously, but it didn’t take long for me to get approached by a recruiter after that.”

“How did you know you’d get recruited that way?”

“That brings me to your second question.” Cheryl’s eyes darkened, a flicker of something painful passing through them. She swallowed hard before speaking again, her voice soft but resolute. “My sister was a participant. Someone recruited her into the game after they approached her about her mortgage debt. I didn’t hear many details from her, because she said she’d signed an NDA and was breaking it just by telling me anything at all. But she told me enough.”

“What happened to her?” I asked, heart thudding. “Did she disappear like the others you mentioned?”

“Yes. I haven’t seen her since she left four years ago. The police think she just ran off somewhere. Barely even investigated it,” she said. “So I’ve spent the last few years trying to find out exactly where she went and what happened to her. I know I’m risking my life by being here if either one of my theories is correct, but I’m willing to do that if it means finally getting some answers. If it means I can find her.”

I could hear the raw pain in her voice, and it made my chest tighten. “I’m so sorry about your sister. I really hope you can find her.”

“Me too.” Cheryl’s eyes flicked to the backpacks next to us, and she let out a breath. “I’ve been training for the last few years. Learning everything I can about survival, hunting, and fighting techniques. So at least I know I’ve got a real chance.”

I bit my bottom lip and looked down at the sand, hesitating. Then I looked back up at her. “Could I join you?”

“You mean when the game starts?”

“Yeah. We could try to survive together.”

Cheryl’s eyes flickered with a mix of regret and guilt. “I really wish I could say yes. But everything I’ve learned to protect myself is for solo stuff, so I can’t risk teaming up with anyone else,” she said. “I’m so sorry. I know you didn’t sign up for this, and you’ve probably got no idea what to do out here, but—”

I waved a hand, cutting her off. “No, no. I understand. It’s fine,” I said, voice thick with emotion. I did understand, but on the other hand, I was absolutely fucking terrified.

“I can give you some tips.”

I nodded. “I’ll take whatever I can get.”

Cheryl gave a soft sigh, her gaze turning to the horizon, as if considering the best place to start. “The most important thing is staying calm. Panicking will get you killed. It’ll cloud your judgment and make you an easy target. Don’t ever let them see that you’re scared.”

Her words hit me like a cold splash of water. I had no idea how I’d react when the game started. I wanted to say I’d keep my cool and fight, but I’d never been in this kind of situation before.

The worst scare I’d ever had was when Jake broke into my dorm in the middle of the night, and I hadn’t kept my cool in those moments. Instead, I’d panicked. Totally froze. In the end, Rhett had to save me… and he wasn’t coming to save me now. Hell, he was in The Wild Hunt. He was probably going to be hunting me soon.

“Second,” Cheryl continued, “be on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary, because that’s probably where you’ll find the hidden safe zones. And trust no one—not even me. In a game like this, you can’t afford to have anyone get too close.”

“Got it.”

“Now, some self-defense basics. If someone’s coming at you, catch them off guard. Use the environment. Throw sand or dirt in their eyes, or use nearby objects like rocks or sticks as a weapon to defend yourself,” she said. “If you end up in close hand-to-hand combat, the eyes, throat, and groin are effective targets. No need to worry about playing fair in a situation like this.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Even if you don’t know how to fight at all, keeping your hands up and elbows close to your body can defend you from their strikes. So try to do that as much as possible.”

“Okay.”

“Distraction tactics can be a lifesaver,” she went on. “If you happen to find something colorful, like a flower, or even better, a bright shell from this beach—keep it in your front pocket. Then, if someone comes near you, you can toss it to the side to draw their attention over there. It would only be for a split-second or two, but that could be all the time you need to escape.”

“That’s a good one. I think I’ll go shell-hunting as soon as we’re done talking.”

“I’ll join you for that.” She gave me a tight smile. “We might even find one big and sharp enough to keep as a weapon.”

I swallowed, trying to shake off the knot of anxiety tightening in my chest. "Thanks for all the advice, Cheryl. Really."

“It’s the least I can do.”

When Nikki returned, the three of us headed to the beach to look for anything useful we could add to our packs. Cheryl and I surreptitiously slipped a few colorful shells and smooth, shiny sea stones in our pockets, and Nikki found a few full water bottles that had been placed on the shore amongst the fake wreckage, along with a bag of muesli bars. We divided them amongst the three of us and headed back to the main group once we were done.

There were murmurs about the island’s possible location, but no one could agree on anything concrete. Some swore they recognized the terrain from a reality show they'd seen, while others speculated it was somewhere in the remote north based on the position of the sun.

I glanced around, still processing everything that had been said. My mind was a whirlwind of uncertainty—about the game, the people I was stuck with, and whatever the hell was coming next.

I’d learned a few names, and even more contestant numbers, but they were already blurring rapidly in my mind. Everyone seemed on edge, sizing each other up, trying to decide who might be an ally and who would be a threat… and they didn’t even think the hunt was real. They still thought it was a game.

I could only pray that they were right, and Cheryl was wrong.

I barely registered the passage of time until I heard the unmistakable sound of a horn in the distance. Then a familiar voice crackled through my earbud, cutting through the heavy silence.

“Get ready, players. The Hunt begins now.”

16

Everly

Nothing happened.

We all stood on the beach, motionless and silent, with no idea what to do next. I felt like I was in one of those movies where a giant tumbleweed was about to roll past.

“Well… that was anticlimactic,” someone finally said, breaking the tense silence.

A few chuckles rippled through the group, hesitant and uneasy.

“Yeah,” another guy said, shrugging. “Does anyone actually know what to do?”

“Well, I guess we have to wait for the hunters to leave their starting zone, right? They’re probably on their way to—”

Crack.

A sharp, almost-deafening sound split the air, and the guy’s words ended abruptly as his head snapped back, blood spraying like a macabre fountain. He crumpled to the sand in a lifeless heap.

For a moment, everything froze.

I stared at his body, my mind struggling to catch up with what my eyes were seeing. The metallic scent of blood filled the air, blending with the salt of the ocean.

Then the screaming started.

Chaos erupted around me as everyone bolted in different directions, their panicked cries overlapping.

More gunshots shattered the air, sending up puffs of sand as bullets slammed into the beach. My legs locked in place. I couldn’t move. All I could do was gape at the body lying in front of me, blood pooling beneath it, and all I could think was: Rhett was right about me.

I wasn’t brave. I wasn’t a badass. I was just a scared little girl who caved under pressure.

“Everly!” Nikki’s voice pierced through the chaos.

I turned my head numbly, catching sight of her waving frantically from the edge of the forest.

“Come on! Get to the trees for cover!” she screamed.

Another bullet whizzed past me. That snapped me out of my stupor. I stumbled forward, my legs finally obeying, and sprinted toward Nikki, heart pounding so hard it felt like it might burst.

A voice crackled through my earbud. “Player 13, eliminated by Hunter 7,” it announced. “Players, the first safe zones are at coordinates 12.5, 89.3 and 10.4, 85.9. I repeat: 12.5, 89.3 and 10.4, 85.9. They open in one hour and will remain safe until midnight. Good luck!”

I caught up to Nikki, and we hurried into the forest. She lifted a hand a few seconds later, abruptly stopping me. “Don’t run unless you absolutely have to,” she said, glancing over her shoulder. “It makes a lot of noise. You’re practically announcing your location to anyone nearby.”

I nodded, gripping the straps of my backpack tightly. The air felt tense, each step a challenge to keep steady.

Suddenly, the sound of frantic panting and twigs snapping reached my ears, growing louder with each second. Someone was running through the trees not far from us. Then, a sharp crack split the air, and the sound stopped abruptly.

Nikki froze, her head turning toward the direction of the shot. Her lips pressed into a grim line as a voice crackled through our earbuds. “Player 19, eliminated by Hunter 13.”

She shook her head and sighed. “See?” she whispered. “Running just makes you an easy target.”

I nodded, heart pounding, and kept treading lightly through the forest. Nikki moved ahead of me, her footsteps barely a whisper, and I did my best to mimic her careful movements. Every now and then, she turned back to share a quick tip on evading capture.

“How do you know so much about this stuff?” I eventually asked in a hushed tone.

“I used to hunt with my dad when I was a kid growing up in the boonies,” she whispered back. “I thought all that knowledge would come in helpful for a game like this. That’s why I signed up. I thought I could actually win. But I didn’t know it was real.”

“It’s so fucked up,” I said, voice almost cracking with fear. “I don’t know if I can do it.”

She turned and gave me a hard look. “You can survive this, Everly. You just need to listen to everything I say. Okay?”

I nodded and swallowed hard, my pulse thudding in my ears. We kept walking, every step deliberate. My head was still swimming with fear and confusion, but I tried my best to focus on Nikki’s calm, measured movements.

Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks and held out a hand to halt me. Her head tilted slightly, and her brows furrowed.

“What’s wrong?” I whispered.

She turned toward me, her voice low and steady. “Do you hear that?”

I frowned, straining to listen. “I can’t hear anything.”

“Exactly. It’s too quiet.”

She was right. The usual forest sounds—the chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves, the distant hum of insects—were gone.

“That means someone’s here,” Nikki continued, her eyes scanning the trees. “Or they passed through here very recently. Could be a player like us, but…”

“We don’t want to risk it,” I finished for her, my voice barely audible.

She nodded and looked over my shoulder. “Let’s go back the way we came and find another way to the closest safe zone. Do you remember the coordinates for either of them?”

“Um… 12.5, 89.3 and 10.4, 85.9.”

“Hm. I think that sounds right.” She gave me the faintest of smiles. “See? You’re not totally crumbling under pressure. That’s a good sign that you can do this, even if you feel like you can’t.”

“I guess so,” I murmured.

“I mean it, Everly. Half the people here probably can’t remember jack-shit about those coordinates, let alone know how to read a map. So we’re already off to a good start,” she said, quietly dropping her backpack.

We crouched to look at her map for a couple of minutes. Then we put our packs back on and took off again, retracing our steps southward until we found another natural path toward the eastern part of the island.

As we walked, I forced myself to draw deep, slow breaths, trying and failing to calm the frenzy of fear inside me. The forest didn’t feel like a refuge from the open air of the beach anymore. It felt like a trap. Every crack of a twig or rustle of leaves made me want to jump out of my skin, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that we weren’t alone. That someone, or something, was always just out of sight, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

An arrow suddenly whooshed through the air, landing with a sharp thunk into the bark of a tree just ahead of us. My breath caught in my throat as I froze, staring at the quivering shaft.

Nikki didn’t waste a second. “Okay,” she hissed, grabbing my arm. “Now we can run.”

We bolted through the forest, my legs burning with every stride as adrenaline propelled me forward. Branches snagged at my clothes and scratched my arms, and the ground felt uneven and treacherous beneath my feet. I didn’t dare look back, focusing only on Nikki as she darted ahead like she’d been doing this her whole life.

After what felt like an eternity, Nikki pulled me down behind a thick shrub. I crouched low, chest heaving as I tried to catch my breath as quietly as possible, and the leaves around us fluttered with every shaky exhale.

Then I heard it: footsteps crunching through the underbrush. Slow, deliberate. My heart hammered in my chest as a figure came into view, and I clamped a hand over my nose and mouth to stop myself from making a single sound.

The hunter wore a full camo outfit, blending into the greens and browns of the forest, with a matching mask pulled down to reveal a face smeared with skull-patterned paint. His dark eyes scanned the trees as he held a bow loosely in one hand, an arrow nocked but not drawn.

“Thought I heard someone, but they ran,” he muttered, speaking into a radio clipped to his chest. His voice was low, rough, and slightly annoyed. “Yeah, I guess it could’ve been an animal. I didn’t actually see anything. For fuck’s sake, man.”

Nikki pressed a finger to her lips, her other hand gripping my wrist like a vise. I stayed as still as I could, even though every muscle in my body was screaming to move.

The hunter shifted his weight and sighed. “I’m gonna check my snares. Yeah, man, talk to you later.”

He turned and walked off, his boots crunching faintly against the forest floor. Nikki and I stayed behind the shrub, barely daring to breathe, until his footsteps faded entirely. Even then, Nikki didn’t move. She held up a hand, signaling for patience, her ears tuned to the slightest sound. Minutes passed like hours.

Finally, she whispered, “Okay. I think he’s gone. But let’s give it five more minutes, just to be sure. Or even ten. He could be one of those assholes who pretends to leave and then doubles back when he thinks the prey feels safe enough to move.”

I nodded, my pulse still pounding in my ears as we waited in tense silence. After the final excruciating minute, we slowly rose from our hiding spot.

A voice crackled through my earbud just as we began to move, and we both instantly crouched again, just in case.

“Player 1, eliminated by Hunter 13,” it said. “A reminder to all players. The safe zones are now open. Coordinates are 12.5, 89.3 and 10.4, 85.9.”

I frowned, racking my brains to recall Player 1, but their identity eluded me. That made a twinge of guilt flicker within me.

Nikki glanced over at me, reading my expression. “What’s wrong?” she asked. “I mean, apart from the glaringly obvious.”

“I just feel bad,” I whispered. “I don’t even remember who Player 1 was, and now they’re just… gone.”

“Don’t feel bad,” she said, keeping her voice low. “I know who he was.”

“Who?”

She swallowed thickly before speaking up again. “His name was Eric Kane. I met him last night, at the beginning of the yacht party, and he told me he was in prison before the game recruiters found him. I was curious, so I looked him up before my phone service dropped, and… well, he did bad stuff. Really bad stuff.”

“Murderer?”

“No, but just as bad.” She hesitated. “Maybe even worse. It involved… kids.”

My stomach dropped. “Oh. Shit.”

“Yeah. Like I said, he was a bad guy,” she said, forehead creasing. “I’m not saying that I’m in any way glad that we’re all stuck in this fucked-up murder game, but if someone had to get killed here, I’d much rather it was him than you. Know what I mean?”

“Yeah. I get it,” I said. “It doesn’t seem fair. There are people like him here, but then there are others like us. We didn’t do anything wrong. At least not enough to deserve this.”

“No shit,” she muttered. “I still can’t believe I ended up here.”

“How did the recruiters actually approach you?” I asked. “Was it at Hollingsworth?”

“Yeah. But I have absolutely no idea how they knew about all my debt,” she said. She sighed and went on. “I’m still trying to figure out how it’s possible that you’re here. I mean, you weren’t even recruited.”

I pursed my lips. “I have a feeling my ex is behind it all, but I have no way of knowing for sure.”

“Is that the guy you told me about when we first met? You said I should avoid him or something?”

“Yup. That’s him.” I gritted my teeth. “He’s in The Wild Hunt. So he must’ve decided to sign me up without me knowing.”

“That doesn’t seem possible. I mean, I had to sign so much stuff to get in.”

I shrugged. “I’m sure he found a way somehow. Rich assholes like him always do.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” she muttered. She let out another heavy sigh, sinking lower into the shrub. “God, I’m already so tired.”

“Me too.” I sank down next to her, lying flat on my belly. “I feel like we walked for hours earlier, even though I know we didn’t.”

As we lay together behind the shrubs, I closed my eyes, trying to pretend for a few seconds that I was simply trapped in a nightmare that I could wake up from at any minute. My heart was still racing, and my body was trembling as I tried to control my breathing. The silence of the forest felt suffocating, and the way the underbrush closed in on us, the way the cold air felt so oppressive—

Wait.

My eyes flew open as something in my chest twisted, and an old memory came crashing back with a force that left me breathless.

"Oh my god," I whispered.

Nikki glanced over at me, brows furrowed. "What?"

“This island.” I blinked and took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "I think I might know where it is.”

“Really?”

“Yes.” I swallowed and went on. “Us doing all this stuff… lying in the shrubs and running around the forest. It just reminded me of something. I honestly used to think it was all a bad dream.”

“Everly. Spill.”

“Jake’s family owns a huge manor called Wildercliff. It’s on an island off the coast of Massachusetts,” I said. “I visited once when I was a kid, because my dad worked for his dad. We weren’t allowed to go past the estate fence when we were outside, but we all sneaked out one night, and we saw…”

I trailed off, faltering as the awful images flashed in my mind.

“Saw what?” Nikki asked. Her eyes were like saucers now.

“There was a group of people in dark robes and skull masks. They were all standing in a clearing, and—” I stopped and frowned, straining to recall the next part of the foggy memory. “One of them said something about a test, I think. That bit is really fuzzy. But there was also an unmasked man there, tied to something. They let him go and told him to run, and then… they killed him. At least, that’s what it looked like.”

“Holy fuck. You saw all that when you were just a kid?”

"Yeah. I think I was only eight or nine. I ended up having nightmares about it for years. But then, after a while, I thought it was just a bad dream all along. That I imagined the whole thing. But now..." I trailed off as I looked around. “It wasn’t a dream. It really happened. On this island. It has to be the same place.”

Nikki was silent for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took in what I’d said. Finally, she spoke again. "You said Jake’s family owns the island, right?”

“Yes.”

“And they’re involved in The Wild Hunt?”

“Well, I know for sure that Jake is, because he wears that ring and hangs out with the other Wilders on campus. But I bet his dad is too,” I said. “That’s why I think this has to be the same place. It’s just too much of a coincidence. Even the name—Wildercliff. It all makes sense.”

“Shit. Yeah.” Nikki’s brows dipped in a contemplative frown. “If they own the island, then they’re probably really high up in the society, and that could explain how it was so easy for Jake to set you up like this, without you even applying for the game.”

I nodded grimly. “Exactly. But if I’m right, and it is the same island, that could be useful to us, right?”

“For sure.” A glimmer of hope and enthusiasm had appeared in Nikki’s eyes. “If you know this place, then maybe you know a way to escape. So… just think. Try to remember as much as you can.”

“Well, we sneaked through a tunnel to get off the estate that night, and I think Jake said there was more than one of them,” I said, forehead creasing. “That could be how the hunters get around the island. But it could also be a way for us to escape.”

“Yeah, if we’re careful. Do you know where any of the tunnel entrances are?”

I shook my head. “No. The island is huge. But if we find that same clearing, then I think we can probably find the tunnel I went through as a kid. It wasn’t too far away, and it goes to the manor.”

Nikki nodded slowly. “We could sneak into the manor somehow. Find a phone that actually works.”

“Yes. But it all depends.” I paused for a beat, gnawing at my bottom lip. “I mean, like I said, the island is huge, and most of it is forested. There’s probably tons of different clearings, so it’ll be hard to find the right one. Also, I doubt I can remember exactly what it looks like, and it’s been over a decade since I was there, so it could’ve changed a lot anyway.”

“But it’s the best chance we’ve got to get out of this hellhole, isn’t it?”

“I think so.”

“Then that’s our plan. We’ll try to find that tunnel. We might even get lucky and find another one,” she said. She paused and glanced up at the sky. “We should get moving again. We’ve been here for ages, and it’s going to start getting dark soon.”

I nodded, and we rose to our feet and slipped away into the trees.

We moved cautiously through the forest, every sound amplified in the tense silence. Nikki stayed just ahead of me, her movements deft and fluid. I tried to match her pace, but every time the shadows shifted, I found myself glancing over my shoulder.

Eventually, we reached the closest safe zone—a small, weathered cabin tucked deep in the woods. The area around it was delineated with a spraypainted blue circle. Nikki held up a hand for me to stop and then motioned for me to drop.

We crouched together behind a cluster of bushes, watching the cabin. It was eerily quiet, the distant chirp of insects the only sound breaking the stillness.

“Okay, it seems safe,” Nikki finally whispered. “I don’t see any traps.”

I nodded and rose to my feet, and we hurried toward the front door of the cabin. As I ran, I heard a twig snap behind me, and I turned to look over my shoulder again.

My heart skipped a beat at what I saw.

A hunter was moving toward the cabin from the same direction that Nikki and I had just come from. He must’ve been right behind us all along. Either he hadn’t spotted us before now, or he had and felt like toying with us, like a cat playing with its food to scare it stiff before it finally moved in for the kill.

He wore full camouflage—dark green, brown, and black—and he was tall and broad-shouldered, body packed with muscle. But it was his mask that really caught my attention. Black with silver details; a menacing skull design that covered his face completely.

As he approached the blue line at the edge of the safe zone, he stopped short. Clearly, and very surprisingly, the hunters actually respected the rules despite their total psychopathy. Or at least this one did.

I kept staring at him, heart racing as a jolt of recognition hit me.

The logical part of my mind knew that I couldn’t be a hundred percent sure, not with the mask covering his face. But from the way he carried himself, the way his muscles tensed as he surveyed the area, and the way his presence seemed to make the air hum with undeniable tension… I was certain anyway.

It was Rhett.

17

Rhett

I leaned against a tree at the edge of the clearing, far enough to stay hidden in the shadows but close enough to see the cabin. My pulse was pounding, but it wasn’t from exertion. It was the thrill. The anticipation.

I’d missed Everly again. Just by a minute this time.

On purpose, of course.

I sucked in a deep breath, tilting my head back to let the cool air settle over my overheated skin. Every part of me was buzzing, the kind of rush I hadn’t felt in years. The thrill of the hunt was addictive enough… but this? This was something else entirely.

I could’ve caught Everly already. Twice today, I’d had her in my sights, close enough to call out, to make her look back and see me standing there. I could still picture her wide, frightened eyes, that delicious blend of defiance and fear flickering in them. But I’d let her go both times, holding back when I could’ve acted, because this wasn’t just a hunt for me. It was a game I wanted to savor.

I crouched, pretending to adjust the laces on my boots as my eyes swept the clearing beyond the safe zone border. The girls’ trail was obvious, even from here. They’d been careless as they rushed for the safety of the cabin, leaving broken branches and disturbed leaves behind.

I ran a gloved hand over the dirt near the safe zone border, erasing the imprints with a casual sweep. Then I stood, glancing over my shoulder to ensure no one else was watching me.

I’d already checked this spot for one of the countless cameras rigged up in trees and other various places, and I knew I was standing in one of many ‘dead zones’ where nothing was visible on the monitors. But still… I had to be sure.

Once I was certain no one was watching me, I crouched and wiped away another sneaker print on the edge of the safe zone. I’d been doing this all day, covering the girls’ tracks whenever I came across them.

Earlier, one of the other hunters had stopped abruptly, his eyes narrowing as they studied the disturbed ground near a cluster of trees. I’d stepped in, feigning disinterest, and kicked a patch of leaves over the evidence.

“Nothing here,” I’d said, my tone clipped as I pointed westward. “It was just a deer. Saw it run away a second ago, right through there.”

The guy had grunted, shrugged, and moved on, not suspecting for a second that I was sabotaging him. Not suspecting that Everly and her little friend were lying flat on their bellies behind a shrub only ten yards away. But it was a close call. Too close.

Not as close as the incident with the fucking beach snipers, though. I was next to those four guys, pretending to partake, when in reality I was watching them carefully to ensure none of them aimed at Everly. One of them tried, and I ‘accidentally’ jostled him, blaming a fictitious gust of wind that had blown into my face. His bullet went wide, and Everly dashed into the forest with the other girl, safe for the time being. My fellow hunter was pissed, but he knew this was my first year in the Hunt, so he begrudgingly accepted my bullshit apology.

I flexed my fingers, my gaze narrowing as I scanned the cabin’s interior through the closest window. I could see Everly tipping her head back to down a bottle of water. She looked exhausted, scared… and goddamn gorgeous.

I narrowed my eyes as I watched her, one hand rubbing at my jawline. I knew I couldn’t keep protecting her forever. Not without raising suspicion. But the thought of someone else catching her, of someone else claiming what was mine…

My jaw clenched. Not happening.

She had no idea yet, but this entire game had shifted from its original premise the second I discovered she was in it. Every move she made, every decision, every step she took—I’d be there, just out of sight, watching her. Guiding her too, in my own way.

The thought brought a smirk to my lips as I stepped back into the shadows of the tree line. The others would probably kill me if they knew what I was doing, but they weren’t going to find out. I would stay one step ahead for as long as it remained possible, letting them waste their time chasing Everly—along with every other contestant—while I knew all along that they could never have her.

She was mine.

I glanced at my watch, the digital screen flickering to life with a faint blue glow. A quick tap pulled up the rankings. I was in first place, tied with an older society member named James Parker. Three kills each.

My jaw tightened as I mentally cataloged my kills, their faces and crimes flashing through my mind like a twisted slideshow.

The first had been a pedophile—some disgusting bastard who ran a site trafficking explicit images of kids. I’d taken the shot without a second thought, the rush of satisfaction lasting far longer than it probably should have.

The second was a junkie who’d sold his own underage daughters for drugs. That one I’d handled up close with a knife. No room for error, no chance for him to slip away. The memory of his frantic pleas briefly clawed at the edges of my mind, but I shoved it back down. He’d never felt an ounce of guilt for what he’d done, which he’d made very clear during his court proceedings. So why the fuck should I feel bad?

The third… he was a child killer. A guy who’d spent years beating his own kid before finally taking it too far. I’d made it quick, but only because the sight of him turned my stomach. The world didn’t need scum like him walking around.

Three kills, all fresh out of prison. Three people who deserved it.

I took a deep breath as fury flared inside me all over again. My anger was always there, simmering under the surface, like a fire that never fully burned out.

I knew when it all started. Didn’t like to think about it, though; just knew I needed to channel it somewhere. Somehow. In the past, I’d tried to control it, bury it, but it never worked. Never went away. Not entirely.

Here, in The Wild Hunt, I’d finally been given a way to use it. The rage that had always clawed at my insides had a purpose now. Each target I took down today—each monster—made me feel like I was striking a balance in the universe, evening out a scale that was tipped too far in the wrong direction. It was the closest thing to peace I’d ever known.

I tapped my watch again, scrolling through the contestant list. My gaze caught on the Group 2 players. I had an easy shot at one of them earlier, could’ve climbed to the top of the leaderboard without breaking a sweat. But I hadn’t taken it. Those people were a hard no for me, even if it meant the difference between winning and losing.

For me, it was simple. If I was going to kill, it had to mean something.

Monsters. People who truly deserved it. That was where I drew the line. Always had.

I glanced up at the sky. The sun was dipping lower now, painting the sky in streaks of orange and red, a warning of the darkness to come.

I smiled thinly, satisfied at the sight. Night was my favorite time to hunt. It was when things got interesting, because people lost their sense of direction in the dark. They panicked, stumbled, and made mistakes. Turned into easy targets who couldn’t see it coming until it was right in their fucking face.

I checked my watch again. Four hours until the safe zones shut down at midnight. That meant I had four hours to hunt Group 1 and 3 prey under the cover of darkness before returning to this cabin to keep an eye on Everly and track her next movements.

I pulled a protein bar out of my pack and washed it down with a thermos of strong black coffee, sitting on a fallen log at the edge of the safe zone clearing. The caffeine would keep me sharp, awake, and ready for what was coming.

Some of the other hunters were still out here, like me, braving the cold and the elements to stay in the action. Others, though… they played it differently. They’d already gone back through the tunnels, retreating to their luxurious rooms in the Lodge, where they could enjoy hot meals, warm beds, and a full night’s rest. They’d be back at it in the morning, refreshed and recharged, ready to hunt in the daylight.

Surprisingly, it actually worked for some of them. Last year’s winner was one of those guys. He didn’t bother with the night hunts at all—just picked his targets carefully during the day and took them down with ruthless efficiency. It didn’t matter that he skipped half the game. He played to his strengths, and it paid off.

That wasn’t my style, though. I wanted the rawness of it. The grit. The rush of stalking prey under the cover of darkness, where every shadow could be a threat and every sound could be a clue. The kind of hunting that made my blood pump harder, my instincts sharper.

I finished the last sip of my coffee and stood, stretching out my muscles as stars began to prick the sky. It was time to go.

Before I left, I couldn’t resist turning back for one last glimpse of Everly. Through the cabin window, she sat by a small, flickering lantern that someone had lit inside when the sun dipped. Her hair caught the soft glow of the light as she talked to the girl next to her, her expression a mixture of fear and determination.

I was wrong the first time I met her. Those guts she’d shown when she stepped into that tunnel with the Taser… they were real after all. Not just a show she put on to protect herself. Deep down, she had a strength that burned quietly, waiting for the right moment to ignite. She just didn’t seem to know it yet.

I let the moment linger, burning the image of her into my mind. Then I took a step backward, a slow smirk tugging at the corner of my lips.

Not much longer, baby.

18

Everly

Nikki and I made it into the cabin just after eight o’clock, and five others trickled in over the next half-hour.

First was Cheryl, who I was glad to see unscathed.

The second to arrive was a petite, porcelain-skinned girl I recognized from the beach. Her name was Kanako, and she’d sustained an injury after running into a hunter in a small clearing. He’d thrown a knife at her, lodging it in her upper arm, and she’d simply turned and fled, not even bothering to pull the knife out.

The hunter hadn’t managed to catch up with her after missing the shot—presumably, he was aiming for her heart—and I could only assume it was because he was inexperienced in this fucked-up game. Unlucky for him, but very lucky for Kanako. If she’d gone up against an experienced hunter… God, the thought made me shudder.

Nikki told her that she’d done the right thing in leaving the knife lodged in her arm as we helped her treat the injury with one of our first aid kits. Apparently, removing it could have caused even more bleeding, especially if it had nicked a major blood vessel. By keeping it in place, she’d minimized the damage until we could properly dress the wound. As long as she kept the area as clean as possible, she was going to be fine.

For now, anyway. None of us had any idea what the future held.

The other three arrived together, having teamed up after leaving the beach earlier. One was Chris, who I already vaguely knew, and another was the tall blonde woman who’d stood up for him when Nathan was being rude about his criminal history. Her name was Ava. The final one was another guy I recognized but hadn’t been properly acquainted with until now—the guy from the yacht party who’d brought up the NDA with me. His name was Jade.

While we munched on the extra rations from the cabin cache, Nikki announced that she needed to use the bathroom. As she spoke, she shot me a pointed glance—her eyes wide and insistent, with a subtle tilt of her head—that made it clear she wanted me to go with her.

I followed her down the narrow hall and stepped into the cramped bathroom. Calling it a bathroom was generous, really. It was little more than a low, lidless toilet and a tiny, rust-stained sink. Still, it was nice to have access to such small luxuries when I knew most of this game would be spent out in the wild.

“What’s up?” I asked in a hushed voice.

“I was wondering—do you think we should tell the others our plan to find the tunnels?” she whispered back.

“I was actually wondering the same thing,” I said. I paused for a second, lips twisting in contemplation. “It would be good if we could rescue as many people as possible. But on the other hand… a big group of people might attract too much attention. It would be much louder than just the two of us.”

“I thought about that. But sometimes there’s safety in numbers, as long as everyone can agree on a set of rules.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” I said. “Also, if we don’t tell them… I don’t know if I can live with it on my conscience. Knowing I could’ve helped people and chose not to.”

“Exactly,” she replied, nodding fervently. “So… you think we should tell them?”

“Yes.”

We headed back to the main room of the cabin and pointedly cleared our throats. The others turned their heads to look up at us, eyes wide. “What’s up?” Chris asked.

“We have something to tell you, and we also have a plan that might get us out of here,” Nikki said. She looked over at me. “Ev, do you want to tell them the first part?”

“Sure.” I cleared my throat again. “So, earlier today, I realized I’ve actually been here before. This island is named Wildercliff Island, and it’s—”

“I knew it!” Jade cut in, jumping to his feet. “I knew you were a mole! How the fuck can you—”

“Shut up, asshole!” Nikki snapped. “She’s not a mole. Let her finish!”

Jade sat back down, eyeing me warily, but he let me speak without interruption. I told the others the meat of the story—how my ex-boyfriend’s family owned an island, were likely involved with The Wild Hunt, and how I’d been inside the tunnels before, albeit a very long time ago.

“If we can make it up to the manor undetected, we can try to steal a satellite phone or radio to call for help. Also, there’s a helipad and a boat landing on the estate. And seeing as there are so many hunters here, there’s bound to be several boats too,” I said. “I doubt anyone here can fly a helicopter, but I’m sure we can figure out how to drive a boat, right?”

Chris raised his hand. “I know how to do it. We just need the keys.”

“We’ll figure that out when we get there. If we get there,” Nikki said. “This is all very risky. You understand that, right? These nutjobs will kill us if they see us trying to escape.”

“They’ll kill us either way,” Kanako said, looking pointedly at her injured arm.

Nikki winced. “I know. I just meant—”

“It’s okay. We all know what you meant—that we have to be very, very careful,” Ava said. She turned her gaze to me. “How sure are you that we can find this tunnel you mentioned?”

“Honestly? I’m not sure at all,” I replied. “But it’s the only hope we have.”

“That’s good enough for me,” Chris muttered.

Kanako sighed. “Me too.”

I looked at the remaining three in turn. “What about you?”

“I guess you’re right. It’s the only hope we have,” Ava said, shrugging. “If we stay on the island, we die.”

Wariness was still flickering in Jade’s eyes. “I don’t know,” he said in a low voice. “It almost sounds too good to be true. How do we know this isn’t some sort of trap?”

“It’s not,” I said, narrowing my eyes. “I’m trying to help you.”

“But how can we know that for sure?” he asked, forehead creasing. “For all we know, you could be a plant put here by the organizers to shake things up.”

“Look, Jade, I’ve been shot at twice today. Once with a gun and once with an arrow,” I snapped. “Just ask Nikki—they barely missed either one of us. If I was a mole, do you really think I’d risk my life like that?”

Nikki nodded. “She’s telling the truth. She’s not a mole. I’m literally staking my life on it,” she said. “But if you don’t want to risk it, I understand. We’ll go without you, and you can do your own thing. Hell, you can even look for one of the tunnels alone, if you want.”

Jade looked down at the dusty cabin floor, rubbing his jaw. Then he let out a heavy sigh. “I’ll come with you guys.”

“Good.” I looked over at Cheryl again. “I know you want to do the whole lone wolf thing, but this isn’t about surviving the game. This is about getting away from the game entirely. So do you want to join us?”

Her brows dipped in a contemplative frown. Then she nodded curtly. “I’m in.”

“Great,” Nikki said. She clapped her hands together. “Okay, my turn. I have some rules.”

“Rules?” Jade said scornfully.

“Yes, Jade. Rules.” She shot him a warning look and went on. “I used to hunt with my dad when I was a kid, so I know their tactics, and I know how to survive shit like this. But you have to follow the rules I lay out here, or else you’ll be risking all of our lives, because traveling in a big group comes with a whole host of risks. Understood?”

“Yes,” the others said in unison, including Jade, who looked slightly embarrassed now.

“Firstly, and this one’s pretty obvious—stay quiet. No screaming, crying, or even talking unless it’s absolutely necessary. I’ll teach you all some basic communication signs we can use instead of words. Also, to add to the no noise thing… no running unless necessary. It’s too loud.”

“Got it,” Ava said, nodding.

“Another obvious one. Listen to me. I know what I’m talking about. So if I say we go north, we go north. I don’t want to hear arguments,” Nikki went on. “Thirdly, if someone can’t keep up or pulls us down, we leave them behind. No exceptions.”

“What?” Kanako said, eyes widening.

Nikki raised a palm. “I know it sounds horrible, but it’s pragmatic. Think about it. If one of us gets stuck in a snare, and the rest of us spend half an hour trying to figure out how to get it down, a hunter could show up and kill every single one of us in that time. Or if one of us gets shot in the leg and can’t walk anymore…well, they’ll just slow us down if we try to carry them,” she said. “I understand how heartless it sounds, but we have to think about the greater good of the group.”

“She’s right,” Cheryl said. “It’s harsh but true.”

The others grudgingly nodded.

“Also,” Nikki continued. “Make sure you’re always aware of your surroundings. Keep an eye on the tree line and the ground around you. There could be anything waiting to jump out at us, whether it’s a hunter or a trap. Oh, and to add to that, for the love of God, always watch out for tripwires. Never take a single step for granted.”

“Right,” Ava murmured.

“Next, don’t trust anyone completely,” Nikki added. “Not even me. If someone starts acting weird, or you feel like they’re hiding something, don’t ignore it. Trust your instincts. If something feels off, it probably is.”

Jade raised his brows and glanced at me, but he didn’t speak. Clearly, he still didn’t fully trust me, given my earlier story, but he at least trusted me enough to stop saying snarky things.

“We can’t stop moving for too long, unless we’re hidden and have checked our surroundings thoroughly. If we stop, we risk being spotted. It’s like painting a target on our backs,” Nikki said. She glanced around, making sure everyone was absorbing what she was saying. “Lastly, if you’re caught in a trap or pinned down by gunfire, don’t try to fight back like a hero. Unless you’ve got an actual shot at escape, stay low and quiet. And if you’re ever separated from the group and you can’t find us… well, that brings us back to rule three. We won’t look for you, as harsh as that sounds.”

Everyone was silent for a moment. Then the group murmured their acknowledgement in unison.

“Okay, now I’m going to teach you all how to get around if you lose your compass and the rest of us aren’t with you for some reason,” Nikki said, briskly heading over to her backpack. “After that, I’ll teach you the communication signals.”

Once we were done with her lessons—aided by Cheryl, who’d studied up on survival tactics for years—I glanced over at a stack of blankets on the far side of the cabin. Then I checked the tiny pocket watch I’d received in my pack.

“It’s half past nine now, so we’ve got two and a half hours until this cabin is no longer safe,” I said. “I’d suggest getting some sleep so we’re more energized later, but I doubt any of us can actually manage that right now.”

“We should still try,” Cheryl said. “Even lying down and resting our eyes is better than nothing.”

As the seven of us laid out the blankets to create makeshift mattresses on the hard floor, our earbuds crackled to life with a gloating announcement.

“Hello, players. Here’s a little update for you,” the voice said. “We’re not even five hours into the Hunt yet, and out of the original fifty players, eleven of you are already dead. You’re dropping like flies! On top of that, according to our surveillance, only twelve of the remaining players made it to either one of the safe zones. You guys really need to step up your game, or else it’s going to be a short one. Also, a reminder for you: the two current safe zones will close at midnight. We’ll send out coordinates for the new safe zones after that. Happy hiding!”

“Assholes,” Nikki muttered.

“Should we change the time?” Ava asked, glancing at the clock on the cabin wall.

“Why would we do that?” Jade asked, forehead wrinkling.

“Well, if we set it to fifteen minutes earlier than it actually is, it’ll chime for midnight and wake us up when it’s only a quarter to twelve. That way we can leave before the hunters get here,” Ava said. “I mean… I’m just assuming they’ll be waiting to pick people off as they leave at midnight.”

“Nice idea in theory,” Nikki said. “But I bet there’s already a bunch of hunters waiting outside as we speak. So even if we left early, they’d still try to get us.”

“Oh.” Ava’s face fell. “You’re right. I didn’t even think of that.”

“We just have to be careful when we leave. Really fucking careful,” Nikki said, sinking into her pile of blankets.

I lay next to Nikki and tried to relax, but my mind wouldn’t shut off. I kept glancing toward the window, half expecting to see a figure lurking just outside.

Rhett.

I couldn’t help it. My thoughts kept drifting back to him again and again. Was he still out there, watching us? Waiting for us to emerge? I shivered at the thought, but it wasn’t all fear. Some twisted part of me wondered… would it really be so bad if he was out there?

The thought of him—the skull-masked version of him, the one hunting me—wasn’t as terrifying as it should’ve been. Instead, there was something undeniably exciting about it. The idea of him chasing me before pinning me up against a tree and brutally fucking me with that pierced cock of his sent a strange shiver through my body.

God, what the fuck was wrong with me?

I couldn’t afford to think this way. This hunt was real, not just some dark fantasy, and the fact that Rhett was part of it meant he was a killer. That was what I needed to focus on whenever he popped into my head. I shouldn’t be thinking about how sexy he looked with that mask on, or how the little metal bars on his cock made me salivate. It really, really wasn’t the fucking time for any of that.

But still… the dark thoughts wouldn’t leave me. They lingered, dangerous and tempting, driving me crazy.

I buried my face in my arms, hoping the darkness would somehow drown out the buzzing in my mind. No distractions. I had to focus on survival and sleep, not my next damn sex dream.

My eyes finally began to flutter with exhaustion, and I let myself begin to drift off. A few seconds later, a random thought jolted me wide awake, and for once, it had nothing to do with Rhett.

Shit.

“Nikki,” I whispered. “Are you still awake?”

She rolled over. “Yeah. I don’t think I can sleep. Why?”

“Do you remember what they said in the announcement?”

“Yup. They mocked us for dying so fast and told us the safe zones are closing soon,” she said bitterly, scooting a little closer so our whispered conversation wouldn’t disturb any of the others.

“There was something else,” I said. “He said ‘the original fifty players’, right?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“There were fifty-one of us at the start. Not fifty.”

“Wait… what?” She frowned. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. Positive. When we opened the cache, the backpacks were stacked on each other in five rows of ten, except for one extra on the side. And I distinctly remember seeing one marked with a sticker that said fifty-one.”

“That’s… not good,” she said, slowly shaking her head. “I mean, the guy on the radio could’ve just misspoken, but I don’t know. I feel like nothing here is an accident.”

“Same. So now I’m wondering if Jade isn’t just paranoid after all. There could be a mole. Someone added to the game to shake things up.”

“Fuck.” She exhaled deeply, rolled onto her back, and scrubbed her hands over her face. “It’s bad enough that we have to worry about the hunters. Now we have to worry about the players too?”

“Looks like it, yeah,” I said grimly.

“What do you think it means?” she asked, looking at me again. “Like, are they secretly a hunter, picking off whoever they manage to get alone so no one else suspects them? Or are they just here to sabotage us all?”

“I have no idea.”

“Shit.” Her eyes widened. “I just realized. It could be one of them.”

As she spoke, she tilted her head backward to gesture at the other five in the cabin.

“And we just told them all about our grand plan to escape,” I said, heart skipping a beat. “If one of them is actually a mole, they could secretly radio that information back to the organizers.”

“And then we’ll probably be the first to get bounties put on us,” she said. “Fuck.”

“Hold on.” I sat up, resting on my elbows. “We can sneak a look at their backpacks to check their numbers.”

I already knew mine was fifty and Nikki’s was seventeen, but I hadn’t even thought of looking at the other’s bags when they arrived.

Nikki sighed. “I don’t know. The organizers aren’t stupid, so they’d probably give the mole a number in the middle somewhere, because fifty-one would just be too obvious. Some random player probably got it instead.”

“True.” I sagged on the blanket again. “God, you and Cheryl were right. You really can’t trust anyone in this game.”

“No shit. In the end, it all comes down to one person. Yourself,” she said. “But that’s only if you’re playing the original game. And we’re not doing that. We’re trying to leave the game, like you said earlier. So I still think this tunnel idea will work.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. We already know we can trust each other. We just have to hope like hell that the others can be trusted too.”

“What are the odds that one of them is the mole?” I asked.

“Hmm. Let me think.” She frowned again. “If we’re just going by the five of them… there’s currently forty players left, including the mole, so that’s a one in eight chance that it’s one of them, right?”

“Yeah, that sounds right.”

“If we include the two of us, given our ‘trust no one’ rule, that’s… um…” She trailed off and sighed. “Shit, I’m too tired for this. I think it’s around a one in six chance.”

I glanced over at the others again. “God, I really hope it’s not one of us,” I muttered. “If it is, we’re so screwed.”

“Let’s go through everyone, one by one. See if we think we can trust them.”

“Okay.” I stuck my thumb up to start listing people on my hand. “Cheryl—no way she’s a mole. Absolutely no way. I trust her completely.”

Nikki nodded. “Yeah, she seems decent. I trust Kanako too. I don’t think the mole would let themselves get hurt.”

“Me neither. And Chris… we know he wasn’t lying about just getting out of prison, because that Peter guy said he saw the case on the news. So I doubt he’s working for the organization. I think he signed up because he genuinely thought it was a chance to get paroled.”

“Unless part of his ‘get out of jail free’ card included a deal with the organization to be the mole,” she said, raising a brow.

I groaned and put my fingers down. “Shit. Yeah.”

Nikki sighed. “This was a stupid idea. I shouldn’t have even brought it up,” she said. “I mean, no matter how much we think about it… it really could be any one of us. It could even be you or me.”

“I guess we just have to hope it isn’t someone here, seeing as we already told them our plan.”

“No shit,” she said, grimacing. “But they all looked genuinely shocked when you mentioned the tunnels, right?”

“Yeah.”

“The mole wouldn’t be shocked, because they’d already know about the tunnels. So I’m going to hold out hope that we got lucky.” She cast a look toward the other five. “I think we’re safe with them.”

“I guess we’ll find out,” I murmured.

We went quiet, trying to get a little bit of rest, but the tension in the air kept me wide awake. Every creak of the cabin and every rustle from outside drew my attention, reminding me of the awful situation.

Eventually, the clock on the cabin wall struck midnight, its loud chime slicing through the stillness like a warning. I froze at the sound, reality settling in.

It was time to go.

19

Everly

We managed to leave the cabin without incident, slipping out into the darkness as quietly as we could. For an hour, we walked through the forest, moving steadily toward the closest open safe zone, hoping we’d get there soon enough to snatch some much-needed hours of sleep before daybreak.

According to Nikki’s mental calculations, the safe zone was around an hour and a half northeast of the previous zone. Faster if we ran, but we already knew that was a bad idea.

An hour and a half didn’t sound like much, but out here in the island’s rough wilderness, it felt like forever. Every crunch of leaves underfoot, every faint rustle in the distance, every shadow in the moonlight… it all felt like a threat waiting to pounce. My nerves were stretched so tight they felt ready to snap, and every step seemed to amplify the weight of the danger surrounding us.

And then there was him.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that Rhett was close. I didn’t know if it was my paranoia messing with me or if he was really following us, staying just out of sight. The thought of him hunting me lingered in my mind, twisting into something I didn’t know how to deal with, and I kept looking over my shoulder, torn between fear and... something else. Something I didn’t have time to unpack right now.

There was a sudden crackling sound in my earbud. I expected it to be an announcement, declaring another player dead, but instead a familiar deep voice filtered into my ear.

Rhett.

“It’s me. I’m on a private channel. I can’t do this for more than a few seconds because they’ll notice the interference, so listen to me carefully, because I won’t be able to contact you like this again,” he said. “I’ve been tracking you, and I see you’re currently heading northeast. Don’t go that way. Turn back. Find another safe zone. I repeat: stop heading northeast.”

With that, his voice cut off, and I froze mid-step, heart hammering in my chest. My instincts were right. Rhett had been tracking me all night. But instead of attacking me, he was warning me.

