𝖆𝖓𝖎𝖒𝖆 𝖎𝖒𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖆𝖑𝖊 ━ 𝖑𝖔𝖌𝖆𝖓 𝖍𝖔𝖜𝖑𝖊𝖙𝖙

𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 4

Logan and Verena were working in the forest the next day. Logan's chainsaw roared as it bit into a thick tree trunk, while Verena swung her ax methodically, the steady thwack of metal against wood echoing through the quiet. Kayla had dropped them off earlier, leaving Verena with a hot cup of coffee before driving off with a smile. Now, the coffee was cold, forgotten, but the familiar scent of pine and fresh-cut wood filled the air.

As they worked, something foreign began to mix with the clean, earthy smells-a sharp, metallic scent that gnawed at the edges of Verena's senses. She paused mid-swing, her breath catching in her throat. Slowly, she lifted her head, sniffing the air. Her eyes met Logan's across the clearing. He had sensed it too.

Blood.

The sound of the chainsaw died as Logan turned it off, both of them standing perfectly still. The world around them seemed to quiet. They exchanged a glance-unspoken understanding passing between them-before setting off into the woods, instincts driving their movements. They pushed through the dense brush, their hearts racing with every step, their breathing quick and shallow.

It didn't take long to find the source. An animal's severed head lay in their path, its eyes still wide in shock, blood pooling on the ground. Logan crouched beside it, his fingers brushing the dried leaves around it. But it was Verena who noticed the deeper signs-the long, jagged claw marks etched into the bark of a nearby tree.

Victor.

Without another word, she broke into a sprint, Logan right behind her. They weaved through the dense forest, leaping over logs and dodging low branches as they tore through the undergrowth. Every step felt like an eternity. Verena's pulse pounded in her ears, but one thought screamed louder than the rest: Victor is with Kayla.

As they neared the edge of the forest, the sight of Logan's truck came into view. Long claw marks had been gouged into the hood, Victor's cruel signature left behind. Logan's voice cracked the silence, "Kayla!" He bolted ahead, frantically searching.

Verena's heart sank as her eyes locked onto a familiar figure, sprawled on the cold, hard ground. "Logan!" she cried out, falling to her knees beside Kayla's motionless body. Her trembling hands cradled Kayla's head, already slick with blood. Tears blurred her vision as she rocked back and forth, whispering incoherent prayers under her breath.

Logan collapsed beside her, taking Kayla from Verena's arms. He pulled Kayla close to him, his entire body shaking with each ragged breath. Then, a guttural, animalistic roar erupted from him-a raw sound, filled with unbearable pain and rage. It echoed through the trees, a cry that seemed to tear at the sky itself.

Verena sat beside him, her own sobs quiet but relentless, shaking her frame. "I knew," she whispered, her voice thick with grief and self-loathing. "I always knew Victor would come for us. I should've stopped him... Cazzo!" She cursed, her fist pounding the ground. Tears fell freely now, guilt and regret clawing at her insides as she stared down at Kayla's lifeless form. She had failed.

And there was nothing she could do to take it back.

A new type of anger brewed within Logan and Verena, dark and all-consuming. It wasn't just anger-it was a hunger, a primal need for revenge. Verena caught Victor's scent, the acrid stench of blood and whiskey mingling in the air, leading them to a nearby bar.

As they approached, Logan shouted his name, the word tearing from his throat like a curse. "Victor!"

Verena wasn't far behind, her voice sharp and venomous. "Victor, vieni fuori, figlio di puttana!" The door to the bar creaked on its hinges as they burst through, their eyes wild with rage, scanning the dimly lit room until they found him-Victor, lounging at the bar like he hadn't a care in the world.