CHAPTER 247

Elijah’s POV

I froze as Sophia’s scream pierced the afternoon heat, blending with the thundering sound of a gunshot. The shot missed Sophia but struck the window, causing the glass to explode into a shower of shards.

“Sophia! No!” I yelled as I sprang into action, yanking Sophia to safety upon seeing the gun leveled at her, readying for another shot.

Inside, chaos erupted as more heads turned. I could hear the sound of shouting voices and scurrying footsteps.

“Run!” I shouted, grabbing Sophia and leading her away from the building. She stumbled but managed to keep up as we sprinted down the overgrown path. The sound of gunshots echoed behind us, sharp and jarring.

Branches clawed at our clothes as we tore through the underbrush. I glanced back to see flashes of gunfire streaking through the dense foliage, and my pulse quickened. Every instinct screamed at me to keep moving, to get us out of there before we became sure targets.

As we neared the car, a man suddenly emerged from behi