Why? And why was he trying to stop me from going northeast? What was waiting for us there apart from the safe zone?

My stomach churned with confusion as I considered it all. Was Rhett luring me into a trap by convincing me to head in a different direction, or was he genuinely helping me out because some deep-down part of him cared about me?

Or… was he helping me avoid real trouble with another hunter in the north, just so he could capture me for himself later as part of some sick, twisted game he felt like playing?

The logical part of my brain leaned toward him having bad intentions, but the more I allowed his words to echo in my mind, the more I realized that there had been something in his tone—a quiet urgency that didn’t feel like manipulation. It felt more like concern. Or did I imagine that? Was my brain trying to humanize a monster because I simply couldn’t imagine being one myself?

My mind kept racing, tangled in doubt and panic. Nothing about this made sense. Rhett was supposed to be the enemy, but he’d just let me know that he hadn’t killed me when he had the chance to while tracking me. Hell, he’d probably had multiple chances, and he hadn’t taken a single one.

“Everly?” Nikki’s voice pulled me back, her brows furrowing as she realized I’d stopped. “What’s wrong?”

Everything was wrong.

But I couldn’t tell her, or the others, what I’d just heard. It would only add to their suspicion that I was a mole, because no one else here was getting private warnings from hunters.

I had to say something, though. Anything.

“Um… are you sure we’re going the right way?” I asked.

She nodded and showed me her compass, glinting under the moonlight. “Directly northeast. See?”

“Yeah. Sorry.” I shook my head. “I’m just so tired. My brain isn’t working.”

“I hear you.” She grimaced and turned back to face the path we were carving through the woods. “We need sleep. Badly.”

I took a deep breath and started walking again, mind still spinning over Rhett’s bizarre warning. I was starting to think he enjoyed messing with my head; obtained a sick pleasure from pushing me to question myself and doubt everything.

That would explain why he’d helped me back at Hollingsworth while simultaneously tormenting me. It was a way to manipulate me and keep me under control from all the fear and confusion he provoked in me. In a nutshell: a very effective terror campaign.

My best bet? Ignore him and keep heading to the safe zone.

Ten minutes later, an arrow whizzed through the trees, landing on a trunk just ahead of the group with a sharp thunk. My heart leapt into my throat as I stared at it. Its shaft was still quivering; a stark reminder of just how close we’d come to being hit.

“We need to run!” Nikki said in an urgent whisper, glancing at the rest of us over her shoulder. “Come on!”

Jade reached up, wrenched the arrow out of the tree, and took off into the shadows without a word.

“Dammit!” Nikki hissed, moving after him. “I didn’t say split up! We need to stay together!”

The rest of us followed her, our steps quick but careful, the weight of impending danger pressing down on our shoulders. Nikki finally motioned for us to get down when we came across a thick group of shrubs.

“We can hide behind here for now,” she whispered, scanning the forest around us with sharp, calculating eyes. “Whoever fired that arrow is still close.”

I crouched low, my heart thumping so loudly that I honestly worried it might give us away. The others shifted uneasily, and Nikki held up a hand, signaling for us to stay completely still.

Through the tangled branches, I thought I saw movement—a shadow gliding silently between the trees. My stomach clenched. Was it a hunter? Another player searching for the safe zone? Or was Rhett still out there, watching, waiting?

Nikki’s eyes narrowed. “Stay low,” she murmured. “Don’t make a sound.”

Every second stretched unbearably as we huddled behind the shrubs for what felt like forever, barely even breathing. My legs ached from crouching for so long, but I didn’t dare move.

Finally, Nikki let out a sigh of relief. “I think he’s gone. He must’ve given up and moved on.”

“Thank god,” Kanako muttered. “My legs are killing me.”

Cheryl turned to look at Jade, forehead creasing. “Why did you grab the arrow?” she asked. “It’s not a good weapon without a bow.”

“Better than nothing,” he replied. “But that’s not why I took it. I saw something. Something I guess the rest of you missed.”

“What?”

He lifted the arrow to show us. A piece of paper was wrapped tightly around the shaft, secured with black tape. Carefully, he peeled it away, his hands trembling slightly as he unfolded it.

A singular word was written on the paper in block letters.

STOP.

A chill ran down my spine as I stared at it. It had to be another message from Rhett.

I groaned internally, mind reeling. I knew I couldn’t admit that he’d contacted me earlier without the group suspecting I was a mole and potentially exiling me from their presence, but still… I had to say something to warn them about his twisted little game.

“Do you think it’s some sort of trap?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “Someone trying to trick us into turning back so they can catch us?”

Nikki frowned, her gaze darting around the dark forest. “Of course that’s what it is,” she replied. “The only people out here with bows and arrows are hunters, and they aren’t on our side, are they?”

“What if another player found a weapons cache?” Chris asked, brows rising. “They could be warning us that we’re going the wrong way.”

“If it’s another player, why wouldn’t they just reveal themselves and tell us in person?” Cheryl said. “Why would they fire an arrow over our heads and scare the shit out of us?”

“Oh. Right.” Chris scrubbed his hand over his face. “Fuck, I’m really not thinking straight.”

“Let’s just keep going,” Nikki said, slowly rising to her feet. She jabbed a thumb toward the right. “This way.”

After another few minutes of careful, quiet navigation through the forest, we stumbled onto the edge of a large clearing. The moonlight filtered through the sparse trees, casting long, eerie shadows over the open space.

“Is this the clearing you saw when you were a kid?” Nikki asked, looking at me with raised brows.

I shook my head. “It can’t be. It’s the wrong shape, and it seems a lot bigger too.”

“Damn.” She sighed and rubbed her eyes before scanning the trees on the other side of the clearing. “All right, everyone. We should cross over.”

“But it’s an open area,” Ava said anxiously. “Won’t that make us vulnerable?”

“It will, but we don’t really have a choice. The safe zone is directly on the other side of this clearing, and as you can see, it’s fucking massive,” Nikki replied, gesturing to the shadowy expanse of land. “If we try to go all the way around it, we’ll be adding an extra twenty minutes onto our journey. Maybe even more. Also, it wouldn’t surprise me if the hunters have left traps all around it, because they’ll be expecting people to avoid open spaces as much as possible, right?”

Ava glanced nervously at the tree line toward our right, her lips pressing into a thin line. “But what if someone’s watching us right now? Waiting for us to step out?”

“That’s always a possibility,” Nikki said, her voice steady. “But staying here guarantees nothing. So I say we cross the clearing, moving fast and staying low. Single file. No noise. And watch out for tripwires.”

I could see Ava’s hesitation, but she eventually nodded, clutching the straps of her backpack like a lifeline.

“We’ll be fine,” I added softly, hoping to reassure her.

In truth, I had no idea if we’d be fine.

Nikki had a good point about potential traps around the edges of the clearing, because the hunters would almost certainly anticipate people’s natural instinct to keep out of open areas and go around them instead. However, I could see Ava’s point too. For all we knew, there could be a sniper sitting somewhere on the edge of the clearing, patiently waiting for players to step right into it.

Nikki motioned for us to follow her. “I’ll lead. Chris, you bring up the rear. Everyone else, keep your eyes sharp. If you see or hear anything, stop and get down immediately. The rest of us will follow suit.”

“Okay. Just give me a minute,” Chris muttered. “I need to mentally prepare myself for this shit.”

“Fine.” Nikki dipped her chin in a curt nod. “One minute and we go. Everyone clear on that?”

“Yup,” Jade said. He narrowed his eyes, scanning the clearing again. “I really hope these bastards aren’t using landmines.”

“Why would they use landmines?” Kanako asked. “Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of hunting us?”

“Not exactly.” He grimaced. “If you step on a mine, it won’t necessarily kill you. It could just blow off a foot, or even a whole leg. And you can’t exactly move fast after that, can you?”

“Guys. Stop. This kind of talk will only make us panic, and we have to remember, that’s what they want,” Nikki said hotly. “They want us to lose control. To make mistakes. We can’t give them that satisfaction. So try to think positive thoughts, okay? We’ve got this.”

Everyone murmured their reluctant agreement, and one by one, we started crossing the moonlit clearing. The vast openness made me feel unbearably exposed, like there was a neon target pinned on my back. I was just waiting for something to happen, waiting for a shot to ring out and a bullet to lodge in my chest.

A sudden gust of wind rustled the sparse grass, and I swore I saw a shadow shift in the distance. My breath hitched, but I forced myself to keep moving as Nikki’s words flashed in my head. Try to think positive thoughts.

She was right. I had to stop freaking myself out. No more thoughts of bullets in human targets. Nice things only.

I tried to make myself think about my favorite comfort meal, but Rhett’s irritatingly-handsome face floated into my mind instead. Goosebumps immediately cropped up on my arms, and I swallowed hard, trying my best to force the mental image away. That man was like a damn trapdoor; one thought of him and I’d lose my footing and fall.

Wait.

I stopped in my tracks, mind whirling. I’d never thought about trapdoors before, not even in a metaphorical sense. So why did that specific word suddenly pop into my head right now? It was like something inside me was warning me. Like my instincts were picking up on something I couldn’t yet see.

Nikki’s earlier words of advice floated into my head. Trust your instincts. If something feels off, it probably is.

"Stop," I whispered urgently, my voice tight. “Now.”

The others froze and crouched in their spots immediately, exchanging confused glances.

"What’s wrong?" Cheryl whispered, her voice laced with concern. “Did you see something?”

At first, I didn’t know what to say. I still had no idea why I’d felt the sudden urge to make everyone stop. Then it hit me.

The ground felt different here. It wasn’t the solid, firm earth we’d been walking on for the past hour. Instead, there was a very slight—almost imperceptible—bounce with every step, like the ground was hollow only inches beneath our feet. Like we could take one wrong step and cave right through.

Just like a fucking trapdoor.

“There’s something wrong with the ground,” I said, shaking my head. “It feels weird whenever I take a step. Like it’s thin. Too thin. I think it’s been hollowed out.”

“I noticed the ground too,” Jade said, his voice low. “I thought maybe it used to be a swamp, or something like that. So the ground is springy from the residual moisture.”

“Or it could be one of those tunnels you mentioned,” Ava interjected, eyes widening with excitement. “Right beneath our feet!”

“I don’t think it’s that,” I said, voice laced with trepidation. “A properly-engineered tunnel would be deeper underground, wouldn’t it? Not just an inch or two. And it would probably have a reinforced steel or concrete top covered by the earth, so we wouldn’t feel anything different when we walk over it. It would just feel like regular solid ground.”

“Oh, shit,” Nikki whispered, catching onto my train of thought. “This could be a giant pit trap.”

I swallowed thickly and nodded. “That’s what I’m worried about,” I said. “When we first started the game, they told us there would be false safe zones. Places that may appear to offer protection but come with unforeseen risks."

“But couldn’t Jade’s theory be right?” Kanako said. “This could just be an old swamp with a bit of leftover moisture that makes the ground feel bouncy. Nothing to freak out over.”

Before anyone could reply, Nikki reached back and grabbed the arrow out of Jade’s hand. Then she leaned forward and jabbed it down into the earth about a foot ahead of her. It went in fast, like it hadn’t met much resistance.

She pulled the arrow back out and held it up for us to see. The tip was coated with dirt, but the rest was clean, confirming that the ground beneath our feet was mostly hollow.

“Everly’s right,” she said. “They’ve hollowed out everything beneath the first few inches. We’re probably walking on fucking mesh right now. Very thin mesh that could snap at any second.”

“Shit!” Kanako’s voice had risen an octave. “What do we do?”

Cheryl lifted a palm. “Stay calm. Don’t move.”

“I really should’ve seen this coming,” Nikki said. Panic was creeping into her voice. “So much for my fucking survival skills, huh?”

“It’s okay. Nothing’s actually happened yet, and we’re all fine,” I said in the most soothing tone I could muster up. “I think we should go back the way we came, because we know it’s safe in those parts.”

“So we just walk backwards?” Jade asked. “Retrace our steps as closely as possible?”

“No.” Cheryl’s hand was still in the air. “The parts we already stepped on might’ve weakened now, just from having our weight on them for so long.”

“What do you think we should do, then?” I asked.

She frowned, scanning the clearing around us. “The closest edge is to our left, so I think we should head that way,” she said. “Then, once we get to the edge, we can figure out our next move. I’m thinking we should forget about this safe zone and try to get to one of the other ones instead. But we can discuss that properly later.”

My heart was pounding so fast it felt like it might explode. All I could think was: Rhett wasn’t lying.

He’d genuinely tried to help me escape this trap tonight, which begged the question—why? Did he actually want to save me from this place, or was it like I suspected earlier, with him guiding me away from the danger in the north only to capture me for himself later?

If the latter was the case… how much longer would he toy with me? Until I finally broke?

Cheryl cleared her throat and continued. “Is everyone okay with going to the left?”

The rest of the group muttered their assent, their voices low and strained, tension thick in the air. We all knew that one wrong move could be our last. Cheryl motioned for us to follow her, and we began to walk left, stepping as slowly and carefully as possible.

Just as we approached the tree line, I heard a soft, sickening crack from somewhere behind me. I whipped my head over my shoulder to look at Chris, who was still at the back of the group. His foot had slipped, just a fraction of an inch, and before anyone could react, the ground beneath him gave way.

He dropped like a stone, and a sharp scream tore from his throat as he plummeted down into a hidden pit.

“Chris!” Ava screamed, falling to her feet. She peered over the edge of the trap. “Oh, shit! He’s on a fucking spike!”

Chris groaned. “It went right through my leg. I’m stuck.”

“See if you can grab my arm,” Ava said, reaching down into the dark pit. “I think I can pull you off the spike. Guys, can you help me?”

“No, Ava, stop!” Nikki hissed, her voice low but urgent. “We can’t do that.”

“Why?”

Nikki opened her mouth to respond, but Cheryl answered for her. “Rule number three. We can’t slow down for anyone,” she murmured. “We all agreed to it.”

“But there’s no one here! We can get him out!”

“Now that someone’s triggered the trap, a hunter will probably show up to finish the job. It could happen any minute now,” Nikki said, peering at the tree line with wide eyes. “If we’re still here when that happens… we’re all dead too.”

Ava shook her head, still staring down at Chris, her expression stricken. “We can’t just leave him here to die!”

“You can,” he called up to her, voice gruff with pain but firm. “They’re right. It’s what we agreed on. You have to save yourselves.”

Ava wildly shook her head. “No, I’m not going!” she said. “Just let me try! Give me one minute!”

“You’ll only get yourself killed,” Chris said. The edge on his voice told me that his pain was getting worse. “You need to go. All of you. Now.”

“Ava, come on,” I said. Tears were stinging my eyes, but I blinked them back, knowing Nikki’s rule existed for a reason. The longer we stayed in this situation, the closer we got to becoming targets ourselves. “We really have to go.”

“No!”

“Look, if it helps you feel a little less guilty… I lied earlier,” Chris said. “On the beach.”

Ava’s face contorted with confusion. “What?”

“I did kill my parents,” he said. His voice had turned preternaturally calm and smooth. “They threatened to cut me off and change my inheritance, so I shot them before they could sign all the paperwork and burned it so no one would ever see it. I really thought I’d get away with it, too. But I was wrong.”

Ava recoiled, snatching her hand out of the pit like it had been burned. Then her face crumpled, and she turned away and stepped into the woods without another word. One by one, the rest of us muttered our goodbyes to Chris before turning to follow Ava.

As we walked, the air around us felt heavier, thick with the weight of the horrible decision we’d just made. I wanted to stop and look back, but I had to fight that urge, because I knew we couldn’t afford to waste a single second.

Less than a minute later, a shot rang out, and I knew a hunter had shown up to finish the job, just like Nikki predicted.

My earbud crackled a couple of minutes later, followed by a familiar smug voice. “Player 23, eliminated by Hunter 18.”

I swallowed hard and pressed on through the dense underbrush, trying to stay as quiet as a mouse. Even though I was doing my best to ignore the guilt and regret knotting in my stomach, I still couldn’t help but wonder—did Chris really kill his parents? Or was he just saying that to make Ava feel better about leaving him behind, thus saving her from the same fate as him? Was he a hero or a villain?

I would never know the answer to any of those questions. But I did know one thing for sure.

In a place like this… everyone would turn into a villain eventually.

20

Everly

We made it to another safe zone just as exhaustion threatened to overtake us completely. The cabin was smaller and more rundown than the last one, but none of us cared. It had a roof, a lock on the door, and a stash of supplies tucked into one corner. That was all that mattered—safety for now. It was set to close at six, meaning we’d all get four hours of sleep if we nodded off right now. Not enough, but better than nothing.

The moment we stepped inside, the tension lifted slightly, though it didn’t fully dissipate. I knew it never would. Not as long as we were stuck on this godforsaken island.

Ava collapsed onto the floor, her head in her hands. Kanako and Nikki moved to the corner to sift through the supplies, and Jade curled up in the opposite corner. I sank onto the nearest surface beside Cheryl, my legs aching and my mind a swirling mess.

The more I thought about it, the more I felt as if Chris’s death was my fault. If I’d listened to Rhett’s warning and told the others we needed to turn back, Chris could still be alive right now.

I wasn’t sure how I could’ve brought it up, though, considering the gist of the story was: I slept with one of the hunters a week and a half ago, and now he’s delivering private warnings to me.

That would go down like a lead balloon.

I kept trying to justify it by thinking that even if I did tell the others about Rhett’s warning, they would’ve seen it the same way that I did—a nasty piece of trickery from him, designed to lure us somewhere else so we could be killed there instead. In the end, they probably would’ve voted to keep moving northeast, and we would’ve wound up in the trap field anyway.

That didn’t stop the guilt, though. I should’ve said something. I should’ve tried.

I leaned back against the wall, my eyes fluttering shut. The soft murmurs of the others faded into the background as my thoughts finally wandered away from Chris. Rhett’s warning was echoing in my head again, along with the endless questions it brought. Why did he try to help me? And was it really help, or just another step in whatever sick game he’d decided to play with me?

Suddenly he was right in front of me. I was back in the hotel room in Havenport, naked on the edge of the bed, and he was looming over me, eyes glimmering behind his skull mask.

“My pretty little prey has a pretty pussy to match,” he said, voice gravelly. “So sweet and so wet already.”

I was dreaming. I had to be dreaming.

A finger slipped between my legs, gliding up and down to gather my wetness before pressing inside.

“So tight for such a dirty whore,” Rhett growled. “That’s what you are, aren’t you? A dirty whore who doesn’t fucking listen to her master.” His other hand moved between my thighs, making me cry out as he slapped the top of my pussy. “You see what happens when you don’t obey me?”

“Yes,” I murmured, savoring the tantalizing ache between my legs. “I’m in big trouble.”

“Yeah, you fucking are, princess. So what should I do with you now that I’ve finally caught you?” Rhett hoisted my legs over his shoulders, lowering his head until I felt his hot breath fanning over my pussy through the holes in the mask. “Should I lick you until you almost come? Make you scream and beg for it? Or do you want me to shove my cock in you, even though we both know it won’t fit in this tight little hole?”

“I… I want…” Suddenly I couldn’t speak my mind, even though I knew this wasn’t real. It felt real, and that was enough to make me shy away.

“Say it,” Rhett commanded. “Or do you want to be punished more?”

Heat flared inside me. Yes. That was exactly what I wanted. I reached down, suddenly desperate to touch myself, but Rhett growled and slapped my hand away.

“Your pussy belongs to me,” he said. “And I didn’t give you permission to touch my property, did I?”

“Punish me, then,” I gasped out, my body desperately arching toward his hand. “Show me what I need.”

He slapped my pussy again, twice in quick succession, making me cry out as jolts of pain and pleasure collided inside me. Then he ripped the mask off, revealing his handsome face and cold smirk before he tilted his head back down.

His hot mouth closed over my pussy, devouring me with his lips and tongue. At the same time, three fingers slipped inside me; two in my pussy, the other in my ass. They pumped in and out, stretching me until my core ached for more.

“I’m not letting you come, baby,” Rhett said, pulling back to look at me. His fingers were still roughly pumping in and out of my ass and pussy. “I’m going to get you right to the edge, and then I’m going to fuck your ass until you beg me to give your pussy some attention. But it’s not gonna happen, princess. This is all for me. Not you.”

Somehow, knowing he was going to deny my orgasm turned me on even more, and I jolted on the bed, eyes squeezing shut as pleasure rocketed through me. Rhett returned his mouth to my clit and slid another thick finger into my ass, stretching me past my limits.

I gasped at the burning intrusion, wincing from the pain, and my eyes flew open to reveal the meager cabin around me.

I took a deep breath, head shaking slightly. Oh my god. What the hell was that dream?

I swallowed hard and lifted my chin, looking toward the closest window. The sky outside had begun to lighten, hinting at dawn’s approach. The safe zone wouldn’t be safe for much longer.

The others were still asleep, apart from Cheryl, who was chewing on a muesli bar and staring morosely at the other window. A mix of guilt and concern instantly surged through me. If Cheryl had fallen into the spike pit next to Chris, she would’ve died never knowing what happened to her sister, and I had a feeling that was exactly what she was thinking about right now.

I sat up straighter, blinking the sleep out of my eyes. I couldn’t change the past and bring back Chris, but I could do better now. Could do more to save everyone. Maybe even get those answers for Cheryl somehow.

I murmured ‘good morning’ to her, even though we both knew it was pretty fucking far from a good morning, and then I grabbed a muesli bar and dug my map out of my bag. I pored over it for ten minutes as I ate my breakfast. Then I waved at Cheryl to attract her attention without waking the others.

She shuffled closer, forehead creasing. “What’s up?”

“I think I might know where the tunnel entrance is,” I whispered back. “Approximately, anyway.”

Her expression brightened. “Seriously?”

I nodded. “Like I said, it’s just an approximation, but it’s better than us just cluelessly wandering around, right?”

“Yes. Let’s wake everyone up. They should all hear this,” she said. She stood and clicked her fingers loudly. “C’mon, guys. Time to wake up. We’ve got fifteen minutes before we need to head out, and Everly has an idea.”

Once everyone was gathered around me, I spread my map out again and pointed to a spot on the far west side of the island. “I think this is where Wildercliff Estate is. If we—”

“Wait.” Ava cut me off, lifting her hand. “How do you know where it is if none of it’s marked?”

“When I stayed there as a kid, I went to the beach a lot, and that was right near the manor. I remember it being a small horseshoe-shaped bay, and not far from it, there was an inlet that led to a river.” I pressed my fingertip onto the map. “See this? Horseshoe-shaped bay with an inlet not far from it. It matches what I remember.”

“Oh, I see.”

“If I’m right, that means the estate is somewhere around here,” I said, pointing at the map again. “The night we sneaked out, we walked through the tunnel for about twenty minutes, and then another five minutes through the woods before we found the clearing. I’m not sure about the exact direction we went in, but you can see there’s a mountain to the south, and I don’t remember seeing any sign of a nearby mountain when we exited the tunnel, so it’s probably not that way. It wasn’t west either, because that’s the ocean. So that means the clearing has to be somewhere around here.” I pressed my fingertip to another spot on the map and slowly swept it in a small arc. “Somewhere between the north and east, around twenty-five minutes away from the estate. And the tunnel entrance is only five minutes away from that.”

Jade’s brows rose, and a hint of excitement appeared in his eyes. He almost looked impressed. “Holy shit, that really narrows it down. A lot.”

“Yup.” My lips lifted in a ghost of a smile. “It’s not an exact location, but at least it gives us a vague target to aim for, so we're not just wandering around hoping to stumble on the right clearing.”

“No shit,” Nikki said. “Especially considering the size of this island. It’s fucking huge. We could’ve been wandering for days searching for that clearing.”

“This is good, Everly. Really good,” Cheryl said, patting me on the shoulder.

I averted my eyes as guilt flashed through me again. If the group knew what I’d hidden from them last night, they wouldn’t be so pleased with me now. “I just wish I thought of it earlier,” I murmured.

Kanako finally spoke up. “It is good that we’ve narrowed it down so much, but there’s one problem,” she said. She pointed to our current location on the map. “We’re all the way over here, and like Nikki just said, this island is massive. It could take us six hours to walk over to the west side. Maybe even more, considering how slowly we have to walk just to keep quiet.”

Nikki nodded. “We’ll have to try and stop at safe zones along the way. That might add some time to the journey, but it’s still a decent plan, right?”

Everyone nodded.

Nikki briskly clapped her hands together. “Okay, is everyone happy to move out now and start heading west?” she asked. “Once the next safe zones are announced, we can check the map to see which one makes the most sense to stop at.”

Everyone nodded again, and we began to gather our things, the quiet shuffle of gear filling the silence. My pulse thrummed as I adjusted the straps of my backpack, the weight of the situation pressing down on me like a lead blanket.

Even though our new plan gave us direction, it didn’t guarantee survival. We’d have to spend the whole day on our toes, praying we didn’t inadvertently wander into the path of one of the hunters—or worse, an ambush.

We’d all learned last night that these psychopaths didn’t just rely on brute force. Some of them thrived on strategy and patience. Like the guy who killed Chris. He must’ve lurked beyond the trap field for hours last night, hoping a player would fall through as they made their way toward the nearby safe zone, and in the end, his patience had paid off.

The civilian players like me could prepare and strategize all we wanted, but at the end of the day, it seemed like surviving this place came down to one thing: luck.

As we left the safety of the cabin and headed into the woods, my heart pounded louder and louder with every step I took. Every shadow felt like it was hiding a pair of eyes, every rustle in the woods a potential sign of someone waiting to strike.

Nikki took the lead again, her sharp eyes scanning the terrain ahead. "Stay close, and remember the rules," she whispered over her shoulder.

We quietly walked through the woods for the next three hours, heading toward the closest safe zone. It lay directly on our path westward, making it the perfect place to rest for a while before we continued our journey.

Nothing happened to us, thankfully, but we received multiple announcements through our earbuds, letting us know that several other players had been killed; a harrowing reminder that it could’ve been one of us if we were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

My bladder started to ache around mid-morning, so I turned to ask if the others minded stopping for a short toilet break.

“Hey, could we—wait, where’s Ava and Kanako?” I asked in a low voice, heart instantly racing. I could’ve sworn the two women were right behind me a minute ago, but I couldn’t see them now.

The others stopped and peered around, equally confused.

“I thought they were right behind us,” Cheryl said.

“Me too,” Jade added.

Nikki’s eyes widened as she looked over our shoulders, and she lifted a shaky finger to point at the shaded path we’d just come down. Ava and Kanako were sprawled on the ground, motionless, and my stomach dropped when I saw darts sticking out of their necks.

“Shit,” Cheryl hissed. “Run! Now!”

Panic surged through me like a tidal wave, and I bolted. The forest came alive with the sounds of our escape—branches snapping underfoot, heavy breaths, and the ominous rustling of leaves somewhere behind us.

Ahead, Nikki suddenly stopped and waved us toward the dark mouth of a cave. “Look! We can hide there for now!”

“We can’t go into some random cave. What if it’s a trap?” Jade said, brows shooting up.

“We don’t have a choice!” Nikki shot back. “Whoever got Ava and Kanako is probably still close!”

Without further argument, we ducked inside the cave, our footsteps echoing in the cavernous space. The air was damp and cold, and the faint scent of moss filled my nose. My heart was still racing when Nikki motioned for silence and carefully clicked on her flashlight.

It illuminated something unexpected—wooden crates stacked against the walls.

“Holy shit,” Jade said, his voice tinged with disbelief. “This is one of the hidden supply caches they told us about.”

“Thank god,” Cheryl muttered. “I was half-expecting a pit of writhing snakes, judging by how everything else has gone so far.”

We cautiously approached the crates, finding food, water, and medical supplies. There was even a pair of binoculars, which would be useful for scouting our surroundings and spotting potential threats from a distance.

“We shouldn’t stay too long,” Nikki said, unzipping her backpack to load it up. “It’s not a proper safe zone. We should just take what we can and get out.”

We packed what we could and ate a meal of canned garbanzo beans on rice cakes in tense silence, keeping our ears tuned for any sign of movement outside. Then, with full stomachs and every pocket stuffed with food and supplies, we headed back to the mouth of the cave.

“Let’s go,” Nikki said, her voice firm. “Our target safe zone is only thirty minutes away, and it opens not long after that, so it’s almost perfect timing.”

We stepped out of the cave one by one, re-entering the forest with renewed energy but the same suffocating fear. Around ten minutes later, we stumbled upon a clearing, the dense forest suddenly giving way to open ground. There, sprawled on his back, was a hunter.

“Is he dead?” Jade asked in a low voice.

“I’ll check,” Nikki whispered. She pulled out the binoculars and focused on him. “There’s blood all over his head. Looks like someone hit him with a rock. There’s one right next to him, covered in blood.”

“Shit,” Cheryl murmured. “A player must’ve taken him out. Good for them.”

“We should grab his gun, or anything else useful he’s got,” Jade said. “Bulletproof vest, maybe.”

My stomach twisted as I stared at the scene. Something about it felt wrong. “I think we should wait a while before we do anything,” I said. ‘This could be a trap.”

“I agree,” Nikki said. “He could’ve seen or heard us coming and set this up with fake blood, just to trick us.”

Jade frowned. “That’s a pretty elaborate strategy, don’t you think?”

“Yes, but I wouldn’t put anything past these guys,” I whispered.

“She’s right. We should just wait a while and see what happens,” Cheryl said.

We shrank back and crouched down, watching from the tree line as the hunter lay motionless. Minutes passed, and he didn’t so much as twitch.

“Come on, guys,” Jade finally said. “It’s been ten minutes now, and he hasn’t moved. He’s obviously dead.”

“He could be, but what if someone else is using him as bait to lure people out into the open?” Nikki whispered.

“My thoughts exactly,” Cheryl muttered. I nodded in agreement.

Jade scoffed. “We haven’t seen or heard anyone else lurking around, and we have binoculars now, so we can be pretty certain,” he said, rising to his feet. “But if you guys don’t want a bulletproof vest or gun… fine by me. I’m happy to take it all for myself.”

He stepped into the clearing and bent over the hunter, patting him down and shaking him. The body flopped like a ragdoll, completely unresponsive.

“See? I told you so!” he called over to us, grinning as he rifled through the hunter’s pockets. “Oh nice, he’s got a—”

With a sudden, brutal movement, the hunter’s body jerked upright, and in one smooth motion, he retrieved a hidden knife from a pile of leaves at his side and drove it straight into Jade’s back.

The blade sank deep, a sickening squelch following the violent impact. Jade’s eyes went wide in shock as he stumbled forward, gasping.

“Shit!” Cheryl screamed, her voice breaking the stunned silence. “Run!”

She turned and bolted back into the forest. Nikki and I followed, sprinting as fast as our legs could carry us.

As we fled, my heart pounded in my chest, the terror of what we’d just witnessed rushing through me in waves.

How much more of this could I take before I finally broke?

21

Everly

We finally stopped after what felt like an eternity of running, chests heaving and legs trembling from the exertion. Cheryl bent over, hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. I sank down next to a tree trunk, wiping the perspiration from my hairline with my free hand while Nikki unfolded her map on the ground next to me.

“Where are we now?” Cheryl rasped, voice barely above a whisper.

Nikki shook her head. “I have no idea. We bolted so fast. I wasn’t even thinking about the direction,” she said. Her eyes narrowed as she stared down at the map. “As soon as I figure it out, we can try to get back on track.”

I glanced at the trees, their dark silhouettes identical in every direction. “I think we ran south, but I’m not sure.”

Nikki straightened and pointed to a gap in the canopy. I followed her gaze to see dark gray clouds blanketing the sky. “I really wish the sun was out,” she muttered. “If we knew its position, it would be a hell of a lot easier to reorient ourselves.”

I swallowed hard, trying to push past the weight of panic clawing at my chest. Every second we stood still felt like an invitation for danger to catch up.

“It’s okay,” Nikki went on. “I can still figure it out. It’ll just take a few minutes.”

“If you don’t mind, I need to find somewhere to squat,” Cheryl said. “I almost pissed myself back there.”

“Me too,” I said, finally remembering my aching bladder. It was weird how fear could make you fail to notice the most obvious things until someone else pointed them out.

“Okay. You guys do that, and I’ll work on this,” Nikki said, pulling out her compass. “Just don’t go too far.”

I grabbed the roll of toilet paper from my backpack and ducked behind the closest tree. Cheryl ventured a little farther, heading for a dense group of shrubs.

When I was done, I returned to Nikki. Her expression was odd—her brows slightly furrowed, her lips parted, and her head tilted as if she were straining to listen to something.

I ducked down and whispered to her. “Are you okay?”

Her gaze snapped over to me, and her shoulders sagged. “Oh, shit, it’s just you,” she said, laying a hand over her heart. “I thought I heard something and freaked out.”

“Sorry.”

“No, it’s not your fault. I’m just losing my shit,” she mumbled. “I fucking hate this place.”

“Me too.” I frowned and peered around. “Cheryl isn’t back yet?”

Nikki opened her mouth to reply, but before she could get out a single word, a yelp broke the silence.

“Oh, shit,” I muttered, springing to my feet. “Something’s happened.”

I desperately hoped that Cheryl had just tripped over something, but in this place, I could only assume the worst. It was more likely that she was stuck in a bear trap, foot mangled and pouring with blood, or impaled on a spike like Chris, unable to wrench herself off.

Nikki lifted a palm, signaling for me to be quiet, and then she motioned in the direction Cheryl had wandered off in, silently urging me to follow her.

We moved cautiously, avoiding crunchy leaves and brittle twigs that might betray our presence. When we reached a row of bushes, we crouched low, the dense foliage offering just enough cover to peer through without being seen.

Through the gaps in the bushes, I spotted Cheryl suspended midair, tangled in a net that swayed slightly as she struggled. The thick rope creaked under her movements, her frantic squirming only causing the trap to tighten around her limbs.

“Fuck,” Nikki whispered, eyes wide. “She must’ve stepped on a tripwire.”

Cheryl’s muffled grunts of frustration carried through the trees, and I clenched my jaw, willing her to stay quiet. Then came a sound that chilled my blood—a low, deliberate crunch of heavy boots trampling through the undergrowth.

Nikki and I exchanged panicked glances, and she held up two fingers. Sure enough, a second set of footsteps followed, slower but just as deliberate.

The footsteps grew louder. Closer. My grip tightened on the bush in front of me, heart pounding as shadows began to move through the trees.

I lifted my gaze to Cheryl again. She was still squirming in the net, grunting with frustration. My throat tightened as I watched her, and tears stung my eyes, threatening to spill.

I wanted to cry, to scream, to beg for some miracle to undo this nightmare, but I knew better. Trying to help her now would only get us all killed. That was the reality of this horrible place—the rules didn’t allow for heroics.

The footsteps were almost on top of Cheryl now, and I could hear the low murmur of voices. One was gruff and sharp, the other quieter, almost amused. They weren’t in a hurry. They knew they had their prey trapped, and they wanted to savor the moment.

“Was this your snare or mine?” one of the hunters said as they stepped into the small clearing.

“Mine.”

“Well, congratulations, man.” The shorter hunter jabbed Cheryl’s ass with the butt of his rifle. “What’s your number, woman?”

Cheryl ignored him. He let out an irritated sigh and pulled his mask off. “Fuck, it’s hot under this thing,” he muttered, tossing it on the ground. “Check her bag. See if she’s today’s bounty.”

The other hunter removed his mask too, wiping sweat from his forehead as he kicked Cheryl’s backpack to turn it over. “Thirty-nine.”

“Damn. No extra points for you.”

“Still a point, though. Better than nothing. Especially with Sinclair dominating everything. What’s he on now? Six?”

“Yeah, six or seven. He got yesterday’s bounty, too. So maybe it’s actually eight.”

They were talking about Rhett. I strained to listen, curious despite the fear flooding my veins.

“I want whatever drugs he’s on, man,” the shorter guy said.

“That dude’s not on anything except adrenaline. He’s just got serious fucking issues. Remember his confession ceremony?”

“Shit, yeah. Can’t really blame the guy for being mad at the world, can you?”

“Can you fuckers just hurry up and kill me?” Cheryl finally snapped, kicking out at the net. “You can have your little gossip session later!”

The two men turned to look up at her, grinning. “Patience, woman. We feel like talking right now, so that’s what we’re gonna do for as long as we like,” one of them said in a taunting tone. “You’ll get your turn eventually.”

Coldblooded motherfuckers. They wanted to draw this out, keep poor Cheryl in suspense—literally and figuratively—until they finally decided to put her out of her misery. It was beyond cruel. Completely heartless.

Next to me, Nikki inhaled sharply, eyes widening. “Holy shit, I know those guys,” she whispered.

“Really?”

“Yeah. They’re from my econ class,” she said. “Jordan Prince and Matt Treska. They’ve both tried to sleep with me before. Many times.”

“So what?” I whispered back, wondering why on earth she’d bring up something like that in a moment like this. It was hardly the time for an ego boost.

“So I think I could probably talk them down. Convince them to give Cheryl a second chance.”

My heart sank. “Nikki, no. You can’t talk them down.”

“I really think I can,” she whispered insistently. “They wouldn’t hurt me.”

“Are you crazy? These guys are fucking psychopaths! They’d probably kill their own grandmothers if it awarded them points in this fucked-up game!”

“Yeah, maybe I am crazy. But I really think I can do it.”

I grabbed her arm. “Please don’t go out there,” I said, voice thick with emotion. “If you die, I’ll never forgive myself for letting you go. And I’ll never forgive you for doing something so stupid!”

“Well, I’ll never forgive myself if I don’t try,” she replied. She paused for a beat, steeling her jaw. “Cheryl told me about her sister. She deserves a chance to find out what happened to her.”

“Nikki, please don’t do this.” I vehemently shook my head. “You know better. It’s your rule!”

“I’m going. Just stay here, okay?”

Before I could argue any further, Nikki rose from the bushes and strode into the clearing. “Hey, Jordan,” she said, lifting a hand in a casual wave. “Hey, Matt.”

The hunters turned to her, faces etched with surprise. “Well, shit, look who the fucking cat dragged in,” Jordan said, rubbing his jaw. “Nikki Hahn.”

“What the hell are you doing here?” Matt added.

“You know why I’m here,” Nikki said, lifting her wrist to display her band. I could tell she was trying her best to sound brave, but a slight tremor had appeared in her voice. “Can we talk?”

“Talk?” Matt shook his head, letting out a cruel laugh. “This isn’t the time for talking, sweetheart.”

“That’s not what you said to Cheryl a minute ago,” Nikki said, jerking her thumb toward the net. “I heard you.”

“Spying on us, huh?” Jordan said with a sneer. He scanned the clearing. “Were you with someone else?”

“No. It’s just us two,” Nikki said, glancing at Cheryl again. “We, um… we teamed up at the start. As a pair.”

“All right. I’ll bite. What do you want to talk about, sweetheart?” Matt asked, voice dripping with condescension.

“I want you to let her go.”

“Why the fuck would we do that?”

Nikki lifted her chin. “I’ll give you something you want in return. Something you both want.”

“Yeah? What’s that?”

“I… I’ll fuck you. Both of you.”

Jordan and Matt laughed, and Cheryl groaned. “You shouldn’t have come here, Nikki,” she called out. “You should’ve just left me.”

“She’s right, you know,” Jordan said, raising a brow. “We can get pussy anywhere, anytime. So what makes your offer so special?”

Nikki bit her bottom lip. “I-I’ll let you fuck me in the ass. Most girls won’t let you do that, will they?” she said in a low voice. She paused and sank to her knees, staring up at the hunters with beseeching eyes. “You can both fuck me at the same time too, if that’s what you want. I’ll let you do anything. Anything.”

My stomach churned violently, and I dug my nails into my thighs to stop myself from screaming. Watching Nikki like this—on her knees, degrading herself, offering up her body for a sliver of hope that they might have mercy—made me want to tear my hair out. These men wouldn’t spare either woman in this scenario. They’d simply toy with Nikki, humiliate her, and then kill her and Cheryl.

Nikki wasn’t stupid. She had to know that. So why was she doing this to herself?

“Holy shit,” Jordan said, dragging out the syllables in the words for emphasis. “The ice queen has finally melted, huh?”

“You’ll really fuck us if we let her go?” Matt added, raising a scornful brow. “You’re that desperate to save this random bitch?”

“Y-yes,” Nikki said shakily. “Please.”

The two men stepped a few feet away to mutter to each other for a moment. Then they returned, smirks on their faces.

“Okay, sweetheart. You’ve got yourself a deal. We’ll let this one go in return for what you offered us,” Matt said, jabbing the net with his rifle again. “But… there’s a condition attached.”

“What condition?”

“We want you to beg for it first. You’re off to a good start down there on your knees. But we want to hear the words too. Otherwise the deal’s off.”

“What words?” Nikki asked, voice cracking.

Jordan adopted a mocking, high-pitched voice. “Please fuck my ass, sir. I need it so badly. I want you to stretch my asshole around your cock and fuck me until it bleeds.”

“Then use the blood as lube so your friend can fuck me even harder,” Matt added in a similar mocking voice.

Don’t say it, Nikki, I silently prayed. They’re just messing with you.

“Please fuck my ass,” Nikki began in a broken murmur. “I need it so badly. I want you to stretch my asshole around your cock and fuck me until it bleeds.”

“You forgot the sir. And speak up, for fuck’s sake.”

“Please fuck my ass, sir.” Nikki’s voice was louder now. “Then use my blood as lube so your friend can fuck me more.”

“Close enough.” Jordan shrugged and pulled out an enormous hunting knife.

Nikki screamed and leapt to her feet. Matt held her at bay. “Calm the fuck down! He’s just cutting the net down!”

Jordan sawed at the top of the trap until the rope gave out, sending Cheryl tumbling to the ground with a dull thud. She groaned and rolled over, still tangled up in the netting.

My eyes widened as I watched it all unfold. Holy shit. Nikki’s crazy plan was actually working. Cheryl was getting a second chance after all, and Nikki would too… after she gave the men what they wanted.

My stomach lurched at the thought.

Nikki hurried over to Cheryl to help untangle her. As she knelt beside her, a deafening crack shattered the air, and Cheryl’s body stilled instantly, her head slumping forward as a dark pool of blood spread beneath her.

“No!” Nikki’s scream tore through the forest, raw and guttural.

Jordan casually rested his rifle against his shoulder, his smirk transforming into a cold sneer. “We only promised to let her go. As in, let her go from the net,” he said, his tone almost cheerful. He tilted his head mockingly. ““We didn’t say we’d let her live, did we?”

“Semantics, sweetheart. That’ll always get you,” Matt added with a grin.

Jordan looked down at Cheryl’s body, his smirk fading into something darker, more sinister. Then he looked back at his friend. “I got to do her, so that means Nikki is your kill. One point each.”

“Right. But only after we give her the hard assfuck she begged us for,” Matt replied, stepping toward Nikki. “A deal’s a deal. Right, sweetheart?”

I wanted to scream, to cry, to tear these assholes apart with my bare hands, but I was rooted in place, my heart pounding in my ears. I knew exactly how it would end if I even tried.

Jordan roughly grabbed Nikki by the arm, yanking her to her feet. She struggled, her body thrashing in desperation, but he overpowered her easily, slapping a hand over her mouth to smother her screams. Matt, still grinning, grabbed her legs, and together they hoisted her into the air. She kicked and squirmed, but her resistance only seemed to amuse them.

Her muffled cries echoed in my ears as they carried her away, disappearing into the trees. I wanted to run after them, to stop them, to do something, anything. But there was no point. Nothing I could do would change the fate that awaited Nikki once they were finished defiling her.

I curled up in a ball on the ground, my breaths coming in short, ragged gasps as a toxic mix of grief, rage, hatred, and helplessness overwhelmed me.

Earlier, I’d felt a flicker of hope from the knowledge that I wasn’t completely alone; that there was a plan, a chance at survival. That hope had been extinguished now. Everything had fallen apart in the space of twelve hours with the rapid-fire series of deaths. First Chris, then Kanako and Ava, followed by Jade. And now, Cheryl and Nikki were gone too.

The silence around me felt suffocating, somehow more real and tangible than the dark clouds closing in over my head.

I was all alone now… and I wasn’t sure I could make it to the end.

22

Everly

The next few hours crawled by with a steady ache in my limbs and a numbing fog in my mind. This island felt like the bottom circle of hell itself, every twisted branch and shadowy corner a reminder of the death and desperation that surrounded me.

I’d lost count of how many player deaths had been announced by now. Half? More? All I knew was that they were gone, and I was still somehow here, wandering like a ghost in the ruins of this nightmare.

Just when I managed to get myself back on track to find the safe zone my group had been heading toward, I froze. There were voices coming from my left.

Panic surged through me, and I dove behind a cluster of bushes, clutching a jagged stick. My heart thundered as the voices drew closer, and then...

Three figures emerged from the misty woods, their movements sluggish and desperate. Two men and a woman—Craig, Nathan, and Chiara. I recognized all of them from the beach. Their faces were pale and spattered with dirt, and their eyes bulged like crazy when I stood up to reveal myself.

“Shit, you scared us,” Craig said hoarsely. “We thought you were a hunter.”

I didn’t lower the stick right away. I couldn’t trust anyone out here anymore. “I thought the same about you.”

“Do you have any food?” Nathan asked. “Or water? We haven’t made it to a single safe zone, and there’s nothing out here. We couldn’t even find a creek for water. Just a fucking puddle.”

I took a few steps closer and peered at them. Nathan’s claim was obviously true. Even though we were only two days in, all three group members already had a hollow quality about their faces. Their movements were clumsy too, like they were running on fumes.

My chest tightened, and I nodded and dropped the stick. “I’ve made it to a couple of safe zones, so I’ve got a few things stored,” I said, setting down my backpack. I got out three bottles of water, three muesli bars, and a packet of dried fruit. “Here. Share these.”

“Oh my god, thank you so much!” Chiara practically fell on the supplies, eyes wide. She took a long gulp of water, then looked back up at me. “We ran into another player about an hour ago, but he refused to help us.”

“That sucks,” I muttered, not really in the mood for conversation. My mind was still on Nikki and Cheryl.

“We think he was probably a mole,” Nathan added.

My gaze jerked up to meet his deep brown eyes. “You think there’s a mole too?”

“Yup. They said there were fifty players, but there were fifty-one packs at the start. So I think that means there’s an extra player here.”

