Alina’s fingers trembled as she gripped the burner phone Damon had slipped into her pocket before he left. The air in her apartment felt too thick, pressing against her like an invisible weight. She could still hear his voice from their last conversation, the warning beneath his cold exterior.
_"If anything feels off, call me. Don’t hesitate, Alina."_
She hadn’t needed to. The moment she stepped into her building that night, she knew something was wrong.
The hallway lights flickered—subtle, but unusual. Her door was locked, but she could feel it in her bones—someone had been inside.
Her heart pounded against her ribs as she reached into her bag, fingers wrapping around the pepper spray she always carried. Taking a slow, measured breath, she pushed the door open with her shoulde
