The sound of the car engine was low, but the tension inside it was enough to cover anything else.
Scott sat silently, looking ahead, while the streetlights reflected on the windshield and disappeared quickly.
Stiles broke the silence suddenly, without lifting his eyes from the road:
“Are you going to play the match?”
Scott blinked slowly, then said in a slightly cold tone:
“What?”
Stiles sighed, then said:
“The match… the day after tomorrow. Are you going to play? Or listen to Derek’s warning?”
Scott’s jaw stiffened, then he answered quickly:
“I can’t just skip it.”
He paused for a second, then continued in a slightly sharp tone:
“Everyone is waiting for me… the team, the coach…”
Then he added, as if deciding the matter:
“And Derek’s warning? It won’t matter anymore… we’ll put him in jail.”
A short moment of silence passed.
Then Stiles said quietly:
“Are you doing all this to stop Derek…”
He paused, then looked at him:
“Or because you want to play… and become the star you’ve always dreamed of being?”
Scott suddenly clenched his fist.
“That doesn’t matter.”
He said it quickly, with a clear defensive tone.
He turned toward the window, but he didn’t finish:
“It’s not about me.”
Stiles was silent for a second, then said in a calmer but heavier tone:
“Didn’t you say you would listen to me?”
Scott froze a little.
Stiles continued:
“That promise… when you told me that I would be the voice of reason… and that you would trust me when you don’t trust yourself.”
Scott clenched his hand more, but did not respond.
Stiles sighed, then said seriously:
“Even though Derek is unstable… and maybe a killer… he is right about one thing.”
He paused for a second, then continued:
“If you lose control… and transform like what happened during training yesterday…”
He finally looked at him:
“It will be catastrophic, Scott. You won’t just ruin the match… you could ruin your life.”
A heavy silence dominated.
Scott’s breaths became heavier… faster.
Then suddenly—
“I told you it doesn’t matter!”
Scott exploded with anger, turning to him with tense eyes:
“I’m in control of myself! What happened was just once!”
He paused for a fraction of a second… then added, in a sharper tone:
“And Derek didn’t warn me… he threatened me.”
Stiles blinked, surprised.
“He said he would kill me if I played.”
A short but much heavier silence followed this time.
Scott clenched his teeth, his voice becoming more broken despite his anger:
“My life has become a mess, Stiles… a real mess.”
He breathed deeply, then quickly continued as if trying to convince himself:
“I won’t hide every time something strange happens! I won’t run from my life!”
“And Derek? When we finish this… there will be nothing to fear at all!”
He paused… his breaths heavy.
But this time, Stiles said nothing.
He just looked at him for a moment… then returned his eyes to the road.
Outside, the lights of the hospital finally appeared.
Inside the car… the silence this time… was more dangerous than anger.
After a period of tense silence in the car, Scott and Stiles finally arrived at the hospital and paused for a moment in the long lobby, surrounded by the sounds of medical equipment and the echo of staff footsteps on the cold tiles.
Stiles looked at a sign pointing to “Emergency/Admission, Lab, Morgue” and said to Scott in a calm voice: “This is the way, the morgue is on the right.”
Scott nodded and said, “Okay, I’ll head there now.”
Stiles smiled and said, “I’ll keep watch from here, just be careful.”
Scott cautiously headed toward the morgue door, avoiding anyone who might see him, while Stiles stayed near the reception desk, watching every move.
At the same time, in the waiting room, Matt was asleep on a chair, and Vicky suddenly woke him by tapping a gelatin box on his shoulder.
Matt immediately stirred, mumbling, “Oh my God…”
Vicky smiled playfully and said, “Finally, you woke up.”
Matt smiled and said, “Hi. How are you? You look better now. I was worried about you… you really scared me with all that screaming.”
Vicky frowned in confusion and said, “Wait, what are you talking about?”
Matt asked with surprise on his face, “Don’t you remember?”
Vicky nodded and said, “Yes… what are you talking about? Why was I screaming? I feel fine.”
Matt sighed and said, “Good, good. The doctor said you can go home today’s afternoon.”
Then he paused briefly and said, “Vicky… what attacked you in the forest?”
Vicky hesitated for a moment and then said, “An animal… what else could it be?”
Jeremy arrived at that moment and said with a smile, “Hi, how are you?”
Vicky answered with a cold expression, “I’m fine.”
Matt, preparing to leave, said, “I… I’m going to get some coffee. Hi, Jer.”
Vicky asked Jeremy directly after Matt left, “Why are you here?”
Jeremy replied, “I just wanted to check on you.”
Vicky looked at him cautiously and said, “Did you see that look on Matt’s face? It was a look of doubt… I don’t want people to know about us, Jeremy.”