“That’s exactly what I think too,” I said, nodding fervently.

“My first suspect was actually you,” he said, raising a brow as he unwrapped a muesli bar. “Given your story about not signing up for the game.”

“I really didn’t—”

He cut me off. “It’s okay. I don’t think it’s you anymore,” he said. “After a while, I realized that there was no way the mole would make themselves seem so damn suspicious from the start. And you instantly drew a lot of attention to yourself with that story.”

“Yeah, I guess I did,” I said. I tilted my head. “So what makes you think this other player is the mole? And who is it?”

“Peter. I don’t know if you remember him from the beach.”

“Yeah, I remember him,” I said, nodding slowly. “The one with pancreatic cancer.”

Nathan’s lips thinned. “I think he might be lying about being sick. Firstly, he seems really healthy and fit. Not like he’s dying at all,” he said. “Also, I only got a glimpse as he left, but I think his backpack said fifty-one. Sus, right?”

“It was twenty-one,” Chiara mumbled. “Your eyes just suck.”

“I’m sure it was fifty-one,” Nathan insisted.

My shoulders slumped as his words sank in. Nikki and I had already discussed the backpack numbering issue and figured that there was no way the hunt organizers would make the mole so obvious.

On top of that, I really didn’t think Peter was lying about being sick. Lots of people with serious illnesses seemed fine for a long time… right up until the day things suddenly fell apart. I knew that from experience.

My mother had been diagnosed with Stage 3 ovarian cancer when I was a kid. At the time, she’d been working sixty-hour weeks as an ER doctor and training for marathons as a hobby. She’d seemed as healthy as a horse, and she only found out she was sick when she went in for a routine scan after falling pregnant with the baby that would’ve been my younger sibling, if it wasn’t lost during the subsequent treatment process.

Even after that loss, coupled with the shock of the diagnosis, Mom had seemed strong and capable for months, until one day when she suddenly couldn’t get out of bed anymore. It was jarring, seeing her go from fit and vibrant to frail and dependent in such a short period of time, and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. I certainly wouldn’t accuse someone of faking it, either.

“What do you think?” Nathan said, forehead creasing.

As he stared at me, I realized I still hadn’t replied yet. I cleared my throat. “Oh, um… I don’t know,” I said, not wanting to get into an argument. “All I know is I’m not the mole.”

“Me neither.”

The other two echoed him.

I actually believed them. I seriously doubted the mole would allow themselves to be starved and dehydrated for two days, no matter how committed they were to the role of trickster-saboteur.

“Okay, look,” I said flatly. “We’re about half an hour away from the next safe zone. I know how to get there, and you can come with me. But listen carefully. If you stick with me, you follow my rules.”

I repeated Nikki’s rules from yesterday, my voice monotone. To my surprise, the others didn’t argue. They just nodded, clearly too drained to protest.

The sky was still filled with dark, heavy clouds, and the rain started ten minutes before we reached the zone—cold, relentless, and soaking through our clothes in seconds. We hurried toward the cabin perched near the edge of the clearing, only to find the door locked.

“What the hell?” Nathan rattled the handle in frustration. “It’s supposed to be open for another three hours!”

I turned to scan the clearing around the cabin, frowning as I realized the blue spray-paint that usually bordered a safe zone was missing. Had the heavy rain washed it away?

I was about to suggest that we break one of the cabin windows to get in when I spotted a flash of blue to the far right—a small circle around a hatch, almost hidden under a layer of vines and moss.

“There!” I pointed at the hatch. “The safe zone must be underground. This cabin must’ve been put here to trick people.”

The four of us hurried over to the hatch. Nathan yanked it open, and we all climbed down into the shelter.

The moment my feet hit the floor, my whole body sagged with relief. The underground space was small but solid, with sturdy walls and a low ceiling that gave it an almost cozy feel. There wasn’t any food, apart from what was left in my backpack, but there was plenty of water and, best of all, there was a small basin and toilet tucked into the corner in a cubicle.

My breath hitched when I saw the makeshift bathroom, and for the first time in hours, I felt a flicker of satisfaction. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d washed away the sweat and dirt; the last time I’d felt truly clean.

The others busied themselves with washing and drying off before eating the leftover rations I spread out on the floor for the four of us to share. I cleaned myself up last, ate a small packet of crackers, and curled up in the corner for a nap.

I knew I wouldn’t get much rest, given the way my mind was racing—cycling through every death I’d witnessed and every possible ambush that might be waiting for me next—but I knew I had to try anyway, or I simply wouldn’t have the energy to go on.

Somehow, I managed to get two whole hours of sleep, but then I was suddenly awake again, mind racing as crazily as ever. The others were all fast asleep on the floor, getting what was probably the first safe rest they’d had in the last two days.

I slipped on my shoes and crept quietly up the steps to the hatch, being careful not to rouse anyone. Seeing as I was wide awake now, I figured it was a good idea for me to check the weather outside and plan accordingly. If it was still stormy and pouring with rain, we were going to have a bad evening ahead of us.

When I pushed the hatch open and climbed out, the cold bit into me instantly. The rain had stopped, thankfully, but the island was now cloaked in a heavy fog, thick enough to obscure the nearest trees. Tendrils of it snaked through the forest, clinging to the ground like a ghostly blanket.

I stood there for a moment, rubbing my arms as I gazed out into the eerie stillness. The fog looked scary, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized it could be useful. Sure, we wouldn’t be able to see hunters coming… but they wouldn’t be able to see us either.

A sudden pang of hunger gnawed at my stomach, and I let out a sigh as I remembered that I’d shared the last of my food with Nathan, Chiara, and Craig earlier. It was the right thing to do, because none of them had eaten in so long, but damn… I’d kill for another muesli bar right about now.

“Probably not the best choice of words for that thought process,” I muttered to myself under my breath as a mix of guilt and shame streaked through me.

I still couldn’t understand how or why I’d survived so long while the others around me dropped like flies. I was no survival expert, and I hadn’t even gotten a chance to practice before I arrived on the island, seeing as I never signed up for this damn game in the first place.

It was like I had a guardian angel watching over me… but I had no idea what a guardian angel was doing down here in the pits of hell.

I glanced toward the cabin on the other side of the clearing, half-shrouded in fog. I knew it was locked, but I figured there could be some supplies inside that we’d missed earlier. After all, we’d been so desperate to get out of the rain that none of us had thought of looking through the windows or checking for alternate ways in. We’d simply tried the door, freaked out upon finding it locked, and then bolted to the hatch.

Maybe a loose board or an unlocked window would give me a way in. My stomach growled again, urging me to try. Desperation could make even the most hopeless ideas seem worth a shot.

I slowly crept toward the small building, staying low just in case. The fog around me seemed to thicken with every step, chilling me to the bone, but I was grateful for it anyway, knowing it was keeping me hidden from any nearby hunters even though I was in the middle of a clearing.

Once I made it up to the front of the cabin, I quietly tried the closest window, grunting with irritation when I found it locked. Dammit. I scanned the wall beside it for any sign of an opening—a crack in the wood that I could widen, or a loose board—but there was nothing.

With a sigh, I headed over to the other side to check there instead. As I rounded the corner, I froze.

There, leaning against the cabin wall, his eyes locked on mine, was Rhett.

23

Everly

My pulse hammered in my ears as I took a shaky step back. “You… you can’t be here,” I said, my voice trembling. “This is a safe zone.”

Rhett pushed off the wall and tilted his head, the faintest smirk curling his lips. “Wrong,” he said. His voice was low and smooth, laced with menace. “The safe zone is underground. Remember?”

Shit. He was right. In all my panic, I’d forgotten the cabin wasn’t part of it.

My breath caught in my throat and my legs nearly gave out beneath me. “Please,” I begged, my voice cracking. “Don’t hurt me.”

Rhett closed the distance between us in a swift, deliberate step and spun me around. Before I could react, my back hit the wall of the cabin, the wood cold against my already-damp clothes.

His hand shot out, gripping my shoulder, while the other brought a knife up to my throat. The sharp edge of the blade pressed against my skin, not hard enough to cut but enough to make my breath hitch.

“But you like it when I hurt you,” he said. His voice was low and menacing, eyes burning with predatory intensity. “Don’t you?”

I swallowed hard, averting my eyes.

With a swift motion, he moved the knife right under my chin, forcing me to look up at him. “Answer me, princess,” he growled.

My heart pounded as I met his cold gaze, my eyes widening in a strange mix of fear and anticipation. He pressed the tip of the knife a little harder, and I felt a sharp sting, followed by warmth as beads of blood welled up and trickled down my neck in a thin line.

Fear coursed through me like a tidal wave, but beneath it, something far more twisted stirred. My body was betraying me, heat pooling low in my belly despite the sharp bite of the knife at my throat.

Oh, god…

I was actually turned on by this.

What the hell was wrong with me? How could I feel this way when I was staring down death itself? It was insane. Literally fucking insane. And yet… that all-too-familiar rush of exhilaration was pulsing in my veins anyway.

I had to snap out of it. This wasn’t some dark fantasy in my head, happening in the safety of my bed. This was real. The pain was real, the blood was real, the blade digging into my throat was real.

“Please,” I said in a broken whisper.

The corner of Rhett’s mouth lifted. “Please what?” he said, pulling the knife ever-so-slightly back.

My eyes flicked up to his neck as my mind whirled through Cheryl’s self-defense advice. If you end up in close hand-to-hand combat, the eyes, throat, and groin are effective targets. No need to worry about playing fair in a situation like this.

It would be risky, but I could snap my hand up and chop Rhett right in the throat. While he was in that split second of surprise mixed with gasping pain, he’d probably drop the knife. Then I could make a run for it. It would only take me a few seconds to sprint back to the safety of the blue circle around the hatch, and he couldn’t touch me there.

My gaze flicked back to the knife, calculating. Even if Rhett didn’t drop it after I hit him, things could still work out in my favor. He’d pulled the blade just far enough back to give me a bit of breathing room, so as long as I ducked immediately after I hit him, he wouldn’t be able to slash or stab me with it. If he tried, it would probably lodge in the boards behind me instead.

I swallowed hard, trying to steady my trembling hands. Could I really do this? Would I be fast enough, or would he recover from the blow and sink that knife into me before I even got a chance to try?

Fuck it.

I had to try. If I was going to die today, I wasn’t going to go down without a fight.

I snapped my hand upward to aim for the center of Rhett’s throat. Before I could even graze it, his free hand shot out, grabbing my wrist in a bruising grip. He twisted it with startling ease and slammed it back against the wall, pinning it above my head. I cried out, tears of frustration instantly springing to my eyes.

“Nice try, baby,” he said, voice dripping with amusement. His face was so close now that I could feel his breath fanning over me. It was warm, but it sent shivers down my spine anyway.

I gritted my teeth, trying not to wince at the pain shooting through my arm. “Let me go,” I hissed. I was trying to sound strong, but the tears were already spilling down my cheeks, betraying my terror and hopelessness.

Unbelievably, my demand worked. Rhett dropped my pinned hand and took a step back, lips spreading in a cold smirk. “You know what, princess? I’m going to give you one shot.”

I blinked. “What?”

His smirk widened, and he lifted both hands in mock surrender. “You obviously want to fight, so I’m giving you a free shot,” he said. “I’ll let you hit me, as hard as you can.”

“Bullshit,” I whispered. He would never allow me to get a punch or slap in. This was all part of his sick game.

“I’m not lying. You can hit me.” His smirk widened. “But if you take me up on the offer, you better be ready to run afterwards, because I'll be chasing you down and fucking all that fight right out of you.”

Something swooped in my belly again; that same treacherous mix of fear and arousal that blurred the lines between pleasure and danger.

“Unless that's what you want,” Rhett went on, lifting a cocky brow. A spark of interest was flashing in his eyes. Or was I simply imagining that?

He lifted the knife back up, taunting me as it hovered mere inches from my face. “Tell me, Everly,” he said in a low voice. “Tell me what you want.”

Fuck you, I wanted to hiss as I stood there, chest heaving.

I hated him. Hated that he was right. The thought of him chasing me down and pinning me to the ground to viciously fuck the fight out of me… oh, lord. The thrill it sent through me was intoxicating, making my head spin as bolts of electricity shot between my thighs.

Stop it.

I gritted my teeth, begging my brain to take back control from my reckless, treacherous body. Every part of my mind was screaming at me to fight, to resist, but Rhett’s cocky, infuriating smirk, along with the dark allure of his words, held me frozen.

“Go on,” he said, stepping back just enough to tempt me. “Make it count, princess. I’ll even close my eyes if it helps.”

True to his word, he shut them, tilting his head slightly, exposing his neck as though daring me to aim there again.

My heart pounded, adrenaline coursing through me. I could do it. I should do it. My hands were itching to lash out, to strike him while I had the chance. But when I tried to lift them… they wouldn’t move.

If I actually hit him, or even dared to try, I knew he wouldn’t hesitate to make good on his promise. And I couldn’t do that. Couldn’t give him the satisfaction, even if I was dripping with desire for it.

“You’re sick,” I whispered.

His eyes snapped open. “Maybe. But you are too, because you didn’t run,” he said. “You could’ve done it at any point in the last minute, couldn’t you?”

Once more, he was right. He’d taken a few steps back. Lifted his hands. Instead of standing here considering whether or not to hit him, I could’ve bolted away to the safe zone. But something had held me back, held me with him, and it wasn’t just fear.

Rhett took a step closer. “Tell me what you want to do, Everly,” he said, echoing his words from earlier. He was looking at me so intensely now that I couldn't tell if he wanted to kiss me or kill me. Perhaps it was both.

I sucked in a deep breath. “What do you want?” I asked, voice barely above a whisper.

There was a flash of something in his eyes. Something unreadable. Then he dropped the knife with a clatter and closed the space between us, his hands bracing on either side of my head as he pushed me up against the cabin wall.

My breath caught as his lips crashed into mine, rough and demanding, stealing the air from my lungs and any coherent thought from my mind. He was kissing me like he owned me, rough and commanding, claiming what was his, and I was willingly giving myself to him, wanting to be used in whatever way he wanted.

I tried to tell myself it was just about survival. That as long as he was kissing me or fucking me, he wasn't killing me. But that wasn't true. I wanted him to fuck me, and the only thing killing me right now was the overwhelming desire to have him everywhere. My mouth, my hands, my pussy, my ass. Everywhere. Everything.

Rhett grunted into my mouth as one hand moved to grip the back of my neck. He was so strong, so possessive, so powerful. It was making me melt. Making me pant and drip with need as pleasure curled inside me. My thighs squeezed together, trying to soothe the desperate ache between them, but it only grew deeper, forcing a whimper from my lips.

Rhett let out another throaty grunt in response, and I started grinding against him, wanting to elicit more of those tantalizing sounds from him. His cock was rock-hard. I could feel it pressing up against me, teasing me, driving me wild.

Suddenly he pulled back, gazing down at me as he drew in a ragged breath. His pupils were dilated, eyes darker than ever. In them I saw a strange mix of lust, confusion, and shame. “Fuck,” he muttered. “Fuck.”

He stooped to pick up the knife again, and my stomach lurched. For a second, I thought he’d changed his mind, thought he’d decided to kill me after all. But then he rose back up to his full height and pressed the tip of the blade to my chest.

“I’m going to give you a chance, princess,” he said, slowly dragging the knife down the damp fabric of my sweatshirt. “A chance to prove your worth to me. To prove why I shouldn’t kill you right now.”

I knew exactly what I had to do. With trembling hands, I reached for the hem of the sweatshirt and slowly lifted it up over my head before tossing it aside. The air around me was still frigid, but I barely registered it. I was too hot, too hungry.

“Good girl,” Rhett muttered, letting the tip of the blade drop slightly.

Keeping my eyes on him, I unclipped my bra and let that fall to the ground too, feeling my nipples stiffen instantly under his wild gaze. I followed that with my shoes, pants, and underwear.

When I was finally naked, I sank to my knees on the rough ground, staring up at Rhett with wide eyes as I reached for the zipper on his pants. I slid it down slowly, teasingly, and he let out a groan, making a fist in my hair with his free hand. He pulled the strands tight until I felt a familiar sting of pain across my scalp; one that only intensified the desperate ache in my pussy.

I reached into his pants and pulled out his cock, practically salivating at the thought of having it in my mouth again. It was hot under my fingertips, apart from the metal piercings that ran along the underside. I leaned forward, sliding my tongue from the base right up along those piercings, before darting it over and around his frenulum until he let out a low growl.

“Oh, fuck, baby,” he muttered, yanking my hair. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

I was on my knees for a man who held my life in his hands… and yet, I’d never felt so powerful. I knew he hated me, knew he wanted me gone from this world, but the pleasure I brought him was enough to make him forget all that.

I opened my mouth wider to take all of him, and he gripped my hair even tighter, making my eyes sting with tears as he forced himself deeper. I made myself relax, stopping my gag reflex, but then he muttered a command down at me.

“Choke on it,” he said, voice dripping with power and possession. “Choke on my cock like the good little slut you are.”

Oh my god. This was even better than my dream.

The pulse between my legs was almost unbearable now, screaming for release. I let the tears spill, streaming down my cheeks as Rhett’s cock pushed in past the point of no return. My airway was so constricted that I couldn’t breathe properly, but I kept going, letting myself gag and choke until strings of saliva were hanging out of my mouth, drenching my chin.

“Fuck, baby, you're so good. So. Fucking. Good,” Rhett grunted, punctuating each word with a thrust that hit the back of my throat hard enough to make me moan. “If you keep going like this, I'm gonna come.”

I let his cock pop out of my mouth and tilted my head upward, panting to catch my breath. “Come,” I gasped out. “Let me swallow it all.”

“No,” he said, eyes narrowing on the saliva dripping off my chin. “Not until I've had my fill of you. Not until I've tasted every inch of you and fucked every one of your holes.”

The hand that was tangled in my hair lifted, hauling me to my feet as pain shot across my scalp once again. He dragged me back to the cabin wall and turned me around, commanding me to place my hands on it, just above my head.

I did as he said, and he brought the knife around to hover in front of my face. “Bite down on the handle,” he ordered. “Unless you want to wake those little friends of yours with your screams.”

Before I could reply, he shoved the black handle between my lips. I followed his command, clamping my jaw around the thick, hard rubber.

I expected him to slide his cock into me from behind, but instead, he lowered himself to his knees and grabbed my ass cheeks, spreading them open. “Arch your back,” he commanded. “I want to see every bit of you.”

I let out a whimper through the knife handle and arched, exposing myself to him as much as possible. I could feel his hot breath on my pussy and asshole, and part of me wanted to start bucking my hips, forcing his mouth onto me until I finally found my release. I stayed still, though, waiting for his orders.

“So fucking beautiful,” he muttered.

I couldn’t see him, but I knew he was staring right at my pussy as he slid a thick finger between my legs, moving it all the way under me to brush at my clit. He rubbed the throbbing bundle of nerves, slowly, torturously, before dragging his finger back through to tease my entrance.

“So wet,” he said as he slid the finger inside, eliciting another whimper from me. “I can see how desperate you are, baby. I can smell it too. So fucking sweet.”

Suddenly his mouth was on me, devouring me with his lips and tongue, swiping all the way from my ass to my dripping pussy and clit. Then his fingers were working at me again, three of them shoving into me as his tongue continued its magic, lapping at my asshole.

Holy hell.

I’d been eaten out before, but never from behind, and never anything involving my ass. It felt right, though. Felt incredible. When his free hand reached between my legs to rub at my clit again, I moaned through the knife handle, slipping right over the edge.

“That’s it, baby,” Rhett muttered. “Come for me.”

“Oh, fuck… yes!” I cried out as my legs trembled, letting the knife drop from my mouth. In a moment like this, I didn’t give a shit if anyone heard me screaming.

Rhett pulled back and rose to his feet, breathing hard. He grabbed me and spun me around to face him again, and with a ragged inhale, he lifted me up, forcing me to wrap my legs around him as my bare back hit the cold wall behind me.

Then he was there, the cold metal piercing on his cock rubbing over my still-throbbing clit. “I won’t be gentle with you,” he muttered.

That was all the warning I had before he thrust hard inside my pussy. He was so big, so thick, but my body welcomed the burn. I was utterly desperate for this, desperate for him. I wanted nothing more than to submit to him, give him anything and everything he demanded, scream for him, kneel for him, crawl for him.

He held me up in his strong arms, slamming me against the wall with every rough movement. He was stretching me so much. Stretching me so good. I was so close, so ready, so fucking desperate to drop over the edge. My pussy started pulsing around his cock, a sign of my impending second climax; one I knew would be utterly earthshattering.

“Don’t stop,” I gasped out. “Please… don’t fucking stop. Don’t… ever… stop…”

Rhett’s lips closed over mine again, letting me taste myself on him as he swallowed my words. He let out a low groan into my mouth as he brutally thrust into me one more time. Then he pulled out and set me back on my feet.

“Please!” I begged, eyes wide as my body ached with frustration. He couldn’t stop now. Not when I was so damn close.

“I told you,” he said in a low voice, eyes flaring with heat as he picked up the knife again. “I want every last piece of you. Now be a good girl and turn around. Hands back on the wall. Legs as far apart as you can.”

As I followed his orders, his free hand went between my legs again, thick fingers pushing into my pussy to gather up the wetness and spread it around my asshole. Then his cock was there, nudging the tight ring.

At the same time, something cold suddenly pressed against my thigh. It was the knife, slowly rising up my bare legs, just hard enough to sting without breaking the skin. My eyes widened, and I inhaled lightly, too scared to take a proper breath.

The blade paused, resting just above the back of my knee. “Stay still,” Rhett said, his tone low and dripping with menace.

My breathing hitched as the knife shifted, pressing harder now, enough to leave a trail of fire along my skin as he dragged it in a deliberate motion.

I didn’t understand what he was doing at first, not until the pain sharpened, and then I realized he wasn’t just dragging the blade. He was carving. Marking me with the letter R.

Marking me as his.

As the knife cut the final line, I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek to keep from crying out. The pain was sharp, relentless, but my desire to be claimed in such a brutal way burned far hotter.

“Good girl,” Rhett finally muttered. He’d finished cutting now, and his free hand was clamped down on my hip, pinning me in place with a bruising grip.

With that, his cock pushed inside my ass. This time, he didn’t have to warn me that it would hurt. I knew it would, like hell, but I welcomed the pain. It made me feel alive, and that was exactly what I wanted right now. To know I was still alive. Still here.

I felt my muscles burning as my asshole tried to push his cock out, but I gritted my teeth and exhaled, trying to relax around the thick intrusion.

“Good girl,” Rhett whispered against my ear. “Let it happen.”

He pushed in all the way before slowly withdrawing, and then he dropped the knife and began to fuck my ass relentlessly, punishing me with his cock, no longer allowing me any time to adjust. I gasped and cried out from the pain and pleasure combined, head spinning with mad lust.

“Your ass is mine,” Rhett growled. “Every part of you is mine.”

“Yes!” I moaned. “Fuck me!”

It suddenly occurred to me that this island was under surveillance, but I couldn’t bring myself to care if anyone was watching. Not even if it was the whole world. All that mattered in this moment was the fact that I belonged to Rhett, letting him do whatever he wanted with my body. Letting him claim every inch of me.

“Such a good girl,” he muttered. “Look how well you’re taking me already. So fucking tight but so fucking needy.”

I nodded fervently, unable to form coherent sentences any longer. Rhett kept fucking me like I was his property, and I loved every second of it.

Finally, it was enough for him. He withdrew and drove back into my ass with a low grunt, and then he came, still thrusting as his cum spurted deep inside me. I gasped and let my hands drop, legs shaking. I was barely able to hold myself upright as he pulled out, but somehow I managed anyway, chest heaving as I caught my breath.

As the pleasure slowly faded, I watched Rhett tuck himself back in his pants. His cum was dripping out of my stinging ass and sliding down my legs, warm on my cold skin, and I could still feel the bruising imprints of his fingertips on my arms, neck, and hips, a constant reminder of his rough touch.

I wondered what I would see in his eyes when he finally looked at me again. Regret? Anger? Shame?

Part of me didn’t even want to know. It would hurt too much.

My eyes darted to the knife he’d dropped earlier, and without even thinking, I lunged to grab it, falling to my knees in the process. Rhett was too quick for me. He kicked it away from me, and then he stalked over and picked it up, lips pulling into that familiar cold smirk of his.

“Nice try,” he said, waving the blade in my face to signal for me to get up.

“It was worth a shot,” I muttered as I rose to my feet. “Out here, you never know when you might suddenly need to defend yourself.”

Rhett’s head tilted slightly, eyes narrowing. “What are you even doing here, Ev?” he asked in a low voice. “I’ve wondered for so long. But I just can’t figure it out.”

I frowned, confused. “There’s a safe zone here. I was just looking for—”

“No, I meant the Hunt. Why did you sign up? What the fuck did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“Oh, please.” Rhett’s nostrils flared. “Everyone here did something bad enough to make the Patriarchs accept them into the game. Either that or they’re sick. Are you sick?”

“No.”

“So there was no mistake then. You’re in the right group.” He stepped closer, eyes cold and assessing. “Do you remember the second player to die?”

I racked my brains, thinking back to the fraught moments after we all scrambled away from the beach. As Nikki and I crept through the woods, we’d heard someone sprinting not far from us, followed by a gunshot.

“I think so,” I said.

‘That was my first kill of the game,” Rhett said. “You know what he did?”

“No. I don’t even know who he was,” I said in a hollow voice.

“He was married. Wife was six months pregnant with twins. He decided he didn’t want to be a father anymore, so he dosed her tea with an abortifacient drug,” Rhett said. “She bled out on the floor. Slowly. Painfully. Died along with the babies.”

Nausea rose in my throat, and I winced, sucking in a deep breath. I was glad I hadn’t eaten anything in a few hours, because if I had, I’d be vomiting right now.

“That’s horrible,” I murmured.

“Yeah. It is.” Rhett cocked his head again. “So I’ll ask again. What did you do to end up here?”

“I told you, I didn’t do anything,” I said. “I didn’t apply for this shit. Someone else signed me up.”

“That’s not possible.”

I threw my hands up. “Well, clearly it is, because it happened to me!”

“Who the fuck would do that to you, Ev? Who would want you dead that badly?”

I opened my mouth to speak, and the knife went under my throat again.

“The next fucking thing out of your mouth better not be Jake’s name,” Rhett hissed.

Suddenly I was exhausted. Beyond exhausted. I was just… done. No more protests. No more defending myself. I couldn’t do it anymore. Not in a place where I could be killed at any second for stating the truth. Or simply for existing.

“Fine. You win,” I muttered, shoulders slumping as all the fight drained out of me. “Just do it.”

Rhett frowned. “Do what?”

“Kill me,” I said. “I can’t take it anymore. Can’t take this place. So do it. Put me out of my fucking misery. Just… please… have enough mercy to make it quick.”

I closed my eyes, tears stinging behind my lids. My chest rose and fell in uneven breaths as I braced myself, waiting for the sharp, final pain that would end this nightmare.

Seconds stretched into an eternity, the sound of the wind around me amplifying the eerie silence from Rhett. I hesitated, then cracked one eye open, followed by the other.

He was gone.

24

Rhett

I stalked away from the cabin, the fog curling around me like ghostly fingers. My knife was in my hand, the grip still warm from where Ev’s skin had pressed against it earlier. I flexed my fingers, trying to shake the phantom sensation of her pulse thrumming beneath my touch.

I wasn’t worried about getting in trouble with the other Wilders for fucking her and letting her walk away unscathed afterwards. The area behind the cabin was a dead zone—no cameras—so no one would ever know it happened.

The only thing I was worried about was why the fuck I’d done it in the first place. I’d tried to convince myself that it was just a strategy to get the truth out of Everly, but deep down, I knew that was bullshit.

I fucked her again because I wanted to fuck her. Simple as that.

I clenched my jaw, frustration bubbling up like a wildfire. There’d been something in her eyes when I said Jake’s name a minute ago—a raw, broken vulnerability that didn’t match the image of the scheming, desperate little liar I’d conjured up in my mind. She didn’t look like someone who was trying to manipulate me. She looked like someone who had nothing left.

Fuck.

That damn look had really gotten under my skin.

Stop this shit, dumbass, I told myself, forcing my thoughts into sharp focus. People lie. They fake weakness. Then they stab you in the back the second you let your guard down.

I’d seen it happen to others before, over and over.

But still, the memory of Ev’s shaky voice, her slumped shoulders as she told me to kill her, wouldn’t leave my head. She hadn’t tried to run. She hadn’t tried to fight. She’d just… given up.

I let out a frustrated grunt and ran a hand through my hair, the damp strands slick against my palm. Maybe she was telling the truth. Maybe she really didn’t know what the hell was going on, and maybe Jake had signed her up for The Hunt behind her back.

Or maybe she was the best fucking liar I’d ever met.

Gritting my teeth, I shoved the knife back into its sheath and disappeared deeper into the fog. When I reached a fallen log just beyond the tree line, I sank onto it and pulled out my satellite phone.

I dialed Jake’s number, and he picked up on the second ring, voice edged with excitement. “Hey, man! I’ve been watching you out there!” he said. “How are you doing?”

“I’m okay.” I leaned forward to grab a protein bar from my pack. “Just taking a quick break to eat.”

“Did you know you’re at the top of the leaderboard now? For the most kills.”

“Yup.”

I heard a couple of faint mouse clicks. “I just checked the odds,” he said. “You’re still the favorite to win the whole game too.”

“Nice.”

“It’s better than nice, man. This’ll be the first time a brand-new hunter wins the game. Ever. It’s fucking awesome.” He paused for a beat and let out a groan of frustration. “I really wish my application was accepted. It looks so fucking fun out there.”

“Maybe next year.” I cleared my throat. “I wanted to ask you something.”

“Shoot.”

“You know player 50? Everly Marlowe?”

“Yup. She was originally tipped to be one of the first out, but she’s actually doing really well,” he replied. “A lot of people think she might even win the player prize.”

“Right. Anyway, I know I already asked you this a while back, but do you know her personally?”

“Personally?” Jake sounded confused. When I didn’t respond, he went on. “No, I don’t think I’ve ever met her. How come?”

I chewed on the protein bar as I considered his answer. There hadn’t been the slightest hint of falseness in his voice, so I was pretty sure he wasn’t lying. But it was hard to know for sure when I couldn’t see his eyes.

“Can I ask you something else?” I finally said. “Something personal?”

Jake laughed. “Dude, you cleaned me up in freshman year after I got that food poisoning thing and passed out in a pile of shit and vomit,” he said. “In my book, that means you have a free pass to ask me any personal shit for the rest of your life.”

“I wanted to know—before you came out, did you ever date any girls?”

“Nope. People always pushed me to do it back in high school, because a lot of girls liked me, but I always knew I wasn’t interested in them. So I never did,” he said. “Why do you ask?”

Once again, he sounded like he was telling the truth. Not a hint of deception in his tone—just confusion as to why I was questioning him about the subject.

“Just wondering.”

“That’s what you’re wondering about in the middle of the fucking Hunt?” Jake said, laughing again. “You’ve got some weird priorities, dude.”

“True. I should probably get back to it.”

“I put a ton of money on you to win, so don’t let me down, okay?”

I ended the call and finished my snack. I was just about to put the sat phone away when it rang. It was JJ.

I pressed the green answer button. “Hey. What’s up?”

“Hey, man. Are you anywhere near sector G3? And do you happen to have any food on you?”

“Yup. I’m in G2, and I’ve got protein bars and coffee. Why?”

“I’m empty, but someone already raided the supply cache here. There’s literally nothing left,” he said. “Any chance you could share some stuff? I don’t want to walk all the way back to the fucking Lodge.”

“Sure. Send me your coordinates. I’ll come meet you,” I said, rising to my feet.

I arrived at the spot twenty minutes later, finding JJ perched on a large rock. “Oh, thank fuck,” he muttered as I approached with a handful of snacks. “Thanks, man. I’m starving. I really should’ve packed more shit earlier.”

I raised a brow as he tore open a protein bar. “I don’t rely on the supply caches. I’m pretty sure players find them and raid them all the time.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” he said through his mouthful of food.

“How are you doing out here?” I asked. “Apart from the no food thing.”

He swallowed his mouthful, head slightly shaking. “Honestly, man… not so good. I think I’ve got the yips or some shit like that.”

“Why?”

“I’ve only got one kill so far, and it was some chick from Group 2. That’s like shooting fish in a barrel.” He paused for a beat, scrubbing his free hand over his face. “I was tipped to be in the top five, but I’m totally failing. It’s fucking embarrassing. Especially with my dad being the Head Patriarch. People expect me to do well, you know?”

“We’re only two days in. There’s still time to turn things around.”

“I know.” He sighed. “It just feels different out here than it did in the practice sessions. Like… suddenly I can’t do anything properly. You know how bad I fucked up on the first day?”

I shook my head. “What happened?”

“I ran into this chick in sector D8. Tiny thing. Probably five feet and a hundred pounds. I thought she’d be an easy one, but I threw one of my knives at her, and I fucking missed,” he said. “It lodged in her arm instead of her chest, and then the little bitch took the fucking thing with her when she ran off.”

“Shit,” I said, brows rising. “You never miss with knives.”

JJ threw his hands up. “Well, I do now. That’s what I’m saying—there’s something wrong with me.”

“It’s just newbie nerves. You’ll get over it,” I said. “Besides, a few guys out here haven’t registered any kills at all. So you’re not right at the bottom of the barrel.”

“I guess.” He sighed again and finished the last bite of his protein bar. Then he looked back at me, forehead wrinkling. “You’re doing great. Got any tips for me?”

I scratched my jaw, lips twisting in contemplation. “You already know all the general stuff, but I guess I could give you some tips related to specific targets,” I said. I tilted my head. “Are you going after today’s bounty? Or just anyone?”

“Anyone for now, just to up my kill count. Otherwise they’ll never accept my application for next year’s game,” he replied. “There’s one target I’m hoping to get eventually, though. Number 50.”

I stiffened. “Everly Marlowe?”

“Yup, that’s the one,” JJ said, nodding. “I can’t wait to take that little bitch down. She’s had it coming for a while. Total headcase.”

“How do you know her again?” I asked, cocking my head.

He shrugged. “She’s just some crazy chick from a while back.”

My eyes narrowed. “Didn’t you tell me you met her outside one of your classes a few weeks ago?”

“Yeah, that’s what I meant. Plus you told me she was nuts at the bonfire party, remember?”

I nodded slowly, brows furrowing. “Right.”

He wasn’t wrong—I did say that shit to him at the bonfire party—but his words were hanging in the air like a bad smell anyway, twisting my gut.

A strange mix of thoughts stirred in the back of my mind, blurry and unformed, like fragments of a puzzle I couldn’t quite piece together yet.

Then it hit me, crashing into me like a fucking freight train, and all those blurry puzzle pieces slammed into place with a clarity so stark it made my head spin.

No.

No fucking way.

I ran a hand through my hair, jaw clenching so tightly it felt like my teeth would shatter. How could I have been this goddamned stupid? What the fuck was wrong with me?

All along, I’d been so focused on Everly’s apparent hatred for my best friend, Jake Kelly, that I’d totally failed to consider that she could actually be referring to one of my other society brothers.

JJ. Jacob Jennings.

I’d honestly forgotten about his real name until this exact moment, because most people called him JJ. Hell, everyone called him JJ, and they always had as long as I’d known him, which was nearly twenty fucking years.

But another old friend I’d never met? Or an old girlfriend? They might refer to him by his real name… or Jake as another nickname.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

My stomach churned as the implications settled in. Everly had begged me to listen to her. Begged me not to dismiss her. And all along, I’d fucking ignored her and treated her like shit because of a stupid misunderstanding; one that I’d caused by jumping to conclusions and stubbornly refusing to listen when she tried to explain.

Idiot.

My mind flashed back to the night of the bonfire party. Ev’s shaky finger had pointed to the fire with all the Wilders sitting or standing around it, and I’d followed her gaze to Jake and asked if she was talking about the tall blond guy. She’d confirmed it instantly, and it hadn’t even occurred to me that JJ, who was also tall with blond hair, was standing right next to him.

All a misunderstanding. All my fucking fault. I’d tortured the poor girl over it. Almost wrecked her fucking life by trying to run her off campus. And now… shit, now her life was at stake.

“Hey, Rhett…” JJ’s forehead creased as he stared at me. “Everything okay?”

I rearranged my face into a neutral expression. “Yeah, I was just thinking of some tips I could give you. I actually might have something.”

“Yeah?” His eyes widened slightly, and he jumped off the rock, holding his palms out. “Anything you’ve got would be great.”

I forced an amiable smile, masking the disgust and unease creeping under my skin as I tugged at the left cuff of my jacket. “This’ll probably sound stupid, but it works for me,” I said. “Whenever I roll up my sleeves before I shoot, I hit the target every single time.”

JJ blinked at me. “Seriously?”

“Yeah. Maybe it’s wind resistance or some shit like that. Makes me more streamlined,” I said. “Or maybe it’s a placebo effect. I believe it makes me better, so it does.”

“Right.”

I motioned to his camo sweatshirt. “Give it a try. We’ll use that tree behind you as a target.”

“Okay.” He grinned. “Not gonna lie, it sounds weird as fuck, but I’m willing to try anything at this point.”

My jaw tightened as he rolled his sleeves up, and I took a step closer, eyes narrowing on the underside of his forearms. There it is.

The scar was faint, but I could still see it—a crescent-shaped mark just below his left wrist, unmistakable in its jagged imperfection. Teeth marks.

My mind flashed back to Everly’s trembling voice as she recounted the attack in her dorm. How she’d fought back. How she’d bitten the masked intruder in desperation, hard enough to draw blood. Hard enough to leave a mark that still wouldn’t have faded two weeks later.

My fists clenched, nails digging into my palms as dark fury bubbled up inside me.

Everly had never lied to me. She wasn’t crazy, either. JJ had been messing with her all along, and now he’d brought her here to Wildercliff Island. The exact details of why and how were still blurry, but I intended to find out.

“Go on, then,” I muttered through gritted teeth. ‘Try it.”

JJ grabbed one of his guns and aimed it at the tree in front of us. There was a loud crack, and the bullet met its mark, right in the center of the trunk.

“Holy shit!” JJ whooped victoriously. “It works!”

“Told you,” I said, forcing another smile as my eyes lingered on his wrist.

He nodded. “Thanks, man. That was really helpful.”

“I actually might be able to help you even more,” I said, eyeing the camera perched on a nearby branch. I had to get him the fuck out of here. Had to get him into a dead zone where no one could possibly see us.

“How?”

“You said you want to get number 50, right? That blonde girl?” I said in a casual tone, as if I barely knew Ev. As if my dick hadn’t been in all three of her holes today.

“Yup.”

“I actually saw her about half an hour ago, not far from here. Sector F3. She was with a few others, but I couldn’t get any of them, because they were already in the safe zone.”

JJ’s eyes glimmered with excitement. “F3? That’s really close.”

“Yup.” I glanced at my watch. “The safe zone is closed now, but I overheard them saying they might hide in the cabin right next to it so they can get some sleep. I was gonna head back there and get them all myself. But I’m willing to let you have 50, as long as you let me get the rest.”

“Shit, yeah. Of course.”

I jerked my head toward the east. “Let’s go.”

JJ’s cocky grin never wavered as we walked through the woods, his swagger practically screaming that he genuinely believed this would be an easy score. Fucking idiot.

We reached the cabin, shrouded in fog, and I gestured for him to step around to the far side, where the dead zone was. “They’ve probably locked the door, but there’s a broken window around the back. We can get in there. Take them by surprise.”

JJ glanced back at me, suspicion flickering in his eyes for a split second, but his arrogance won out. He stepped around to the side of the cabin and leaned his face against the window. “They’re not in there,” he said, pulling back with a frown.

“Huh. Guess they already left.”

“Hang on.” He spun around to face me, frowning. “I thought you said this window was bro—”

I didn’t give him the chance to finish his sentence. Instead, I drove my fist into his jaw, the impact cracking through the silence like a gunshot.

JJ stumbled back, slamming into the wall, his shock giving me the opening I needed. I didn’t hesitate, following up with a punch to his stomach that doubled him over, a wheeze escaping his lips.

“You son of a—” he started, but I grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the wall again, cutting him off. His head hit the wood with a dull thud, and his face twisted into a grimace of pain. “Stop,” he spluttered. “Stop.”

As he spoke, he tried to swing at me, but I caught his arm and twisted it behind his back, forcing him to his knees. He let out a strangled yelp, but I didn’t let up, yanking his other arm and tying his wrists together with the rope I’d surreptitiously pulled out of my pocket as we trudged over here earlier.

He struggled hard, but I was stronger, fueled by rage and the cold, bitter satisfaction of finally cornering him. Once he was secure, I dragged him to the wall, shoving him into a sitting position. Blood trickled from his split lip, and he glared up at me, defiance still simmering beneath his pain. I tied his ankles together next, then stepped back, breathing hard.

JJ spat blood onto the floor, and a smirk appeared on his face as he leaned his head against the wall. “You’re gonna regret this,” he said, voice low and venomous. “Do you think the others can’t see what you’re doing?”

My lips spread in a cold smirk of my own. “This is a dead zone, dumbass. No cameras,” I said, crouching down in front of him. I pulled my knife out, letting it glint in the faint light. There was still a drop of blood on the end from where I’d pressed it against Ev’s smooth skin earlier. “I thought you’d know about all the dead zones, given how your family owns this whole fucking island. But I guess you’ve never taken the time to study it properly, huh?”

JJ’s smirk faltered, and a flicker of fear crossed his face. “Why are you doing this?” he said. “You’re already winning. You don’t need to take out the competition.”

I laughed. “You’re not my competition, JJ. You’re fucking useless, and you’ve already proved that,” I said. I twisted the knife in my hand, letting the blade catch the light again. “I brought you here because of Ev.”

His eyes widened. “Ev? You mean… number 50?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know her.”

“I don’t! She’s just some gi—”

I plunged the knife into his left leg, a few inches above his knee. He howled, face contorting in agony as I pulled it back out.

“Don’t worry, I made sure not to hit any veins or arteries,” I said, my voice dropping to a deadly calm. “But next time, I might not be so careful.”

“Okay, okay!” JJ spluttered, face turning pale as he stared down at his bleeding leg. “You’re right! I know Ev!”

I pressed a hand on his wound to stem the flow, making him wince. “Tell me about her. I want to know every detail. How you met, why you pretended you’ve never met her, why you broke into her dorm and attacked her. Why you’re trying to kill her now.”

“I… we met when we were kids. Her dad works for mine.” JJ paused, wincing again. “She actually came to the island one summer. You were here too. Don’t you remember?”

I froze, my grip tightening involuntarily on my knife as my mind raced, rifling through dusty memories. A week on the island… kids running wild under the sun… a blonde girl, smaller than the rest of us, with big blue eyes and a perpetually nervous expression.

Everly.

Of fucking course.

That was why she’d always seemed so familiar to me. We’d met years ago, when we were just kids. So much had happened since then, so many new faces and new names, that I’d forgotten all about our short-lived friendship until now.

“She had a sick mom, right?” I said, my thoughts a storm of old memories now. “We tried to cheer her up by sneaking out to explore the tunnels. But we ended up running into one of the trials.”

JJ let out a pained laugh, his breath hitching as the pressure of my hand dug into his wound. “Good times,” he said. “We were so innocent back then.”

I leaned in close, letting him see the fury in my eyes. “Keep talking.”

“Ev and I always got along well. Kept in touch online and saw each other every summer. Her parents thought it was cute, and my parents thought it was good for me to have a normal friend. As in, a friend who wasn’t from a family of billionaires like all the other kids I knew.” He grimaced and went on. “And it was good, you know. Ev was my best friend. We told each other everything, and eventually things turned romantic. But…”

“But then you changed your mind and decided to kill her?” I said scornfully.

JJ lifted a shaky hand. “Shit got hard when we were teenagers. I loved her, but it was hard doing the whole long-distance thing. You know what it’s like in high school. Raging hormones and constant boners. I needed something more.”

“My heart bleeds for you,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Truly.”

“Look, it was hard, okay? But I tried my best to stay loyal. It just… it wasn’t enough,” he muttered. “So when I started college, I decided to tell everyone I was single. That way I could fuck around and have fun without her ever knowing better. I spared her a lot of pain that way.”

I scoffed. “How nice of you to consider her feelings like that.”

JJ ignored my dig and went on. “I still wanted to be with her long-term, and I knew I’d have to introduce her to people eventually. But I wasn’t too worried, because the only people who’d really know what I’d been up to behind her back were other Wilders, and I knew none of you would ever tell her I cheated. Bro code and all.”

That’s what you think, motherfucker.

I narrowed my eyes. “So what happened, then?”

“We broke up a few months ago, and she went totally nuts and transferred to Hollingsworth like a fucking stalker. Ever since then, she’s been trying to ruin my life as revenge. I told you, she’s crazy.”

I plunged the knife back into his leg, twisting it this time. “I think you might’ve missed a major part of that story, JJ.”

He howled as I removed the knife again. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“You conveniently skipped over why you broke up. It was obviously something bad, given her reaction to it.”

“She caught me cheating. That’s all.”

There was a flash of something odd in his expression as he spoke, and he wouldn’t meet my eyes, either. He was lying for sure.

I cast my mind back to the bonfire party. What was it Ev tried to say before I told her to fuck off?

Jake is sick. He hates women deep down, and he has a disgusting way of showing that hatred. When I caught him doing it, he tried to claim it was some sort of sexual fetish.

“She didn’t catch you cheating,” I said in a hollow voice. “You hurt a woman, didn’t you? That’s what she caught you doing.”

JJ’s face blanched. “She told you about that?”

“No, but you just did, you stupid motherfucker,” I snarled, smashing my fist into his jaw.

His head reeled back, hitting the cabin wall, and he cried out. “Fuck, man! Stop hitting me!”

“Stop fucking lying to me, then,” I said through gritted teeth. “I said I wanted the whole story. The real story. Not your bullshit version.”

“Okay, okay! I… I’ll tell you. Just stop hurting me, okay?”

I blinked. “No.”

JJ stared up at me, eyes wide and beseeching. When he realized I wasn’t going to change my mind and promise not to hurt him, his shoulders sagged.

