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Khalid POV

In my haste, I raced back home, the echo of Mark's defeat fading behind me. Fear gripped my heart, a cold wave that quickened my pulse.

My steps were swift as I made my way toward the secluded spot where Megan had been hidden. An undercurrent of worry and urgency fueled my every move.

Arriving at the hidden refuge, a hollow sensation settled in my chest , Megan's absence was a heavy truth that seemed to press against me.

Panic tightened its grip, a vise-like hold on my senses, as it mingled with a smoldering ember of anger that glowed just beneath the surface.

The pieces were falling into place now, the puzzle of Mark's intentions becoming clearer with each passing moment.

The realization hit me like a blow , the battle with Mark had been a carefully planned diversion, a cunning gambit designed to divert my focus from the genuine threat that had been lurking in the shadows.

Anguish and frustration melded within me, igniting a resolve to untangle this web of deceit a