Jeremy calmly said, “Okay, you have to get over that.”
Vicky smiled and said, “Tyler is finally going to show some interest in me, Jeremy, you should stay away from me.”
Jeremy laughed sarcastically and said, “You need to get over that too. See, Mr. Worried? Tyler? Is he here now? No.”
Vicky whispered nervously, “It’s not appropriate for people to know… I’m three years older than you, Matt and Elena would freak out.”
Jeremy reassured her, saying, “No one will suspect anything… why wouldn’t I check on you? I mean, I’m the one who found you.”
Vicky asked in surprise, “You?”
Jeremy smiled proudly and said, “Yes, I carried you out of the forest.”
Vicky nodded slowly and said, “Thank you.”
Jeremy smiled and said, “Yes, you’re welcome.”
Meanwhile, Scott had entered the morgue, looking around anxiously.
He froze for a moment as he smelled the scent… the same scent he had smelled at Derek’s house.
He approached the metal cabinets and stepped over a drawer labeled “Burned Alive,” then found the next drawer labeled “Partially Severed.”
He opened the drawer gently, but as soon as he smelled the terrible odor, he closed it quickly, feeling disgusted and shocked.
Stiles saw Matt leaving Vicky’s room, his eyes shining with concern, and rushed straight to the room.
He entered after Vicky and Jeremy finished talking and approached her bed, saying, “Hi.”
Jeremy turned to his friend and said, “Hi, Stiles. What are you doing here?”
Stiles scratched the back of his head a little and said, “Well, I came with Scott; he wanted to bring lunch to his mother.”
Vicky raised an eyebrow and said, “And why would he bring her lunch at the hospital?”
Jeremy replied, “Because Scott’s mother works as a nurse here, Vicky.”
Vicky nodded silently.
Stiles nervously scratched his neck and said, “Hi Vicky, I hope you’re okay. You may not know me well, but I’ve been Jeremy’s friend for three years now.”
Vicky smiled and said, “I’m fine, thank you.”
Then Stiles stepped forward and sat on a chair near her bed and said in a low voice, “If you don’t mind me asking, Vicky, what happened in the forest? What attacked you?”
Vicky sighed and said, “An animal… I don’t know what else.”
Stiles frowned and said, “But you said before… it was a vampire.”
Vicky and Jeremy immediately laughed together.
“A vampire? Really, Stiles?” Jeremy said sarcastically.
Vicky shook her head amused and said, “No, Stiles, it wasn’t a vampire, it was an animal that came out of the shadows and attacked me, then I lost consciousness. That’s all I remember.”
Stiles frowned in confusion at her words and said urgently, “You have to remember everything accurately, Vicky. Think carefully, recall every little detail.”
Vicky frowned and shivered and said, “It… it was an animal. I’m sure of that.”
Stiles said in a low urgent voice, “Was it really, Vicky? Think carefully, maybe you remember something.”
Vicky’s body shivered on the bed and she said hesitantly and fearfully, “It was an animal that came out of the shadows and attacked me, then I lost consciousness. That’s what I remember.”
Stiles asked again, “Vicky… did you see anything else? Any mark… anything strange?”
Vicky shivered and said, “It was an animal that came out of the shadows and attacked me, then I lost consciousness. That’s what I remember.”
Stiles frowned in confusion, “You repeated the same sentence three times in a row.”
Jeremy frowned when he saw the situation and said, “Hey Stiles, leave it alone, man. What’s wrong with you? I mean, what else could have attacked her other than a wild animal? Have you lost your mind or something?”
Stiles smiled awkwardly and said, “Okay, I’m sorry, I got carried away a little.”
He sighed and stood up, saying, “I have to leave now. Scott must be looking for me.”
Then he left quickly.
Vicky looked at him cautiously, then at Jeremy, and said, “Your friend is strange.”
Jeremy sighed and said, “Tell me about it.”
Outside the morgue, Scott was looking around, searching for his friend.
“Where the hell did Stiles go?” Scott asked himself quietly, then saw Stiles rushing toward him from the end of the corridor.
Scott approached and said, “Where did you go?”
Stiles said in a low voice, “I checked on Vicky.”
Scott frowned and said, “Why?”
Stiles replied as they quickly left the hospital, “Because I wanted to get more information about the vampire that attacked her.”
Scott stopped in his tracks immediately and said, “Well? What did she say? Did she tell you Stefan did it?”
Stiles sighed and said, “Here’s the thing, Scott. She told me it was a wild animal that attacked her, and when I asked her about a vampire, she and Jeremy looked at me as if I came out of a madhouse.” Visit novelping.com for the full chapter.
Scott frowned, “Jeremy was there?”
Stiles nodded and said, “Yes, and don’t worry, he was just checking on her, he didn’t give her drugs or anything.”