“Fine,” he muttered. “There’s a hot maid at my house. I wanted to try something with her. Something… new. So I slipped some stuff in her drink. But she had no idea it was happening, so it wasn’t even that ba—”

I cut him off. “So you’re a dirty fucking rapist,” I said, stomach roiling with disgust. “That’s why Ev hates you.”

JJ swallowed hard. “She walked in on it,” he said, averting his eyes again. “The only reason she didn’t call the cops was because the maid didn’t want her to cause any trouble. But ever since then, she’s been trying to bait me. Trying to get me to admit what I did so she can nail me with it.”

“Is that supposed to make me see her as the bad guy in this situation?” I said, scornfully shaking my head.

“You don’t get it!” JJ said. “Ev is… was my best friend. I trusted her with everything. I even told her why I did it! There’s something wrong with my head, and I thought she’d at least try to understand it after all those years together. But she didn’t care. She fucking abandoned me anyway, and now she’s waiting around for the chance to tell the whole world—”

I couldn’t help myself. I plunged the knife into JJ’s other leg, just above the knee. He shrieked in agony, and a damp spot appeared on his khaki pants as he pissed himself. Pathetic little coward.

“Let me get this straight,” I said loudly over his cries as I yanked the knife out again. “You attacked a woman who was too frightened to turn you in. Then your girlfriend caught you, and you were afraid that she’d tell the world what a piece of shit you are, so you signed her up to die in the Hunt. Is that about it?”

“Y-yes,” he whimpered.

“How the fuck did you do it?” I asked, shaking my head. “The Patriarchs have to sign off on every player. Confirm their background stories. And the players themselves have to sign a whole lot of shit too, so they know what they’re getting into.”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” JJ muttered.

“Huh?”

“Everly didn’t sign anything, okay?” he said shakily. “I… I managed to fake it all. Got her signature off something else and invented a fake backstory for the Patriarchs. I told them she was involved in a hit and run that killed three kids.”

“Bullshit.” I sneered at him. “There’s no way you managed to do all of that. Too much could’ve gone wrong.”

“I had help, okay?”

I narrowed my eyes. “Oh, no,” I said, slowly shaking my head. “Don’t fucking tell me you actually managed to convince your father to arrange it all for you.”

JJ’s father, Peter Jennings, was the High Patriarch—the very pinnacle of The Wild Hunt, holding the ultimate authority over the society’s clandestine operations.

“I came up with the plan myself, okay?” JJ said indignantly. “Dad just helped me with the arrangements and made sure things went smoothly.”

My nostrils flared. “I can’t believe he would do something so stupid,” I said in an acid tone. “Does he honestly think the other Patriarchs won’t find out that the two of you orchestrated a plot to install your fucking ex-girlfriend in the Hunt, all because she dumped you and might tell people the truth about you?”

“The others won’t find out.”

“Oh, they will, and the consequences will be fucking dire for both of you,” I spat out.

“Actually… I’m pretty sure they won’t care all that much.”

“They will. There’s a code in The Wild Hunt, and you know it.”

“That’s what you think,” JJ mumbled.

I sneered, head slightly shaking as I stared down at him. “You really are the most pathetic fucking coward I’ve ever met.”

I expected him to keep glowering at me. I didn’t expect him to fucking laugh. But he did, tipping his bleeding head backward as his mouth dropped open in a low, mocking chuckle.

“Look at you, Rhett. Up there on your high horse,” he said. “You know you can’t do shit to take me down. Or my father. You’re already in too deep.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

His lips curled in a mocking smile. “Remember our first-year proving ceremony? Where we had to confess our deepest secret to the whole society?”

“Yeah,” I muttered, rubbing my jaw. “I’m guessing yours was bullshit.”

“Doesn’t matter. My point is, I remember yours,’ he said, smile morphing into a cold sneer. “We all do. We all know what happened to you when you were a kid.”

“So fucking what?”

“Well, you know what they say about abused kids. They often grow up to be abusers themselves. And you really proved that one right, didn’t you?” JJ said, tilting his head. “You’re a predator. Just like the rest of us.”

“I’m not that sort of predator,” I said through gritted teeth. “Not like you, you sick fuck.”

He scoffed. “You’ve killed seven people in the last two days. So like I said… you’re in too deep. Try to take me or my father down, and you’ll go down too,” he said. “Also, if you try to embark on some sort of white-knight crusade against the society as a whole, you might not like what you find out about the other Patriarchs. And that includes your father.”

I rose to my feet, hands shaking with rage.

Fear flashed in JJ’s eyes. “Look, Rhett, I know you hate me now. But we’re brothers through the society, whether you like it or not,” he said in a low voice. “That means you owe me something.”

“What the fuck do you think I owe you?”

His gaze shifted to the knife. “Well, you obviously want to kill me. But grant me the courtesy of making it quick, okay?”

It was my turn to laugh. “Oh, no. You’re mistaken, man,” I said. “Very fucking mistaken. I’m not going to kill you.”

Hope flared in his eyes. “Really?”

“Yeah. Really. You’re not my kill.” My lips spread in a mirthless grin. “You’re Everly’s kill.”

25

Everly

The rumble of my empty stomach was impossible to ignore, and I wasn’t the only one feeling it. Nathan kept rubbing at his abdomen, wincing, while Chiara pressed her lips together, her face pale and drawn. Craig, on the other hand, was fidgeting, his gaze darting around the trees like he expected something—or someone—to jump out at any second.

We hadn’t spoken much in the hour since we left the underground safe zone, the quiet weighed down by the tension of our dwindling supplies and constant fear. The rations I’d shared from my pack had been enough to keep us moving, but not enough to make us feel human again. We were totally out of water, too.

“Are you okay?” Chiara asked, gently nudging me.

“I’m just hungry,” I murmured back. “Hopefully the next safe zone has food.”

“No, I meant… you’re bleeding.” She motioned to my neck. “Right there.”

I brought my hand up to touch my throat. The small nick Rhett’s blade made earlier had started bleeding again, worse than before. I must’ve absentmindedly scratched the tiny, newly-forming scab as I walked, not even registering the faint sting.

“Oh,” I murmured, my thoughts instantly catapulting me right back to those moments with Rhett. “I guess a branch got me.”

The memory of his knife against my skin sent a shiver down my spine, and I clenched my jaw, trying to push it away. I still didn’t understand what happened back there. Why did he let me go? Why didn’t he kill me when he had the chance? Even when I was literally begging for him to do it during a momentary lapse in sanity.

More importantly… why couldn’t I stop thinking about him? He scared the living shit out of me—he could’ve slashed my throat right there outside that cabin—but there was something else too. Something I could barely admit, even to myself. The way his touch lingered on my skin, the dark intensity in his eyes, the heat that simmered beneath all that fear...

God, I hated Rhett for making me feel this way. And yet, some small, traitorous part of me still wondered if he was out there in the fog, watching me. Waiting for another chance to claim me as his prey.

I clenched my fists, shoving the thought aside. I didn’t have time for this. For him. I needed to find the next safe zone, get some sustenance, and then try my best to find the tunnel entrance in the west. That mattered a hell of a lot more than the torturous ache between my legs; the one that silently begged for more of Rhett’s tongue, fingers, and cock.

Chiara frowned. For a second, I thought she didn’t believe me about the branch scratching my neck, but then she tilted her head. “Stop,” she whispered. She pointed to a nearby tree. “Do you see that?”

We all turned to look. Etched into the bark was a crudely drawn arrow, its lines deep and deliberate. It pointed to the northwest.

“Remember what they said at the start?” Chiara went on. “Some safe zones and supply caches aren’t announced. They’re marked with certain symbols instead.”

Nathan squinted, stepping closer. “You think it’s one of those?”

“What else would it be?”

Craig perked up, his exhaustion giving way to the faintest spark of hope. “Should we check it out?”

“We can have a look, but we should be careful. Some of the so-called safe zones are fake-out traps, remember?” I said.

Craig was already moving, following the direction of the arrow. “Well, we can’t starve. I’m checking it out.”

The rest of us moved cautiously behind him until we reached a clearing. A pile of cardboard boxes sat in the center of it—some small, some medium, some large.

“There,” Craig said excitedly. “That could be food! Or even weapons!”

He took a step forward, but I grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks.

“Don’t go yet,” I said, my voice low but firm. I lifted the binoculars my former group had found in the cave several hours ago. “Let’s stay back and check out the trees around the clearing first.”

Craig scowled at me, shaking my hand off. “Why?”

“Are you serious?” Chiara said scornfully. “We need to make sure no one’s waiting to shoot us the second we walk into the clearing.”

“Exactly.” I nodded firmly. “I’ve seen enough traps to be suspicious of everything now.”

“Fine,” Craig muttered, waving at the binoculars. “Go ahead. Do your little trick.”

I pursed my lips, not appreciating the condescension from him, especially after I’d given him the last of my food supplies and guided him to a safe zone earlier. I didn’t want to argue with him, though, because I simply didn’t have the energy, so I stayed silent and lifted the binoculars to scan the trees beyond the clearing.

“See anything?” Chiara asked, voice tinged with anxiety.

“No.”

Craig huffed. “Great. Let’s go.”

I lifted a hand. “Wait. I still think we should figure out some sort of strategy to—”

He cut me off. “Look, Everly, we’re all hungry, and we’ve only got an hour or two before it gets dark, which will make it ten times harder to find caches,” he snapped. “I’m not just gonna stand here and starve because you’re scared of traps.”

Before I could respond, he stepped forward again. Every muscle in my body tensed as I watched him approach the boxes, the clearing unnervingly quiet except for the sound of his footsteps.

He crouched and tore open a small box on the edge of the massive pile. A grin broke out on his face as he pulled out a handful of chocolate bars. “Told you so!” he said, looking over at the rest of us.

He tossed a bar toward Chiara, who caught it mid-air as she headed into the clearing. Nathan followed her and stooped to open a bigger box, revealing packets of muesli bars, chips, and cookies. The third box was even better—a giant case of bottled water. Exactly what we needed.

“It’s like Christmas morning,” Nathan said, tearing one of the cookie packets open. “Get over here, Everly.”

I reluctantly stepped into the clearing to join them, and Chiara smiled at me. “I guess we got lucky this time, huh?”

“Yeah, we did,” I said, grabbing a chocolate bar. “But still, it’s an open area, so I think we should pack as much as we can in our bags and then get the hell out of here.”

Thankfully, no one argued with me on that point.

As we quietly stuffed our backpacks with food and water, the gnawing tension in my chest eased slightly. This cache discovery was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless. Our new supply of food and water would be enough to last us all the way to the tunnel entrance, if and when I found it.

Nathan eyed one of the large unopened boxes on the far edge of the pile, lips twisting in contemplation. “There could be weapons in that one,” he mused. “It’s definitely big enough.”

“I doubt they’d give us weapons,” Chiara said through a mouthful of chips. “It’s probably just more food.”

“Yeah, and we’ve already got enough,” I said, gesturing to our bulging backpacks. “Just leave it for the other players. They might be hungry too.”

Nathan ignored us and tore the tape off the top. “I’m pretty sure it—”

His words cut off abruptly as a hiss erupted from the box, and thick, gray smoke began pouring out. It spread rapidly, curling around our feet and rising higher, veiling the world in a nearly-opaque fog.

“Shit!” Nathan stumbled back, coughing. “What the fuck is this?”

“We need to go!” I said, heart hammering in my chest.

The smoke thickened, clinging to my clothes, to my skin, until I could barely see an arm’s length in front of me.

Panic set in. Visibility was dropping by the second. My sense of direction faltered, and every rustle of leaves or snap of a twig sounded like it was coming from everywhere at once.

“Which way do we go?” Chiara’s voice was edged with terror, but I couldn’t tell where it was coming from.

My pulse pounded in my ears as I whirled around, trying to figure out which way was which. Then, through the veil of smoke, I heard something else. Footsteps. Heavy and deliberate, drawing closer.

My stomach plummeted.

“Run!” I screamed. “There’s a hunter here!”

Suddenly a shadow loomed in the smoke, impossibly tall and broad. My breath caught in my throat as a hulking figure stepped out from the haze; a man, almost seven feet tall. A gas mask covered his face, and in his hands, he held an ax.

In one swift, horrifying motion, he swung the ax downward, and I saw Craig’s head snap forward before it was separated entirely from his body. Blood sprayed in an arc, his lifeless body collapsing to the ground.

A scream tore from my throat, raw and unrestrained, as my legs locked in terror. The man turned to his left, the ax rising again. I didn’t see the impact—couldn’t see it—but the blood that splattered through the smoky air and the gut-wrenching scream that followed were enough to tell me he’d hit Chiara.

My legs finally moved. I turned and bolted, lungs burning, the sting of smoke blurring my vision as tears streamed down my face. I didn’t know where I was going, just that I had to get away.

Before I could make it more than a few yards away, big hands, strong and unyielding, grabbed me from behind. “No!” I screamed, thrashing wildly. “Let me—”

My cries were cut off as I was hoisted off my feet and thrown over a shoulder like a ragdoll. I pounded my fists against the hard back beneath me, screaming and sobbing until I heard a familiar voice.

Rhett.

“It’s okay, Everly. It’s not real,” he murmured, his hand rubbing slow, deliberate circles on my back as he carried me away. “You’re just dreaming. It’s not real.”

I froze, my sobs catching in my throat. Those words. That soothing, steady cadence. I knew it from somewhere.

Memories flickered in my mind like fragments of an old movie reel. A boy, hands gripping me tightly as he carried me through the dark woods to the safety of Wildercliff Manor. His soft voice muttering those very same words, calming me after our little group wandered into that awful murder ritual in the clearing. His intense yet kind gaze as he took me back upstairs, tucked me into bed, and told me stories until I finally fell asleep.

Rhett. That was the boy’s name.

“It was you,” I choked out, my voice barely audible. My tears came harder now, but for an entirely different reason. “It’s always been you.”

Rhett didn’t respond. He just kept walking, his grip on me firm but careful, like he was afraid I’d break. The screams and chaos from the clearing faded into the distance, replaced only by the sound of his steady breathing and my trembling sobs.

As Rhett’s hand continued to rub my back in those slow, steady circles, a warmth began to spread through my chest. My body was still shaking, but something deeper—something primal and unshakable—was settling in too.

Against all logic, against all reason, I felt… safe.

How could I? How could I possibly feel safe in the arms of the man who’d constantly scared the shit out of me, hunted me, and held a knife to my throat? It didn’t make sense. And yet, the memory of that boy, the one who’d whispered to me in the dark all those years ago, overlapped with the man carrying me now.

Rhett had always taken care of me, even when we were kids and barely knew each other. Didn’t even like each other, really. But he’d done it anyway.

The realization that he’d known who I was all along shouldn’t have calmed me. It should’ve confused me, or even enraged me, but my body betrayed me anyway, leaning into him as if it knew something my mind refused to accept. I clung to that tiny flicker of trust, to the feeling of his strong arms steadying me.

Everything faded into a blur as exhaustion suddenly hit me like a tidal wave. My body went limp, and the last thing I felt before the darkness swallowed me whole was Rhett’s arms tightening around me, cradling me closer.

26

Rhett

Ev began to stir on my shoulder. I carefully set her down on the ground, leaning her back against a moss-covered log. Then I rose to my feet and stood in front of her, guarding her like I had all those years ago, when we were just kids. When I thought I could protect her from everything.

Her eyes finally fluttered open, and I stooped to pull out a bottle of water. “Here,” I said, offering it to her. “You need to drink this. Then you need to eat something. It’ll help with the shock.”

Confusion flickered across her face as she took the bottle with trembling hands. “What… what happened back there?”

Her voice was raw, barely more than a whisper, but it cut through the quiet forest like a blade.

I leaned over to my pack to grab a protein bar for her. “One of your friends set off a smoke-veil trap.”

“Are they all dead?”

I dipped my chin in a curt nod. “Yes.”

She shuddered. “That man was huge. And that gas mask… I don’t think I’ve ever seen something so terrifying in my life,” she said, voice cracking. “I really thought I was going to die.”

“That’s Xavier Nilsson. Definitely not a guy you want to run into in a dark alley,” I said.

She gulped. “Won’t he be angry that you stole his kill right from under him?”

“No. He didn’t see either of us. All that smoke was in the way.”

“And if he did see us? What then?”

I lifted my shoulder in a nonchalant shrug. “I would’ve had to kill him.”

“You’d really do that?” Ev’s eyes widened. “Kill one of your own… for me?”

“Yup.”

She stared at me for a long, silent moment, eyes flickering with confusion. Then she took a long gulp of water and accepted the protein bar. Once she’d finished eating, she lifted her gaze to meet mine again. “How long have you known, Rhett?” she asked in a low murmur.

“Known what?”

“That we knew each other when we were kids.”

I glanced at my watch. “About an hour.”

“Oh,” she said softly.

I rose to my feet and extended a hand. “Time to go.”

Ev didn’t get up right away. Instead, she kept looking up at me like she was trying to piece together a puzzle, brows furrowing. “Why?” she finally said. “Why did you save me?”

“Because I didn’t want to see you die,” I said, my tone clipped. “Not like that. Not by him. Not by anyone.”

“Just because we knew each other as kids?”

“No,” I muttered, rubbing my jaw. “But I think you already know that.”

Her eyes searched mine. “Tell me why, Rhett. Please.”

“Walk with me for a few minutes, and I’ll show you why.”

She swallowed audibly and rose to her feet, limbs still trembling. I grabbed her hand and motioned to the north. “This way.”

“Wait… won’t they see us on the cameras?” she asked, voice laced with panic. “Won’t you get in trouble for helping a player?”

“No. This is a dead zone.” I gestured to the dense trees around us, their branches weaving a canopy that shrouded us from prying eyes. “No cameras. We’re invisible here.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. The island is too big to put cameras absolutely everywhere, so there’s a few places with no coverage. Mostly places that hardly get any traffic,” I said. “And even in zones that do have cameras, there’s narrow corridors in them that are basically blind spots. I use them to get around when I don’t want to be seen.”

Her brows rose. “You know all of the blind spots?”

“Yup. I’ve been studying this place for a long time. Know it like the back of my hand.”

Ev went quiet for another long moment as we slowly trudged through the underbrush. Then she cleared her throat. “That weird ritual we saw when we were kids—was it related to all of this?”

“Yeah. It was an initiation ritual for Wilders going into their senior year. I didn’t know it back then, but—”

“But then you ended up doing it yourself ten years later,” she said, cutting me off. “Just a few months ago, right? You helped to kill an innocent man to prove yourself worthy of The Wild Hunt?”

I nodded. “Yeah, that’s how it works. Except he wasn’t innocent.”

“How can you do it?” She paused and swept her hand around, gesturing to the woods. “How can you murder people for fun?”

A mirthless half-smile curved up my lips. “You really don’t have to listen to all the moralists who claim that killing is always wrong,” I said. “It’s not. Some people fucking deserve it.”

Ev opened her mouth, presumably to protest, but then she clamped it shut again, brows furrowing at the same time. “I guess that’s actually true,” she muttered. “If I ever manage to get my hands on the guy who brought me here, I won’t think twice about killing him.”

My smile widened slightly. She was going to love my surprise.

“While we’re on the subject of deserving death… you know those three that died in the smoke back there?” I said, cocking a brow.

“Yes. How could I forget?”

I lay a hand on her shoulder. “If it makes you feel any better, they weren’t good people. They definitely deserved it.”

Ev sighed and shook her head. “Honestly… that doesn’t make me feel any better. But thanks for trying.”

I smiled thinly. “It’s okay. I have something else that’ll make you feel a whole lot better.”

“What?”

“You’ll see.” I pointed to the right. “This way.”

We trudged in silence for the next few minutes. When we arrived at the edge of a clearing, Ev stopped in her tracks, eyeing the cabin on the edge. “Wait… I know this place. That’s where we—” She stopped abruptly and cleared her throat. “This is where the underground safe zone is. Or was, before it closed.”

“That’s right.”

“Why did you bring me back here?”

“Be patient. I promise it’ll be worth it.” I gestured to the right again. “We have to go around the clearing. It’s got cameras in and around it. But if we go that way, we can avoid them.”

I led her around to the far side of the cabin, keeping a steady hand on her elbow. She didn’t resist, but I could feel the tension radiating off her in waves. When we turned the corner, her footsteps faltered, and she let out a sharp gasp.

JJ was exactly where I left him earlier—slumped against the wall, wrists bound behind his back, gagged with a strip of cloth I’d torn from his shirt. When he caught sight of us, he straightened, his eyes narrowing on me in a mix of fury and panic.

“What the hell?” Ev whispered. She looked up at me, wide-eyed, like she couldn’t quite believe what she was seeing. “You got Jake?”

“I know him as JJ,” I said. “Jake Kelly is my best friend. I always thought you were talking about him.”

Ev nodded slowly as understanding dawned on her. “The wrong guy,” she murmured.

“Yeah. I’m a fucking idiot.”

“So… you believe me now?”

“Yes,” I said gruffly. “I should’ve always believed you.”

“How did you figure it out?”

I ran her through everything that had happened over the last hour. As I spoke, Ev’s expression went from shock to fury, then to something softer, almost vulnerable. “Thank you,” she murmured. “I was honestly starting to wonder if I was losing my mind.”

“No.” I steeled my jaw and looked at JJ. “It was him all along. He wanted you dead.”

“Fucking asshole,” she muttered, glaring at him. Her eyes snapped back to me. “Are you going to kill him now?”

“No. You’re going to kill him.” I reached into my jacket and pulled out my hunting knife. “After what he’s put you through, you deserve the chance.”

She stared at the blade, eyes wide. “Oh.”

“If you can’t handle it, that’s okay. I can do it for you.”

“No.” Ev took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and took the knife. “I can do it.”

“All right.” I crouched to rip the gag out of JJ’s mouth. “Any last words, asshole? Maybe an apology?”

“Evvy, please,” he gasped out, panicked eyes focusing on her. “Rhett is fucking crazy! I don’t know what he told you, but—”

She cut him off with a swift kick to the guts. He fell to his side, spluttering.

“Good girl,” I said, watching with a smirk.

“Everly… please,” JJ ground out, wincing from the pain. “Don’t kill me.”

“Why wouldn’t I kill you, Jake?” Ev said, voice rising an octave. “After everything you did to me! And Julia, too!”

“If you kill me, you’ll never know the truth. Neither of you will ever know.”

“Rhett already told me the truth,” Ev said, rolling her eyes. “He told me everything, you sick fuck.”

“No, I mean… about The Wild Hunt. It’s not what you think.”

Ev looked at me, forehead creasing. “What the hell is he talking about?”

“No idea,” I said with a shrug. “He vaguely alluded to some stuff earlier, but he’s probably just talking shit to try and save himself.”

“I’m not lying!” JJ said, eyes bulging. “You know who my father is!”

I looked back at Ev, whose face was still etched with confusion. “His dad’s the top dog in the society,” I explained. “That’s what he means.”

“I know things! Things you should know!” JJ shouted before Ev could reply. “Let me live, and I’ll tell you.”

“Why don’t you tell us first, and then we’ll decide if we’re going to let you live,” Ev said, voice dripping with condescension.

“No.” JJ swallowed hard. “I’m not stupid. You’ll just kill me straight afterwards.”

“Okay.” I shrugged again and gestured to the knife. “Do it now. He’s not going to tell us any—”

“Wait!” JJ shrieked. I’d never heard such a pathetic sound coming from him, even when he pissed himself earlier. “I’ll tell you what I know! But please… just promise me you’ll think about letting me go, okay? I can be helpful to you. I can make sure you get off the island alive.”

“Sure, we’ll consider it,” Ev said, glancing over at me. The hard determination in her eyes told me she’d already made up her mind—no mercy.

“Yeah,” I said, suppressing a smile. “We’ll definitely consider it. But this information better be worth it.”

JJ gulped again. “This game… it’s not what you think,” he began. “People die here, but—”

Ev laughed and threw up her hands, cutting him off. “Oh my god, really?” she said in an acid tone. “That’s your big reveal? That people die here?”

“Yeah, that’s not exactly news, man,” I said, lifting a scornful brow.

JJ stared up at me. “Just listen to me,” he said in a hollow voice. “The society isn’t what you think. Neither is this game. The players don’t know what they’re signing up for, and the hunters don’t really know either. That’s what I meant.”

I frowned. “What?”

“The players don’t know what they’re signing up for,” he repeated. “The recruiters tell them it’s just a game with no risks, except for a few bruises and scratches. None of them have any idea what they’re really in for when they get here.”

“Bullshit.” I snorted. “They know exactly what they’re getting into.”

“Rhett…” Ev looked over at me, head slowly shaking. “He’s not lying about that. Did you really not know?”

I stared at her, heart hammering. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“The other players I met here… they all thought they’d signed up to play a fun survival game and potentially win a ton of money,” she said. “All of them expected to go home to their families afterwards. Not a single one of them knew this was a real hunt.”

“See?” JJ said. “The Patriarchs lie, man. They lie to everyone.”

“Why would anyone ever agree to be hunted to death?” Ev added, still staring at me.

“Because they aren’t regular people,” I said, eyes narrowing. “Group 1 are all death-row prisoners. They choose between the Hunt—which risks their life but also gives them a chance at freedom—and being executed in a shitty max-security prison. It’s not a hard choice for most of them. And Group 2… they’re all terminally ill. So they’re already dying. They just want a chance to go out in glory after winning the prize money for their families. And Group 3—”

JJ cut me off. “None of them know the truth about it, man. I swear.”

“That’s fucking bullshit,” I muttered. “They know.”

“Nope. They don’t know shit.”

“He’s telling the truth, Rhett,” Ev added softly. “I assumed you knew. I thought all the hunters knew.”

My head was spinning, and my stomach was starting to churn violently. I swallowed thickly. “No, that can’t be right. It doesn’t make sense.”

“It’s true,” JJ insisted. “I swear.”

I slowly shook my head. “If the players are never told about the true nature of the Hunt, then what the fuck is the point in making them sign all those liability waivers?” I asked. “We can see their signatures on their profiles, so we know they’re agreeing to it. Or at least they’re agreeing to something. So why make them do that if whatever they’re agreeing to isn’t even real? It’s just a pointless fucking waste of time.”

“It’s not pointless, because it’s not really waiver forms they’re signing,” JJ said. “That’s just what the Patriarchs want you to believe.”

“What the fuck are they signing, then?”

“The players are told that they have to sign ironclad non-disclosure agreements to protect the integrity of the game. But really, it’s just a trick to keep them from telling their friends and family anything about it. That way, when they suddenly leave one day and never come home… their friends and family think they just went missing. No one knows where they really ended up. And no one has any way of connecting them to The Wild Hunt.”

I blinked, trying to process what I’d just heard, but the words wouldn’t settle. They just swirled in my mind, jagged and raw, like shards of broken glass.

All this time, I’d thought the players—the prey—had signed up for this, knowing exactly what they were walking into. They wanted the money, the adrenaline, the chance at freedom, and they were willing to risk their lives for it.

But that wasn’t true. They didn’t know their lives were at stake. None of them knew.

“How do they explain the prisoners disappearing?” Ev asked, frowning. “They can’t just go missing like regular people.”

“It’s covered up as prison suicide,” JJ said. “Happens all the time, so people aren’t surprised to hear it.”

Ev muttered something under her breath. Then her gaze flicked over to me. “What’s Group 3?” she asked sharply. “You never finished telling me.”

Before I could reply, JJ spoke up again. “That’s actually another thing I have to tell you,” he said. “The Patriarchs lie to everyone about Group 3 as well.”

“How so?” I asked, eyes narrowing.

He focused on Ev. “We’re told they’re people who’ve done terrible things that The Wild Hunt has become aware of through various means. They’re offered a chance to sign up for the game, choosing between possible death and having their awful secrets exposed to the world. Most choose the game.”

“That’s why you asked me what I did to wind up here,” Ev said, looking over at me. “Right?”

“Yeah.” I nodded stiffly. “What’s the truth, JJ?”

“Some of them are actually bad people who’ve been caught doing bad shit. So it’s not all lies. But most…” He paused for a beat, slowly shaking his head. “Most are just people with crippling debts. They’re told they can sign up for the game for a chance to win millions, so they can pay those debts off. But they aren’t told that it’s a real hunt. Like I said, none of the players are ever told the truth.”

I scrubbed a hand over my face as my pulse thundered in my ears, drowning out every sound except the hammering of my own heartbeat.

Everything I thought I knew about the Hunt—the society, the rules, the reason we all played this game—was shifting under me like quicksand, dragging me down. What the fuck had I been a part of all this time? Who had I killed? People who genuinely deserved death, or innocents?

“Why?” I managed to grind out. “Why do they do it?”

“Because there aren’t that many death-row prisoners and terminally ill people out there, so they need to bump up the numbers somehow,” JJ said. “It’s no fun to only have a few players in a Hunt, is it? We need a lot of prey to go after to make it fun and worthwhile.”

“But why the fuck do they trick us into participating?” I asked. “Why not just be honest from the start and find hunters who are actually willing to kill anyone with no remorse?”

“Because the Patriarchs know the vast majority of people aren’t total psychopaths, and that includes the Wilders. Most of them are like you—even after all their training, they only want to kill people they perceive as deserving of death, or people who are already on death’s door anyway. So… the Patriarchs lie. They pretend Group 3 is filled with the dregs of humanity. That way no one feels bad about hunting them down and fucking them up like total savages.”

“But why?” Ev said in a shrill voice. “Why do the Patriarchs even run this horrible game in the first place? Especially if they know most of the players are innocent people.”

“Think about it,” JJ replied. “What does everything come down to at the end of the day?”

“I don’t know.”

“Yes, you do. I already hinted at it when I told you how they convince most of the Group 3 players to sign up.”

Ev’s frown deepened. “Money?”

“Yup. Money and power.” JJ winced as he pushed himself up slightly. “The Wilders are told that they’re the only ones who get to watch and bet on the Hunt while all the surveillance footage from the island streams on our server. If they’re not participating as hunters that year, I mean. But it’s not true. Others watch too.”

“Who?”

“A ton of online weirdos who pay for access on the dark web, and then pay even more to place bets on the hunters and prey as the game goes on. Of course, all that money gives the Patriarchs a hell of a lot more clout in the world, because we all know money equals power.” JJ’s gaze swiveled back to me. “You’ve already made them $20 million on those bets during this game, Rhett. And you, Everly… you’re making a lot for them too. You’re a real underdog story. People thought you’d be the first one to get taken out, but fuck… it’s like you’ve had a guardian angel on your side.”

Ev looked over at me. “You’re right,” she said, voice scarcely above a whisper. “I have.”

My hands curled into fists, nails digging into my palms until the pain cut through the chaos in my head. Fury flared, hot and unrelenting, but it wasn’t solely aimed at JJ—it was aimed at them. The Patriarchs. The ones who’d designed this sick, twisted system. And maybe at myself for being too fucking ignorant to see it.

“Do all of them know?” I asked in a low voice. “Every single Patriarch?”

“Yes, Rhett, your father knows,” JJ said in a taunting tone, cocking his head. “That was the question you really wanted to ask, wasn’t it?”

Fuck.

My father could be a prick sometimes, but I never would’ve thought he was capable of something like this. Never thought he’d be able to lie and hide so much from me after all the shit our family had endured over the years.

“You can’t even do anything about it,” JJ went on. A smug note had appeared in his voice. “I told you earlier; you’re in deep. Especially with such a high body count. So even if you go running to the FBI, or whoever, you’re going down just like everyone else in the society.”

“Don’t be a cunt, Jake,” Ev spat out. “You’re already in enough trouble, don’t you think? Do you really want to piss us off even more?”

The mocking expression vanished from JJ’s face. “Sorry,” he muttered. “I was just saying.”

“Who else knows the truth?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. I wanted a mental list of people I needed to confront apart from my father and Peter Jennings.

JJ averted his eyes. “What makes you think anyone else knows?”

Ev kicked him in the ribs again. “Obviously, your dad told you,” she said hotly. “So it stands to reason that other non-Patriarchs might’ve been trusted with the big, bad secret too.”

“Okay… fine. You’re right,” JJ mumbled, grimacing. “The recruiters who work for us know the whole story too. But they have their own reasons to stay silent about it, so there’s no concern about any of them trying to tell the world.”

“Who are the recruiters?”

“I’ve told you guys enough. No more information until I’m free,” he said, squirming in his spot. “That’s the new deal.”

I took a deep breath, my jaw clenching. “You know what? I think you’re right,” I said, voice edged with barely-restrained rage. “You’ve told us enough. We can figure out the rest between us.”

Ev nodded. “I agree.”

“Does that mean you’re going to let me go?” JJ asked, staring up at her with wide, beseeching eyes.

She crouched to his level, plump lips curving in a sweet smile. “Yes, I’m letting you go,” she said in a saccharine tone. “In a manner of speaking.”

Relief flooded his face, and his shoulders sagged. “I knew you’d do the right thing, Evvy,” he murmured.

“I’m going to show you the exact same sympathy and kindness you showed me when you signed me up for this game,” Ev went on. In her right hand, she lifted the knife, waving it mockingly in his face. “The same sympathy and kindness you showed to Julia.”

JJ’s eyes filled with terror all over again. “Wait… I thought you said you were letting me go!”

“I said in a manner of speaking,” Ev replied, nostrils flaring. “Let me make it clearer, seeing as you’re such a fucking idiot. I’m letting you go from my life. Letting you go from your own life, too. Got it now?”

“Good girl,” I murmured, lips spreading in a smirk.

“Ev, no!” JJ shrieked, thrashing in his spot. “You can’t do this!”

“Why?” she replied, brows rising. “You were going to kill me if you got me alone out here, weren’t you? Or at least let someone else kill me.”

“No, baby. I’d never hurt you. I just wanted to scare some sense into you, that’s all,” JJ said in a wheedling tone. His eyes never left the knife in Ev’s hand. “Why do you think you’ve survived out here for so long? I’ve been helping you!”

I snorted, and Ev laughed drily.

“It was Rhett. He’s been tracking me and keeping me safe this whole time,” she said. “I know that now. And I also know what a monster you are.”

“Please!” JJ’s voice cracked as she lifted the knife. “Don’t do this! I can’t die like this!”

Ev arched a brow. “Don’t you have anything else to say to me right now?”

“I’m sorry, okay! I’m fucking sorry!” Snot ran from JJ’s nose as he blubbered, mixing with the blood on his face. “I swear, I never wanted this to happen!”

“And yet you made damn sure it happened,” she replied, voice dripping with fury. “But hey, thanks for finally apologizing.”

“I really mean it. Please, baby…”

Ev’s jaw clenched. “I don’t accept your apology, Jake. Goodbye.”

With that, she drove the knife into his abdomen.

Her lack of experience was clear, the blade catching on bone with a faint scraping sound. JJ’s agonized scream was cut short as the air rushed out of his lungs, and a look of utter shock replaced his terror. Clearly, he’d never believed that Ev was capable of such violence, even at the very last second. Not until the knife pierced his flesh.

“Please,” he choked out. “S-stop. I’m… s-sorry.”

Ev’s hand shook, the knife wobbling in his flesh as she tried to force it deeper. It didn’t give, so she pulled it out with a grunt, face contorting in a mask of frustration.

“For fuck’s sake,” she muttered. Her chest was rising and falling in heaving breaths, eyes locked on the spot where the blade trembled over his stomach. I could see it in her expression—the hesitation overtaking her determination, creeping into her fury.

“Ev,” I said, stepping closer. “Don’t let him throw you off with his bullshit apologies. He wasn’t sorry until he got caught.”

Her wide eyes darted to me, flickering with something between panic and resolve. “I—I can’t…”

“You can,” I said firmly, crouching down beside her. “Remember what he did to you. What he was going to do to you if he got you alone.”

“No, I just meant… I physically can’t,” she said, grimacing. “I want to, but it’s harder than I thought. My hands are so shaky, and I think I hit a rib or something. It just… it wouldn’t go in properly.”

“I’ll help you.” My hands covered hers on the hilt, steadying the tremors. “Do you want it to be quick? Or do you want him to suffer?”

She swallowed thickly. “I…”

As she faltered, I leaned in to kiss her neck. “Don't be ashamed of your desires, baby,” I murmured. “It’s okay if you want him to hurt. All you have to do is say it.”

She took a deep breath and lifted her chin. “I want it to hurt,” she said. “I want him to feel all the pain he’s inflicted on me and others.”

JJ’s choked protests reached a fever pitch, words stumbling over themselves in frantic pleas, but I blocked them out. Ev’s lips parted, her breathing shallow and erratic as I guided her hands.

“If you aim right there,” I muttered, letting the tip of the blade rest on a precise spot. “It’ll go through his diaphragm. A quick, clean cut through that, along with the liver, will cause a pneumothorax. He won’t be able to breathe properly after that, so he’ll be gasping for air while he bleeds out from the liver wound. It’ll hurt like a motherfucker, too.”

It was a messy way to go, but JJ didn’t deserve an easy death.

Ev steeled her jaw and nodded. “I’m ready.”

With my hand guiding hers, she pushed forward, the blade slicing through flesh and muscle this time. “Good girl,” I murmured against her ear. “That’s perfect.”

A gurgling sound escaped JJ's throat as the knife slid deeper, and a fresh spray of blood splattered across Ev’s face. Her breath hitched, a strangled grunt of effort escaping her lips, but she didn't pull back, her fingers tightening on the handle beneath mine. We moved together, a morbid choreography of vengeance, until the blade was buried to the hilt.

JJ’s strangled cries echoed through the cold, foggy air, along with his wheezing, gasping attempts to draw breath. Ev watched him silently, face etched with fury, until his eyes turned glassy and his body finally went limp.

A heavy silence fell after that. I felt Ev trembling, the adrenaline beginning to wear off.

I waited for her to release the handle, then slowly withdrew my hand, my eyes never leaving her face as she rose to her feet. It was a mess of crimson; blood splattered all over it. It was all over her hands and shirt too, even streaked along her neck where she must’ve wiped her hand without thinking. Every single piece of her radiated chaos, raw and unfiltered.

She’d never looked so fucking beautiful.

27

Everly

My gaze lingered on Jake’s lifeless body, his face now slack and pale.

I dragged my eyes away from him, my breathing shallow, and saw Rhett watching me. His dark eyes bore into mine, intense and unreadable—the same look he’d given me many times before. It used to make me shrink, convinced it was hatred or disgust. But now, I understood what it really was: want. A raw, unspoken hunger.

I thought he might kiss me, but he didn’t move closer, didn’t touch me. Instead, his deep voice broke the silence, soft and steady. “How are you feeling?”

My lips parted, but the words didn’t come right away.

I looked back at Jake’s body. Weirdly, I didn’t feel the way I thought I would after taking his life. No pang of guilt, no gnawing regret. Just... relief. He could never hurt me again. Never hurt anyone again.

“I thought I’d feel bad,” I finally said. “But I don’t. Not even a little bit.”

Rhett took a step closer. “Like I said earlier, some people don’t deserve mercy,” he said in a low voice. “He deserved exactly what he got.”

My gaze lifted to his eyes again, and for the first time, I didn’t flinch under the weight of his stare. The darkness there didn’t frighten me anymore. It mirrored my own.

“I’m sorry for everything I did to you,” he went on, voice gruff. “I should've said that earlier.”

“Sometimes you say things through actions instead of words,” I replied, lips curving in a ghost of a smile. “You've done plenty of that.”

Rhett glanced over at Jake’s body again, and his jaw tightened. “I guess that’s true.”

“On that note…” I bit my bottom lip, hesitating for a moment. “I have to ask you something.”

He looked back at me, a question in his eyes. “Yeah?”

“Before you knew the truth about how I ended up here… would you have killed me? Or let someone else kill me?”

“Never.” He swallowed, and a muscle in his jaw clenched. He almost looked angry at me for asking. For doubting him. “Never.”

“But why?” I shook my head. “You always hated me. And you thought I was a real player here, so I should’ve been fair game to you, right?”

Rhett took another step toward me, close enough now that I could feel the warmth radiating from his body. When his fingers brushed mine, I didn’t pull away. His touch was steady, grounding me.

“I never hated you,” he said in a low voice.

“You did.”

“No. I wanted to, but I couldn’t.”

“Why?”

He scrubbed a hand across his jaw. “The first time I met you, I just knew there was something about you. I didn’t know what it was, exactly, but still… I knew. I was obsessed, even when I didn’t want to be,” he said, his voice rough but certain. “When I saw your profile on the Hunt list, I knew you didn’t belong. I knew it had to be a mistake. So I came up with a plan to save you.”

My breath hitched, eyes searching his face. “Really?”

“Yeah. I planned to track you as long as you were here. Keep you safe until you were the last one standing.”

“You were going to make sure I won,” I murmured.

“Yes. It was the only way I could get you out of here alive,” he said. “So that’s what I’ve been doing. That’s why I’ve been following you. You’ve never been in any danger, even when you thought you were. The only times you even came close were in that smoke trap, which I got you out of as fast as I could, and in that pit-trap field I warned you about.”

“I really wish I’d listened to you about that,” I said, shoulders sagging.

“I know why you didn’t. I get it.” Rhett squeezed my hand tighter. “But I mean it, Ev. You were never, ever going to die on this island.”

I swallowed hard. “What if another hunter caught me? There’s so many of them.”

“Some of them tried. More than once. I sabotaged them,” he said. “And if it ever came down to it, I would’ve killed them.”

My eyes widened. “But then you’d get in trouble with the society, wouldn’t you? And your own life would be at risk.”

“No. It’s not unheard of for hunters to die from friendly fire out here. Especially with the newer hunters,” he replied. “It’s easy to mistake a rustle in the bushes as a player and take a shot, only to find out you’ve just killed one of your fellow Wilders. That’s just a risk we all take out here. So if I ever killed any of them, I could easily pass it off like that. An accident.”

“Oh.” I glanced over at Jake’s still form. “Is that what the other Wilders will think happened to him? Once someone finds him out here, that is.”

“Probably, yeah. But when they take his body in and get a proper look at it, they’ll realize he was stabbed, not shot.”

“And that can’t really be mistaken for friendly fire,” I muttered.

“No. So then they’ll think one of two things—that a fellow Wilder stabbed him to death for some reason, or that a player somehow got hold of a knife and killed him.”

“Which is more likely?”

“Probably the player theory. He told me he lost a knife after throwing it at some girl on the first day, and he always had a big mouth, so he probably mentioned it to a few others, too.”

“Kanako,” I murmured. “She was with me for a while, and she had a knife lodged in her arm when she arrived at the safe zone. It must’ve been his.”

“Do you still have it?” Rhett asked, brows rising. “If we plant it here, it’ll make the player theory even stronger.”

“No, sorry,” I said, shaking my head. “One of the others had it on them when they died, and I didn’t have time to grab their stuff.”

“I understand.” He rubbed his jaw. “It’s fine. No one will immediately suspect me of killing JJ anyway. Or you.”

“Why not me?”

“Only he and his father know you’re his ex-girlfriend, remember? The other Patriarchs and members think you’re a real player like the others.”

“Oh, right.”

“Actually, there’s a problem I didn’t consider.” Rhett’s eyes darkened. “JJ might be dead, but Peter isn’t, and he’s the fucking High Patriarch. If he starts to suspect you killed his son as revenge for bringing you here, he’ll probably have you marked as the next bounty. Almost every hunter on the island will be after you then.”

“So… I really need to get the hell out of here.”

“Yup.” He frowned, rubbing his jaw. “I need to hide you until I can figure out a proper plan.”

“Can’t you just take me off the island right now?”

“No. All travel from Wildercliff is banned while the Hunt is on.”

“Wait… what? Why?”

“It’s just in case any player happens to get access to a boat and tries to escape the island that way. If travel is banned, it’s instantly noticeable if that happens, and they can be intercepted and brought back in. But if there were boats coming back and forth all the time, it wouldn’t be as noticeable, and someone might actually get away,” he said. “So once the members and players are here, it’s locked down until it’s all over. If I tried to steal a boat to get you out of here, they’d notice immediately and intercept us.”

“Shit.” I swallowed thickly. “That was actually my whole escape plan.”

Rhett frowned. “To leave on a boat?”

“Yes. I remembered the tunnels from when I was a kid, so I was going to look for the clearing where we saw that ritual. From there, I thought I could find the tunnel we came through that night, make it up to the manor, and steal a boat.”

He nodded slowly. “That was smart. You couldn’t have known about the lockdown.”

“Yeah,” I said glumly. “I guess I couldn’t have known any of it, really.”

Something in Rhett’s eyes suddenly shifted. “Ev… do you believe me?” he asked in a low voice. “That I didn’t know the truth about the Hunt?”

“Yes. Of course I believe you. Your reaction…” I trailed off, head shaking. “You couldn’t have faked that. No way.” I paused for another beat, gnawing at the inside of my cheek, before going on. “I am curious about something, though.”

“What?”

“Before you knew the truth, you were totally fine with killing people, as long as they were people you viewed as deserving of death,” I said. “Do you think that’ll change now? After all of this?”

His jaw clenched, and he shook his head. “The way I see it, death is the only real justice for some people. Judge me if you want. But I won’t change my mind. I won’t apologize, either.”

“I’m not judging you or demanding any apologies. I was just curious, that’s all.”

“So you don’t think I’m fucking crazy?” he asked, brows knitting. “Most people probably would.”

“Well, maybe I'm crazy too,” I said softly. “Because when you told me you'd kill people for me… that was honestly the sweetest thing I've ever heard.”

Rhett’s fingers curled gently around mine, the blood between them smearing, and he leaned in. “I meant it, Ev. I’ll kill anyone who gets in our way. Anyone who threatens you.”

“I know.”

His free hand cupped my face, thumb wiping away a streak of blood on my cheek, and then he closed the distance between us, lips claiming mine in a kiss that was neither gentle nor restrained. It was raw, desperate, filled with every unspoken word he’d buried deep for so long.

My hands tightened on his jacket, pulling him closer. His touch, his kiss… it wasn’t just a comfort. It was a promise. A promise that I wasn’t alone in this darkness. A promise that he’d stay in it with me, no matter what came next.

When we finally pulled apart, both of us were breathing hard. Rhett’s forehead rested against mine, his voice low and hoarse. “You’re mine, Everly. Don’t ever forget that.”

A rumble of thunder rolled through the sky before I could reply. I didn’t need to, though. Not really. I knew the look in my eyes already said everything.

He glanced upward. “It’s almost dark, and there’ll be more storms soon. We should go.”

“Where?”

“Up to the Lodge,” he said. He saw the question flickering in my eyes and added, “Wildercliff Manor.”

