Beastly: Sequel to "Mr. Perfect"

Chapter 39: Attics and Woods

✨Evan (P.O.V.)

"I don't know, Faith," I said quietly. "But I think...I think something is seriously off with this Tybalt Anderson. It's damn weird. And whatever this is—it's something big."

She didn't say anything.

"This might change everything," I said. "It might—"

CRACK.

A dry branch snapped from somewhere ahead of me, not far into the woods.

I froze.

The sound sliced through the moment, through my thoughts, through the phone call.

My grip tightened around the phone as my eyes snapped toward the tree line.

I lowered the phone slightly from my ear, barely breathing, as my senses flared.

Something wasn't right.

I took a cautious step down from the porch, the heel of my sneaker crunching lightly over gravel.

I moved in slow, silent, my body already responding to something my mind hadn't caught up to yet.

There was another rustle.

Closer this time. Behind the tree just ahead. I saw it move—barely.

I turned sharply, locking in on that spot between the trees, my eyes narrowing.

I crouched down, one hand bracing against my sneaker, pretending to tie it like everything was normal, but my eyes didn't leave that patch of brush.

The woods were too quiet now as there wasn't even a single breeze.

Then—a faint shift. Like someone adjusted their footing. Watching me.

I straightened slowly, my eyes locked in.

"Hold on a second," I whispered into the phone, not even sure if Faith could hear me.

I stepped past the crumbled remains of the fence, crossing into the first rows of trees. Branches clawed at my hoodie as I ducked between them. The light dimmed as the canopy above thickened, the sound of the outside world fading behind me.

"Faith," I started, pressing the phone back to my ear, "I think there's something he—"

I stopped as her voice started cutting in and out.

"...Evan? ...you say?...hear me?"

I pulled the phone away and checked the screen.

No signal.

"Faith?" I said, bringing the phone back to my ear. "I'm fine. Hold on a second."

But I had no idea if she could hear me. Her voice kept glitching in and out, bits of static crackling like interference.

I pushed forward, deeper into the woods, stepping over fallen branches, my eyes darting in every direction, scanning the twisted floor of roots, vines, and damp leaves.

Everything in me was on edge, and that's when my foot caught.

It snagged on something buried beneath the brush. A root? A vine? I didn't even see it.

"F**k, I muttered, stumbling forward, barely catching myself as I kicked my leg backward to try and shake free.

The thing wrapped around my ankle like it didn't want to let it go. I crouched and yanked my foot free with a rough twist.

The second I pulled free, I turned around—

BOOM.

Something slammed into me.