로그인Kieran's POV. We came back empty handed. Lana walked beside me, unbothered, like the lack of prey was a personal choice and not a complete failure. I didn't say anything. Neither did she. We had spent the better part of an hour walking in silence, and at some point the silence stopped being uncomfortable and just became the thing we were doing. Adrian and Michelle were already back when we got to the clearing. Adrian took one look at us. Then at our hands. Then back at our faces. “Nothing.” It wasn't a question. “Nothing,” I confirmed. He looked at the sky like he was thanking God personally. “I cannot believe this. The great Kieran Castellan came back with absolutely nothing.” “You also came back with nothing.” “That's different.” “How?” “Because it's normal for me to lose to you,” he said, pressing a hand to his chest like this was deeply personal. “It is not normal for you to lose to you. Do you understand the difference? The natural order has been disrupted.” “Yeah,
Michelle's pov. I walked quietly behind Adrian, my steps light as a feather. He hasn't said anything yet, but I knew he had a lot to say to me considering the fact that my stupidity almost cost him his life. Why would Kieran leave me with him? No, I think the real question is why would Kieran choose Lana over me?I knew I screwed up. I knew I couldn't hunt. But that doesn't mean he should throw me under the bus. I knew he was a man who loved to win, but I never knew he would be this petty. I stared at the back of Adrian, my heart hammering with each step he took. Ever since I got a glimpse into this man's life, being around him had never felt safe. Something about him put my nerves on edge — like standing too close to a fire and knowing, without question, that it could burn you.He turned to me, draping the gun at the back of his neck, hands hooked on both sides. “Thank you for dragging Kieran out. I haven't been able to convince him to do a thing in... Like forever.”I forced a t
Kieran's pov. “Fuck!” Adrian cussed, turning to me with a cold glare.If he didn't have quick reflexes, I could have decorated the whole place with his brain. I turned to Michelle who was even paler than the guy that almost got shot. Her jaw hanging open, eyes widened in fear. She should be trembling in fear. I almost hit my friends because of her. Not like I haven't considered it in the past. But definitely not by missed shots. If I wanted to go back to killing, I would do the whole thing with dignity. But almost hitting Adrian wasn't the most annoying part —missing my target was. “Hey!” Adrian walked over. “I know playing fair has never been part of the rules, but can we squeeze in a little dignity.”I clocked the gun. “I never miss, Adrian. And you know that.” I looked up at him. “It was just...a slip.” “It was my fault,” Michelle stepped forward. “A spider crawled under my skin and I got scared.” “Are you alright?” Lana asked, checking Michelle's body like she was looking
Michelle's pov. I didn't buy the story Lana was selling. There was no way something like that could pass of as a coincidence. And I was a coincidentalist. Lana insisted that they booked this woods because she has been getting some “fragment of her memories” after she got attacked, and decided to check the cabin out since it was the closest thing similar to where the original memory was from. Call me a bitch, but I kind of wished that mysterious person that attacked her had finished the job. Then I won't have to keep up with such bullshit. Kieran only agreed to it because Adrian — whom he's reason for coming isn't still clear — insisted that Kieran let them stay. Let them catch up like old times. Apparently Adrian's parents used to drag Kieran with them any time they went for hunting or camping. The two spent the whole night talking about the times they spent together. They talked about their first kill. Their first rock climbing. They talked about everything I hoped they don't f
AUTHOR'S POV. Michelle had watched eleven tutorials. Eleven long boring tutorials. She followed everything in the tutorial, but the whole thing kept collapsing every time she touched it. Sometimes the wind did the job for her. “Okay,” she muttered to herself, gathering the poles off the ground for the fourth time. “Okay. Poles first. I know this.”The tent disagreed.It folded in on itself like it was personally offended by her existence and landed flat on the ground again.Michelle stood over it, hands on her hips, breathing through her nose.She thought about her bed. Her soft, warm, completely assembled bed that had never once collapsed when she looked at it. Her bed that did not require instructions or poles or any form of human suffering.She missed her bed deeply. She really wished she had not insisted on this challenge. “I am not calling Theo,” she said out loud, to no one. “I am absolutely not calling Theo.”She picked the poles up again.An hour later, the tent was standi
Michelle's pov. “This is fun, isn't it?” I asked, trying to lighten the mood. Kieran did not appreciate that as he shot me dagger stares. I swallowed hard, and looked away. Kieran's did not like doing something against his will, and he doesn't hesitate to make that pretty clear. If Kieran wanted to get out of here, he would. No offence, but I could take down those guys if I was desperate. “Hey guys,” One of the men, Theo,came up to us. “I see you guys want to go for a walk in the woods.” “Yeah,” I nodded, wearing my backpack. “I've never taken a walk in the woods before. Okay, just once. But that was more like running from the cops when I attended a party I wasn't suppose to attend in high school.” “Well, this is nothing like this,” he waved it off. “I mean you are going to be running, but from a beast.” His eyes flicked to Kieran, who was still looking disgusted about the whole situation. I quickly got the message. “No, no, no,” I waved it off. “This strictly educational.” “
KIERAN'S POV. Everyone loved a hero story so I chipped in Michelle's story. The whole world saw me as a hero who wanted to bury my stepbrother's past, and in the process, I fell in love. Michelle and Kieran weren't together — physically— for months. So it was easy to control the narrative that Mi
MICHELLE’S POV. I went back to my room and shut the door quietly behind me, wondering what just happened. I wasn’t this mad when Damien cheated on me, so why do I feel this way?All I can say is she was lucky she walked out with only a busted nose—and that was just me holding back. I sat on the
Michelle's pov. The meeting ended, and Kieran was nowhere to be found. Fortunately, Mira stayed behind to see the guests off.After bidding farewell to Lana and Mira, I returned to my room. But curiosity got the better of me—I saw Kieran and his ex leave the hall, and neither of them came back.Th
MICHELLE’S POV.I woke up slowly, half-asleep, my body still heavy from yesterday's work. I grabbed the object close to me and placed my leg on it. The object felt so warm and good, so I kept rubbing my leg on it. It didn't take long before my hand located the object. It felt hard but warm. I was