“You want to take me there?” I said, eyes widening. “Isn’t that where all the Wilders are staying right now?”

“Technically, yeah. But do you remember the part we stayed in when we were kids?”

“Yes,” I said, brows furrowing.

“That’s the west wing. It’s older than the rest and used a lot less, because the north and east wings are closer to the hunting grounds, and everyone wants a chance to catch a glimpse of the action,” he explained. “So the Wilders always stay in those parts, while the west wing is basically a giant ghost town. As long as we’re careful, no one should see us sneak in there.”

“Is that why they put us there when we were kids?” I asked. “Because they didn’t want us to run into any of the Wilders who were there for the ritual?”

Rhett nodded. “Yup.”

“But why even bring kids here in the first place?” I asked, nose wrinkling.

“It’s because most members want to be here for the final senior trial every year, so they can congratulate the new members and welcome them into the brotherhood,” he explained. “It happens over the summer, so some of the guys bring their wives and kids and ditch them in the west wing of Wildercliff for a few days, so they can relax or play on the beach while all the Wilder shit goes on in other areas. No one’s ever had any issue with it, because it’s a nice place to stay, as long as you stick to the boundaries.”

“Right,” I muttered. “So you really think it’ll be okay for me to go there now?”

“Yes. People usually only stay in the west wing during summer. And if anyone happens to be there anyway and sees us…” Rhett trailed off, brows lifting. “Well, I already told you what’ll happen to them.”

I looked up at the rapidly darkening sky. “You were right before. We should head off before this weather gets any worse,” I said. “I’m glad it’s almost dark, though. It’ll cover us better once we arrive at the manor, right?”

“Yes. For now, we’ll stick to the dead zones, and then we’ll head into a tunnel. That way no one will spot us on the live stream.” Rhett glanced at his watch. “It’ll take about two hours, but if you’re too tired to walk, I can carry you.”

I smiled faintly. I knew he wasn’t just pretending to be some big macho man. He really would carry me all the way if he had to. “Thanks,” I said. “I can walk, though.”

We covered Jake’s body with a small tarp we found in his bag, just in case. Then we trudged away through the underbrush for about half an hour, sticking to safe corridors with blind spots, until we finally arrived at a tunnel entrance. Its mouth was framed by jagged stone, and thick tendrils of ivy clung to the edges.

“Wait.” Rhett lifted a hand to stop me from entering. Then he dropped his bag and started rifling through it. “We need to deal with your wristband before we go any farther.”

“Oh, shit. I forgot all about this thing,” I said, nervously running my fingertips over the black and silver band. “It’s GPS-tracked, isn’t it?”

“Yup. If you break it, it’ll instantly register with the tech guys, and they’ll report it. Then the Patriarchs will know something is up and start looking for you,” Rhett said. He paused and rose to his full height again, holding up a tiny screwdriver. “But if we remove it properly, so it still works, they won’t know anything’s happened. They’ll just think you found a good spot to hide for a while.”

“Okay.”

Rhett crouched down in front of me, his expression calm but focused. “Give me your wrist.”

I extended my arm, and he carefully cradled it in his hand, turning the wristband so the underside faced up. The screwdriver gleamed in his other hand as he angled it toward the tiny screws securing the band to my wrist.

“This is going to take a minute,” he murmured, his voice low and reassuring. “Hold still.”

I swallowed hard, my pulse ticking in my throat as I watched him work. His movements were deliberate and meticulous, his brow furrowed in concentration. I realized I’d never seen him behave so gently before. His hands, capable of so much violence, were now steady and careful as they brushed over my skin.

“What happens if—” I stopped abruptly, unwilling to voice the sudden fear bubbling up my throat.

“If I fuck it up?” Rhett finished without looking up. A faint smile ghosted his lips, but his eyes remained sharp as he eased the first screw free and set it aside. “Don’t worry. I won’t.”

As he worked, I kept my arm as still as possible, trying to focus on how warm his touch felt against my wrist or how his thumb unconsciously stroked my skin, calming me without words. Finally, with a faint click, the last screw gave way. Rhett removed the band in one smooth motion, holding it delicately between his fingers as though it were a live wire.

“There.” He stooped and placed the wristband behind a large moss-covered boulder. “Now it looks like you’re still playing the game. No one will know you’re actually up at the Lodge. I can also come back out here every few hours and move it, so the tech guys won’t get suspicious when they see your tracker in the exact same spot on the map all the time.”

I rubbed at the raw skin on my wrist, relief flooding me. “Thanks,” I murmured, lifting my hand to my earbud. “Should I get rid of this too?”

“I don’t think they have trackers on them. But toss it just in case.”

I did as he said, throwing the earbud into the nearby underbrush. Then I turned back to the tunnel entrance.

Inside, the air was damp and cool, carrying the faint metallic tang of rust and decay. The walls, reinforced with slabs of concrete and thick steel beams, loomed high above us, curving into an arched ceiling that stretched wider than I anticipated.

“This is a lot bigger than I remember,” I said, forehead wrinkling.

“It’s a different tunnel than the one we came through as kids. But they’re all bigger now,” Rhett replied. “About ten years ago, they were widened and reinforced.”

“Ah.” I glanced nervously over my shoulder. “What do you think the chances are of running into another hunter in here?”

“Almost zero. The Wilders that only hunt during the day would’ve headed back to the Lodge an hour ago, and the others will stay out in the hunting grounds.”

“But won’t some of them come in here to escape the rain?”

“I doubt it. There’s cabins all over the place, so the guys who care about dodging the weather will probably find the closest one and camp out there.”

“Ah.” I nodded slowly. “Sorry I keep asking so many questions. I don’t mean to be annoying.”

Rhett smiled. “It’s not annoying. And trust me—I have a million questions in my head right now too,” he said. “So go ahead. Ask me anything you want. It’ll be a good way to pass the time as we walk.”

“Okay, um…” I paused, brows furrowing. “How long has The Wild Hunt existed?”

“Since 1892.”

“I figured it was probably pretty old,” I said. “Do you know the original purpose of it? I’m assuming it wasn’t to make a ton of money, seeing as internet streaming didn’t exist back then.”

“It was originally a bunch of rich guys who got together as a networking sort of thing, to ensure their male descendants would always have connections. Like most secret societies,” Rhett replied. “Somewhere along the line, a few of them created an offshoot that became The Wild Hunt. A secret society with the addition of a human hunt. It was a way for the men to enact their version of vigilante justice on people they considered deserving of it, while also satisfying their own bloodthirsty urges.”

“You kind of sound like you’re reading from a script.”

He chuckled softly. “I am, sort of. We learned the history of the society in a lecture in our first year, and I remember most of it word for word,” he said. “They leave out everything about the current Hunt, though. They make it sound as if it’s all a relic of the past.”

“Wait.” I stopped in my tracks, frowning. “While you’re uninitiated, you don’t know about the Hunt at all?”

“Not officially. In the first three years, we’re trained in various ways and participate in pretend hunts using fake targets. We come here and learn every inch of the island, too,” he said. “They make it seem like we’re just blowing off steam and preparing for a hunt involving animals. But we’re not fucking stupid. We can all tell there’s a lot more at the higher level. And I guess there’s always guys like JJ, too. Guys who are told everything by their big-mouthed parents.”

“Oh.” I started walking again. “So you only officially learn about the Hunt in your senior year, even though most of you already know—or at least suspect—something about it.”

“Yup.”

“Why do the fully-fledged members keep it from you, then? If most of you already know about it.”

“Because the final trial involves all of the uninitiated members teaming up to hunt down and kill a guy, remember?” he said. “They don’t tell us the whole truth until we’ve completed that.”

“Ah.” Understanding finally dawned on me. “That way you all share culpability. So if a member changes their mind about being part of the society, they’re less likely to try and expose it to the world. It’s like a twisted form of insurance.”

“Exactly. Even if you never participate in a single Hunt during your membership, you’re still linked to at least one extra-judicial death. It’s a good way to ensure trust—and silence—between members,” he said. “But we also have other things in place to make sure we don’t get caught.”

“Like what?”

“One of the Patriarchs is the state police commissioner. So even if an angry or regretful member tried to expose us, he’d shut down any investigation right away. Frame it as a hoax, or something like that,” he said. “Also, two of the other Patriarchs are senators, so that’s useful too.”

My lips thinned. “So basically, you guys have tentacles everywhere.”

“Yup. If someone has to leave the society after becoming a full member—like that asshole Ryan, for example—they’re so shit-scared of retribution that the rest of us know they’ll never breathe a word to anyone.”

“God,” I said breathlessly. I couldn’t imagine living through an entire lifetime of fear.

“There’s more, too. In our first year, we have to do a confession ceremony. Basically, we share our deepest, darkest secret to everyone else in the society and entrust them with it. It’s supposed to bring us all closer. Make us more like brothers,” Rhett said. “But now I think I know the real purpose. It’s just another layer of blackmail. Something that only exists to make sure members think twice about crossing the society. Because if they do, their secret could be revealed to the world as payback.”

My brows dipped in a frown. “Couldn’t you just lie? Make up a fake secret?”

“I’m sure a few guys probably make up some bullshit when they go through the ceremony. But I didn’t. I took my vows to the society seriously, and I told the truth,” he replied. “Obviously, I didn’t know the Patriarchs weren’t taking any of the fucking vows seriously, or I never would’ve wasted my time and energy.”

I frowned and cocked my head. “When did the internet and online streaming start being a thing?”

“No idea. I honestly didn’t even know they were making money from the dark web until JJ told us.”

“No, I mean… when did the internet and streaming become a thing in general? 2000-ish? Or the late 90s?”

“Somewhere around then, yeah.”

“And when did Peter Jennings become the High Patriarch?”

“1999.”

I nodded slowly. “I’m guessing it was his idea, then. Bring the Wilders into the future and capitalize on the cyber revolution, or whatever,” I said. I paused for a beat, swallowing hard. “I can’t even imagine how much dark-web money must’ve been made for the society over the last twenty years.”

“I’m guessing hundreds of millions, based on what JJ said.”

“God. That’s insane.” I exhaled deeply, my head shaking. “One more question. What are you going to do about it?”

“About the Patriarchs, you mean? Now that I know the truth?”

“Yes.”

“Well, my first priority is ensuring your safety and getting you off this island. But once I’ve done that, I’m going to take those motherfuckers down.” Rhett’s voice had turned rough again, filled with fury. “They’ve lied and used the rest of us for so fucking long, just to line their pockets. So I don’t know how yet, but they’re going down. I’ll make sure of it.”

“I’ll help you figure it out,” I said, slipping my hand into his. “I hate them just as much as you do.”

Rhett stopped abruptly, squeezing my hand tight. “Ev… taking down the society will be dangerous. You don’t owe me any help. Not after all the shit that’s happened to you, part of which I’m responsible for.”

I defiantly lifted my chin. “I know it’s dangerous,” I said. “But I’ll be okay. I have a guy who’s promised to watch out for me and eliminate anyone who gets in my way.”

He chuckled. “Using my promise against me, huh?” he said, moving an arm around my waist. “Very sneaky, princess.”

“We’re in this together, Rhett. Whether you like it or not.”

“I like it.” The amusement in his voice had vanished, replaced by something raw and unguarded. “I love it.”

We set off down the tunnel again, hand in hand. At the end, it opened onto a sprawling, overgrown estate shrouded in the eerie quiet of night. Wildercliff Manor loomed ahead, its hulking silhouette etched against the dark sky.

The windows of the sprawling west wing were dark. A massive arched doorway stood at the center, flanked by cracked statues, their features eroded into grotesque, unrecognizable shapes.

“Welcome back,” Rhett murmured, his voice low and grim.

I laughed drily. “I’m suddenly struck by the urge to burn this whole place down.”

“One thing at a time,” he replied. “Right now, you need a hot shower and a full night’s rest. You’ll get that in there.”

“Good point.”

Just as we arrived at the doorway, a light suddenly switched on in the foyer beyond it, and Rhett stopped in his tracks. “Shit,” he muttered. “Get behind that statue. I’ll deal with this.”

I did as he said, ducking behind the closest statue as the door creaked open. A petite woman in a gray and white uniform stepped out, and she gasped as she caught sight of Rhett.

“Oh! Sorry, sir!” she said, one hand fluttering at her throat. “I wasn’t expecting to see anyone else on this part of the estate.”

“Sorry for scaring you. I didn’t know you’d be here either,” Rhett said, lifting a palm. “But hey, you might be able to help me with something.”

“Of course, sir.”

“I’m looking for my friend, Jacob Jennings. He’s the son of the owner.”

The maid smiled. “Oh, yes, I know who you’re talking about. I haven’t seen him, though.”

“Oh, damn. I thought he told me he was sleeping in the west wing tonight.” Rhett tilted his head. “Are you sure you didn’t see him in there? Or anyone else, for that matter?”

The maid shook her head. “As far as I know, all the rooms in the west wing are empty right now,” she said. “The only reason I even went in today was to dust things, just to make sure it doesn’t build up too much. I’m sure you know what these old buildings can be like.”

“Sure do.” Rhett waved a casual hand. “I must’ve misheard JJ. Anyway, I’ll let you go. Have a good night.”

“Thank you, sir.” The maid hesitated, glancing at the foyer behind her. “Should I just leave the light on for you? In case you want to wait for your friend. He could still be on his way over here.”

“Good idea.” Rhett nodded slowly. “I’ll wait for him.”

He waited on the threshold until the maid was a safe distance away, and then he called out to me. “It’s safe. We can go in.”

We trudged inside, and my chest tightened as my gaze swept over the towering spiral staircase ahead of us. It looked exactly how I remembered.

“It hasn’t changed in here at all,” I murmured.

“I guess they don’t see any point in renovating it, seeing as hardly any guests stay here,” he replied, holding onto my arm as we began our ascent. “The north wing got redone last year, and the east a few years before that.”

“Ah, right.” We reached the next floor, and my brows rose as I peered down the hall. “Holy shit. The more I see, the more I remember. It’s so weird.”

“Yeah, it’s funny how our memories work sometimes.”

I pointed ahead. “My room was right there. On the left, fourth door down.”

“Should we sleep in there?”

I lifted my shoulder in a nonchalant shrug. “Sure, why not?”

When we arrived at the door, Rhett twisted the knob and pushed it open. The room beyond was just as I remembered. Dark wooden furniture filled the space, and through the windows, I could see a small horseshoe bay glinting beneath the stars.

Rhett stepped inside first, scanning the room before motioning for me to enter. Once I was in, he turned and locked the door behind us. “Just in case,” he muttered.

He pulled the curtains closed and moved toward the adjoining bathroom, pushing the door open to reveal a surprisingly modern space compared to the rest of the west wing—white tiles, gleaming fixtures, and a glass-enclosed shower. “Looks like this part got an upgrade, at least,” he said.

I followed him in, suddenly registering that my body was aching with exhaustion. My reflection in the mirror caught my eye, and I grimaced. Blood streaked my cheeks, dirt smudged my neck, and my hair hung in damp tangles. “God, I look like I’ve been dragged straight through hell.”

“You have,” Rhett said quietly, stepping behind me. His eyes met mine in the mirror. “You can shower first. I’ll keep watch.”

I turned, shaking my head. “No. It’ll be faster if we just—” I hesitated, cheeks warming as my gaze flicked to the shower and back to him. “We’ll just do it together. The door’s locked anyway, and like you said… no one ever comes here at this time of year.”

His brows lifted slightly, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he slipped out of his jacket and reached for the hem of his shirt. He pulled it off in one smooth motion, revealing the sharp lines of muscle crisscrossed with scars and tattoos.

I swallowed hard and turned toward the shower, my fingers fumbling with the hem of my sweatshirt.

Rhett finished undressing, turned the shower on, and stepped in, water slicking down his skin almost instantly, highlighting every ridge of muscle.

For a moment, he stood there under the spray, head tilted back, eyes closed. Then his gaze dropped to me, intense as ever, and his lips curved into a smirk.

“Get in here, princess.”

28

Rhett

I inhaled sharply as I watched Everly step into the shower after me. As soon as the hot water hit her, she let out a satisfied moan and tipped her head back, letting it cascade over her hair. Her skin was still covered in a mix of JJ’s blood and grime from our trek through the woods and tunnel, but that didn’t detract from her beauty. Nothing ever could.

Jesus, Ev. I dragged my gaze over her naked body, wondering how I got so lucky. She was so fucking gorgeous, her long hair clinging to wet skin, her body a masterpiece of curves and soft, glistening lines just begging to be traced. Pure fucking art.

Perfect.

The night I met her, I knew my obsession with her would grow, and it had, consuming me until the thought of losing her made me want to fucking die.

It was beyond obsession, really. I’d lost my damn mind over her. Become totally fucking unhinged, willing to kill anyone and everyone if it meant keeping her safe. Even if it meant I had to lose everything in the end.

My money. My sanity. My life. I’d give it all up for her.

I took a step closer, gaze still skating up and down her gorgeous body. Her pink nipples tightened into stiff buds under the stream, and my mouth practically watered at the sight. I wanted to worship them, take my time laving them until she was panting and begging for it.

With a wicked smirk, I grabbed her by the hips and pushed her backward, pinning her against the tiles. The hungry look in her eyes told me to keep going, so I claimed her mouth with a rough kiss before moving it down to where I wanted it the most right now.

I sucked her nipples into my mouth, one by one, and I felt a surge of possessive triumph course through me as she arched against my hold, a soft moan escaping her lips. This was it. This raw connection, the way she surrendered to me, the way my touch made her come undone. She was mine, and I would never, ever let her go.

I pulled away from her perfect tits and knelt all the way down on the tiled floor. Then I brought my face to her pussy, gliding my tongue around her clit.

“Oh, fuck,” she panted, nails digging into my shoulders as she clutched them for stability. At the same time, her lower body rocked forward, urging me onward. “More. Please…”

She really didn’t have to ask for more or say please. Not when she had the sweetest pussy on the face of the planet. If I’d known how good it tasted, I probably would’ve gotten down on my knees the first night I met her at Hollingsworth, ripped her clothes off, and savored every last piece of her for hours.

I swirled my tongue around her clit again, making her moan, and her nails dug in deeper. “Rhett,” she breathed.

“Yes?” I said, looking up at her with a smirk.

Her eyes were filled with naked frustration. “Fuck me. Please.”

“Patience, princess,” I murmured.

I flattened my tongue, returning it to slide all the way up and down her pussy as I spread her lips with one hand. When I moved slightly upward to lick her clit again, I slipped one finger just past her entrance to tease her, making her legs shake against the wall.

She started rocking her lower body again, silently demanding I slide my finger deeper inside her tight, slick pussy as my mouth licked and sucked at her swollen clit. She was aching with want by now. I could feel it in the way her pussy fluttered and throbbed around my finger, clearly desperate to be replaced with my cock.

“Oh, god,” she murmured. “I’m going to—”

Before she could finish her sentence, I pulled away and rose to my feet. “Not yet,” I growled. “I want you to come on my cock. Turn around.”

Like the good girl she was, she instantly followed my rough command, turning to press her hands against the tiles as she arched her back. I splayed my hands on her ass cheeks, spreading them to admire her ass and pussy before I pressed myself into her, pushing through the warm tightness.

She let out a loud moan, and I brought one hand up and around to her mouth to cover it, just in case someone had randomly decided to wander down to the west wing of Wildercliff. The other hand remained steadily on her right hip as I thrust into her, barely stopping myself from groaning and grunting too. She felt so fucking good. So fucking hot and tight and wet; the perfect place to bury my cock.

“This is all mine,” I muttered through ragged breaths. “All of it belongs to me. All of you. Every moan, every whimper, every breath, every orgasm… mine.”

“Yes,” she said breathlessly. “Yours.”

“Come, baby,” I whispered into her ear. “Come now.”

My words sent her spiraling into climax, pussy contracting around me in warm, pulsating waves. My own climax followed, exploding together with hers in stunning chaos.

Oh, fuck…

What I wouldn’t give to do this again, and again, and again. And then again. If I died with my cock buried in this tight, decadent pussy, I’d die the happiest man in the world.

I rode out the wave of pleasure before pulling myself free with a grunt, leaning one hand against the wall to support my weight, which suddenly felt ten times heavier. I let my gaze sweep over Ev’s beautiful body again as her chest heaved in an attempt to catch her breath.

Beneath the soft glow of the bathroom light, her pale skin revealed something I’d missed earlier. It had all been hidden by the mix of grime and JJ’s blood; everything that had now been washed down the drain. Bruises shadowed her legs and arms like fading ink stains, and shallow cuts marked her where branches or thorns had caught her during desperate scrambles through the woods.

Guilt ate away at my insides as I took in every last cut, scrape, and bruise. She didn’t deserve any of this. Didn’t deserve an ounce of pain, apart from the sort of pain she enjoyed. But that was another issue; one that had nothing to do with her unwilling time in the Hunt.

Without a word, I reached past her and shut the water off, the sudden silence amplifying the sound of her harsh breathing. I grabbed a towel and gently wrapped it around her shoulders before rifling through my bag for a small first aid kit.

“Sit,” I murmured, nudging her toward the closed toilet lid.

She didn’t argue. Just watched me as I knelt in front of her and started cleaning the small wounds. My hands worked carefully, gently dabbing antiseptic over each scrape, my touch reverent in a way I hadn’t known I was capable of. She didn’t flinch, but every wince—no matter how slight—tightened something painful in my chest.

“I hate seeing you like this. Fucking hate it,” I muttered as I pressed a bandage to a deeper scratch on her knee. “I’d honestly bleed out every last drop from my body if it meant no one could ever hurt you again.”

Everly’s breath hitched. “I know,” she said, voice barely above a murmur. “But I’ll be okay. They’re just cuts and bruises.”

I grabbed another bandage and pressed it over a scratch below her knee. “You’re stronger than anyone I’ve ever met, you know that?” I said, looking up at her. “Bravest girl I’ve ever met too.”

Her eyes softened in a way that unraveled me completely. “You really think that?”

“Of course I do. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise.”

“I don’t know,” she said reluctantly. “Remember the night we met in the tunnel? You said I was just a scared little girl with a Taser. And I think you were right. I am scared. All the time.”

I smiled thinly. “In case you haven’t figured this out yet, I can be a real asshole sometimes. And I was definitely a raging asshole to you that night,” I said. “But listen… part of being strong and brave means feeling fear. There’s no way around that. It’s what you do with the fear that counts.”

Her breath hitched again, her eyes searching my face. “Do you ever feel scared, Rhett?” she finally asked.

“Yeah. I’m scared of losing you,” I admitted, voice going husky. “The thought of it keeps me up all night, every night.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

I rose to my feet, holding out one hand. “You don’t have to be sorry for that,” I said. “You don’t have to be sorry for anything.”

She accepted my hand and stood, her pretty eyes flickering past me to the doorway. “Should we go to bed?”

I lifted a brow. “To sleep, or…”

“You’re seriously ready to go again?” she asked, eyes widening. “Now?”

I chuckled and shook my head. “I’d love to fuck you again, and I definitely could. But I was just kidding. I think you need some rest.”

She nodded. “A full eight hours of sleep sounds like heaven right about now,” she said, stepping over to the bed.

Guilt gnawed at my insides all over again as I watched her settle beneath the blankets. I was such an asshole for how I’d treated her in the past. All I ever had to do was listen to her, but I didn’t. I was arrogant, presumptuous, and careless, and as a result, she’d ended up on this fucking island with her life at stake.

I knew I wasn’t the one who actually brought her here—that was JJ and his father—but still, I could’ve done something to stop it if I’d known the truth about the situation sooner. And the only reason I didn’t know the truth sooner was because… yup. I was a fucking asshole who refused to listen.

I settled into bed next to Ev, one arm sliding under her to pull her closer. She let out a contented sigh and stretched her legs out next to me. “I never thought a plain old bed could feel like heaven to me, but it totally does,” she murmured. “It sure beats a cabin floor. Or the ground.”

“Enjoy it,” I said, stroking her hair. “We can worry about everything else tomorrow. For now… just rest.”

“That won’t be a problem. I’m so exhausted I could probably fall asleep even if I was standing up right now,” she said, smothering a yawn. “I definitely won’t need your little sleep trick tonight.”

I smiled faintly at the memory of our first night in bed together. Before I could respond, Ev spoke up again. “I don’t think you ever answered my question that night,” she murmured.

“Which question?”

“I asked you why you had nightmares as a kid,” she said. She sounded slightly more awake now, and her eyes were flickering with interest. “I don’t think you told me. Or maybe you did, and I missed it because I fell asleep.”

Shit.

I knew this issue would come up again sooner or later. I had to tell her, too. I couldn’t spend my life with her—which I fully intended to do—while hiding such a massive piece of myself.

“I had nightmares because of something that was going on in my life when I was a kid,” I said. “But it’s over now.”

Ev’s eyes flicked to one of the tattoos on my chest—a skull overlaid with crossed blades, the dark ink barely concealing a scar beneath.

“Was it something to do with this?” she asked, gently tracing a finger over the scar. “Or any of the others?”

“Yes.”

She bit her bottom lip and pulled her hand back, suddenly looking chagrined. “Sorry. You don’t have to talk about this if you don’t want to. I shouldn’t—”

I cut her off, bringing her hand back to rest on one of the bigger scars. “It’s fine. I want to tell you, Ev.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.” I dipped my chin in a nod and sat up straighter, leaning my back against the velvet headboard. “I want to tell you everything.”

29

Everly

Rhett’s hands lay heavy on the blanket between us, his fingers twitching slightly like he was unsure whether to grab mine again or keep them to himself. His face, usually carved with sharp lines of confidence and strength, looked different in the dim moonlight filtering through the curtains. Softer, almost haunted. I hated the way his jaw tightened every few seconds, like he was bracing himself against something painful.

“Rhett…” I reached out and rested my hand lightly on his arm. His muscles were rigid, his body taut like a bowstring pulled too tight. “I’m here, okay? Just take your time.”

“Okay.” He exhaled sharply, the sound almost like a laugh, though there was no humor in it. “It’s such a long story. It’s hard to know where to start.”

I stayed quiet, waiting. Worry clawed at my chest. Whatever he was about to say, I could tell it wasn’t something he let himself think about often. And yet here he was, getting ready to share it. For me.

His eyes finally lifted to meet mine, dark and solemn. “When I was three, my parents hired a nanny to take care of me. Jessica. She was pretty much exactly how you’d picture a nanny. Bubbly, friendly, loved kids. She took great care of me. She was practically my best friend when I was a kid.”

He paused, and I frowned. “Something happened to her?”

“No. To me. When I was seven, things changed. She was—” He stopped abruptly, shaking his head. “She was sick in the head. But no one knew it. Everyone thought she was such a perfect person, and for a long time, I did too. I loved her.”

When he paused again, I didn’t try to fill the silence. I just sat there, waiting patiently.

“I think that’s why it was so hard for me to accept what was happening,” he went on. “Because I loved her. I saw her as an older sister, or something like that.”

He glanced at me, as if searching for reassurance, and I nodded to let him know I understood.

“My little sister was four when it all started, and she had a few medical issues when she was a kid, so my parents were always busy and stressed dealing with that. Less likely to notice what was going on. Plus, they trusted Jessica implicitly by that stage, because she’d always done such a good job with me. She took advantage of that to start…” He trailed off again, swallowing audibly. “I guess they call it the grooming process.”

My heart lurched. “She abused you?” I asked, voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded. “It started pretty subtly. Little touches here and there. Tickling that lasted a bit too long and strayed to weird places while we played. But I was a kid, you know? It didn’t seem that weird to me at the time. Plus, I trusted her and looked up to her. I thought she knew what she was doing and couldn’t possibly be wrong about anything.”

“Because you didn’t know any better,” I said. “Like you said, she was grooming you. Trying to make you think it was all normal.”

“Exactly.” His brows drew down. Then he spoke up again, looking across the room with a slightly glazed expression, as if he were looking into the past. “When I was about eight or nine, it started to escalate. She'd touch me more. Make me do things to her too. She told me she was helping me. Preparing me for all the girls I'd be with in the future. I still had no idea it was wrong. I felt scared, because it was stuff I’d never seen or heard about, but I was excited at the same time, because she kept telling me it was good, and that it was how I’d become a man one day.”

My stomach twisted, and I squeezed his hand, unable to speak over the lump forming in my throat.

“She’d sneak into my room at night, and… well, I don’t need to spell out every detail for you,” he said gruffly. “She’d always tell me it was our special secret, so I could never tell anyone. She’d tell me that she’d have to leave if that happened, and then I wouldn’t get to see her again. I still loved her, because I always had, so I was terrified of losing her. I know how fucking weird that sounds now, but—”

“No, Rhett. It’s totally understandable,” I murmured. “You were just a child, and she was manipulating you. Using that pure, innocent love that kids feel against you. It’s emotional and mental abuse on top of the rest.”

He nodded slowly and went on. “One day, we had some sort of presentation at school where a guy came in to talk to us about recognizing bad people, not accepting rides from strangers… stuff like that,” he said. “One thing he told us really stuck with me: if an adult makes you keep a secret, that’s not normal. It made me start to realize that what Jessica was doing was wrong. Then I started to have all sorts of horrible feelings about it. Guilt, shame, anger, hurt.”

I scooted a little closer, waiting in silence again.

“At first, I didn’t hate her for what was happening. Instead, I hated myself.” Rhett scrubbed his hand over his jaw. “I knew it was bad, but I blamed myself for letting it happen. Then I hated myself for liking it sometimes, because there were actually times when I enjoyed what was happening. That’s really fucked up, right?”

“None of that was your fault, Rhett,” I said, shaking my head. Tears were stinging the backs of my eyes. “You were still so young and so confused about what was happening.”

“Yeah, well, back then, I didn’t know what I know now,” he said bitterly. “To cope with all the bad feelings, I sort of just… shut the door on that part of my mind. It all hurt too much to think about. But I guess it had to come out somewhere.”

“The nightmares?”

“Yeah.” Rhett rubbed his jaw again. “Had them every night.”

“I’m so sorry,” I murmured, squeezing his hand again.

He swallowed thickly. “By the time I was eleven, I’d finally realized it was her fault. Not mine. So I decided to confront her. I psyched myself up for it as much as I could, and I told her I didn’t want to do any of the stuff anymore. She didn’t react well.”

“What happened?”

“She told me we couldn’t stop. She was still ‘training’ me, in her words. She was angry as hell that I even brought it up,” he replied. “She said if I ever brought it up again, something would happen to my dog.”

“Holy shit,” I said under my breath.

“I’d really psyched myself up for this confrontation, so I felt pretty brave. I told her I didn’t believe her. She wouldn’t really hurt an animal. She loved animals. So I told her again—I didn’t want it anymore, and we needed to stop.” Rhett looked down, brows dipping again. “The next morning, she brought me my breakfast with my dog’s collar on the edge of the tray.”

Nausea rose in my throat as horror twisted my stomach. “Oh my god.”

“She didn’t actually kill him. Turned out she just took his collar off to scare me. And it fucking worked,” he continued. His voice had turned hoarse, like gravel was scraping the edges of his throat. “After I cried for an hour, thinking he was dead, she told me I was lucky this time, but the next time I opened my big mouth, she’d really get rid of the dog, along with my little sister too.”

“You must have been so frightened.”

“I was. By that stage, it was just constant mental abuse on top of the rest. Like, if we went for a swim, she’d look pointedly at my sister, and then she’d make a quiet comment to me about how we needed to be careful, because it’s so easy for little kids to drown. Shit like that.”

The lump in my throat grew thicker. I wanted to pull Rhett into my arms and squeeze him in the tightest bear hug imaginable, but I knew I couldn’t. Not when he was still telling his story.

“When I was thirteen, I finally came up with a good plan to make her stop,” he said. “At least I thought it was good. But I was a kid, so what the fuck did I know?”

“What was the plan?” I asked in a small voice.

“Well, I already knew she didn’t like it when I said I didn’t want to do anything with her anymore. So I thought I’d reframe it. Instead of telling her I didn’t want it, I’d tell her that her work was done, because I had a crush on a girl at school and was finally ready to take everything she’d taught me and apply it. She’d finished preparing me for other girls, just like she said she would all those years ago. I even—” He stopped abruptly, face contorting in a grimace. “I even told her I appreciated all her lessons. Really fawned over the bitch. I figured that way, it would seem like it was all her idea. Something she should be pleased about.”

“And then?” I asked, heart hammering in my chest.

“She didn’t want to lose me. Ever. But she could tell I was done, and I wouldn’t take it anymore.” Rhett fell silent again, for a long moment. Then his dark eyes met mine, and he spoke without flinching or looking away. “She flew into a rage and stabbed me sixteen times. Then she stabbed herself in the neck.”

I gasped, one hand flying to my mouth. “Oh my god.”

“I didn’t die, obviously. Neither did she,” he said bitterly. “I was lucky. My dad came home early that day and found us. If he hadn’t, I probably would’ve bled out. Jessica would’ve, too. So for a very fucking long time afterwards, I didn’t feel lucky. Instead I wished I did die that day, just so she could’ve died too.”

“Rhett…” My voice broke as I whispered his name, and I reached for him instinctively. My hand hovered just above his arm, trembling, before finally settling over his wrist. The weight of his pain radiated through me, and tears blurred my vision, hot and insistent.

He closed his eyes and dragged a hand over his face, as if trying to wipe away the memories. His shoulders stayed hunched, tight with tension, and his hand shook as he dropped it back to the bed.

I didn’t know what to say. I hated that someone had hurt him like this, but I couldn’t think of any words that could properly convey the depths of my sorrow, along with the horror I felt.

“I’m so sorry all of that happened to you,” I finally murmured. “But I’m really glad you’re still here. So, so glad.”

“I’m glad I’m still here too,” he said, squeezing my hand.

“What happened to Jessica in the end?” I asked in a tentative tone, unsure if he was okay with continuing the discussion about her. “Is she in prison?”

Rhett gave a low, bitter laugh. “She went to prison for a while, but not long enough. Three years.”

“That’s all?”

“Her lawyer claimed she had previously undiagnosed mental issues that shaped all the abuse, culminating in the murder-suicide attempt,” he said. His jaw tightened, and he looked away again. “Part of me gets that, you know? I mean, of fucking course there was something wrong with her. No sane person wants to do all that shit to a kid. But at the same time, all I could think was: Fuck her. I didn’t care that she was sick in the head. She put me through fucking hell.”

“I understand,” I said, keeping my voice soft, as if that could somehow ease the storm raging inside him.

Suddenly, something hit me, like a puzzle piece finally snapping into place. This wasn’t just about what happened to Rhett. It was about what it made him.

It was more than just the physical scars Jessica left behind—it was the way her cruelty had shaped how he saw the world, how he saw people. How he saw himself, too.

“I think you felt like you never got any real justice when it came to her, especially after the way she tortured you for so long,” I said, searching his face. “That’s why you’re so relentless about seeking your own idea of justice, right? You don’t want other bad people to get away with the stuff they do. You don’t want them to walk away unpunished.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s right,” he muttered.

My brows knitted. “Do you have any idea what happened to Jessica after she got out?” I asked. “Did she ever try to track you down?”

“There was a permanent restraining order in place. She couldn’t go anywhere near my family.”

“So she’s just out there, living her life? Free as a bird?” I asked, anger flaring in my chest.

“No, I don’t think so.” Rhett steeled his jaw and sat up straighter. “For a long time, I thought that was exactly what was happening, and I was fucking furious. But just after I finished the final trial for The Wild Hunt, my dad said something to all of the new members. It was a comment about certain people getting what they deserve during the Hunt. He looked right at me when he said it, with a weird expression on his face, so I got the impression he was hinting at something.”

“You think he arranged for Jessica to end up in the Hunt after she got out of prison?”

“Yeah.” He dipped his chin in a curt nod. “That’s exactly what I think.”

“Why don’t you ask him?”

“I did, afterwards. But he said he didn’t know what I was talking about,” Rhett replied. “I guess he can’t admit it, because then he’d also be admitting that the Patriarchs can bring in whoever they want as players, overriding the regular recruitment process. And none of them want to admit to any sort of corruption, because that would open a whole fucking can of worms.”

“Like all the stuff Jake was telling us about,” I murmured.

“Yup.” Rhett sighed and ran a hand across his face again. Then he frowned. “Sorry to change the subject so abruptly, but I just thought of something.”

“What is it?” I asked, tilting my head.

“Talking about my dad just now… it reminded me of your dad. He worked for Peter Jennings, didn’t he?”

“Yes. Still does.”

“What does he do?”

“He’s a civil engineer. He has a whole team working under him.”

“So he could know about the shit that goes on here, then,” Rhett said in a low voice. “He could be the one designing, building, or refurbishing all the stuff on the island.”

I sat up straight, heart suddenly thumping again. I’d been under so much stress over the last two days, my mind whirling through so many things, that it hadn’t even occurred to me to consider my father’s potential involvement in the Hunt. But Rhett was right. Dad worked here on Wildercliff Island for a few weeks—sometimes even a few months—every single year. He had to know something.

“You’re right. Maybe he could help us in some way,” I said. “Although… I have no idea how.”

Rhett got up and rifled through his bag, pulling out his cell phone a moment later. “It’s only half past nine, so he’s probably still awake,” he said. “I think you should call him. Tell him you’re here. See what he has to say for himself.”

I stared at the phone. “You get a signal here?”

“Yeah. It’s only jammed on the hunting grounds, just in case one of the players somehow ends up with a phone,” he said. He held his cell out to me. “Here. Call him.”

I swallowed hard. Then I took a deep breath and dialed my father’s number. It rang out the first time, but when I tried again, he finally answered, sounding sleepy. “Hello?”

“Hi, Dad. It’s me,” I said, switching the call to speakerphone so Rhett could listen in.

“Honey!” My father sounded wide awake now. “Where have you been? I’ve been trying to call you all day!”

I frowned, confused. We didn’t talk on the phone very often—both of us had always preferred texting. “Why?”

“I got a call from a friend of yours this morning. Tessa something-rather. She said she received a strange phone call from you a few nights ago, and she hasn’t seen or heard from you since,” he said. “She tracked me down and called me to ask if I knew where you’d gone. She’s very worried. Relentless, too. I think she’s called me five times now.”

“Oh.” Another hard lump appeared in my throat as I thought about my beautiful, sweet friend. “That definitely sounds like something Tessa would do.”

“So where are you? You haven’t taken off somewhere with a boy, have you?” Dad said, chuckling softly.

I coughed to clear my throat. “I’m on Wildercliff Island.”

There was silence on the other end of the line for a long moment. Then my father finally spoke again, all traces of humor removed from his voice. “What did you just say?”

“I’m on Wildercliff Island,” I repeated. “I’m in the Hunt.”

Silence again.

“Everly… is this some sort of sick joke?” Dad finally asked in a low voice.

“No. I’m here.”

“H-how is that possible?” His tone had turned frantic now. “What the hell are you doing there? Do you have any idea how dangerous that place is?”

“Jake signed me up. He was pissed at me about the breakup.”

“That little bastard. I’ll fucking kill him. I’ll—”

“Dad! Listen to me!” I cut in. “I didn’t call you to talk about him. I called to talk about you. And judging by your reaction to what I’ve said so far, you know exactly what the Hunt is, don’t you? You know everything that goes on here.”

“I… yes. I know.”

I steeled my jaw. “I need you to tell me everything. How you ended up working for The Wild Hunt. What you do for them, and why. How much you know.”

“Oh, Christ,” he muttered. His voice had thickened so much that it was clear he was crying. “Fucking Christ.”

“Pull it together, Dad. My life is at stake.”

“All right.” He inhaled deeply. “They approached me about a year after your mom got sick. They wanted me to act as a consultant on a project they had in mind, with the potential for it to become a regular job. You would’ve been seven or eight at the time. The money they were offering me was good. Astoundingly good. But I said no.”

“Why?”

“It was just… odd. Far too odd for me to ignore. I run an engineering contracting firm in St. Louis. So what on earth did a bunch of rich guys from the East Coast want with me? Why not hire someone closer to them? And why were they offering so much money? There was clearly something wrong with the deal.”

“Right. But you eventually changed your mind. Why?”

“You were so young back then, Everly,” he muttered. “You had no idea what was going on with your mom.”

“I knew she was sick,” I said through gritted teeth. “I always knew.”

“Sorry, honey. That isn’t what I meant. Of course you knew she was sick. I just meant… we tried to keep the financial side of things from you. You were too young to have to worry about money on top of everything else you were going through.”

“You’re talking about Mom’s treatment costs?”

“Yes, and the surgeries, too. The hospital bills were astronomical. I can’t even tell you how much it all came out to, because it’s such a ridiculous figure that it doesn’t sound like it could possibly be true. Our insurance refused to cover most of it, too,” he said. “It was hard, especially with your mom no longer able to work, but I tried my best. I made some major changes. I sold one of the cars, took you out of your private school, and subdivided our land to create two extra blocks, which I sold to a developer. That covered us for a while.”

“But it wasn’t enough in the end?”

“No. The medical debt… we were up to our eyeballs in it. So I subdivided more of the land. Re-mortgaged the house. Sold everything I could. It still wasn’t enough.” Dad let out a heavy sigh and went on. “The Wild Hunt approached me again, asking if I’d changed my mind. That’s when I realized why they came to me in the first place. They were looking for people exactly like me. Desperate people who couldn’t afford to say no.”

“That sounds about right,” I muttered. I cleared my throat and went on. “What did they want you to do?”

“Their last engineering project manager had passed away, so they needed to replace him. They had a lot of projects in mind for something they referred to as a hunting game. Firstly, they needed refurbishments for the tunnel system on the island, because it was very old, and parts of it were rotting away or caving in, which made it quite dangerous to traverse. There were also plans for underground structures and cabins. Some were new, and others were old but needed fixing up. And then… there were also plans for elaborate traps.”

“So you knew they were killing people,” I said in a low voice. “It wasn’t really a game.”

“They didn’t tell me the truth about it. They had to tell me something, though, given the nature of some of the design projects. So they settled on a half-truth, I suppose,” he said gruffly. “I was told that this so-called game involved death-row prisoners who’d done terrible things in their lives. Absolute monsters who were set to be executed soon. Peter Jennings told me that a lot of rich people were willing to pay a hell of a lot of money to watch these people being hunted to death. The last prisoner standing would be awarded money and freedom.”

“And that all sounded okay to you?”

“Of course not! It sounded horrendous. But I was desperate. So I tried to rationalize it in my head. Those people were going to die anyway. And they were horrible, evil people, so it wasn’t the same as an innocent person dying,” he said. “I needed the money, or else your Mom’s treatment would have to stop, and then…”

His voice broke, and he stopped talking for a moment.

“Dad,” I said. “Keep going. When did you find out the truth about the Hunt?”

“After I’d worked for them for a few years,” he said. “Like I said, I knew they were running an annual death game on that island, but I compartmentalized it. My work for them took up a few weeks or months every year, depending on the scale of the projects, and then I could go home and pretend it wasn’t happening. But then… I finally realized what was really happening.”

“How did you find out?”

“Well, when I was there, I always worked in an office they gave me in the guest section of the manor. I—”

“The west wing?” I cut in.

“Yes, that’s right. The same place you stayed in when I took you there one summer,” Dad said. “One day, Peter told me we’d be working in the northern wing instead, in his personal office. I think he trusted me by that stage, seeing as we’d been working together for years.”

“Uh-huh.”

“That same day, he received a phone call. He was expecting it, and I suppose it must’ve been important, because he told me it would probably take a while,” he said. “It was a nice day, so he told me he’d take it outside, and I could stay in the office by myself and keep working on the designs until he returned. I did at first, but being left alone in his office… I eventually got curious.”

“You snooped?”

“Yes. I knew I wouldn’t be caught, because I could see him through the window, pacing the estate grounds while he talked on the phone. So I tried a few drawers and filing cabinets and eventually found one unlocked. It was filled with player profiles.” Dad fell silent again for a brief moment. Then he coughed and went on, voice thick with emotion again. “The top folder contained information about a young female player from the previous year. I found it hard to believe that a twenty-three-year-old middle school teacher could’ve been on death row, so I Googled her to see what she’d supposedly done. Instead of articles about her terrible crimes, or whatever else I expected to see, I found a Facebook page set up by her family and friends. She’d been missing for a year. They were all heartbroken.”

“So she wasn’t a death-row prisoner.”

“No. By all accounts, she was a much-loved and valued member of society,” he replied. “That was when I realized I’d been tricked. The Hunt involved anyone and everyone who signed up for it, for whatever twisted reasons, including innocent people. Or perhaps they were even kidnapped and forced to participate. I had no idea, and I couldn’t exactly ask Peter or any of the other guys.”

“How long had you worked for them at that stage?”

“Four years.”

Something twisted inside me. “But you’ve worked for them for twelve years, Dad. That means you kept going for eight more years, even after you knew they were killing innocent people,” I said, voice dripping with fury. “How could you?”

“I had no choice.”

“Yes, you did! You could’ve quit!”

“And then what? Let your mother die when I couldn’t pay for her treatments anymore?” he shouted down the line. “Is that what you think I should’ve done?”

“In case you didn’t notice, she did die!” I snapped. “Three years ago!”

“She was supposed to die all the way back in 2012! That was the date the doctors initially gave us,” Dad snapped back at me. “That’s what you’re not getting here, Everly. The Wild Hunt bought us an extra nine years with her! Do you have any idea what that means?”

“I…” I trailed off, not knowing what to say.

“She was able to see you grow up into a beautiful young woman,” Dad went on, voice husky with emotion. “You were able to make so many more memories with her. So was I. If it wasn’t for all that money coming in, you would’ve lost her when you were only eight years old. Can you even imagine how different your life would’ve been then? What it would’ve been like for us without her there for us all those years?”

“No,” I murmured, sagging against the bedhead. “But she’s gone now, Dad. So why the hell are you still working for Peter?”

He let out a heavy sigh. “Because I still haven’t finished paying off some of the medical debts,” he said. “Like I said before, they were astronomical. That’s why I couldn’t help you with college, as much as I wanted to.”

“When will you stop?”

“I… I don’t know. A few more years, maybe.” He began to sob, his breath hitching through the phone, each sound jagged and raw. “Oh, honey, I don’t understand why you’re there. You can’t be there. You can’t.”

“Well, I am,” I said in a low voice.

“I’m going to call Peter. Tell him it’s a mistake. He’ll let you out of the—”

“No!” I cut him off, sitting up straight again. “You can’t do that!”

