The world tilted and spun as Claire was dragged through the snow, her muffled cries swallowed by the howling wind. The grip on her arm was ironclad, each tug sending her stumbling further away from the cabin and into the dense forest. Branches scraped against her skin, but the panic surging through her drowned out the pain.
Back at the cabin, the sounds of gunfire and shouts faded into the distance. She twisted and fought, her nails clawing at her captor’s hand, but the man only tightened his grip.
“Keep struggling, and this gets worse for you,” he hissed, his voice low and menacing.
Claire froze for a moment, her mind racing. She couldn’t let him take her—not without a fight. Summoning every ounce of courage, she stomped hard on his foot and drove her elbow into his ribs.
The man gru
