The sound of police sirens cut through the storm like a blade. For a moment, nobody moved.
Nobody spoke. Inside the cabin, Ethan, Lily, and Henry stood frozen. Outside, Marcus Hale's carefully controlled operation had descended into confusion.
Red and blue lights flashed through the trees. The approaching vehicles illuminated the forest in bursts of color.
Officers began pouring onto the property. Commands echoed through the darkness. "Police! Nobody move!"
"Hands where we can see them!" "Move away from the cabin!" The entire atmosphere shifted instantly. The hunters had suddenly become the hunted.
And Marcus Hale knew it. His jaw tightened,years of planning,years of secrecy,years of staying invisible. All of it was unraveling.
One of his men rushed toward him. "What do we do?" Marcu