“I have to,” he insisted. “You think I’m just going to keep my mouth shut and let my baby girl die out there?”

“Dad, if you make that call, you won’t be saving me. You’ll be guaranteeing my death instead,” I said. “Because they’ll realize I got access to a phone, and then they’ll focus all their efforts on tracking me down and killing me.”

“But I can’t sit here and do nothing. I have to get you out of there!”

“It’s okay,” I said. “I have a way to survive. I have help.”

“From who?”

I glanced at Rhett. “From a hunter.”

“Everly, no,” Dad said sharply. “That’s a trap. The hunters do this sometimes. They like to toy with their targets before they kill them. I know because I’ve designed some of their traps. So whoever that man is… he isn’t there to help you.”

“He is. I’m sure of it.” I swallowed hard and went on. “You know about the prize, right? For the last player standing?”

“$5 million, I believe,” he said quietly.

“That’s right. I’m going to be the last one standing. I’m going to win that prize, and then I’ll come home and pay off those debts for you. But you have to help me. And helping me means keeping your mouth shut for now. Okay?”

“But—”

“Dad. You can’t say a single word to anyone,” I said, voice rising. “Promise you’ll stay quiet. Promise you’ll do that to help me survive. Or else you’ll be burying an empty coffin for me right next to Mom.”

I knew that last comment was a low blow, but it was the truth, and he needed to see that.

“All right,” he finally said. I could tell from the sound of his voice that he was crying again. “I won’t say anything.”

“Thank you,” I said stiffly.

“I’m so sorry, honey. If I hadn’t gone to work for that man, you wouldn’t be in this situation right now. It’s all my fault.”

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. “Dad, I’m really sorry, but I can’t do this blame-game thing with you now. I need to focus on surviving.”

“I understand,” he muttered.

“Is there anything you can tell me that could help me?” I asked. “Anything at all?”

He was quiet for a moment. “I don’t know if this will help,” he finally said. “But travel from the island is locked down while the Hunt is on. Did you know about that?”

“Yes.”

“Well, several years ago, I heard about an incident involving one of the elderly society members. He was watching the Hunt from one of the rooms in the manor, and he had a massive heart attack. After one of the maids found him, the lockdown was temporarily lifted, and he was taken to the nearest hospital. So, my point is… it’s possible to end the lockdown, if you can figure out a way.”

I looked over at Rhett. His lips were twisting in contemplation, and his brows were drawn into a deep frown.

“Is there anything else that could help?” I asked. “Maybe a secret bunker somewhere that hardly anyone knows about? Or some sort of code? Like for Peter’s office, perhaps?”

“No.” Dad’s voice cracked again. “I’m sorry, honey. I really don’t know what else to tell you.”

“Okay.” I took a deep breath. “I should go. If Tessa calls again, please tell her everything is going to be fine.”

On the other end of the line, I could hear Dad drawing in a deep, shaky breath of his own. “Stay safe out there, Everly. Please.”

“I will. I promise I’ll come home soon,” I said.

With that, I ended the call. If I didn’t, I knew I’d start sobbing my heart out.

Rhett’s hand touched my back, warm and steady. “I’m really sorry about your mom,” he murmured. “I knew she was sick when we were kids, but I didn’t know the rest.”

My heart sped up, and I was suddenly afraid I’d choke on my next words. I didn’t want Rhett to see me crumble. Especially when this whole conversation had started in the first place because I wanted to support him through his childhood trauma. Not the other way around.

His hand stayed where it was, and I could feel the heat of it seeping into my skin. "Everly," he said, voice low and soft, like he was afraid of shattering something fragile. "It’s okay to talk about this. I’m not going anywhere."

“I just… I don’t want to make this all about me,” I finally said. “Not after everything you’ve told me tonight.”

“But this is about you,” Rhett replied, gently stroking my back. “You’re not being selfish.”

“I feel like I am,” I mumbled.

“No.” He shook his head. “Earlier, you said we’re in this together, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“You were right. We’re in this together. That means we can share things. It doesn’t matter where or when,” he said. “My trauma doesn’t override yours, or whatever you’re thinking right now. We can talk about it. I want to be here for you.”

I felt the first tear slip down my cheek as I finally turned to face Rhett again, meeting his gaze. The sight of him—so calm, so there, despite everything—made it all hit harder. The grief, the anger, the weight of everything I’d been holding back. My breath hitched in my chest, and before I could stop it, the words spilled out.

“When I was seven, my mom went in for a pregnancy scan, and that was when she found out she was sick,” I said. I briefly paused to wipe my cheek and take a deep, shaky breath. “Ovarian cancer. It was already at a pretty late stage, so they told us she probably only had a year to live. She lost the baby she was carrying, too.”

Rhett wrapped his arms around me, pulling me against his chest. “That’s rough. Really rough,” he murmured.

“Yeah. It was.” My voice cracked again as I spoke, and I melted into him, finally letting myself break down. It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t what I wanted to do. But he was right—I needed to.

“It was horrible. So fucking horrible,” I finally went on. “But then… it’s like my dad said. The Wild Hunt bought us extra time. I was so grateful for his new job, because it meant we had all those years with her that we thought we’d never get. I had no idea it came at the expense of so many other people’s lives.”

“That’s not your fault,” he murmured, stroking my hair.

I pulled away a bit, looking up at him. “Do you blame my father for what he did?” I asked in a hollow voice. “Do you think he’s a monster too?”

He slowly shook his head. “Not really. Peter preyed on him just like he preys on everyone else. He took advantage of the situation and basically held the cost of your dying mother’s treatment over his head. That’s beyond fucked up.”

“That’s true,” I murmured.

“Peter and the other Patriarchs are the real problem here. They’re the puppet masters pulling all the strings.” His jaw clenched, and he went on. “They’re the monsters we need to take down.”

“I can’t wait.”

“I know how that feels.” Rhett began to stroke my hair again, his touch slow and soothing. “But right now, you really need to rest. So do I. In the morning, we’ll be able to think better. More clearly.”

I wanted to argue, to tell him I wanted to come up with a plan right now, but I knew he was right. My body felt heavy, every muscle weighed down with exhaustion, and my brain felt like it was running on fumes.

Rhett shifted closer, pulling me into his arms completely. My head rested against his chest, and I could hear the steady thud of his heartbeat. My eyelids grew heavier with each breath I took, the tension slowly unraveling from my body.

“I’ve got you, baby,” he murmured, his lips brushing against my temple. “You’re safe here.”

I believed him. For the first time in what felt like forever, I genuinely felt safe… and it was in the arms of a killer.

30

Everly

The soft glow of morning filtered through the curtains, and I stirred, feeling the solid weight of an arm draped around my waist, along with the heat of a body pressed against my back. For a moment, I didn’t move, letting the steady rise and fall of Rhett’s breathing lull me into a fragile sense of peace.

For that brief sliver of time, it was easy to pretend. Easy to imagine we were just a normal couple waking up together, tangled in each other’s warmth, with nothing waiting for us except breakfast in bed and passionate kisses.

Rhett’s arm shifted slightly, tightening around me, and I smiled faintly, my eyes still closed.

Then, reality finally came crashing down.

My stomach twisted as memories from yesterday slammed into me like a wrecking ball. Rhett’s heartbreaking story about his childhood. My father’s broken sobs on the phone. The revelations about The Wild Hunt, the lies, the corruption. It all settled heavily on my chest, making my breath catch in my throat, sharp and painful.

“Morning, princess,” Rhett murmured, pulling me against his chest. “How did you sleep?”

“Surprisingly well, considering… everything.”

“Me too. Must be because I’m with you.” He slowly sat up, blinking away the sleep. Then he glanced at his phone. “I should go and grab us some breakfast. You must be starving.”

My stomach churned at the thought of being alone in the room. I couldn’t leave with him and risk being seen, though. I was lucky I even made it onto the estate grounds in the first place.

My worry must’ve been written all over my face, because Rhett grabbed my hand and pulled me close again, murmuring in my ear. “I don’t want to leave you. Not for a second,” he said, voice low and urgent. “If taking you with me didn’t put your life in so much danger, I’d do it. But I can’t risk losing you. Even thinking about it hurts.”

“I know,” I whispered. “I understand. You have to go alone.”

He tilted my chin up and kissed me, long and deep, setting butterflies loose in my stomach. Then he finally pulled back, brows dipping in a small frown of contemplation. “There’s a kitchen in this wing,” he said. “But with no guests here right now, I’m not sure if it’s stocked with anything. I’ll probably have to go to one of the other wings to get us food.”

“How long do you think you’ll take?” I asked.

“Not long. Twenty minutes, maybe.”

He pulled away and left the bed to look through his backpack. When he returned to my side, he was holding a large hunting knife. “I doubt any of the maids will come back here today—or anyone else—and even if they do, the door will be locked, so I doubt anything will happen. But you should hold onto this just in case.”

“Thanks.” I swallowed hard as I accepted the knife. “I’ll make sure to lock the door the second you leave.”

Rhett leaned in and kissed the top of my head. “I’ll be back soon, okay?”

True to his word, he returned after what felt like fifteen minutes or so, gently rapping on the door. “It’s just me,” he murmured from the other side. “I come bearing supplies.”

I unlocked the door, and he entered the room with a grin. “I think you’ll be happy with everything I got,” he said. “And don’t worry—I remembered you don’t eat meat.”

He unzipped his bag and unpacked several containers on the end of the bed, narrating the process as he went. “We have two giant breakfast burritos, a goat’s cheese and pumpkin omelet, and a fruit salad. Coffee and juice, too,” he said. “I also got you some sandwiches and salad for lunch later, and some bags of chocolate and nuts for snacks.”

My stomach grumbled loudly as I stared at the spread. After surviving on rations for the last two days, it looked like a king’s feast. “This is amazing. Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome,” Rhett said, kissing the top of my head again. “Dig in. I’ll tell you my plan while you eat.”

I unwrapped one of the breakfast burritos and took a big bite. “Did you figure out how to get us away from here?” I asked through my mouthful.

“Not yet. I just need to go back out to the hunting grounds for a while,” he replied. “But I think I can get everything done and get back here in three hours or so.”

“What do you need to do out there?” I asked, tilting my head.

“Firstly, I want to make sure no one will find JJ’s body anytime soon. I know we covered it with that tarp before we left, but the storm could’ve blown it off last night. So I’ll make sure it’s covered properly and weigh it down with rocks this time. Then I’ll cover that with leaves and branches. If anyone happens to walk behind the cabin, they won’t look at the pile and instantly assume there’s a body under it. They’ll probably think it’s nothing and ignore it.”

I nodded slowly. “The longer it takes for him to be found, the better, right?”

“Yes. Right now, no one knows anything’s amiss. But the second he’s found dead, and obviously murdered… this place will be in an uproar,” Rhett said. “The other thing I need to do this morning—I’ve gotta go back to your wristband and move it somewhere else.”

“Why?”

“I think it’s a good idea to move it twice a day,” he replied. “The hunters never have access to the GPS data—it’s cheating—but I think the tech guys would make a report to the Patriarchs if they noticed a player in the exact same spot for more than a day.”

“Ah. Then they’d probably go out there to see what’s going on, find the wristband, and realize someone took it off me,” I said, nodding again.

“Yup. That’s what I’m worried about.”

“You’re right.” I smiled faintly at him. “It needs to be moved.”

“Yeah. That way it looks like you’re still roaming around, and no one will be suspicious.”

“I guess it’s also a good idea for you to be out there for a while, just so no one gets suspicious of you,” I said. “Because they’ll probably think it’s weird if the best hunter is suddenly nowhere to be seen on the hunting grounds.”

“Exactly.” Rhett’s eyes flashed, and he rubbed his jaw. “Also, if I run into any other hunters while I’m out there and see them getting close to a player, I can sabotage them. I don’t want any more innocent people to die.”

“Me neither,” I murmured, feeling a pang of guilt gnawing at my guts. Here I was, feasting on delicious food in a warm bedroom while the other remaining players were still out in the cold, terrified and starving. It wasn’t fair.

“Like I said, I think I can get the stuff done in three hours,” he said. “I move a lot faster when I’m on my own, and JJ’s body isn’t that far away.”

“While you’re out, you could also go to the northern wing of the manor and see if you can get into Peter’s office,” I suggested. “I’m sure it’s probably locked most of the time, but my dad made it sound like there’s a ton of evidence in there. Stuff that could possibly be used to take the society down. So it’s worth checking out, right?”

Rhett nodded. “Good idea. I’ll see if I can get in,” he said. He leaned down to kiss me again. Then he rose to his full height, eyes flashing with determination. “I’ll be back for you, princess. I promise.”

“I know,” I murmured, offering him another faint smile.

Once he was gone again, I finished eating and searched through the bedroom furniture, hoping to find some paper and a pen. If I could write down everything I knew about Wildercliff and The Wild Hunt, organizing my scattered thoughts, it might help me start forming ideas for an escape plan.

I finally found a notepad and pencil tucked away at the back of one of the drawers. With a small, triumphant smile, I sat down and started writing. It was hard to know how long it took, because there was no clock in the room, but I ended up with five pages of notes after what felt like an hour or so.

Finally, I was all tapped out. Every last piece of information I knew about the island, the society, and the Hunt was written down on the notepad. Unfortunately, I was no closer to coming up with a plan.

Frowning, I thought back to what my father told me last night, regarding the lockdown and the heart attack. It gave me the vaguest of ideas. Perhaps Rhett and I could cause some sort of emergency situation, forcing the Patriarchs to open up travel from the island. That was where the idea ended, though. I had no idea what sort of situation we could manufacture that would cause enough chaos to end the lockdown.

A fire in the manor, perhaps?

My frown deepened as I tapped my pencil against the page, the sound too loud in the silence. A fire could work, but it would have to be big enough to threaten the entire estate, and that would be hard to start. Especially with the cold, rainy weather. There was also the matter of getting all the other players off the island safely. Not just myself. If only we could—

My thoughts skidded to a halt as the sound of footsteps echoed in the hall. Surely Rhett couldn’t be back just yet. He’d told me he’d take three hours, and he’d only been gone for one, maybe one and a half.

Perhaps it was the maid from last night, returning for more dusting.

Shit.

I crept over to the door, holding the knife, and carefully pressed my ear to it so I could hear everything out in the hall. The footsteps kept coming, slow and leisurely, and then I heard a voice. It was a woman, and she seemed to be talking on the phone, her words punctuated by pauses with no other voice filling the silence.

“Thanks for organizing this so quickly, sir,” she said. “Yes, that’s right. I turned the tap on, and it just exploded. The whole bathroom flooded in five minutes.”

There was a pause, and then she spoke up again, footsteps drawing closer with every word.

“I thought the same thing—that I could just go to another room. But the staff quarters are totally full right now, because of the game, so there was nothing else available,” she said. Another pause. “Uh-huh. Yes, that’s right. Someone told me that a few of the bathrooms in this wing were redone a few years ago, so I’m sure I’ll be fine here. It’s the teensiest bit creepy, because it’s so empty and quiet, but it’s stunning. The architecture is just so ornate. JJ told me it still has some original fixtures. Pre-Civil War, I think he said?”

There was another short pause.

“No, sir. I haven’t heard from him since yesterday morning. He must’ve decided to sleep out in the hunting grounds,” the woman went on. Her voice and footsteps were so loud now that I was sure she was only a few feet away from the door.

My heart pounded as I silently prayed for her to continue on her way, past the room, but her footsteps stopped right outside. Then the doorknob rattled.

I froze, my breath catching in my throat. No. Please, no!

“Hmm, that’s weird. The door’s locked,” the woman said. Now that she was so close, I realized her voice sounded vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t quite place it. “No, it’s okay. They gave me the key just in case.”

Shit, shit, shit…

I crept over to the bed as quietly as I could and crawled under it, hoping the dust ruffles would conceal me. As I settled on the floor, my grip tightened around the knife in my right hand, sweat slicking my palm.

I held my breath as I heard the key turn in the lock. The door creaked open, and then the woman entered the room. All I could see from my hiding spot was a pair of feet clad in pink and black sneakers, and the bottom of some black leggings hugging slim legs.

“Uh-huh,” the woman was saying now. “Yes, I’m sure he’s fine. But I’ll let you know if I hear from him. And thanks again for sorting out the room switch for me, sir. I know how busy you are right now, so I really appreciate it.”

There was a faint tap as the woman ended the call, followed by a heavy sigh. “Fucking asshole,” she muttered. “You and your piece of shit son.”

Something about her voice made my stomach drop. It wasn’t just familiar—it was impossible.

I kept staring at the woman’s shoes, my mind scrambling to process the information buzzing in my brain. No, it couldn’t be...

Not her. No way.

My pulse roared in my ears as her voice came again. “Why is it so dark in this goddamned place?” she muttered.

That voice, the cadence, the way she spat out her words… it was Nikki.

Nikki, who I thought was dead.

My breath hitched, and I pressed a hand over my mouth to keep silent. The knife trembled in my grip, but my mind was reeling too fast to care. How could it be her? How was she still alive?

I bit down hard on my lip, trying to steady myself as her footsteps moved to the other side of the room. A rustling sound let me know she was opening the curtains, which meant she was facing the window.

I took the opportunity to slide out from the other side of the bed, brandishing the knife as I moved to block the door with my back. “Put your hands in the air or I’ll kill you, Nikki,” I said, trying my best to keep my voice steady. “If that’s even your real name.”

She whirled around. “Oh my god. Everly!” she said, eyes bulging. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“What the hell are you doing here?” I shot back. She took a slight step forward, and I waved the knife in her direction. “Stay the fuck back! I really will kill you, you lying bitch!”

She lifted her palms, eyes flickering between the knife and my face. “Everly… please. I don’t want to hurt you. Let’s just talk, okay?”

Emotion welled in my throat, thickening my voice. “I really thought you were dead. I even cried for you,” I bit out. “But this whole time, you were one of them.”

“I’m not one of them.” Nikki kept her hands up. Her whole body was trembling. Even her bottom lip was wobbling, like she was about to cry. “I swear… I’m not.”

“Bullshit!” I waved the knife again. “You were the mole, weren’t you? You lied to everyone from the very start!”

A tear rolled down her cheek, but she didn’t wipe it away. Just kept her hands in the air. “Please listen to me. I promise I don’t want to hurt you,” she said in a ragged voice. “I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

“It’s a little late for me to believe that now,” I snarled.

“I know what it looks like, but I’m really not one of them. I swear.”

“Then why the hell are you here?” I asked, eyes narrowing. “Why are you still alive? And why were you just on the phone to Peter Jennings, calling him ‘sir’ like he’s your boss? That is who you were talking to, isn’t it?”

She gulped. “It’s because I was in the Hunt.”

“I know you were in the fucking Hunt!” I hissed. “I was in it too, in case you forgot! I still am!”

“No, I mean…” Nikki trailed off, swallowing thickly. “I was in it before.”

I blinked, mind whirling. “What?”

“I was in the Hunt before,” she said, finally taking one step forward. “I’m last year’s winner.”

31

Everly

The world tilted on its axis, a dizzying lurch that sent my stomach plummeting. “What?”

“I was the only survivor after the last Hunt. That’s why I’m still alive,” Nikki said. “As for the rest… it’s a long story.”

Heat prickled beneath my skin, sweat beading at the nape of my neck. I waved the knife again. “I’ve got time to hear it,” I said. “But if you try to scream or do anything else stupid, believe me—I won’t hesitate to use this on you.”

“Got it. Can I at least sit down?” she asked, eyeing the end of the bed.

“Nope,” I spat out. “And keep your hands in the air.”

“Okay.” She let out a heavy sigh. “I guess I can’t blame you for being paranoid.”

“Start. Talking. Now.”

“Well, first off, my name really is Nikki. I didn’t lie about that,” she said. “I was approached by a recruiter about eighteen months ago. I had a ton of debt. Not student debt, or anything like that. Honestly, I just made a bunch of stupid decisions in life, and I sort of have a thing for gambling.”

“Hold on.” My eyes narrowed. “You’re not a student at Hollingsworth?”

“No. Not a student anywhere, for that matter. And I didn’t grow up anywhere near Havenport, either,” she replied. “I’m actually from Pennsylvania.”

“So the only thing you didn’t lie about was your name,” I muttered.

“That’s not entirely true.” Nikki slowly shook her head. “Anyway, like I said, I was in a massive pit of debt. The recruiter told me about the game, and I figured—why the hell not? $5 million for some stupid survival game sounded great. I signed up, took three weeks off work, didn’t tell anyone where I was going, and hopped on a bus heading northeast. Next thing I know, I’m washed up on the beach of some island.”

“So they do the same thing every year, with the fake shipwreck.”

“Yup. Back then, I was exactly like the rest of you. I had no idea what the hell was going on. Then the hunters started shooting at us, and I realized I’d been tricked.” Nikki swallowed hard, blinking rapidly, like she was trying to keep a flood of tears at bay. “It was the worst thing that ever happened to me. But I survived. I lasted nine days out there, running and hiding.”

“And then?”

“Someone spoke to me through my earbud. Told me I was the last one standing. I didn’t believe it. I thought it was some sort of trick. A mind game. So I kept running, trying to find somewhere else to hide. But they got me, and… it turned out they weren’t lying. I was actually the last one standing. All of the others were dead.”

Her voice cracked on her last sentence, and she lowered one hand to wipe her cheek. I allowed it, watching her through narrowed eyes, and she quickly raised it back up again.

“If you won, why the hell did you come back?” I asked in a low voice. “Why didn’t you take the money, go home, and buy a mansion or something?”

“Don’t you get it yet, Everly?” she said, shaking her head. “It’s all lies and bullshit, from the top down! There’s no prize money for the players.”

My eyes widened. “Are you serious?”

“Of course I am! Do you really think the society would just cut a check and let someone walk away after all the shit they saw here?”

“I guess not,” I muttered, feeling stupid.

“The real prize is them allowing you the chance to live. That’s it.” Nikki’s lips thinned, and she shook her head again. “After they take you off the hunting grounds, they give you two choices.”

“What are they?”

“Bullet to the head for a quick, merciful death, or a job offer.”

“So not really ‘choices’ then. Just one choice.”

“Yup.” Her shoulders sagged as she let out another heavy sigh. “I took the job, obviously.”

Curiosity sparked in my mind, followed by a sudden realization. “You’re one of their recruiters, aren’t you?”

“I have a few tasks in my job description, but yes, recruitment is the main one.”

“So all previous winners become recruiters?”

Nikki nodded. “The Hunt used to end with every single player dead. But the Patriarchs eventually realized that they needed a bunch of workers who knew the full, horrible truth about the game. Workers who could help with all the recruitment and tech work, while also being trusted to keep their mouths firmly shut about it,” she said. “And who’s gonna be more knowledgeable about the game, or more silent, than a terrified ex-player who literally owes their life to the society? They know we aren’t going to talk to the media or go to the FBI. We aren’t going to talk to anyone, really. Because we’ve seen what they can do. How easily they can get to people. So we make perfect slaves for them.”

“Right,” I said. “How does it all work?”

“Different recruiters do different things. My part is approaching people who are in debt and convincing them to sign up for the game.”

“How do you find them?”

“I don’t. The Patriarchs own multiple banks and finance centers across the country. The employees are told to keep an eye out for people who fit a certain profile, and they get flagged in the system. Then I travel to whichever office flagged someone, and I set up an interview with that person so I can tell them about the game and offer them the opportunity to play.”

“Wait.” I lifted my free hand. “How is it that no one in this year’s Hunt recognized you as the recruiter who brought them here? Except for me.”

“Easy. When I go to recruitment meetings with a flagged individual who has the potential to become a player, I wear an auburn wig, glasses, and a bit of contour and red lipstick. You’d be amazed at how different you can look with such simple changes.”

“Right.” I nodded slowly, brows dipping in a frown. “So you recruited me from the Havenport finance center, but you don’t actually work there on a regular basis?”

“I didn’t recruit you. Not exactly, anyway. You were a special case,” Nikki said. “Not so special for you, obviously. Rather for those who wanted you here.”

I waved the knife. “Explain.”

“So, like I said, my job entails multiple things. Not just recruitment. Basically, each previous winner is assigned to one of the Patriarchs, who becomes their direct boss,” she said. “I was assigned to Peter Jennings, so I’m basically his gopher. I have to do whatever he wants. And that means I also get stuck doing whatever his piece of shit son wants.”

“Jake.”

“Yeah, Jake. Although I know him as JJ.” A murderous look had appeared in her eyes. “I hate that bastard. When I first met you, I had to pretend I didn’t know him, and holy fuck… that was hard. You told me he was a terrible person and to stay away from him, and I just wanted to shake you and say ‘Yes girl, you’re right, get the hell away from him! Move to a different country before he gets you!’. But of course, I couldn’t.”

“Why not?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

Nikki drew in a deep, shaky breath. “You don’t understand what it’s like to work for these assholes,” she said. “Sure, I’m free, in the sense that I can live out in the real world, but I’m not really free. They have private investigators checking up on me all the time. Monitoring everything I say and do. Sometimes I’ll think I’m alone in my apartment, but then I’ll get messages saying stuff like: ‘nice pink sweater’ or ‘ponytails really suit you, you should wear your hair like that more often’. They do that to really hammer it into my mind that I can’t step a single toe out of line, because if I do, they’ll find out.”

“Makes sense, I guess,” I said. I waved the knife again. “So what happened with my case?”

“JJ wanted you gone, and he wanted you to suffer too, because he’s a fucking asshole. He figured the Hunt was a good way to make that happen, but he knew you’d never sign up for the game on your own, even with all the prize money on offer. So he and his asshole father hatched a scheme together.”

“But his dad is the Head Patriarch,” I said. “Why did he need to scheme anything? Why not just kidnap me and put me in the Hunt?”

Nikki shook her head. “It doesn’t really work like that. The Patriarchs want people to be tricked into applying as willing participants. For their own sick amusement, I guess. But anyway, they all have to agree and sign off on the applicants together,” she said. “Peter was pretty sure the others would never agree to let him put his son’s ex-girlfriend in the Hunt without her knowledge, even with his position as the big boss. Ergo, he and JJ needed to fake your application. That’s where I came in.”

I cast my mind back to the day I met Nikki. “Was that charity thing even real?” I asked. “The one you approached me about.”

“No. Totally fake. I went to Hollingsworth that day with the sole purpose of finding you,” she replied. “JJ knew you were struggling financially, so he knew you’d say no to my request for a regular donation. It gave me the perfect segue into offering you the business card for the finance center.”

“But how did you know I’d actually go there?”

“Well, I was supposed to break into your dorm and smash all your stuff, including your laptop. But just before I was about to do it, someone else came along and did it for me,” she said, brows rising. “Crazy shit. But one less job for me, I guess. Anyway, after that, we figured you’d probably come into the center for a small loan to replace your broken stuff.”

“You guys really plotted everything perfectly,” I muttered.

Nikki nodded. “You handed over everything we needed without question. When you put your digital signature on that tablet—the fingerprint ID thing—we were able to keep it on the system to use on the Hunt application and NDA forms. Plus, we had your physical signature on one of the papers you signed, which was secretly a Hunt NDA. I covered most of the page with the loan paperwork so you wouldn’t notice. And that signature you gave me perfectly matched the signature on your driver’s license, which I scanned into the system after you handed it over.”

“So my application looked real to anyone who reviewed it.”

“Yup. Even if one of the other Patriarchs happened to get suspicious, they could’ve checked somehow and confirmed that your right index fingerprint matched the one on the application. But none of them were suspicious. They all thought you were a real applicant.”

“So then JJ and his father arranged to have me drugged, kidnapped, and put on the yacht?”

Nikki nodded again. “I was supposed to go below deck and wake you up if you weren’t at the party by nine-thirty. But you woke up on your own, thankfully. And… the rest is history.”

“Why were you there?” I asked, forehead wrinkling.

“In the Hunt, you mean? With you and the others?”

“Yes. Were you a mole, or what?”

“Not exactly, but I guess ‘mole’ is the simplest term for it, so we’ll go with it,” she said. “Every year, the previous year’s winner is put in the Hunt as a pretend player. Basically, their job is to make sure all the shipwreck survivors find each other, along with the starting cache. That way the game can start properly.”

I frowned, thinking back to those fraught moments on the beach. Nikki was right—it was all her. She’d directed the first group of survivors to the second, and she was also the one who’d pointed out the black ribbon around the tree which marked the spot where the cache was buried.

She’d played the part perfectly, pretending to be unsure and reluctant so the rest of us would never suspect she was secretly a society plant.

“So the winners have to go through the Hunt a second time?” I said. “That seems really fucked up.”

Nikki shook her head. “We don’t have to go through it all. The hunters are given the mole’s number—seventeen, in my case—and told to avoid targeting them. The online punters know there’s a mole in the game too, so they just ignore that number when they make their bets,” she said. “Anyway, it’s still pretty dangerous out there, because of the traps, so once the game starts, the mole is supposed to run back to one of the tunnels and leave the hunting grounds.”

“But you didn’t do that. You stayed for two days,” I said in a hollow voice. “Why?”

She threw her hands up. “Because I felt fucking bad, okay?” she said. Her eyes were shimmering with tears again. “Especially for you. You weren’t a real player. The others at least had a chance to look up survival techniques beforehand, when they thought they were going into a fun wilderness game. But you were just clueless.”

“Oh, so you wanted to help?” I said, voice dripping with scorn. “How sweet.”

“I know you’ll never believe that in a million years, but yes, I really wanted to give you a fighting chance,” she said. “The others, too. I kept thinking… if I just stayed out there long enough, maybe they could somehow all survive. I knew it was stupid and delusional, but I still couldn’t make myself leave.”

“Didn’t you get in trouble with the society?”

“Yeah, they kept contacting me, demanding I come back in and stop affecting the integrity of the game, or whatever,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Finally, on the second day, they contacted me and told me they were sending two hunters to drag me back in. And that was that. I was done.”

“Wait…” I slowly shook my head. “That doesn’t make sense.”

“Which part?”

“I remember those hunters taking you, clear as day,” I said. “You were screaming and crying like you were really worried about dying, and one of the hunters even made a comment about you being his next kill. Why go through all those theatrics when all three of you knew it was bullshit?”

Nikki’s throat bobbed as she gulped. “You won’t believe it if I tell you.”

I took one step closer, jabbing the knife in the air. “Tell me,” I hissed.

“When they contacted me, I asked them to tell me which hunters were coming to collect me, and then I contacted them while you and Cheryl went off to piss in the woods. I told them I wasn’t alone, so they needed to play along with whatever act I put on while they took me.”

“Why?”

“Because, believe it or not, I really liked you, Everly. Cheryl, too. I didn’t want either of you to know the truth about me. That I was a nasty bitch who lied to you the entire time,” she said, voice on the verge of cracking again. “So I decided to put on a big dramatic act with the hunters when they took me away. That way you’d both think I died like everyone else—as an innocent player. As your friend.”

“Hold on.” My mind flashed back to something she said a moment ago. “You told the hunters that Cheryl and I were with you?”

“Yes, I had to. You guys were there, so I had to warn them about that,” she said. “Your lives were never meant to be at risk, because they were given our exact GPS coordinates in order to come and get me, so it would be considered cheating for them to kill you. Hunters are taught to play by the rules. So they were supposed to put on a big show of taking me and only me, while you and Cheryl hid somewhere.”

“But they killed Cheryl,” I said in a low voice. “You know that.”

Nikki winced. “They weren’t supposed to, as long as she was just hiding somewhere. But the second she stepped into that trap, she became fair game,” she said. “After all, it was their trap. And then…”

She trailed off, too choked up to continue. I rolled my eyes and snapped my fingers. “And then what?”

Nikki drew in a deep, shaky breath. “The act I put on in the end wasn’t really an act. Those emotions were real. I honestly thought I could save Cheryl, and I really wanted to. She was a good person. Not like me.” She paused, face crumpling. “I really, really wanted them to let her go. But they—”

“They shot her in the fucking head.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” Nikki sagged on the end of the bed, scrunching her legs up to her chest as she began to cry. “I tried. I really tried.”

Even though I hadn’t given her permission to move to the bed, I decided to let it go. She seemed genuinely upset, and I still had the massive hunting knife on me, so I was quite certain she posed no threat to me.

When she finally pulled herself together, she looked up at me through red, teary eyes. “How the hell did you get out of the hunting grounds?” she asked. “I’m not asking as an enemy. I’m asking as a friend. I’m genuinely happy to see you here.”

I stiffened. “I’m not telling you anything.”

“Why?”

“Because I had help,” I snapped. “And I’m not risking that person’s life.”

Nikki sniffed, eyeing the knife in my hand. “Everly… you’re obviously going to kill me, right here in this room,” she said. “I can’t get past you. Not when you’re holding that thing. So I can’t exactly run out of here and tell anyone else what you’re up to, can I?”

“So what?”

“So you might as well satisfy my curiosity before you cut my throat,” she said. “And for what it’s worth, I would never tell anyone you’re in here, even if I had the chance to escape.”

“Sure,” I scoffed.

She lifted her palms in the air again. “Please just tell me.”

I sighed. She had a point. I wasn’t going to let her out of this room, and if she tried, I wouldn’t hesitate to hurt her. On top of that, Rhett would be back soon, and he definitely wouldn’t let her get away.

“Fine,” I muttered. “One of the hunters helped me. Rhett.”

“Rhett Sinclair?” Nikki’s eyes widened. “As in the guy who’s currently at the top of the leaderboard?”

“Yup.”

“Holy shit,” she said breathlessly. “How the hell did you pull that off? That guy is unhinged!”

“He didn’t know the truth about the Hunt until yesterday, and he was furious when he found out,” I said. “Turns out most of the hunters don’t know the truth. You actually know more than them.”

“Oh. Right. I forgot about that,” she said, tilting her head. “They think you’re all escaped prisoners, or something like that.”

“Yeah. Something like that,” I said bitterly. “But Jake told us the truth about everything. Or JJ, I guess I should say.” I paused for a couple of beats to slowly turn the knife in my hand, letting the blade catch the light. “After he told us… I killed him.”

Nikki’s eyes bulged. “You killed JJ?”

“Well, sort of. Rhett had to help me,” I said. “Movies always make it look like it’s really easy to stab someone, but I had some trouble with it.”

Nikki kept staring at me in shock. Then she blinked a couple of times, slowly shaking her head, before erupting into peals of laughter. “Oh my god! That’s the best thing I’ve ever heard!” she choked out between giggles. “He’s dead. He’s actually fucking dead!”

“Yup.”

Her laughter dried up quickly, but the smile on her face lingered. “You want to know why I hate him so much? Or hated, I should say.”

“Because he was an asshole, I presume.”

She waved a casual hand. “Well, yeah. But there was one thing that really solidified my hatred toward him. Even before I heard about his plan for you.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked, frowning.

“I know you probably won’t believe me about this. You’ll think I’m making up a sob story to make you feel sorry for me,” she said. “But one day, I was at the Jennings house, because I had to do some work for Peter. At some point, JJ offered me a drink. I can’t remember a single thing after that. I just woke up in my apartment the next day. But I know something happened to me at that house, and I know it was because of him.”

I swallowed hard. “I believe you.”

“You do?”

“Yes.” I nodded slowly. “He wanted to get rid of me because I found out he was doing stuff like that. I thought he only did it to one woman, because that’s what he told me, but I guess I should’ve known he was lying.”

“Shit.” Nikki exhaled deeply. “He told me you were just a crazy, annoying ex who wouldn’t stop hassling him for money. But hey, like you just said… I should’ve known he was lying.”

“I’m really sorry that happened to you, Nikki,” I said softly.

She shrugged, like it was nothing. “I guess it’s all part of the job description,” she said. “Like I said before, I’m basically a slave. If a Wilder wants me to do something… well, they don’t really need to ask. It’s not like I can ever say no. Like with Jordan and Matt yesterday.”

“What do you mean?”

She slowly lifted her shirt to reveal several bite marks and bruises on her chest. “After the big show I put on when they took me, they got some ideas,” she murmured. “They came to my room last night and told me I had a promise to keep.”

My heart lurched. “You mean all the stuff they made you say before they killed Cheryl?”

“Yeah. A deal’s a deal, as they said,” Nikki said bitterly, putting the phrase in air quotes. “So apparently I owed them.”

“They made you—”

“They didn’t make me do it,” she cut in. “But it’s always hanging over my head, you know? The implication. That if I refuse to do something a Wilder asks of me, I’m neglecting my duties, and therefore my job—and life—are in jeopardy. So I felt like I had to do it.”

“Those fucking assholes,” I muttered, stomach churning. “They did make you do it, Nikki, because they know you’re subservient to them in the society. They knew you’d be too afraid to say no. So it wasn’t really your choice at all.”

She let out another heavy sigh. “Yeah, well… that’s my life now.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay. I flooded my bathroom on purpose so that Peter would arrange a new room for me away from the staff quarters. I figured that way it wouldn’t be so easy for Jordan and Matt to find me again.” She gestured around the bedroom. “This was supposed to be it, so... I guess it’s actually not okay, seeing as I’m sitting here now, waiting for you to decide how and when you want to kill me.”

I didn’t know what to say to that, so I remained silent. Nikki stared glumly at the floor for a moment. Then she looked up at me again.

“Look, Everly... before you stab me in the neck, I want you to know something. It wasn't all lies out there,” she said, slightly shaking her head. “The story I told you about growing up in the boonies was true. All the survival stuff I taught you and the others was real. I never sabotaged you. Never.”

“I know,” I said softly. “I survived after you were gone using the advice you and Cheryl taught me. I taught your advice to others too. But they...”

I trailed off, biting my lip as emotion welled inside me all over again.

“I know what happened to them,” Nikki replied. “I heard all about it. Everyone thought you were dead too, but when all that smoke cleared… you were gone. And not in a dead way. Just gone. No one's seen you since.”

“Yeah. I got away,” I muttered.

“Man, Xavier Nilsson was pissed. Killing four players at once would've shot him to the top of the leaderboard,” she said, brows rising. “How did you get away from him, anyway?”

“That was when Rhett rescued me,” I said. “He carried me out of the smoke, and we traveled through blind spots and dead zones so no one would see us. After that, we went into one of the tunnels, and then we came here because this wing is usually empty. We thought it would be safe.”

“And at some point during all of that, you killed JJ.”

“Yes. His body is still out there,” I said, glancing toward the window. “That’s where Rhett is now. Covering it up.”

Nikki’s forehead creased. “JJ’s dad has already noticed he’s not answering radio calls. Or any sort of calls, for that matter,” she said. “He just asked me when I last heard from him.”

“Yeah, I know. I heard,” I muttered. “How long do you think we have before he gets really suspicious and sends out a search party?”

“No idea,” she said with a shrug. She chewed her bottom lip for a few seconds. Then she tilted her head, looking back up at me. “What’s your big escape plan, anyway? Are you going to try and swim away?”

“No.”

“Well, I’m sure Rhett already told you this, but travel from the island is banned while the Hunt is on,” she said. “So I guess you’re basically as screwed as I am right now, because you can’t hide in here forever.”

I clenched my jaw. “We’re still working on a plan,” I muttered.

Nikki opened her mouth to reply, but before she could say anything, a sharp, deliberate rap echoed against the door.

32

Everly

The silence that followed the knock seemed to press down on me, thick and heavy, like the air before a storm. With my heart hammering, I stared at Nikki and put my finger to my lips, hoping like hell she’d obey my silent command. Thankfully, she complied, clamping a hand over her mouth.

Another three knocks came, heavy and measured, and I almost jumped right out of my skin. Oh god, oh god, oh god…

Rhett’s deep voice finally carried through the door a few seconds later. “It’s just me, baby,” he said. “You’re safe. Can you open up?”

Breathing a heavy sigh of relief, I stepped over and unlocked the door, keeping an eye on Nikki the whole time. Rhett strode in, and his eyes instantly widened when he caught sight of her.

“What the fuck?” he said, stepping in front of me with one arm extended, as if to protect me from her. With his free hand, he reached into his jacket, whipped out a black pistol, and aimed it right at her face. “What the hell are you doing in here?”

“Rhett, it’s okay,” I said. “At least… sort of.”

“No, it’s not okay.” He looked over at me, eyes flashing with a mix of shock and anger. “I know you thought she was your friend out here, but she’s a society plant. She wasn’t really—”

Nikki cut him off. “She knows, okay? I told her everything.”

“It’s true,” I said, gently touching Rhett’s free arm. “She told me all about her job.”

“So?” He didn’t lower the gun. “That doesn’t mean she’s on your side.”

Nikki sighed defeatedly and threw her hands up. “Whatever. Go ahead and shoot me, then. It’s better than getting stabbed,” she muttered, looking at my knife.

“Wait.” I reached for Rhett’s arm again. “Don’t kill her. Please.”

His jaw clenched. “I’ll be fucking damned if I let anyone stand in the way of me getting you off this island,” he bit out. “So, give me one good reason why we shouldn’t get rid of her right now.”

“Because I think—”

“Maybe I could help you,” Nikki blurted out before I could finish my sentence. “I mean, you obviously want to get Everly out of here in one piece, but she told me you don’t have a plan yet. And three heads are better than one, right?”

“She has a point, Rhett,” I said. “We want to take the whole society down, and having someone like her on our side could really help.”

He snorted, still staring right at Nikki. “Why should we believe that you suddenly want to help us?” he asked her. “You’re one of them.”

“So are you, in case you forgot,” she said coolly. “And no offense, but you’ve actually killed people, so I think that makes you worse than me. I’ve never killed anyone.”

“That’s fair,” Rhett said stiffly. “But you didn’t answer my question. Why should we believe you want to help us take the society down?”

“Because I fucking hate them, clearly.”

“See, there’s the issue. It’s not clear at all.” Rhett’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve worked for The Wild Hunt for… how long?”

“About a year.”

“Right. A whole year, where you’ve said and done jack-shit. But now, when it’s suddenly convenient to you, you claim you want to take it all down?”

“I’ve thought about doing it every single day,” Nikki said, voice rising an octave. “But I’m a nobody. What the fuck could I possibly do that would actually work? Nothing. So of course I’ve never said or done anything against the society. It’s too risky. But it’s different if I have you on my side.”

“Why?”

Nikki threw up her hands. “Um, duh? You don’t just work for the Wilders like me. You are a Wilder. And you’re also one of the best hunters they have. Plus, your father is one of the Patriarchs. So, not to blow too much smoke up your ass, but a guy like you is probably the best hope I have at ending the absolute hell my life has turned into over the last year.”

I brushed Rhett’s arm again. “You should really hear her whole story before you make any decisions,” I said. I glanced at Nikki. “If you’re okay sharing it, that is.”

“Sure, as long as he stops waving that gun in my face.”

“Fine.” Rhett’s upper lip curled with derision, but he lowered the gun. “I’m listening.”

Slowly and haltingly, Nikki filled him on everything she’d told me—how she was forced to work for The Wild Hunt, what JJ had done to her, and what some of the other Wilders had done too.

Rhett’s hand stayed tense on his gun, even though he’d lowered it. His eyes stayed locked on Nikki as she spoke, cold and calculating, but as her story unraveled, I noticed the smallest crack in his armor—a slight quickening of his breath, along with a subtle tick of his jaw.

When she described JJ’s cruelty, his expression darkened, and his grip on the gun tightened again like he was imagining pulling the trigger. At one point, I thought he might interrupt, bark out an accusation, or tell her to stop talking. But he didn’t.

By the time Nikki got to the part about Matt and Jordan, I could see a flicker of something else in Rhett’s eyes. It wasn’t just pity, but anger, like flames licking at the edges of his control.

When Nikki’s voice finally trailed off, a heavy silence fell over the room. Rhett didn’t move, didn’t even blink, and I held my breath, waiting to see what he’d do.

Finally, he put his gun away, free hand raking through his hair as he let out a heavy sigh. “I had no idea that you didn’t choose to work for the society,” he finally said. “And I had no idea these things were happening to you. I’d say I want to kill JJ for what he did, but—”

“You and Ev already took care of that,” Nikki said with a wry smile. “I heard.”

“Yeah. It’s not just him, though. Matt and Jordan… those fucking pricks,” he said, shaking his head. “I always knew they were douchebags, but I had no idea they were that bad.”

“She showed me the bite marks and bruises they left on her,” I said in a low voice. “She couldn’t possibly have faked that. Also, why would she have any reason to fake it in the first place? She had no idea we were in here, waiting to ambush her.”

“It’s okay. I believe her,” Rhett said, looking at me. He turned to face Nikki again. “I’m really sorry this shit happened to you. I mean it.”

“Does that mean you trust me now?” she asked, forehead wrinkling. “You’ll let me help you out?”

Rhett lifted a hand, signaling for her to wait. Then he took a step closer to me, voice lowering to a mutter only I could hear. “What do you want to happen here?” he asked. “I’ll do anything you want, as long as I can keep you safe.”

“I think we should let her help us,” I whispered back. “But we need to keep her close, just in case. I mean, I believe her, but brainwashing and fear tactics can run deep. So we have to be careful.”

He dipped his chin in a curt nod. Then he turned and raised his voice to address Nikki again. “You’re in for now,” he said. “But you understand why we can’t fully trust you, right?”

She nodded. “Yeah, I get it.”

“What I mean is: we can’t let you out of our sight, on the off chance you run straight back to Peter like a loyal, brainwashed lapdog.”

“It’s fine. I totally get it. And to be honest…” She paused, brows raising as she glanced at me. “Everly, if I were you, I wouldn’t trust either one of us, given how we’re both so deeply connected with The Wild Hunt.”

“Well, I don’t th—”

She cut me off. “I’m not saying you’re naïve or gullible. I’m just saying you’re brave,” she said. “Actually, you’re kind of a badass.”

Rhett’s lips curved into the first smile I’d seen him crack since his return to the room. “I keep trying to tell her that.”

I felt my cheeks flush, and I raised both my palms. “Okay, enough about me. Do either of you have any ideas about what our next move could be?”

Rhett frowned. “I’ve been thinking about some things, but nothing really sticks. There’s always a problem.”

“Yeah, I get that,” I said, shoulders slumping. “There’s just so much stuff we need to consider.”

“Maybe it would help if we clarified exactly what our goals are?” Nikki said, brows rising.

I steeled my jaw. “I want to take down The Wild Hunt once and for all. Expose them to the world,” I said. “I also want to rescue all the players who are still alive and make sure they get home safely. It’s not fair if I’m the only survivor.”

