Chapter Thirty-Nine: Shadows in the Night

Emma's POV

The hospital doors slid shut behind me as the neon "EXIT" sign cast an eerie glow on the empty parking lot. The evening air was cool, a welcome respite from the hospital's artificial climate. My body tingled with exhaustion, but my heart felt light. Today had been different; I'd made a difference, even if just a little.

Fumbling in my bag, I searched for my car keys, the distant sound of chirping crickets my only company. I loved these solitary moments when the world slowed down enough for me to catch my breath. Anxiety often loomed large over me, a wolfless girl in a pack where everyone had their distinct place. Yet, here in the silence, I could pretend I belonged.

Just as my fingers wrapped around my keys, an unsettling noise came from behind me—a shuffling, almost dragging sound. My muscles tensed, and the hair on my skin prickled. I started to turn around when someone grabbed my arm with an iron grip.

White-hot pain shot through my body, incapacitating any semblance of