SERENA’S POV
The hand over my mouth feels like iron—unyielding, cold, and crushing. I want to scream—Goddess, I need to scream—but all that comes out is a strangled, muffled whimper. My chest heaves, my breath shallow, desperate to break free of the suffocating grip that holds me. The figure behind me is solid, unyielding, his arm locking around my waist like a steel band. He drags me back into the shadows with terrifying speed, each step thudding against the ground as I kick and thrash, trying to twist out of his grasp. But it’s useless. His hold doesn’t waver—not even for a second. His body feels like a wall of stone.
My heart slams against my ribs, every beat a frantic, panicked drum. Fear pulses through me, hot and overwhelming. Luna and Cassidy spin around at the sound of my muffled
