VALERIE
The cool night air hit me like a slap in the face as I stumbled through the woods. My legs were still unsteady from the adrenaline coursing through my veins. I could barely wrap my head around what had just happened. The sounds of the woods—the rustling leaves, the chirping of frogs, the wind whipping through the branches—felt distant, like they were coming from another world. The only thing that was real was the lingering feeling of his red eyes and that voice—low, mocking, familiar.
I glanced over my shoulder, feeling his presence behind me like a constant weight on my back. The triplets were close, but not close enough to stop me from losing myself in the thoughts of that stranger. Who was he? And why did he know me? I could feel their eyes on me—the accusations, the disbelie
