𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄- 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐑 𝐑𝐄𝐈𝐃

𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐀 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐘 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐌. She'd gotten incredibly good at turning her anger on and off and using it to her advantage when needed. She managed to stay level headed enough as she made her way to her car and began the drive to the hospital, coming up with some excuse as to why she had to leave Spencer's place so quickly. She had a plan, and she knew that her window to get there was limited before Spencer's team eventually found out that this girl had also been hurt by Corey. And Alana really needed to make sure she got there before them.

It was an unexpected part of her plan, but she could work with it. She planned for every possible outcome, which meant she knew how to adapt. She wouldn't have gotten this far if she wasn't good at thinking on her feet. 

Alana couldn't help the fact that her mind drifted to Spencer as she drove, still sitting in his apartment after she'd left him there. For a moment, guilt crept in—guilt for the lies, for the secrets, for the path she was walking while he remained blissfully unaware. But the thought of Corey Mitchell extinguished any lingering doubt. Spencer would understand if he knew. At least, that's what she told herself, even if it was only wishful thinking. 

Alana thought of the girl she'd have to face. The sixteen year old girl, Leanne Torres, who had been dealt the same shitty hand as Alana. The same hand as Evangeline, and Mallory, and every other girl that he hurt before them. Her heart clenched at the thought of the girl lying there, broken and unconscious, her life forever altered by the same monster who had ruined so many others.

The drive to the hospital was uneventful, the hum of the engine the only sound in the darkness. Alana parked in the far corner of the lot, away from the security cameras, and pulled her hood up before stepping out. The blonde wig she had on her head was itching, but she refrained from messing with it as she approached the hospital. The hospital loomed ahead, its fluorescent lights casting an eerie glow against the night sky. Alana tried to be unbothered as she walked toward the hospital where she'd died. Maybe if she had gotten here sooner that night, Evangeline might have walked out with her. 

Alana shook her head. She couldn't go down that rabbit hole tonight. Not again. She shook thoughts of herself from her mind, because she was here with a purpose. She was going to save this girl in the same way she wished she'd been saved herself. Inside, the sterile smell hit her immediately. She kept her head down, avoiding eye contact with the night staff as she made her way to the elevator. Her pulse quickened with every ding of the floors passing, her focus narrowing to the task at hand. She pressed the button for the eighth floor and exhaled, running a hand down her face. She sincerely hoped this plan didn't backfire on her, and she could already imagine the lecture she'd get from Rhiannon once she found out what she'd done. 

Leanne's room was at the end of the hallway, the faint beeping of monitors audible even before she reached the door. Alana paused outside, her hand hovering over the handle. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she might see, and pushed the door open.

The girl was tiny, almost swallowed by the hospital bed and the tangle of wires and tubes surrounding her. Her face was bruised, her skin pale against the stark white sheets. Alana's chest tightened at the sight, anger bubbling just beneath the surface. Corey had done this. He'd taken this girl's innocence, her sense of safety, and left her like this—helpless, broken.

But what hit Alana the hardest was the fact that the girl had looked like she once did. It was almost as if Corey was trying to replicate what they had, like he was trying to pretend that Leanne was her. 

"Can I help you?" Her mother asked, tilting her head to the side. Alana sighed, saying a silent prayer that she was right about this. 

"I know what happened to your daughter," Alana said quietly.