Sophia Hope The sight of Alex looming over me strikes fear in me for a second. He couldn’t have… He puts his finger on his lips and shakes his head, a silent gesture for me not to speak. Crouching beside me, he picks up the phone and ends the call before releasing my mouth. My heart is already crawling into my chest, my breathing short and uneven. His voice is low when he finally speaks. “There are people watching the house, ready to make a move. What possessed you to turn on the kitchen light?” I stare at him, my body feeling cold. “How are you here? Don’t tell me it was you—” He gives me an annoyed look. “Of course it wasn’t me. I saw you out in the woods, and I followed you. You looked upset. And when you got here, I was going to stop you from coming inside because I could smell