“So… not a big ask, then,” she replied, lips curving with a hint of sarcastic amusement. “Just a regular old Sunday.”

“I know it’s a lot. But we have to do something. We can’t just let this stuff keep happening.”

“No shit.” She sighed heavily, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “You know, every day for the last year, I’ve thought about sitting down and writing out some massive exposé to post online. But there’s just no point. Even if my post went viral by some miracle, there's no guarantee that anyone would believe what I say. I don't really have any proof, other than my word.”

“You’re right. People would probably just think you’re crazy,” Rhett said. “And like you said, going viral online is almost impossible anyway.”

“Yup. I could post every day for five years, and it could never happen,” she said bitterly. “Some people get lucky on their first try and get fifty million views on a stupid lip-sync video. But the chances of that actually happening? Probably one in a billion. Or less.”

I nodded slowly. “There’s only one real way to guarantee it—make sure your post lands in the exact right hands,” I said. “But even if we managed to do that with everything we know about The Wild Hunt… it doesn’t solve our other problem.”

“Getting everyone off this hellhole island, you mean?”

“Yes.” I paused, letting out a short sigh. “Earlier, I thought about potentially ending the travel lockdown from the island by setting a fire. But I don’t think that would work in the end.”

Nikki frowned. “Yeah, Wildercliff Manor is way too big for that. Almost 200,000 square feet with multiple wings branching off in different directions. So the chances of setting a fire big enough to cause problems is low at best,” she said. She paused for a beat and sat up straighter. “But I think you’re on the right track with that idea. If we could cause some sort of mass panic situation, the Patriarchs would have to allow travel to open up, because everyone would be scrambling to get off the island.”

“Good point,” Rhett murmured, nodding slowly.

“How many people are here altogether?” I asked.

Nikki’s lips twisted with contemplation. “I was told seventy-three Wilders are staying here while the Hunt is on, including the eight Patriarchs. But that’s not counting the thirty hunters. So there’s over a hundred of them altogether. There’s also about fifty staff members—cleaners, cooks, maintenance, tech support, and… me.”

“And the players?”

“Last I heard, there were nineteen still alive. That’s counting you. So eighteen are still out on the hunting grounds.”

“And no kills registered today,” Rhett muttered, rubbing his jaw. “That’s good.”

Nikki nodded. “Yeah, after the first two or three days, the players that are still left tend to be the more experienced or resourceful ones. They can hide better. Hold out longer. So it could take days for the hunters to get all of them. Maybe even weeks.”

Suddenly my mind was whirling. “How do things work with the staff members?” I asked, cocking my head slightly to the side. “You all sleep in separate quarters, right?”

“Yeah, in the south wing. North and east are for the Wilders. Can’t let them mix with the riff-raff too much, can we?” she said, rolling her eyes.

“So… you eat separately, right?”

“Yeah. There’s two cooks assigned to our wing, and six for the Wilders.” She snorted, eyes rolling upward again. “It has to be done that way, because all the rich guys just have to have their filet mignons and truffle risottos. But of course, the staff aren’t good enough for that sort of food.”

“What are you thinking, Ev?” Rhett asked, staring at me through slightly-narrowed eyes. “Some sort of food poisoning incident to induce mass panic?”

“Yeah, maybe,” I muttered. My mind was still scrambling, working overtime. “I have a question for you. Remember what you told me at the bonfire party? About how you gain access to the society secrets as soon as you become a full member.”

“Yup.” Rhett let out a low, bitter laugh. “What bullshit that turned out to be. We only know what the Patriarchs want us to know.”

“Yes, but how exactly does it work?” I asked. “Is there some sort of physical place where all the society information is stored? Like a vault somewhere?”

“Yeah, there is, in the back of the Wilder headquarters. But these days, the files are also digitized to make things easier for us,” he replied. “The way that works is: we all have an encrypted app on our phone. It can only be opened if you know the five-digit code, and that code changes twice a day. Whenever it changes, the new one is sent to us via secondary devices that we’re all given after the final trial. Smart watches. So even if someone stole a Wilder’s phone, they still wouldn’t be able to open the app. Not without the code from the watch.”

“So, your app only has the information the Patriarchs want you to know. But their apps probably have it all, right?”

“Yeah, probably.”

“Your dad is a Patriarch. Could you get his phone and get on his app? Send all the info to yourself?”

Rhett rubbed his jaw, frowning slightly. “I could try,” he said. “If the code is the same for the Patriarch version of the app, then I can definitely open it on his phone, as long as I can get it from him in the first place. But if the codes are different… there’s probably no way, short of kidnapping him and holding a gun to his head.”

“Sounds like it’s worth a try, though,” Nikki replied. “If you get that information, it’ll go a long way to proving our case against the society once we try this whole takedown thing.”

“For sure.” Rhett nodded. “I’ll give it my best shot.”

Nikki looked back at me. “I’m getting the impression you have a serious plan percolating,” she said. “Am I right?”

“Yes. But whether it works or not depends on a ton of different things,” I said, mind still racing through possibilities and contingencies. I sat up straight again. “Earlier, you said you’ve been wearing a wig and glasses to disguise yourself in recruitment meetings, so the players wouldn’t recognize you during the game. Do you happen to have those here?”

Nikki nodded, one thumb jerking toward the duffel bag she’d brought in earlier. “I’ve had to travel all over the place for those meetings, so they’re always in my bag,” she said. “Why?”

I didn’t answer just yet. “Do you happen to have eye drops too?”

“Yup. I packed some because sea breezes always give me major dry-eye.”

“I have some too,” Rhett added. “In my first aid kit.”

“Good. The more we have, the better.”

Nikki stood up, raising her palms. “Okay, Everly, you have to stop keeping us in suspense,” she said. “You’ve obviously got a big idea. So please share it with the class.”

“All right.” I smiled thinly. “Here it is…”

33

Rhett

The northern wing of Wildercliff Manor loomed in the distance, its spires jutting against the afternoon sky like jagged teeth. It felt like the perfect metaphor for this fucked-up place—nice enough on the surface but designed to devour anyone who got too close.

I fucking hated it.

I gritted my teeth and pushed forward, my mind spiraling through the chaotic memories of the last day. My anger over the Patriarchs’ betrayal had been simmering since my confrontation with JJ, but right now it felt ready to boil over, destroying everything in its path.

Every society member had been fed the same lie, groomed to believe we were all warriors in some grand tradition, protectors of the Hunt’s sacred legacy. What a fucking joke.

We weren’t warriors. We were just big, brutish pawns in a sick game, shuffled across the board for amusement and profit. The Patriarchs didn’t actually care all that much about skills or merit. What they really cared about was filling their pockets at the expense of innocent people, letting them die at the savage hands of their ignorant pawns. Guys like me.

Then again… not all Wilders were ignorant pawns.

JJ had known the truth about the society all along, courtesy of Peter, but it had never bothered him. He’d joined this year’s Hunt anyway, presumably because he enjoyed killing innocent people. And considering what Ev had told me about his sexual proclivities, he probably would’ve fucked the corpses of the victims if he wasn’t worried about being seen by the cameras that covered most of the island.

Sick fuck.

Then there were guys like Matt and Jordan. Also sons of Patriarchs. I wasn’t sure if their fathers had filled them in on all of the society’s dark secrets, but they behaved with an arrogance and impunity that could only come from knowing the rules would never apply to them. The way they’d treated Nikki was a perfect example of that. Fucking predatory pricks.

Not so long ago, I thought Ryan Gardner was an exception to the rest of us—a sleazy asshole who needed to be dealt with after he’d wormed his way into the society and behaved badly. Now I knew better.

Ryan was an asshole, but clearly, he wasn’t an exception, and he wasn’t punished because the Patriarchs disapproved of his behavior toward women. He was punished because he lacked the power and privilege of other certain members, making him the perfect example to keep the rest in line. But guys above him in the social pecking order wouldn’t have been punished for the same crime at all. Guys like JJ, Matt, or Jordan.

Or me, because my father was a Patriarch too. A man who sat at the table where every decision was made, every lie spun. But not once had he told me the truth. Not once had he pulled me aside and said, ‘This is what’s really going on in the upper rungs of the society’.

I wondered why he’d never told me anything. Did he simply not trust me? Or was he waiting for the right moment, some grand reveal when it would serve a distinct purpose for him?

Or maybe he never intended to tell me at all. Maybe he saw me as just another pawn.

It didn’t matter in the end. Whatever my father’s reasons were, I wasn’t going to sit back and let him—or the other Patriarchs—use me anymore. Not without a fight.

Ev’s ingenious scheme would help with that.

My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I yanked it out to see a message from Nikki. Just got the pics you sent. They’re perfect. We’re sending them to Ev’s friend now.

I tapped out a reply. She’s definitely on board?

Nikki: Yup. Ev explained it all to her when we called. She was shocked (I mean, duh, who wouldn’t be??) but she understands the danger, so she’ll keep it under wraps until we say go. She’s also come up with the PERFECT caption for the post. Where are you at?

Me: Heading to the northern wing now. Gonna try to get my father’s phone.

Nikki: Good luck. Really hope you can get all that stuff…

After I entered the northern wing, I headed for the society’s common room on the first floor and pushed open the heavy oak door.

The scent of cigar smoke and aged whiskey instantly hit me. The room was a blend of old money and indulgence: mahogany-paneled walls, leather armchairs, and a bar stocked with liquor that probably cost more than most people’s yearly salaries. A fire roared in the oversized hearth on the far side, casting flickering shadows over the faces of the men scattered throughout the room.

My gaze swept the space automatically, cataloging who was there. Most of the Wilders were present, drunkenly laughing or arguing over bets, and a few hunters were there too, presumably having returned for some R&R before they headed back out to the hunting grounds. My focus zeroed in on a table near the far wall, where my father sat with Peter Jennings.

When I approached, both men looked surprised to see me. “Rhett,” Dad said, forehead creasing. “What are you doing here? I thought you were back out on the hunting grounds today.”

I nodded. “Yeah, I spent most of the day out there. But I came back because I wanted to talk to you about something. In your office, if that’s okay,” I said. I glanced at Peter. “Sorry, Mr. Jennings. Not trying to be rude. It’s just family stuff.”

Peter smiled and rose to his feet. “It’s no problem,” he said, picking up his whiskey glass. “But before I leave you to it, can I ask if you’ve seen or heard from JJ today?”

I nodded casually. “Yeah, I spoke to him earlier.”

“Really?” Peter’s shoulders sagged with relief. “I haven’t seen him since yesterday morning. I was starting to worry he’d fallen in a ditch and knocked himself out.”

“Nah, he’s fine. He told me he’s found himself a little hidey-hole in sector L13,” I said smoothly. “He’s waiting for today’s bounty. Apparently she’s been lurking around there somewhere.”

“What time did you speak to him?” Peter asked, brows furrowing. “He hasn’t answered a single one of my calls or messages, and I’ve been trying all day.”

I pulled out my satellite phone and pressed a few buttons to bring up my recent call log. “It wasn’t long ago,” I said, turning the screen to show Peter. “1:53.”

Part of Ev’s plan involved me taking photos of JJ’s dead body, so while I was doing that earlier, I’d taken his satellite phone and staged a fake call to myself, knowing there was a chance I might be asked about his whereabouts at some point. After all, I was the last person to see him before the two of us headed into the dead zone yesterday, and anyone who’d reviewed the footage would know that.

“Well, he’s obviously fine, then.” Peter’s eyes flared with irritation. “I wonder why he isn’t picking up any of my calls.”

“He’s probably just trying his best to concentrate,” I said. “The only reason he called me was because he was out of snacks and wanted to see if I was close. But I was nowhere near him.”

“It’s strange. I’ve looked everywhere on the feeds, and I can’t see him anywhere. In fact, I haven’t seen him on the feeds since you two met up and did some target practice together yesterday afternoon. After that, you both vanished.” Peter cocked his head slightly. “You said he’s currently in sector L14?”

“L13,” I said. “There’s a few blind spots and dead zones down there, so that’s probably why you can’t see him. It’s probably why you couldn’t see us after we finished our target practice yesterday, too.”

“Ah, yes.” He nodded slowly. “That makes sense.”

“You know, I was actually thinking—maybe it would be worth getting more cameras installed on the island for next year’s game,” I said, smiling pleasantly as if I actually gave a single fuck about improving the quality of the Hunt. “There’s quite a lot of those blind spots on the island, and it probably annoys the guys when they’re trying to watch all the action.”

“Yes, you’re right. I should really get the engineering team onto that.” Peter clapped me on the back with his free hand and looked at my father. “Richard, this son of yours is a real forward thinker. Perhaps he’ll follow in your footsteps one day, eh? Be a Patriarch like his father?”

Dad smiled thinly. “Perhaps.”

Peter dipped his chin in a silent goodbye and stepped away from the table. Dad looked at me and gestured for me to sit, but I shook my head. “I’d really like to talk in your office.”

“Why?” he asked.

My jaw tightened. “It’s about Jessica,” I said in a low voice.

Truthfully, I didn’t want to talk about her—I’d done enough of that last night with Ev—but it was the best way I could think of to get my father alone in his office.

“Ah.” Understanding dawned on his face, and he briskly rose to his feet. “You’re right. This is not a conversation for the common room.”

We headed down the hall toward his private suite. All of the Patriarchs had one of their own on the ground floor—a huge, lavish space featuring a bedroom, bathroom, and office.

Dad gestured for me to step into his office and closed the door behind us. “I think I already know what you’re going to ask me, because you’ve already asked me once before,” he said, turning to look at me with a solemn expression. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for months, to be honest.”

“Well, I’ll ask again anyway,” I said. “What happened to Jessica after she got out of prison? I want the truth this time.”

He set his jaw and looked me right in the eye. “I arranged for her to be brought into the Hunt six seasons ago.”

“She didn’t apply like any of the other players?”

“No.”

I folded my arms across my chest and narrowed my eyes, wondering if he’d tell me the truth at all, and if so, just how much of the truth he was willing to reveal. “How is that possible?” I asked. “I thought all of the players were supposed to apply willingly.”

Dad rubbed his chin and coughed to clear his throat. “When you’re a Patriarch, there are certain strings you can pull,” he said. “It’s not easy to bring in a non-applicant… but it’s possible.”

“I see.”

He gave me a hard look. “I did it because I thought she deserved it. I’m sure you can agree with that. And I’m sure you’ll also agree not to tell any of your fellow Wilders about—” He stopped abruptly and coughed again. “About this small infraction on my behalf. The last thing we need is rumors spreading around about corruption in the higher levels.”

I almost laughed at that. He was acting like he’d only ever committed one small infraction against the society’s so-called code. As if The Wild Hunt itself wasn’t built on a foundation of sordid lies and a mountain of innocent lives lost.

“Of course I won’t tell anyone,” I said, shaking my head. “I understand why you did it, and I would’ve done the same. If it were up to me, that is.”

A glimmer of pride appeared in his eyes. “Good,” he said. “I would have told you sooner, but I have to be very careful about what I say. Even to you.”

I raised a brow. “Why?”

“Like I said, the last thing we need is rumors spreading around about corruption in the higher levels. But you see, at those higher levels, there are things the lower members can’t even begin to understand. Knowledge and decisions that require trust and discretion. That’s why only a select few ever rise to the level of Patriarch,” he said. “It’s not just about strength. It’s about loyalty. Your ability to keep your mouth shut when it matters most.”

I nodded, doing my best to keep my expression neutral. “Makes sense.”

“I can tell you this much, though.” Dad’s brows lifted slightly. “Keep performing the way you’re performing, and you’ll be well on your way to bigger things.”

“You think I could be a Patriarch one day?” I said, lifting a brow.

“Absolutely. Just remember what I said—loyalty is what matters the most to the society.”

Along with a toxic-as-fuck mix of greed and psychopathy, I thought, suppressing the urge to roll my eyes.

“Understood.” I tilted my head slightly to one side. “By the way, before I head back out to the hunting grounds, do you mind if I borrow your cell phone?”

Dad frowned. “Why?”

“I want to text Mom and let her know how I’m doing,” I said. “I know she thinks this is just a regular hunting trip, but still… I feel bad thinking that she could be sitting around worrying about me. You know how she gets sometimes.”

“Why not use your own phone?” he asked, forehead wrinkling. “You have signal here, don’t you?”

“It’s not working for some reason. I think I need to get it replaced,” I said. “But obviously, there are no phone stores on the island, so that’s not exactly an option right now.”

“Oh.” He hesitated, frowning slightly. “Well… I can just call your mother later and tell her you were thinking about her.”

“Dad, I’m not going to steal your identity or transfer all your cryptocurrencies, if that’s what you’re worried about,” I said, grinning. “I just want to send one text. It’ll take ten seconds.”

My attempt to make him feel like he was being unreasonable worked perfectly. He nodded and gave me a faint smile. “Of course. Sorry,” he muttered, fishing his cell out of his pocket. “Wildercliff makes me a bit paranoid sometimes.”

“I get it. I’m always looking over my shoulder when I’m out on the grounds, and that feeling follows me back up here too, even though everything’s fine.”

“Yes, that’s exactly it.” He unlocked his phone and handed it to me. “Just be quick. I have to get back to the common room soon. Peter and I were in the middle of a conversation before you arrived.”

“All right.” I tapped out a quick message to Mom, and then I scrolled to the Wilder app and clicked on it. When it prompted me for a password, I typed in the five-digit code I’d received this morning for my own app.

A notification instantly appeared. Code accepted. Decryption in progress.

I breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Then I glanced back up at my father and gestured toward his desk, where a silver MacBook sat. “Actually, while I write this, would you mind looking something up for me?”

Dad’s brows rose. “What?”

“I just realized Mom’s birthday is coming up soon. We should start planning it.”

“It’s a month away.”

“Yeah, but restaurants always get booked out really far in advance. Especially the nice ones down at Havenport Marina.”

As I spoke, I glanced at the phone screen again, pretending I was still in the middle of writing a text to my mother.

Decryption complete.

Ev’s theory was correct. The Wilder app on my father’s phone appeared to be filled with files that my own app didn’t contain. I scrolled to the very bottom, where an ‘Export to new device via Bluetooth’ option was available. The app developers had added the feature for situations when society members upgraded to new phones and needed to transfer all their data.

I clicked on the small button, and a popup appeared. Scanning for nearby Bluetooth-enabled devices. Please wait.

“I always have the staff arrange your mother’s birthday dinners,” Dad said, peering at me like I’d lost my mind.

“Well, that’s kind of my point,” I said, looking back up at him. “It’s just so impersonal. Don’t you think it would be nice if we organized it instead? It would be more special that way. More meaningful.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw another popup appear on the phone screen. Transfer to: ‘Rhett’s iPhone 16’?

I quickly tapped ‘confirm’.

My father was still staring at me with a frown etched on his face. For a second, I worried he was onto me; knew I was stalling him so I could hold onto his phone as long as possible. But then he exhaled deeply and ran a hand through his hair.

“You’re right,” he muttered. “Absolutely right. Sometimes you just get so used to having things done for you that you forget how to be a decent person. Or a decent husband, in this case.”

I stole another glance at the phone screen. Export progress: 2% complete.

Fuck. This was going to take a while. I would need to drag this restaurant conversation out for as long as I possibly could.

“Could you look up that Italian place by the marina?” I asked. “I think the name is Amore something.”

Dad nodded and sat down. Once he’d opened up the laptop, he glanced at me over his shoulder. “Where did you say it is? The marina?”

“Yup.”

He turned back to the computer and typed rapidly. “There’s one called Ciao Amore on Victor Street,” he said. “It’s not at the marina, but it’s close. Is that the one you mean?”

“Maybe,” I said, dragging the two syllables out as much as I could. “Whatever the place was, it had some sort of truffle arancini that Mom absolutely devoured last time we were there. That’s why I’m thinking we should book it for her birthday.”

Dad nodded, peering at the screen. “I’ll look at the menu,” he murmured.

While he did that, I looked back at his phone screen. Export progress: 13% complete.

Goddamn, this was fucking slow.

I gritted my teeth and sucked in a deep breath. I had to stay calm, or else my father might begin to suspect I was up to something.

“I don’t see any truffle arancini,” he said.

“You might be looking at the takeout menu. Sometimes it’s different to the regular one.”

He leaned in a little closer and clicked something. Then he nodded. “Ah, yes, you’re right. I didn’t even notice that,” he said. “All right, here’s the in-restaurant menu. Let me see… ah! Yes, here we go. Truffle arancini.”

“Great.” I kept staring at his phone screen. Export progress: 29% complete. “Oh, shit. Wait.”

Dad glanced back at me. “What’s wrong?”

“I just remembered. I went there with some of the Wilder guys last year, and JJ ended up getting food poisoning. He shit his pants right there in the restaurant. It was fucked.”

“Oh, no. That sounds awful.” Dad grimaced. “And disgusting.”

“I can’t believe I forgot about that,” I said, shaking my head. “Anyway, we don’t want to expose Mom to a straight-up health hazard on her birthday. So what’s that other place she really likes down at the marina? The Greek one.”

Dad frowned slightly. “I don’t remember going to a Greek restaurant.”

“We went there a couple of years ago for Erin’s birthday. Mom really liked the spanakopita and said she’d like to visit again someday.”

He turned back to the laptop. “Let me see,” he said, typing again. “Is it Dionysos? That seems to be a Greek place, and it’s at the Havenport marina. Although I don’t remember ever going there.”

Export progress: 56% complete.

“That could be it, but I’m not sure. The name doesn’t really sound familiar,” I said slowly. “Check the menu for spanakopita, I guess.”

Export progress: 63% complete.

Shit. This fucking app really needed to hurry the hell up. I couldn’t keep a conversation about Greek restaurants going forever.

“I don’t see anything like that on the menu,” Dad said, frowning at the screen. “This must be the wrong place.”

“Maybe you should go back to Google and search for ‘Greek restaurant Havenport spanakopita,” I suggested. “That’ll probably work.”

“Good idea. Just give me a second.”

Export progress: 79% complete. It was getting faster now. Thank fucking god.

“Here we go,” Dad said. “There’s another place called The Olive Grove, and they have spanakopita.”

I feigned recognition, nodding fervently. “Yeah, that’s the place. Do they have a contact email for reservations? Or just an online form?”

Export progress: 89% complete.

“They have both, but I’d rather just call them. It’s quicker,” Dad replied. He glanced back at me and jabbed his thumb toward his phone. “Are you done with that? I should call them now, before I forget.”

For fuck’s sake. The export bar was still stuck at 89%.

“Yup, I messaged Mom,” I said. “Although… I just realized I should probably message Erin too. I feel like I’ve been a bad brother. I’ve barely even seen her this year.”

“It’s tough with her being at boarding school,” Dad said, nodding slowly. “I feel like I’ve barely seen her either.”

The export bar finally started moving again. Export progress: 94% complete.

“One second,” I said.

I tapped out a message to Erin. Hey, it’s Rhett. My phone’s not working, so I’m borrowing Dad’s. Our hunting trip is going well. I think Dad was worried I’d accidentally shoot myself in the foot, but we’re all good. How’s school? Did you have any cool Halloween parties?

The export was finally complete. I breathed a quiet sigh of relief and removed the Wilder app from the recently-accessed application bar. Then I handed Dad’s phone back to him. “All done,” I said. “You can call the restaurant now.”

He glanced down at his screen and snorted as he read the message I’d just sent to my little sister. “I wasn’t worried about you accidentally shooting yourself,” he said. “You’re one of the best hunters we’ve had in years.”

“She doesn’t know that, though. She doesn’t even know what we’re doing out here,” I said. “So I figured I should just keep the discussion light.”

“Good point.” He smiled faintly. “Anyway, I’ll call this place and make the reservation for your mother’s birthday now.”

“Great. I’m going to head back out to the hunting grounds.”

“Good luck out there. I know today’s been a bit slow for everyone, but I think it’s just because of the weather. It’ll pick up soon. Always does.”

“Yeah, the weather’s been shitty, but to be honest, I’ve been kinda lazy, too,” I replied. “But I just needed a break. I’m ready to get back out there now.”

Dad’s smile widened. “Make me proud, son.”

“I will. Those assholes out there won’t see me coming at all.”

I wasn’t technically lying. I just wasn’t being clear about which specific ‘assholes’ I was talking about.

Once I left my father’s suite, I texted Nikki again. Got the stuff from the app. Ev was right—there’s a ton of shit in there that the rest of us don’t have access to. I haven’t looked at it yet, but I’m sending it to Ev’s email right now. She can log in on your phone, right?

Nikki: Yup. We’ll forward it to her friend for later. Are you heading back out to the hunting grounds now?

Me: Yup. You two ready for your side of things?

Nikki sent through a photo a few seconds later. Ev was staring at the camera with raised brows, barely recognizable with her auburn wig, black-rimmed glasses, and makeup.

Me: Holy shit. You made her look like a different person.

Nikki: Yup. I don’t think a single soul on this island will recognize her.

Me: Nice work. Seriously.

Nikki: No prob. Anyway, good luck out there. Next few hours might be rough for you, considering what you have to do…

Me: I’ll be fine. I’m more worried about Ev getting caught. Be careful, okay?

Nikki: You too.

I put my phone away, strode out of the manor, and headed toward the nearest tunnel entrance, my boots hitting the gravel with a sharp crunch. The cold air bit at my skin, keeping my head clear despite the simmering rage inside. My mind was locked on a single goal: eliminate the competition.

There were originally thirty hunters altogether, but JJ was gone, and I didn’t have to count myself in that number anymore. I’d also spotted seven hunters in the common room twenty minutes ago, which brought the total number of active hunters on the grounds to twenty-one.

I didn’t need to kill them—not unless I had to—but I’d be damned if I was going to let them keep hunting and killing the players. A few well-placed shots, and they’d be out of the game for good, unable to move or fight.

When I finally reached the edge of the hunting grounds, I paused for a breath and scanned the area ahead. Somewhere within that haze of dark trees, my first target was waiting. Hunter 17. I’d noticed he always stuck to this part of the island, so he was the easiest one for me to go after first.

I kept moving, trudging through the underbrush. Finally, I had 17 in my sights, walking around sector B2 with his eyes trained on the canopy above, like he was expecting to find a player hiding up on a branch somewhere.

I moved silently, my boots barely making a sound against the dirt as I crept closer, keeping to the shadows. Then I took a slow, steady breath and crouched behind a bush, my rifle coming to my shoulder. The steady click of the safety falling away was the only noise in the crisp air.

I exhaled and squeezed the trigger. The sharp crack of the gunshot rang out, and the hunter dropped, his leg buckling beneath him as the wound in his ankle started pissing out blood. “Fuck!” he shouted, voice ragged with pain. “What the fuck was that?”

I smiled thinly and ignored his cries, slipping back into the trees.

One down... twenty to go.

34

Everly

“Are you sure I look okay?” I murmured, smoothing down my fake hair for what felt like the hundredth time.

Nikki sighed. “You look fine. Stop messing with the wig, or else it’ll fly off, and then it won’t be fine.”

“I’m just worried we’ll run into Peter. He might recognize me.”

“Your own parents wouldn’t recognize you right now,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Did you even see what I did with your makeup?”

“Yeah, you’re right,” I muttered, fidgeting with the edge of my borrowed sweatshirt. “I’m just paranoid.”

“I don’t blame you. But you need to stay calm and try to act normal, or else our cover will be blown.” Nikki’s brows suddenly shot up. “Shit, I sound like a spy. That’s cool as hell.”

I forced myself to lift my chin and look straight ahead, wondering how Nikki was managing to be so calm. We were in the most precarious situation of our lives, where one wrong move could spell a death sentence, but she was acting like we were just walking around the set of a thriller movie.

I knew she was probably faking it to make herself feel better, but her casual air only highlighted the worry and tension tightening around my chest like a vise.

As for Rhett… god, I was even more worried about him. The last time I’d seen him today, his voice had been calm, but his eyes betrayed something deeper. He was worried too, and he was right to feel that way. Whatever he was doing on the hunting grounds to protect me and the other players, it didn’t change the gnawing fear at the edges of all our minds: what if he couldn’t protect himself from the full wrath of the society while he was out there?

The north wing loomed ahead, the carved double doors larger than I’d imagined. As Nikki reached for the handle, I exhaled slowly and whispered to myself, Just one step at a time.

“Okay, we need to find my friend Dane,” Nikki said, glancing at me. “He works in the north wing kitchen, and he’s cool. We smoke together sometimes.”

“What does he look like?” I asked, voice barely above a whisper.

“Tall, brown hair—oh, never mind. He’s right there!” Nikki gestured ahead to a tall, young man in a slightly rumpled chef's jacket and dark jeans, the sleeves of the jacket pushed up to reveal tanned forearms. “That’s good timing for us.”

My pulse hammered as we stepped down the hall, seemingly louder than the murmurs of other people passing us by. Every flicker of a glance toward me left my stomach twisting, and every shadow made my heart skip a beat.

“Dane!” Nikki waved, and the young guy glanced up, face breaking into a smile.

“Hey, Nikki! How you doin’?” he asked, stepping closer to us. His warm eyes flickered to me. “And… who’s this?”

Nikki scoffed. “You don’t recognize Amy? She’s only worked here for four years.”

“In housekeeping, though,” I added, forcing my lips into a faint smile. “I guess we’ve just never run into each other.”

Dane chuckled and waved a casual hand. “I thought I knew everyone who works here, but the way my memory is these days… who the hell knows?” he said. “Anyway, what are you guys up to?”

“Same old gopher stuff for Peter,” Nikki replied, rolling her eyes. “I have to go check some stuff in the kitchen. Are you working the dinner service tonight?”

“No, I was just on my way out. I did breakfast and lunch today, and then half of the dinner prep too, so I’m wrecked,” he said. “I just want to go back to my room, have a smoke, and pass out for twelve hours.”

“Do you happen to know what they’re serving tonight?”

“Oh, you know… the usual for rich pricks,” Dane said. “Wagyu tenderloin with black truffle butter, caviar-topped lobster tails, and some kind of gold-leaf soufflé for dessert.” He paused, a faint grin playing at the edges of his mouth. “Why? You two planning to crash the party?”

“No, Peter wanted me to find out. You know how finicky he can be with food,” Nikki said. “Oh, and he also wanted me to ask about tonight’s featured drink. Do you happen to know that too?”

“They’re serving the 1985 vintage ports tonight. Apparently, they go really well with the tenderloin,” Dane said with a shrug. “I wouldn’t know for sure, though. I don’t drink.”

Nikki laughed again. “Yeah, I know what your guilty pleasure is,” she said. “Speaking of which… got any eye drops on you?”

“Always.” He grinned. “Need some?”

“If it’s no trouble, yeah. I smoked a bit earlier, so I just know my eyes will start turning red any minute now.”

Dane reached into his pocket and produced a small white bottle. “Here you go,” he said. “Anyway, I really need to head out. I’m shattered. I’ll see you later.”

We said our goodbyes, and when the young chef was out of sight, I turned to Nikki with wide eyes. “Holy shit, you’re a genius,” I said in an excited whisper. “You got us even more eye drops!”

She shrugged like it was nothing. “I figured the more of these we have, the better.”

“True. And thanks to you, we know exactly where to put them. The 1985 vintage ports.”

She nodded and pointed to an entryway on our left. “This way to the kitchens, Amy.”

She strode ahead, leading the way through the hall until we emerged into a bustling kitchen. Stainless steel counters gleamed under fluorescent lights, and the air was thick with the aroma of seared meats and roasted vegetables. Chefs in pristine white jackets moved with orchestrated chaos, shouting orders, flipping pans, and plating dishes on delicate porcelain.

At the center of the room was the head chef—a stout man with a balding head and a face flushed from the heat of the kitchen. He spotted us immediately, his gaze narrowing. “You’re not supposed to be in here,” he said, his voice sharp and cutting over the clatter of pans.

Nikki raised a hand in mock surrender. “Sorry, Chef. Peter Jennings sent me.”

His scowl deepened. “If he wants to complain about the amount of butter I use again, you can tell—”

Nikki cut him off. “It’s not about butter,” she said. “He heard you were serving the 1985 vintage ports tonight, and he thinks it’s a fantastic idea. He loves port.”

“Right. So why are you here, then?”

“Apparently there was an incident last year where one of the port bottles had something wrong with it, and it came out tasting like vinegar. So he wants us to give every bottle a quick sniff test. Just so he isn’t embarrassed in front of the entire society again.”

The chef narrowed his eyes. “I don’t remember that happening.”

“Well, it did, because I’ve had to hear about it ever since,” Nikki said, giving him an exasperated look. “You know what that man is like.”

The chef’s expression shifted, suspicion giving way to grudging acknowledgment. “Fine,” he said, gesturing toward a stack of crates by the door. “The port is there. You can do your silly little testing over by the prep station. But don’t get in anyone’s way, okay?

Nikki smiled and promised we’d be careful. Then we stepped over to the crates and carried them together, one by one, over to what looked like a free space near the prep station.

My nerves were still jangling with every step I took, and every clang of a pot or shout from a chef made me flinch, but I swallowed down my fear and got to work on the bottles, pulling them out of the crates and lining them up in rows of four on the counter.

“See?” Nikki whispered with a grin as we opened the first one. “This is easy.”

I returned her smile. “I got the impression that the chef wouldn’t even care if he caught us poisoning these bottles,” I whispered back.

“Probably not,” she said, letting out a derisive snort. “Everyone thinks Peter is an asshole. But we should be careful just in case.”

I nodded. “There are twenty bottles, and we have four bottles of eye drops,” I said, forehead creasing. “So, one fifth of an eye drop bottle per port bottle. That should do the trick, right?”

“I fucking hope so,” Nikki muttered.

We spent the next thirty minutes carefully spiking every single bottle. The eye drop solution wouldn’t kill any of the Wilders who consumed the port, but it would be enough to trigger a sudden outbreak of vomiting, diarrhea, and crippling stomach pains.

That, in turn, would cause enough panic and chaos to force the Patriarchs to open the island for travel. The huge mess would also temporarily distract them from everything else Rhett, Nikki, and I had planned together.

“Okay, last bottle.” Nikki popped the cork back in and grinned. “Let’s head out.”

I breathed a heavy sigh of relief and exited the kitchen with her. We still had a lot to do and a lot to worry about, but one of the most dangerous parts of our scheme was complete now, and that made me feel like a full ton of weight had just melted off my shoulders.

The hallway ahead of us was bustling with uniformed staff and Wilders in their casual clothes, strolling through the manor as if they owned it.

I kept my head down, doing my best not to attract any attention, but then I heard it—the unmistakable sound of someone approaching, their footsteps slow but deliberate... and familiar. My stomach dropped.

I didn’t need to look up to know who was coming toward us.

Peter Jennings.

I could feel his presence before I even saw him, as though the air around him was heavier, charged with that same unnerving energy he always carried with him. I took a sharp breath, my pulse quickening, and forced myself to keep walking, even though my legs felt like lead.

“Shit,” Nikki muttered, confirming my suspicion. “Peter’s coming toward us.”

“I can’t fucking believe it,” I said under my breath. “We were so close to making it out.”

“It’s okay. Just stay calm.”

Stay calm. I repeated it in my head like a mantra, even as the world around me seemed to blur.

“Nikki.” Peter’s deep voice echoed through the air as he drew closer. “I thought that was you. What are you doing in here?”

Nikki smiled faintly as we drew to a halt. “I ran out of cigarettes, and there’s a guy in the north wing kitchen who always has spares.”

“Hm. I didn’t know you were a smoker,” Peter said. He turned his head slightly, gaze landing on me. “I don’t think I’ve seen you around here before. What’s your name?”

Shit.

Changing my appearance was one thing, but I couldn’t do much to change my voice, so if I spoke right now, he’d surely recognize me. It would all be downhill from there.

Nikki let out a light laugh. “You don’t remember Amy, sir? She’s been on the housekeeping staff for years!” she said. “She’s the one who showed me around the place when you first brought me here. After… well, you know what.”

I forced a smile and nodded. “Mm-hm,” I murmured, figuring the vague sound was enough to make it seem like I was replying without actually saying anything.

“She’s finished for the day, hence the lack of uniform,” Nikki went on, gesturing to the clothes I’d borrowed from her. “We were just going to go for a walk before dinner.”

I didn’t dare look away from Peter, even though my heart was slamming against my ribs. The seconds stretched out, his eyes narrowing just a fraction as they moved down to focus on my left hand.

He finally looked up at me again. “Amy,” he said, nodding slowly. “I think I remember you now.”

“Oh, sir, I forgot to tell you,” Nikki cut in, clearly trying to distract him from me. “The bathroom in my new room is great. Everything looks brand new. No chance of another tap explosion.”

His gaze swiveled to her. “Yes, we had a few rooms in the west wing renovated this year. It’s not as important as the other wings, but we’re still getting it done, albeit very slowly,” he said. “Anyway, I must be going. I have a lot to take care of before dinner. Keep your phone on you in case I need you for anything.”

“Of course, sir,” Nikki said.

I nodded politely. Peter’s gaze slid back down to my left hand again, and then he walked away, his steps echoing as he disappeared into the shadows of the manor.

I exhaled slowly, my body sagging with relief. “Holy shit,” I muttered. “I really thought he was going to recognize me.”

“Maybe I should be a makeup artist when I get out of this indentured servitude bullshit,” Nikki said, brows rising. “I mean, the wig and glasses helped, but I seriously gave you a whole new face. Especially with your eyes. I changed their entire shape!”

I glanced anxiously over my shoulder as we walked toward the exit. Peter was no longer in sight. “Did you notice he kept looking at my left hand?” I asked.

“No.”

“I’m a little worried he suspected something because of the Band-Aid.” As I spoke, I rubbed my fingertips over the plaster Rhett had placed on the back of my hand to cover two small cuts I’d received from brambles out on the hunting grounds. “He could’ve wondered where I injured my hand, and then that could make him realize I’m an escaped player. Then—”

Nikki cut me off. “Ev, you’re being paranoid again,” she said sharply. “Housekeeping staff have minor injuries on their hands all the time. Maybe you accidentally touched a hot iron, or maybe you scratched yourself on a sharp edge while you were cleaning something. That’s all he would’ve thought about it.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” I murmured. “I’m just really on edge. It’s making me crazy.”

“Like I said before… I don’t blame you.” She shivered and pulled her jacket tighter around herself as we stepped outside.

The bitterly cold air hit me like a slap in the face, the wind carrying the scent of saltwater from the ocean beyond the manor. The sky was heavy with dark clouds, swirling in a stormy mess as the sun dipped lower on the horizon. It was the kind of evening that felt like something was about to break; like the whole world was holding its breath before the impending storm.

Or maybe that was just me, given the weight of everything hanging over my head.

My mind raced, replaying every moment from the past several hours—our plan formulation, my murmured goodbye to Rhett before he left to carry out his part of the scheme, the sense of danger lurking in every shadow of the manor, the uncertainty of whether we’d actually get away with it all.

All I could do was hope and pray we did.

Nikki suddenly stopped in her tracks in the middle of the estate grounds. “Oh, shit.”

“What’s wrong?” I asked, eyes widening.

She waved her phone at me. “I just checked the recruiter group chat, and things are getting… interesting,” she said, forehead creasing. “One of the tech guys just said that fourteen hunters have been incapacitated in the last three hours by a mystery hunter, and the viewers are finally noticing.”

“Shit.”

Nikki lifted a palm. “It’s not all bad. Firstly, they don’t know it’s Rhett yet, because he’s wearing a mask and camo, and he also removed his number,” she said. “Secondly, they think it’s part of the show.”

My brows shot up. “Seriously?”

“Yup. The Wilder viewers and the dark web viewers seem to think the Patriarchs arranged this to make things more interesting and different from every other year. They’re already placing bets on who the mystery hunter is.”

I breathed a quiet sigh of relief. “That’ll buy Rhett a bit more time out there.”

“Yes. But the Patriarchs will hear about this any minute now, and they all know this wasn’t planned.”

“What do you think will happen then?”

Nikki’s brows furrowed. “They’ll have an emergency meeting to discuss it between themselves. Then they’ll either call all hunters to return to the Lodge until they’ve figured this shit out… or they’ll send people out to capture the ‘mystery hunter’. Aka Rhett.”

“How long do you think that’ll take?”

“Normally, not that long.” Nikki paused for a beat to look at her phone screen. “But dinner will be served in twenty minutes, and the food poisoning chaos will kick off about half an hour after that. On top of that, there might also be some chaos from Tessa working her magic back in Havenport. If she’s actually succeeded, that is.”

“So around an hour until shit really kicks off.”

“Yeah, I’d say so.” She pursed her lips and glanced up at the darkening sky. “We should really get back to the room and call Tessa. See how things are going on her end.”

“I wish we could call Rhett,” I muttered.

“Technically, we could, but he told us not to,” Nikki said. “It’ll distract him. And the last thing that man needs right now is a distraction.”

“I know. I’m just worried.”

“Me too,” she replied, voice softening slightly. She grabbed my arm. “Come on. Let’s go.”

Once we’d returned to our room in the west wing, she handed me her phone. “Mind if you check in with Tessa by yourself?” she asked. “I’m exhausted, so I could really use a nap.”

“Sure.” I gestured to the bed. “Go ahead.”

“The code is 2032. Wake me up if Peter calls or messages.”

As Nikki curled up on the bed, I went over to the window and sat on the small reading nook beneath it. Then I called Tessa for the second time today, breath hitching in my chest.

She answered almost immediately, voice sharp and laced with concern. “Everly?”

“Yep, it’s me.”

“Oh, thank god,” she said. “I wanted to call you an hour ago, but I wasn’t sure if it was safe to contact you on that number.”

“It’s safe,” I said, peering out the window. “At least it is for now.”

“In that case, I’m going to send you a whole load of screenshots and links,” she said. A gloating edge had entered her tone now. “Behold the work of a genius.”

I glanced down at the phone screen as a pile of messages flooded in.

The first contained several screenshots of a TikTok post featuring a slideshow of photos. Each of the photos showed different angles of Jake’s bloodied corpse, along with a header at the top in bold letters: Billionaire’s son found MURDERED on remote island favored by mysterious secret society!

Below the slideshow was a caption explaining that Jacob Jennings, son of billionaire Peter Jennings, had been found dead in mysterious circumstances on Wildercliff Island, long-rumored to be the stomping grounds of America’s most elite secret society.

The tabloid-style headline was absolutely perfect for attracting attention. People loved reading about the lives of uber-rich people, and they also loved reading about grisly true crime cases. Combine the two, and we had a viral post.

“So, I made a bunch of TikToks and reels about it, and I also sent the links to Holler like you suggested,” Tessa said. “It worked exactly how you hoped it would. Everyone went nuts over it.”

“In a good way, right?”

“Yup. It spread on campus like wildfire, thanks to Holler, and after that, it really took off. It’s been shared three hundred thousand times already, and that number will keep growing,” Tessa said. “I’m really just a small fry in terms of followers, but I know for a fact that some much bigger content creators are interested in the story, because they’ve already posted their own videos about it, asking what the hell is happening on that island.”

“So now you’ll send them the info Rhett got from his dad’s phone? And tell them it’s linked to the post about Jake’s death?”

“Already sent. Once they post that stuff to their millions of followers… well, let’s just say I wouldn’t be surprised if twenty media helicopters show up on that island, along with half the FBI, by midnight tonight.”

I exhaled deeply. “This is amazing, Tessa. I can’t ever thank you enough.”

“You can thank me by staying safe out there,” she said. “I still can’t believe this shit is happening to you. But I knew something was wrong as soon as I got that weird call from you the other night. It just cut off midsentence, and then you wouldn’t answer any calls or messages.”

“I don’t even remember any of that happening,” I said, rubbing the bridge of my nose. “They drugged me, so it’s all a blur.”

“Yeah, you told me about the drugs earlier,” Tessa said. She let out an angry huff. “I’m so glad those fucking assholes are going down. And I’m so glad I get to help make it happen.”

“Do Bree and Sloane know what’s going on?” I asked.

“Yes. After you called me earlier, I managed to keep it to myself for a few hours—shocking, I know—but as soon as I posted the stuff online, I filled them in on the whole story,” Tessa replied. “They were going to find out soon anyway. I mean, the whole world is about to find out.”

“It’s okay. I’m glad you told them. How are they doing?”

“They’re just as shocked as me. This stuff is seriously crazy. Like, movie-level crazy.”

“No shit,” I muttered. “By the way, how long do you think it’ll take for this stuff to go so viral that the Wilders will hear about it?”

“Some of them might’ve heard already, if that island has decent phone signal and Wi-Fi,” she said. “And any of the younger guys who have Holler on their phone will have seen it for sure. Unless they’ve been too distracted by other stuff to check their phones. But even then, it’s only a matter of time before shit kicks off. So you should really lie low.”

“I’m planning on it,” I said, glancing out the window again. “I just hope Rhett gets back soon.”

“I’m keeping every finger and toe crossed for you guys,” Tessa said. “You have to keep me updated on everything, okay?”

“I will.”

“Anyway, I should probably go now. I just thought of some more content creators I can get in touch with,” she said. “Promise me you’ll watch out for yourself?”

“I will,” I repeated.

Once I’d ended the call, I glanced over at Nikki to see if she’d caught any of the conversation. She was fast asleep, though, her chest rising and falling steadily as small snores escaped her lips.

I turned my attention back to the phone in my hand, feeling the heavy silence in the room settle around me like a shroud. I wanted nothing more than to call Rhett’s satellite phone and ask him how he was doing out on the hunting grounds, but I knew it was a bad idea. He didn’t need the distraction.

Footsteps suddenly echoed in the hall, and I sat up straight, heart racing. A few seconds later, there was a knock at the door, followed by Rhett’s voice. “Hey, it’s just me,” he said. “Can you open up?”

My shoulders sagged with relief. I hurried over to the door, unlocked it, and flung it open to see… Peter.

Oh, no.

No, no, no!

He was holding his phone in one hand, and on the screen, I could see a large white play button on some sort of media file.

“I thought you would’ve learned your lesson about our ability to deepfake voices after the audio messages we sent you last week,” he said, baring his teeth in a malicious smile as he slid his phone into a pocket. “But I suppose not. Some people just never learn.”

“I… how…”

“You want to know what gave you away, Everly?”

I gulped and nodded, unable to speak anymore.

