LOGINWren’s povThe air inside the police precinct was cold, smelling of floor wax, damp coats, and stale, burnt coffee. I sat in a hard plastic chair in the hallway, wrapped in a jacket that belonged to Dani, my hands folded tightly in my lap to hide how badly they were still shaking. A few feet away, a heavy metal door separated us from the interrogation room where Emily was being questioned. Through the thick glass of the two-way mirror in the observation room, Dani and Ross were watching her every move. I couldn't bear to stand in the observation room itself, but the door was cracked just enough that Detective Miller’s voice, and Emily’s sharp, mocking replies, drifted out into the hall."We checked your phone, Emily," Detective Miller was saying, her voice perfectly level, the tone of a woman who had dealt with teenagers like Emily a thousand times. "We saw the messages in the athletics group chat. You’ve been talking to Blake Lawson. You’ve been complaining about Ross, feeding Blake
Wren’s povWhen the forensic tech unit finally arrived, the kitchen immediately began to smell of stale coffee and the sharp, chemical tang of their testing kits. The overhead fluorescent light hummed a low, irritating note that vibrated straight through my skull, making my headache worsen by the second.I sat huddled on a barstool, a thick, gray fleece blanket wrapped tightly around my shoulders. I couldn’t stop shaking. It wasn’t a violent shiver, just a constant, internal tremor that made my teeth click together if I didn't keep my jaw clamped shut. Dani stood right next to me, his hand resting flat on the counter beside my arm, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from his body. His jaw was set so tight the muscle was twitching. His eyes were locked on the two forensic technicians in blue jumpsuits who were currently cataloging the cardboard box on our kitchen table."Can you guys move any slower?" Dani asked, his voice low and dangerous. "We've been sitting here fo
Wren’s POVThe morning sun felt too bright, cutting through the kitchen windows and highlighting the dust motes dancing in the air. I held my coffee mug with both hands, absorbing its warmth, but it did nothing to melt the ice that seemed to have permanently settled in my chest.Dani was sitting across from me, a legal pad in front of him. He was writing down a timeline of the texts, his brow furrowed in concentration. The bruise on his jaw was darker today, a deep purple-green that made me look away every time my eyes drifted to it.“The police said they were going to contact Emily’s parents first, right?” I asked, my voice sounding thin even to my own ears.“Yeah,” Dani said, not looking up. “Since she’s still technically registered at her dorm, they were going to start there. If she’s cooperating, we should hear something by afternoon.”Ross walked into the kitchen, looking like he hadn’t slept in days. His hair was a wild nest, and his eyes were bloodshot. He didn’t even bother ma
Wren's POVI didn't sleep again. I lay there with the phone clutched against my chest until the room started turning gray with early light, running through every possible explanation for how he'd known about the police station within hours of us leaving it.By the time Anna stirred awake, I'd already made a decision."We need to show everyone," I said, the second her eyes opened."Show everyone what?" She sat up, hair a mess, blinking against the light. Then she saw my face. "Wren. What happened?"I handed her the phone instead of explaining. She read it twice, her expression sliding from confusion into something closer to fear."He knew we went to the police," she said slowly. "Like, knew within hours.""That's what scares me the most. It's not just threats anymore. He's tracking us somehow."We found everyone in the kitchen already, Ross at the stove again like cooking had become his only coping mechanism, Dani at the table scrolling something on his laptop, Ryan leaning against the
Wren's POVNobody slept much that night. I know because I heard footsteps on the stairs at almost every hour, Ross checking the locks again, Dani's door opening and closing somewhere around two, even Anna shifting restlessly on the air mattress we'd dragged into my room so she wouldn't have to drive home in the dark.By morning, the five of us were gathered in the kitchen looking like a support group for people who'd all had the same nightmare."We need an actual plan," Dani said, sliding a mug of coffee toward me without being asked. "Not just locking doors and hoping.""What kind of plan?" Ryan asked. He'd come back over before sunrise, unable to sit at home not knowing what was happening here. "We can't exactly go arrest him ourselves.""No. But we can figure out where he actually is right now." Dani leaned against the counter. "If he's been in that group chat, there's a chance he's said something about location. Where he's staying. Who he's with.""I can check," Ryan said. "I'll s
Wren's POVThe campus security office smelled like burnt coffee and old carpet, and the officer behind the desk looked like he'd rather be anywhere else, scrolling through something on his computer that definitely wasn't related to us.“Threatening text messages, do you have a name attached to the number?”“No,” I said. “It's unknown. We think it might be a student named Blake Lawson. He's currently suspended."That got a flicker of actual attention. He typed the name into his system, squinted at the screen, then looked back up. "Blake Lawson is suspended through next week. Banned from campus grounds for the duration.""He was on campus three days ago," I said. "I saw him near the athletics field during cheer practice.""You saw him, or you think you saw him?"I hesitated.“Look, without a clear photo, a confirmed sighting from someone else, or a name actually attached to the number sending these texts, there's not a lot I can officially do beyond logging the report. I'd suggest block
Chapter 35Wren’s POVThe car rolled to a stop in the driveway and I had my door open before he cut the engine.“Wren.” “I’m tired, Dani.”“Two minutes.”I stopped with one foot on the pavement. The night air hit my face, cool and sharp. I turned back.“Why did you go out with him?” His hands were
Dani’s povI saw her the second I stepped onto campus.She was walking with Anna near the east entrance, head tilted back, laughing at something, her hair loose around her shoulders. The mini skirt. The same one from this morning that had made me stand in the kitchen with my arms crossed like some
Wren’s POVMy alarm went off at six forty-five and I was already half awake, staring at the ceiling.I slipped from my bed and grabbed my phone, opened Spotify, picked up the loudest playlist, and went to brush my teeth.The music helped, I felt almost like a person again. I turned on the bathroom
Wren’s POVI closed the bedroom door, pressed my back against it, and stood there for a full minute.The sounds from Dani’s room had stopped by the time I stepped into the hallway. But I'd heard enough before that. The door wasn't fully shut. The voice that wasn't mine.I pushed off the door and cr







