Thalia
This wasn't a random act of violence. It was a warning. A move in a game built on power, old grudges, and the desire to hurt someone by targeting what mattered to them most.
Hailey and I had only been caught in the middle.
A heavy weight settled in my chest as the truth sank in.
The moment I stepped into Xander's world, I had unknowingly become part of a dangerous game—one I had never asked to join.
I let my eyes fall shut, trying to process everything I'd just learned.
The pain from my injuries was nothing compared to the heaviness pressing down on my chest.
I thought I had already been pulled into Xander's world.
But now I realized there was no simple way out.
"You should save your strength," Xander said.
I opened my eyes slightly as I heard him move away from the bedsid