“I’ll give you one thing. That disguise was amazing. I genuinely didn’t recognize you, even though I’ve known you for most of your life,” he said, smile widening. He paused and dipped his chin toward my left side. “But your wrist gave you away. There were distinct marks on it. Marks that could only come from wearing a very tight wristband for a few days. Even though you removed it, those marks take a while to fade.”

Shit. I wasn’t being paranoid earlier when I thought he was looking at my left hand—he was, but just slightly above it, at my wrist.

I took a faltering step back as he moved closer.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about it afterwards. A staff member I was sure I’d never seen before, with those marks on her wrist… I knew something was amiss, but I couldn’t quite figure it out,” he said, rubbing his jaw. Something dark and dangerous was flickering in his eyes. “Then it hit me. Player 50—you—haven’t been seen on any of the feeds since yesterday afternoon. Neither has my son, who I’ve just learned is deceased. And the last person to see him—Rhett Sinclair—lied straight to my face about the situation earlier this afternoon.”

My stomach lurched. “What did he lie about?” I managed to whisper.

“He claimed JJ told him he’s been hiding out in sector L13, where there are a lot of blind spots from the cameras,” Peter said. “But I know this island, and there are no blind spots in that sector. L14 and L12, yes. But not L13.”

“Oh,” I murmured.

“At first, I thought Rhett simply misspoke. A silly mistake. But then I recalled how strangely he’s been acting over the last day,” Peter went on. “He suddenly stopped racking up kills and started spending a lot of time away from the hunting grounds. So that made me think he might be up to something. Then I saw you with Nikki and received the news about my son a few minutes later… and that was it. I finally knew what had happened.”

I gulped again and took another step backward. “Rhett will be back any minute, and he’ll—”

Peter cut me off, his hand moving swiftly to his pocket. Before I could react, I felt a sharp sting in my neck.

The world tilted, my vision blurring as a cold wave of dizziness swept over me. My legs buckled, and I barely managed to keep myself upright before Peter grabbed me with one arm.

Out of one half-open eye, I saw him pull out a small gun with his free hand, aiming it at the bed. I tried to scream, but my voice came out in a slurred whisper instead. “N-Nikki…”

There was a faint popping sound. Then Peter slipped the gun away and put both arms around me, his grip uncomfortably tight as he pulled me against his chest. My limbs felt like lead, heavy and unresponsive, and the world around me grew fuzzier by the second.

"No one’s going to save you this time, Everly." Peter's voice was a distant echo in my fading consciousness. "Not even Rhett.”

35

Rhett

Night had fully descended by the time I crossed the threshold of the hunting grounds and stepped back onto the estate. The air was damp and biting, with the kind of cold that seeped into my bones despite the adrenaline still coursing through my veins.

I’d managed to locate and incapacitate fifteen hunters before an announcement from the Patriarchs came over the radio. All hunters must return to the Lodge immediately, and if you see Rhett Sinclair, he is to be shot on sight. Do not shoot to kill. Bring him in alive.

Obviously, they’d finally figured out that I was the mystery hunter taking shots at the competition. They didn’t seem to know it was too late to stop what I’d started, though. Thanks to Everly’s plan, everything that was necessary to take down The Wild Hunt was already set in motion. Even if those Patriarch fuckers killed me right now… it wouldn’t change a thing.

It was over for them.

My boots crunched softly against the gravel as I approached the west wing of Wildercliff. The grounds were eerily quiet here, save for the occasional rustle of wind through the trees, but that was a good thing. It meant the society hadn’t caught onto Everly’s presence yet. She was safe, quietly holed up in the room, with Nikki by her side.

When I finally arrived at the door, I found it ajar. Every instinct in me immediately screamed that something was wrong, and I hurried inside and switched on the light to see Nikki lying motionless on the bed with a pool of blood around her head.

Shit. I hadn’t trusted that girl at first, but she’d really come through to help us in the end. She didn’t deserve this shit.

“Ev!” I shouted, dashing into the bathroom. She wasn’t there. She wasn’t anywhere in the room.

Fuck, fuck, fuck. Someone had found her after all. Taken her. I had no idea who, or how they—

“Mmph.”

My train of thought derailed as I heard a grunt escaping Nikki’s mouth. Holy shit. She wasn’t dead.

I rushed to the bed, my heart pounding as I took in the scene. At first glance, the pool of blood around Nikki’s head made me assume she’d been shot there, but now that I was closer, I could see the bullet had struck her just below her left collarbone. The blood had trailed upward, spilling over her shoulder and soaking into the mattress behind her head, creating the illusion of a head wound.

“Nikki!” I leaned over her, pressing my hand on the wound. The bleeding had already slowed, but a steady trickle was still seeping out, draining her strength with every passing second. Her pale face and barely-there breaths sent a spike of worry through me. “Just hold on, okay?”

I tore off my belt and looped it around her upper-left side, angling the thick leather strap to cover the wound. I yanked it tight, applying as much pressure as I could. She let out a faint groan, her eyelids fluttering, but I pushed aside the guilt clawing at my chest. Pain meant she was still alive.

She groaned again, and I pressed two fingers to her neck. As I suspected, her pulse was thready. She needed serious help.

“Nikki, can you hear me?” I asked, leaning closer.

Her eyelids fluttered open. When she caught sight of me, her eyes widened, and she began to struggle weakly beneath me.

Shit. I’d forgotten about my skull mask.

I ripped it off and tossed it aside. “It’s okay. It’s just me.”

She stopped struggling and let out another pained grunt. “Rhett….”

“You’re okay. I’m going to get you out of here. I just need to find Everly first,” I said hurriedly. “Do you know who took her? Who shot you?”

“W-water,” was all Nikki could rasp in response.

I grabbed a bottle and tilted it to her lips, slowly pouring the water into her mouth. Once she’d swallowed a couple of mouthfuls, she tried to sit up.

“Careful,” I muttered. “You shouldn’t try to move.”

She blinked slowly, looking more than a little disoriented, and then she looked up at me. “Everly…”

“She’s gone,” I said bluntly before repeating my earlier questions. “Do you know who took her? Or who shot you?”

“I… I thought it was a nightmare,” she said in a ragged whisper. “I was sleeping, and then I heard voices.”

“Whose voice was it?”

She grimaced, eyes darting downward to the blood-soaked bed. “I was only half-awake, so I didn’t know what was going on. I thought Everly was just talking to Tessa again,” she murmured. “But then I realized it was a man’s voice. It sounded like… Peter.”

My heart lurched. “Peter Jennings?”

“Yes. I’m sure of it.” Nikki had raised her voice slightly, and she sounded a little clearer now. “It was him. Before I could sit up or even open my eyes, I felt something hit me, and then… I don’t remember anything after that. Not until you came in.”

“Do you have any idea where he could’ve taken Everly?”

Nikki’s eyelids fluttered weakly, her gaze struggling to focus. “No. I’m sorry,” she said, each word fading into a faint murmur. “I… I shouldn’t have gone to sleep.”

I gritted my teeth and sucked in a deep breath. “It’s not your fault,” I muttered. “I shouldn’t have left.”

“You had to. We needed you to go out and—”

I cut her off. “Don’t try to talk anymore. You need to conserve your energy,” I said, snatching up my mask from the bed beside her. “I’m going to find Ev, and then I’m going to get us all out of here. Don’t you dare die on me before that happens.”

“Everly’s gonna kill me.”

I frowned, wondering if the blood loss had made her delusional. “What?”

“She said… if I got myself killed, she’d never forgive me. She was so mad at me.”

I nodded slowly, realizing she was talking about a past moment. “You’re right. Ev will be seriously mad if anything happens to you. So you damn well better stay alive. Okay?”

“Okay,” she muttered, forcing her eyes open again. “I’ll try.”

I put my mask back on, grabbed my stuff, and left the room, boots pounding on the floorboards as I hurried down the hall. Once I was outside again, I sprinted across the estate grounds, this time making my way toward the north wing.

The closer I got, the more obvious it became that total chaos had broken out. The building’s grand windows were lit up like a beacon, giving it the appearance of a palace, but the sights and sounds surrounding it made it seem more like a prison plagued with riots.

Staff were darting frantically in all directions, their shouts and hurried footsteps filling the frigid air, and several men lay scattered on the lawn outside. Some were doubled over and heaving, while others groaned with pain as they clutched at their stomachs. To the distant right, I could see a group of Wilders rushing toward the small marina, weapons pointlessly slung over their shoulders.

Clearly, Ev and Nikki’s food poisoning scheme had worked very effectively.

My eyes snapped back to the glowing north wing, its grand entrance thrown wide open as more staff poured out, their faces stricken.

My gut churned with fear for Everly. If Peter Jennings had her in there—

I didn’t let myself finish the thought. Instead, I surged forward, jaw clenched and focus razor-sharp. Whatever it took, I would find her, and if Peter had harmed a single hair on her head, he would live to regret it.

Actually, no… he wouldn’t fucking live to regret it. I would burn that motherfucker’s whole life to the ground and make sure his last moments were spent begging for mercy he’d never receive.

As I sprinted across the lawn, drawing closer to the entrance, I spotted my friend Ari racing toward the path that led to the marina. I stopped and waved to draw his gaze toward me. “Ari! What’s going on?”

He ran over to me. “Shit’s hit the fan. Literally. There’s some sort of salmonella outbreak, and most of the guys are sick,” he said hurriedly, eyes wide with a mix of shock and panic. “But it’s not just that. JJ’s fucking dead, and there’s a hit out on Rhett. And have you seen all this shit about the Patriarchs?”

“No.”

He fished his phone out of his pocket, tapped on the screen a few times, and handed it to me. “See for yourself,” he said bitterly. He still didn’t seem to know who he was talking to, even though I’d made no attempt to disguise my voice. “I don’t know about you, but I’m getting on a boat and getting the fuck out of here.”

I smiled thinly as I stared down at his screen. Apparently, Tessa had come through on her end. Several famous content creators had posted videos that were currently sitting on millions of views, all containing information about the data I’d stolen from my father’s phone.

“Wait…” Ari frowned and took a slight step backward, suspicion suddenly flickering in his eyes. “Rhett? Is that you?”

“Yes,” I said calmly, handing his phone back to him.

He looked at the screen, then back at me. “Was this you? Did you leak all this stuff?”

“Yup.” I tilted my head. “You’re supposed to shoot me now, aren’t you?”

“Yeah,” Ari said stiffly. “I am.”

I smiled, though he couldn’t see it beneath my mask. “Do you wanna give it a shot?” I asked, one hand sliding toward my pocket.

He was silent for a moment, throat bobbing as he stared at me. Then he shook his head. “Go and finish what you started, man,” he muttered. “I won’t tell anyone I saw you.”

He turned away, and I called out. “Wait!”

“Yeah?” Ari looked back at me, brows furrowing.

I took a step closer. “Over in the west wing, there’s a woman on the first floor, four doors down. Nikki Hahn. She’s been shot, and she needs care,” I said. “So before you leave, go and get her. Take her with you and get her to a hospital as soon as you can.”

He nodded. “Got it.”

“One more thing. Have you seen Peter Jennings anywhere?”

“Yeah, a few minutes ago. He was with all the other Patriarchs.”

“Where were they?” I asked sharply. “And was there a girl with them?”

Ari jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “They were heading for the northeast tunnel,” he said. “I didn’t see a girl, but a couple of them were carrying something wrapped in a sheet, and it looked pretty big. So… maybe that was a girl?”

I swallowed hard. “They’re going to the hunting grounds?”

“Yeah, I think so. But I have no idea why,” he said, slowly shaking his head. “It’s over, man. It’s so fucking over.”

Something clicked in my mind, and I pointed to the west. “Go. Get Nikki.”

“Okay.” Ari turned away again, but then he hesitated and looked at me over his shoulder. “Good luck.”

I nodded, set my jaw and strode away, heading for the northeast tunnels entrance.

I knew exactly where Everly was.

36

Everly

I woke with a start, my head pounding and my body aching as if I’d been crushed under heavy stones. The air surrounding me was cold, and the scent of damp earth and rotting leaves filled my nostrils.

For a moment, I couldn’t piece together where I was or how I’d gotten there, but then I felt the rough scrape of rope digging into my wrists and realized I couldn’t move. I was tied to something. A wooden pole, rough and unyielding against my back.

My heart sank like a stone as I blinked, my vision adjusting to the dim moonlight. Then it hit me. I was in a clearing.

That clearing.

The one I’d scoured the hunting grounds for over the last two days, chasing tunnels and escape routes, only to come up empty. Now, after all this time, I’d found it—or rather, it had found me.

It was the place where it all began, really. The place where I’d first glimpsed the Wilder ritual that haunted my childhood dreams. But this time, I wasn’t hiding in the shadows, a terrified child peeking through the underbrush.

This time, I was their prisoner.

The low murmur of voices reached me, and I turned my head just enough to see the shadows shifting nearby, their forms outlined by the faint glow of the moon. The Patriarchs. They stood in a loose circle, cloaked in dark suits and self-assured authority, their voices clipped as they argued.

“I still think this is ridiculous,” one man was saying. “Can’t you see? It’s over. We should be leaving.”

“Exactly,” another man said. “I have connections down in South America. If we’re careful, we can all get away—”

“Shut up!” another man roared. I recognized the voice instantly. It was Peter Jennings. “We can deal with the fallout later. Right now, it’s absolutely imperative that we destroy Rhett Sinclair! He’s the reason everything is ruined!”

My stomach twisted, bile rising in my throat as I realized why I was tied to this stake. They were using me as bait to lure Rhett.

As soon as he arrived and tried to untie me, the Patriarchs would burst out of the shadows, and then it would be eight men against one. Granted, they were older and less agile than Rhett, but they’d all been elite hunters in their prime, so his chance of survival was slim.

I tugged weakly against the ropes, but they didn’t budge, only cutting deeper into my skin. Shit.

“I won’t let you lay a hand on my son,” the first man said. “This isn’t his fault.”

“You’re right, Richard,” Peter snapped. “It’s not really his fault. It’s yours. You’re the fucking idiot who let him take your phone and leak all that information to the press, aren’t you?”

“He wouldn’t have even known there was anything to leak if you’d kept your mouth shut to your son,” Richard shot back. “That’s obviously why Rhett killed him. JJ must’ve told him the truth, and he wasn’t supposed to know any of it at his level. Neither of them were supposed to know!”

“You know what, Richard? I completely agree with you on one point you just made,” Peter said, his voice dangerously low. “Your son killed my son.”

“Peter,” another Patriarch cut in, lifting a hand. “I understand your anger, but this isn’t going to help matters. We should be making our way to a non-extradition country before it’s too late.”

Peter clocked the man right in the jaw, sending him reeling backward. “In case you’ve forgotten, I am the leader here, and I am not going to let that fucking bastard go free while my son lies dead in the fucking dirt!” he shouted. “You’re all going to help me if it’s the last fucking thing you ever do!”

As he shouted, two of the other Patriarchs rushed to the aid of the one he’d punched.

Peter furiously whirled around to look at Richard again. “Your son will pay for breaking the code,” he spat out. “And this is how we make it happen—with that stupid girl. He’ll find us out here eventually, and we’ll be ready for him. We were all hunters once.”

“Rhett didn’t break the code,” Richard said coldly. “He didn’t even know about it. He only knew what he was taught, and you know perfectly well that every Wilder learns a very different code to the eight of us.”

Peter lifted a fist again, shaking it in Richard’s face. “What part of ‘your son killed my son’ do you not fucking understand?”

“I understand it perfectly. But I will not allow you to kill Rhett,” Richard replied. “It’s not his fault the society is ruined now. It’s your fault, and you know it.”

Peter took a step backward, face twisting into a cold sneer. “We all know you haven’t been able to pull a trigger since you mangled your hand in that car accident. And you were never particularly talented with knives. So how exactly do you plan to stop me from killing Rhett?” he asked, tilting his head. “That’s right. You can’t. You’ll never—”

Peter’s words were abruptly cut off by the sharp crack of a gunshot. He staggered backward, clutching his shoulder as blood bloomed through his tailored jacket. His face contorted in pain, and he dropped to one knee, groaning.

“What the—”

One of the Patriarchs shouted, but before he could finish, another two shots rang out, one slamming into Peter’s leg, the other into his gut. He screamed in agony as his body crumpled to the ground, his hands scrabbling at the dirt beneath him.

From the shadows, more shots fired in rapid succession. One by one, the other Patriarchs fell, each shot clean and precise, a single bullet to the head. Their bodies dropped like marionettes with their strings cut, collapsing onto the forest floor with dull thuds.

The clearing was silent for a moment, save for the echo of the last gunshot fading into the night. All but two of the Patriarchs were motionless now, lifeless forms sprawled in the moonlight. Peter was still groaning in agony, clutching at his gut, and Richard remained standing, frozen in place, his wide eyes darting around the darkened forest.

“You’re already here,” he finally said in a low voice. “I should’ve known how quick you’d be.”

A figure emerged from the shadows, stepping into the clearing. “Yeah, you really should’ve seen it coming,” Rhett said. “You’re the one who trained me.”

His face looked like it was carved from granite, his gun still raised, barrel aimed at his father’s face. His stormy gaze flicked to me, tied and helpless against the pole, before locking onto Peter, who was writhing in the dirt.

“You were saying something about someone pulling a trigger, Peter?” Rhett said, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade.

He took another step forward, the faint glow of the moon catching the blood spattered across his hands.

I knew that blood couldn’t have come from any of the Patriarchs, given the distance he’d shot them from, and my stomach lurched violently as the most likely source of it occurred to me. Nikki.

Peter gritted his teeth, trying to push himself up, but Rhett switched his aim and fired a warning shot into the ground next to his hand. “Don’t even try,” he growled. “You’re not going anywhere. Not until you’ve paid for everything you’ve done.”

Peter weakly cried out, and Rhett smiled. “You’re right. You can’t really pay for everything you’ve done,” he said in a mocking tone, as if Peter had actually spoken. “But I think the gut shot is a good start, at least.”

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest as I watched him.

“It’ll take you a long time to die, and it’s going to hurt like hell,” he went on, smile widening. “The acid from your stomach will slowly eat through your other organs while you bleed out from the inside, and your last moments will be spent choking on your own blood. But it’s still a better death than what you deserve.”

“Please…” Peter choked out. “End it now. Shoot me in the head. Like the others.”

Rhett’s brows knitted as his lips twisted in contemplation. “No,” he finally said, crouching to remove Peter’s guns from him, just in case he found the tiniest bit of strength to fight back before he died. “You don’t deserve that.”

Richard looked on, palms raised and eyes wide. “Rhett,” he said in a low voice. “I tried to stop him. I would never have let him kill you.”

“I know. I heard.” Rhett slowly rose to his feet, regarding his father with a cold gaze. “But you’re still one of them.”

“I’m also your father.” Richard’s voice had turned shaky. “I only ever wanted what was best for you. I even had Jessica killed for you.”

I almost laughed at how weak he sounded. He might as well have been begging for forgiveness, but no amount of remorse could undo the years of destruction he’d helped orchestrate. He was just as guilty as the rest of them.

“Because of our blood ties, I’m going to give you a choice here, unlike the rest of them.” Rhett waved a gun at the dead bodies scattered around the clearing. “You can take responsibility for all of this. Spend the rest of your life rotting in prison. Or, if you prefer, you can take a clean shot to the head like the others. It’ll be fast. Painless. So… what’s it going to be?”

Richard’s gaze flickered between the bodies on the ground and the barrel of Rhett’s gun. I could see the struggle in his eyes. He didn’t want to die, but he also wasn’t the kind of man who wanted to face the consequences of his actions.

Finally, he spoke, his voice barely a whisper. “I want out, Rhett,” he said. “Just… please tell your mother and sister I died fighting.”

I felt a strange mixture of emotions churn inside me—satisfaction and relief, and maybe even a hint of pity, because he was Rhett’s father. But mostly, there was the cold, undeniable certainty that nothing he said or did could change the fact that he was just as responsible for everything as the other Patriarchs.

His shoulders slumped as he awaited Rhett’s next move, acceptance settling over his features.

Rhett raised the gun again, steadying his aim.

I held my breath, my eyes locked on Richard as his gaze dropped to the ground. I couldn’t look away, even though I knew what was coming.

A shot rang out, sharp and final, and he crumpled to the ground.

There was no scream. No struggle. Just the dull thud of his body; a man who’d lived by the rules of this brutal world and died by them as well.

Rhett’s focus shifted to me, eyes burning with an intensity I’d never seen before. Without another word, he rushed over, and in one smooth motion, he was kneeling beside me, his hands pulling at the ropes that bound me to the pole.

My vision blurred, and I felt a tear slip down my cheek. “I was so scared.”

“I know, baby,” he murmured as his fingers worked frantically to untie the knots. “I can’t even imagine how fucking horrible it was for you, thinking you were about to die. But you’re safe now. I promise.”

I shook my head. “No, I meant I was scared for you,” I said, voice coming out in a shaky whisper. “I… I know this sounds crazy to say so soon, but I—”

The last of the ropes suddenly loosened, and I fell into Rhett’s arms, words drying up in my throat. He pulled me against him, his breath ragged in my ear, and I clung to him, feeling the thudding of his heart, his warmth, his strength.

“I think I know what you wanted to say just then,” he whispered fiercely, his voice strained with emotion. His hands cupped my face, and I felt his lips brush against my forehead. “But I want to say it first. I love you, Everly. I fucking love you. And no one will ever hurt you again. I swear it.”

A lump instantly formed in my throat. “I love you too,” I whispered.

Without warning, he crushed his lips to mine. It was urgent, desperate, as if he needed to feel me—really feel me—after everything we’d been through.

The kiss deepened, a flood of relief and yearning pouring into each touch, and his hands slid to my back, pulling me closer, like he was afraid I might disappear if he ever let go.

I kissed him back with everything I had, my hands threading through his hair, not caring about the blood, the fear, or the chaos that had just unfolded around us. All that mattered was that we were together.

The sky above began to flicker with red and blue flashing lights, and Rhett and I finally broke apart and tilted our chins to gaze upward. “That was fast,” he muttered.

“Tessa really came through for us,” I said. “And Nikki, too. But Peter shot—”

Rhett cut me off. “Nikki’s going to be okay,” he said. “She’s on a boat with Ari, and he’ll get her to a hospital as soon as he can.”

A sudden rush of relief and elation flooded through me. “Oh, thank god!”

“That girl is like a cat with nine lives. Seriously.”

“She really is.” I smiled through the tears. Then I jerked my head around, looking into the dark woods surrounding the clearing. “What about the players?”

“They’re still out there, but they’re all safe,” Rhett said. “The hunters were recalled to the Lodge, and those who couldn’t make it back are too injured to move.”

“Good.” I exhaled deeply, shoulders sagging with relief.

More flashing lights appeared in the sky, and I could hear the distant hum of engines too, but I didn’t care about any of that. In this moment, it was just me and Rhett.

I tightened my arms around him, burying my face in his chest. “I can’t believe it’s really over,” I said. “We actually did it.”

“We did,” Rhett replied, planting a kiss on my forehead. “We really did.”

“Promise me you’ll never let me go now,” I murmured, voice almost cracking with emotion.

“I won’t,” he said, his voice raw. He pulled me even tighter against him, like he was holding on for dear life. "I’ll never leave you, Ev. Never."

I swallowed thickly. “I’m all yours.”

“That’s right. You’re all mine.” Rhett pressed his forehead against mine, his breath warm against my lips. “Always.”

Epilogue

Everly

Three years later

The woods stretched before me, endless and alive with shadows. They were quiet, almost unnaturally so; the kind of silence that made my skin prickle.

The golden light of the setting sun bled through the canopy, casting fractured patterns on the forest floor. Shadows stretched longer by the second, the day slipping into twilight as I crouched near the edge of the tree line, trying to steady the pulse thundering in my ears.

Then I heard it.

The horn.

Its low, mournful wail echoed in the distance, a haunting sound that sent a jolt through me. My body tensed, every muscle coiled tight, and the air seemed to still around me, like the entire forest was holding its breath.

Run.

The command was unspoken but undeniable, etched into the marrow of my bones. My legs moved before I consciously decided to go, propelling me forward into the dark embrace of the forest.

The world blurred around me as I ran, the air rushing past my face, and my heart pounded a frantic rhythm, adrenaline spiking with every step. Thankfully, the ground beneath me was soft, covered in a carpet of moss and damp leaves that muted my footsteps.

Three years ago, the sound of that horn would’ve been my worst nightmare; a grim reminder of the island and the blood-soaked hunt that changed my life forever.

But now, it was something else. A thrill. A game.

Our game.

My fingers brushed against the cool bark of a tree trunk as I fought the urge to look over my shoulder. I knew Rhett wasn’t behind me. Not yet. He’d give me a head start. Always did. But that didn’t mean I could waste time.

I kept running, even faster now.

The forest blurred around me, my footsteps muffled by the soft earth, and the wind rushed against my skin, carrying the scent of pine and leaves. Each breath burned my lungs, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. The thrill of it, the chase… it was addictive.

It was ironic, really. After the island, after everything I endured there, I thought I’d never want to feel this way again. The heart-pounding fear, the sheer desperation, the raw vulnerability. But it wasn’t the same now. Not with Rhett.

This wasn’t survival. It was freedom.

The awful memories lingered, of course. They always would. I still dreamed of the Hunt sometimes, of being prey in a game designed to break me. But those nightmares didn’t have Rhett in them, and when he suggested we turn those fears into something that gave me power, something that made me feel alive instead of afraid, I said yes.

So now, here I was. Running again.

A branch snapped behind me. I froze mid-step, heart hammering, and whipped my head around. I could only see trees and shadows, and the forest was still… but it was too still.

He was close.

I ducked beneath a low-hanging branch, veering sharply to the left as I sprinted deeper into the forest. The shadows thickened, the fading light casting long, ominous shapes across my path. Somewhere behind me, Rhett was moving. I couldn’t see him yet, but I could feel him, that magnetic pull that always seemed to draw us together.

He was out there. Watching, waiting.

The thought sent a shiver down my spine, equal parts fear and excitement. My breath came in shallow bursts, my lungs burning from the effort of running, but I couldn’t stop. Not now. Not when the raw thrill of the chase was coursing through me like wildfire.

A branch snapped to my right, the sound sharp and deliberate. I skidded to a halt, my head whipping in the direction of the noise, and my pulse thundered in my ears as I scanned the trees, eyes frantically darting between the shifting shadows.

“Rhett?” I ventured, my voice barely above a whisper.

No response.

I took a step back, my foot landing on a patch of dry leaves that crunched loudly in the stillness. The sound seemed to echo, loud and intrusive amidst the eerie quiet. Shit.

I froze, every nerve on edge, waiting.

Nothing.

But then I heard it—a rustle of movement behind me, so faint I almost missed it.

I spun around, but there was nothing there. Just trees and darkness, the forest silent once more. Perhaps it was just an animal.

I sucked in a deep breath, my fingers curling into fists as I backed away, putting distance between myself and whatever—or whoever—was out there.

“Run faster, princess.”

Rhett’s voice was low and taunting, coming from somewhere behind me. It sent a jolt through me, my heart skipping a beat. I didn’t turn to look. I didn’t have to.

I ran again.

The forest seemed to close in around me as I darted through the trees, my movements erratic, desperate to throw Rhett off. Twigs and branches snagged at my clothes, scratching my skin as I pushed forward, but I couldn’t stop. Not when I could feel him getting closer by the second.

The sound of his footsteps was deliberate now, no longer muffled. He wanted me to hear him. Wanted me to know he was gaining on me.

“Is that all you’ve got, baby?” he called out, his voice laced with amusement.

My legs burned, muscles screaming in protest as I pushed myself harder, faster. The forest opened up into a small clearing, bathed in the dim, fading light of dusk.

I hesitated for half a second, my gaze darting across the open space for any sign of Rhett. The horn echoed again, its mournful cry sending another wave of adrenaline through me.

I bolted across the clearing, my movements frantic and uncoordinated. My foot caught on a root, and I stumbled, barely catching myself before I hit the ground.

“Shit!”

A shadow moved at the edge of my vision.

I turned sharply, my breath hitching as I caught a glimpse of him. He was just a silhouette, dark and menacing against the backdrop of trees, and his movements were smooth and unhurried, like a predator toying with its prey.

“Everly…”

His voice carried through the trees. It wasn’t a shout, but I heard it clear as day, and it sent a shiver down my spine.

I didn’t answer. I didn’t dare.

“Run faster, sweetheart,” he called, closer this time. “You’re making it too easy.”

I still didn’t respond. Instead, I veered to the right, plunging back into the cover of the trees. My body ached, every cell screaming for me to stop, but I couldn’t. Not yet.

The underbrush snagged at my legs as I pushed forward, my vision blurring from exertion. I could hear him behind me, his footsteps steady and relentless. He wasn’t running… but he didn’t have to.

The forest grew darker with each passing moment, the last light of the sun disappearing beneath the horizon. My footfall grew heavier, my movements slower, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep up with this for much longer.

I felt his presence before I saw him, a shadow in the periphery. Before I could react, a muscular arm wrapped around my waist, yanking me back against a solid chest.

I screamed, the sound half-laugh, half-gasp, as Rhett spun me around and pinned me to the ground.

The impact knocked the breath out of me, and before I could recover, he had me. One hand pinned my wrists above my head while the other braced against my hip, holding me firmly in place.

“Got you,” he murmured roughly, lips quirking into a wicked grin. His dark eyes were gleaming with triumph.

I glared at him, but I couldn’t hide the smile tugging at my lips. “I… I slipped. Doesn’t count,” I said, trying to ignore the warmth pooling in my core.

“Excuses, excuses.” His smirk widened, and he leaned closer, his breath warm against my cheek. “Face it, Ev. You like losing to me.”

I squirmed beneath him, but he held me firmly in place.

“Admit it,” he went on, his voice softer now, almost a whisper. “You love this.”

I didn’t answer, but the way my body arched into his said enough.

He chuckled, low and dark, and released my wrists, his hands cradling my face instead. “I knew it.”

With that, his lips captured mine, mouth swallowing the moan I let out. The kiss wasn’t slow or sensual. It rarely was with Rhett, and that was the way I liked it. Hard. Brutal. Raw. Like he was claiming every part of me and wouldn’t stop until I was completely his.

I moved my hand down, feeling the growing hardness in his pants. “Please,” I whimpered when he came up for air. “I need you. Now.”

Rhett fisted my hair with one hand, making my eyes water from the slight sting. At the same time, his other hand worked at the front of his pants. His cock sprang free, piercings glinting in the dark, and suddenly my mouth was watering instead of my eyes.

I kicked my shoes off and lifted my hips, wriggling slightly as Rhett’s hand worked at my zipper, and within seconds, my pants and underwear were gone. He kissed me again, even harder, and then he pressed inside me, making me cry out.

Hard. Fast. Savage. He fucked me hard on the pile of grass and twigs I’d ended up on, dragging whimpers of pleasure mixed with pain from my lips as my pussy clenched around his cock.

“I love you,” he muttered against my ear. “I love you so fucking much.”

“I love you too,” I gasped.

He withdrew for a second and moved one of my legs over his shoulder. His cock rubbed up and down my pussy, piercings sliding against my clit in a way that made me gasp and beg for more. Then he was pushing inside me again, filling me so fucking perfectly, so fucking deeply.

Twigs scraped against my ass, leaving it raw and stinging, but I barely registered the pain as I whimpered and arched my body upward, desperate for more. Rhett fucked me faster, looking down to watch his cock sliding in and out of me as low groans escaped his mouth.

The mere sight of him taking his pleasure from my body sent heat soaring through my core before it exploded outward. The scream I let out then probably sent all the wildlife within a hundred yards scattering across the woods.

Rhett grabbed my jaw, forcing me to look right into his eyes as I came, inner walls clenching on his cock while my nails viciously dug into his back.

He groaned and stilled a few minutes later, cock pulsing inside me, filling me with every drop of his cum. We lay there together for a moment, breathlessly holding each other, and then Rhett finally pulled out and rose to his feet, extending one hand to me.

I took it and let him help me up, and then I turned around, eyes scanning the dark forest floor for my shoes, pants, and underwear.

“Oh, shit,” Rhett muttered. “You’re bleeding.”

“Where?”

“Your ass.”

I let out a soft giggle as I shimmied into my pants. “It’s okay. I was lying on a pile of dead leaves and twigs, so I got a bit scratched up.”

“You should’ve said something. We could’ve moved.”

I smiled and stood on my tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. “You know I don’t mind a bit of pain,” I murmured. “It makes it seem more… real. More raw and primal. You know what I mean?”

“I do, and you’re getting me hard again,” he said, lips spreading in a wicked smile. “Naughty girl.”

I raised a brow and stooped to pick up my shoes. “Maybe next time you can fuck me up against a tree instead,” I suggested. “Less chance of me getting half the forest up my ass that way.”

“Next time?” Rhett rubbed his jaw, eyes glimmering. “You mean right now?”

My pulse picked up as I slid one foot into a shoe. “You want to play again? Right now?”

His smile twisted into a smirk. “I’ll give you ten seconds to finish getting dressed. Then I’m coming after you.”

My breath caught, a mixture of exhilaration and anticipation shooting through me. "You're serious?"

"Deadly." Rhett leaned in, his voice a low growl against my ear. "Better make those seconds count, Everly."

The challenge in his eyes sent a thrill straight through me. Without another word, I grabbed my other shoe and bolted, his deep chuckle following close behind.

The hunt was on again.

Two hours later

Rhett’s tongue glided around my asshole as a shot of whiskey cascaded down my back and into the crack. The alcohol made the scratches on my ass sting, but that only added to the pleasure coursing through me.

“Mmm,” Rhett muttered behind me, tasting the whiskey running into his mouth as his lips and tongue worked at my ass.

Half of the shot had spilled on the floor, and a distant part of my mind knew we’d have to clean it later, but right now, I didn’t care. In fact, I’d stopped being able to care about anything the second Rhett knelt behind me with the shot glass and told me to spread my cheeks, telling me he wanted to use my delicious body as a chaser for his drink.

He let out a groan of pleasure, dragging his tongue down to my pussy. “You make everything taste so fucking good, baby,” he muttered against me. “I could never stay away from this sweet pussy. Not for anything.”

The vibrations from his voice made my whole pussy tingle. I splayed my hands on the wood-paneled wall to steady myself and arched my back even more, biting my lip to stop myself from screaming as Rhett’s tongue slid all the way to my clit.

He lapped and circled and stroked until my legs were trembling, and when he slipped one finger in my pussy and another in my ass, I came apart, shuddering and whimpering as I spiraled into oblivion.

Rhett rose to his feet behind me, holding me in place with one strong arm so I didn’t collapse. At the same time, his free hand traveled to my mouth to stifle my moans.

“We can’t be too loud up here,” he murmured. “Unless you want the others to hear us.”

“Whose bright idea was it to rent a cabin in the woods with our friends?” I muttered against his palm.

“Yours.”

“I know.” I let out a sigh. “Why did I decide to do that?”

Rhett chuckled and gave me a playful slap on the ass. “Because you love seeing your friends,” he said. “Should we go downstairs and hang out with them now?”

“Yes, we definitely should, or else they might send a search party up here,” I said, turning to the pile of fresh clothes I’d dumped on the bed thirty minutes ago. “They were already suspicious enough about our ‘hike’ earlier.”

“Well, we insisted on it being just the two of us, and then we came back covered in scratches and dirt with twigs in our hair,” Rhett said, brows rising. “So we can’t blame them for wondering what the hell we were really up to out there.”

I giggled, head shaking. “I can’t believe you told them we got chased by a deer,” I said. “I mean… a deer? Really?”

He grinned, dark eyes focused on me. “Well, I would’ve said it was a bear, but I don’t think there’s any in this area.”

It was my turn to playfully smack him on the ass. “Let’s get down there.”

We headed downstairs and into the lodge’s main living area. It was a warm and inviting space with a vaulted ceiling, exposed wooden beams, and a massive stone hearth with a crackling fire.

When Tessa spotted us, she jumped up, lips spread in a teasing smile. “That was the world’s longest shower,” she said, padding over to us. “We were starting to worry you guys drowned.”

I patted my damp head. “I had to wash my hair about five times to get rid of all the stuff from the woods,” I said. “So many damn pine needles.”

“Oh, right.” She took a small step closer, sniffing the air. “Hang on… if you just spent a bazillion years showering, why do you smell like the floor of a dive bar?”

Rhett stifled a laugh by pretending to cough.

“I mean, no offense,” Tessa went on, nose wrinkling. “But I swear I can smell whiskey on you.”

“We brought a bottle with us. It must’ve spilled in the suitcase and gotten on my clothes,” I said, eyes wide with practiced innocence. “I didn’t even notice.”

“Ugh. I hate it when that happens.”

I looked over her shoulder. Nikki was curled up on one of the couches with Ari, but the other one was empty. “Where did Bree and Sloane go?”

Tessa waved a hand. “They drove into town to get some pizza and champagne. They should be back soon.”

“Ooh, champagne? What are we celebrating?”

Tessa’s eyes widened slightly. “Um… just all of us being on vacation together,” she said. “It’s nice, right?”

“Yeah, it’s really nice.”

Her phone chirped, and she frowned at the screen. “Shit, I have to take this. Podcast stuff,” she said. With that, she breezed through the French doors that led out to the moonlit balcony.

I watched her go with a faint smile playing on my lips.

After she broke the story about The Wild Hunt three years ago, her social media accounts had rapidly gone from a few thousand followers to millions, instantly turning her into a bona fide influencer. After graduation, she’d spun her online fame into her dream career: a podcast that was a fun and interesting mix of serious news and gossip.

Sloane, Bree, Nikki, and I were all involved in the podcast project too. Sloane helped out with the legal side of things, while Bree did the marketing, and Nikki—who’d recently started her own makeup artistry business—took care of makeup and styling for all of the filmed podcast sessions, which had a huge audience on YouTube.

As for me, I helped Tessa research and write each episode. It was the perfect job for me, because I could work from home and remain behind the scenes, which meant I could easily keep out of the public eye.

The latter had become very important to me after all the shit that went down on Wildercliff Island, because I’d spent several months afterwards being absolutely hounded by the media for my side of the story, and I couldn’t stand it.

Rhett slung an arm around my shoulder and leaned in to kiss me on the cheek. “The meteor shower is happening in half an hour,” he murmured. “Still want to go out and watch it?”

“Of course. Nothing cooler than a meteor shower.”

“Oh, really?” He smirked, grabbing my ass with one hand. “Not even me?”

“Apparently, you were chased by a deer tonight, so I think your cool factor has gone down the drain.”

As we teased each other, Nikki and Ari finally unglued themselves from the couch by the fire—and from each other—and headed over to us. Ari and Rhett struck up a conversation about a football game they’d recently watched together, and Nikki asked me to accompany her to the kitchen.

“I got sick of ordering takeout every night, so I finally learned to cook,” she explained, leaning down to grab a tray from the oven. She set it on the counter and proudly looked over it. “This is a baked goat’s cheese log with fig jam and crushed pistachios. Basically, you cook it just long enough to get the nuts all warm and toasty, and then you finish it with a hot honey drizzle and dip crackers in it.”

I groaned with delight at the heavenly scent wafting through the kitchen. “It smells amazing.”

She grinned. “I bet you never would’ve pictured me as a domestic goddess, right?” she said, pushing a box of crackers over to me.

“Honestly, I’m kind of in awe right now,” I said as I opened the box. “You’re over there making gourmet appetizers while I’m over here considering cereal a culinary achievement.”

Nikki laughed. “To be fair, you’ve had a lot more on your plate than me for a while now,” she said. “College, and then straight into work.”

“You work too.”

“Yeah, but it’s just part-time. That’s the way I like it now.” She let out a contented sigh. “I guess I needed a really long break after… well, you know.”

“Yeah, I get it,” I said softly. “By the way, how are things with Ari?”

The two of them had been inseparable since Ari carried her out of the manor, put her on a boat, and sped to the nearest hospital at breakneck pace. He’d stayed at the hospital while doctors performed emergency surgery on her, and then he’d delivered flowers to her every day while she recovered.

As if that wasn’t romantic enough, he’d also gone and broken the jaws, noses, and legs of Jordan Prince and Matt Treska after she told him what they’d done to her. That might not be some people’s idea of romantic behavior, but after all the shit Nikki had endured in her time with The Wild Hunt, she considered it to be the absolute pinnacle of romance.

She glanced in his direction, smiling faintly. “Honestly… sometimes it still gets to me that he was one of them,” she said. “But then I remember everything he’s done for me, and also the fact that he never actually killed anyone in the Hunt, and suddenly things are okay again.” She paused briefly and shook her head. “I wish I could stop having those shitty thoughts, but I just can’t help it.”

“No, I get it. You went through a ton of trauma when you were involved with the society. It’ll take a long time to process it all,” I said. “And Ari understands, right?”

“Yes, of course. I tell him everything.”

Like many of the younger Wilders, Ari had avoided a prison sentence after everything went down. His family’s high-powered legal team argued that he’d been under the undue influence of the older Wilders and the Patriarchs—including his own father—and got swept up in their schemes after years of brainwashing and lies. Coupled with a lack of concrete evidence tying him directly to any of the murders, he’d walked away with probation and mandatory counseling instead of prison time.

Rhett got lucky too.

Just before the SWAT teams descended on the island that night, one of the tech guys—who was aware that Rhett had been instrumental in taking the society down—deleted every bit of footage from that year’s Hunt which showed him killing someone, including all eight of the Patriarchs in the ritual clearing.

I knew he felt the occasional pang of guilt over narrowly avoiding punishment, because of his strong sense of justice, but I also knew he’d much rather be out here in the world with me, keeping me safe from everything instead of rotting in prison with the Wilders who hadn’t evaded lengthy sentences.

On top of that, I knew he’d do it all over again if it meant saving me.

He’d do anything for me.

“Anyway, enough about me.” Nikki dipped a cracker in the cheese and looked at me with raised brows. “How’s your dad? Have you talked much lately?”

I shrugged lightly. “We talk at least once a week. But it’s still pretty weird between us.”

“You haven’t forgiven him?”

“I have for the most part, because I know why he worked for the society,” I said. “It was all for Mom. He loved her so, so much, and he also wanted her to have more time with me when I was growing up. So… I understand. But it just weighs on me, you know? The fact that every extra year we got with her cost forty-nine other people’s lives.”

“Yeah, that’s rough.” Nikki paused to take a bite and swallow. “I think about it too. All the people that had to die so I could live four years ago. My therapist said it’s survivor’s guilt.”

“Oh, you’re doing therapy?”

“I have been for a while. Ari suggested it, and it does help a bit,” she replied. “But seriously, when it comes to what we went through… there isn’t enough damn therapy in the world.”

“That’s probably true.”

Nikki grabbed another cracker, this time offering me one too. “But hey, look at us. We’re still standing. Still here. That has to count for something, right?”

I nodded and took the cracker from her hand. “Yeah, it does.”

“And we’re not just surviving—we’re actually living,” she went on, her tone brighter now. “You’ve got Rhett. I’ve got Ari. We’ve got stable jobs, and right now we have this amazing vacation house. So life isn’t perfect, but it’s good. It’s really good.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “You’re right. And this cheese log alone is worth celebrating.”

She grinned. “See? That’s progress. Finding joy in the little things,” she said. She raised her brows, glancing over at Ari and Rhett again. “And bigger things, when they come.”

Before I could reply, Rhett called out to us. “Ev, the meteors are starting soon. Ready to go?”

I nodded and looked back at Nikki. “Do you want to come?”

“No, I’m good right here.”

“Are you sure?” I asked, raising a brow. “You love stuff like this!”

“I know, but I’m suddenly feeling really tired,” she said, covering her mouth with one hand. “You guys will have to go by yourselves. Sorry.”

Ari and Tessa weren’t interested in the meteor shower either, and Sloane and Bree still hadn’t returned from town yet, so Rhett and I grabbed our coats and stepped outside into the crisp night air; just the two of us.

The house’s warm glow faded behind us as we followed a narrow path winding up through the woods. Rhett walked beside me, his hand brushing against mine.

“I’m surprised the others didn’t want to come,” I said, forehead creasing. “They were all looking forward to it in the group chat a few days ago.”

Rhett chuckled softly. “I guess they really want that pizza Bree and Sloane promised everyone.”

“And champagne too, apparently,” I said, arching a brow. “It’s an interesting combination, but I’m not complaining. I love both of them.”

The trail grew steeper as we climbed, the trees thinning out to reveal patches of the night sky. Rhett reached for my hand to help me over a rocky patch, his touch warm and firm, and my stomach did the same flip it always did whenever he took hold of me.

When we reached the top of the trail, the forest opened up to reveal a wide clearing. The edge of a cliff was just ahead, and beyond it, the sky stretched endlessly, an inky canvas for the stars.

“Wow,” I said breathlessly, taking in the view.

“Looks amazing, huh?”

Rhett led me closer to the cliff’s edge, where a thick, soft blanket had already been spread out, edges weighed down with stones to stop the wind from carrying it away.

“Who put this here?” I asked, raising a brow as I sank onto the blanket.

“The others must’ve done it earlier, while we were in the woods,” Rhett replied.

“And then they didn’t come,” I said, forehead creasing. “I still think that’s so weird.”

He didn’t answer. Just grinned and looked up.

Above us, the first streak of light cut through the sky, a meteor blazing across the darkness.

We watched in awe as more meteors followed, each one leaving a fleeting trail of brilliance. After a while, Rhett shifted beside me, reaching into his jacket pocket. My gaze followed his movements, and my heart stuttered when he pulled out a small black box.

“Ev,” he began, turning to face me. “I’ve loved you through madness and darkness, and I’ll keep loving you, through everything.”

My breath hitched as he opened the box to reveal a delicate ring, the center stone glinting like a captured star.

“Will you marry me?” he asked, his voice low and hoarse with emotion.

Tears blurred my vision as I stared at him—the man who had chased me, fought for me, and stood by me through everything.

“Yes,” I whispered, my voice cracking slightly. “Yes!”

A slow smile spread across his face as he slipped the ring onto my finger. Then he pulled me into his arms, squeezing me tightly.

For a moment, under the meteor-lit sky, it felt like we were the only two people in existence. As Rhett held me close, his lips brushed against my ear, his voice a low murmur. “You know, I never stopped chasing you, Ev,” he said. “And I never will.”

I smiled against his shoulder, my fingers curling into his shirt. “Good,” I whispered back. “Because I’ll always let you catch me.”

THE END

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