Scott sighed with relief and then smiled, saying, “Okay, I guess that rules out the theory that Stefan is a vampire and that he killed Darren and Monica and attacked Vicky.”
Stiles waved his hands as they approached his car and said, “That’s wrong, Scott! Vicky’s reaction confirms my theory!”
Scott opened the driver’s door, sat on the seat, and looked at his friend annoyed, saying, “Stiles, I can barely accept the idea of werewolves existing and that I’m one of them, and now you want me to believe in vampires too?!”
Stiles looked at Scott emotionally and said, “So what’s your explanation for what happened to Vicky?! What’s your explanation for Stefan’s strange smell?!”
Scott replied, “Vicky herself said that what attacked her was a wild animal, Stiles! As for Stefan’s smell, I smelled it only once and then never smelled it again. Maybe I imagined it or smelled something else at the time!”
Stiles fell silent and lowered his head, saying, “No, Scott, I’m sure what attacked Vicky wasn’t a wild animal. If it were, Vicky wouldn’t be alive.”
Scott frowned in confusion, “What do you mean?”
Stiles sighed and said, “Animals that attack the neck strangle their prey to death and break the neck and trachea, and then when the prey dies, they start eating it. But what happened to Vicky? It wasn’t an animal attack. I mean, what kind of animal attacks a person targeting the neck and then leaves without touching any other part of the body? I mean, if it were an animal like a bear or a mountain lion, there would be claw and bite marks all over her body and her intestines would be exposed and eaten, not like this.”
Scott fell silent upon hearing his friend and said, “So that necessarily means the one who attacked her is a vampire.”
Stiles nodded confidently and said, “Yes, and whoever did it did it deliberately.”
Scott then asked in confusion, “Then why doesn’t Vicky remember anything?”
Stiles replied, “There’s a good chance Stefan erased her memory.”
“Erased… are you serious, Stiles?!” Scott shouted angrily.
Stiles shrugged, “Anything’s possible, Scott. Vampires may have mind control powers or something like that. I also think the reason you didn’t smell death again from Stefan is that Stefan is skilled at hiding his scent from you.”
Scott was stunned and said nothing.
Stiles turned to him and said, “Let’s leave all that aside now, Scott. Did you find the other half of the body or not?”
Scott nodded and said, “Yes, I did.”
“Well? Did its smell match what you smelled at Derek’s house?”
Scott hesitated a little and said, “Yes, it did.”
Stiles smiled sarcastically and said, “Well, that means we’ve found a way to catch Derek.”
Then he said,
“Well… if we survive all this mess, I think we deserve a cup… or two… of chocolate… or anything else…”
Scott sighed tiredly and said, “Just drive the damn car toward Derek’s house, Stiles.”
Stiles shrugged, “I think the chocolate is mine anyway, then.”
Then he started his Jeep and headed toward the burned-down Hale mansion.
The Mystic Hills town square was bustling with activity, people wandering between the stalls, and the hanging lights giving the place a distinctive festive atmosphere.
Elena stood next to Bonnie, holding a stack of flyers, smiling gently as she handed them to passersby.
Bonnie raised her voice slightly with enthusiasm as she extended one of the papers, saying, “Tonight, the Night of the Guilty! Would you like a poster?”
Then she suddenly turned to Elena, her smile shifting into a mischievous look, and said as she watched her, “Would you like a poster?”
Elena paused for a moment, then added in a lighter but more curious tone, “Stefan hasn’t called, has he?”
Elena sighed lightly, looking at a passerby before refocusing, and said quietly, “Not even a text message…”
She paused for a second, as if taking it in more, then added in a thoughtful tone, “But I realized that we never actually exchanged those things… Stefan and I never got to the stage of texting.”
Bonnie smiled lightly and shook her head, then said, “That’s an important milestone in any relationship.”
Elena raised her eyebrow slightly, as if thinking about it, and said, “Isn’t it?”
Then she sighed and continued in a more serious tone, “But the timing isn’t right anyway.”
Bonnie glanced at her sideways, then asked quietly, “And when would it ever be right?”
Elena was silent for a moment, looking at the flyers in her hand, then said in a low, honest voice, “I’m not ready, Bonnie… not with Stefan.”
Bonnie watched her for a moment, then asked directly, “Ready… for whom? For Stefan? Or for anyone?”
Elena looked up, as if trying to avoid the answer, and said lightly, “At least I’m trying… to show myself to the world.”
Bonnie smiled faintly, but she wasn’t convinced, and said, “Is that what you call it?”
Elena frowned slightly and said, “What do you mean?”
Bonnie sighed, then said quietly but with clear honesty, “All I hear from you… are just reasons that stop you from moving forward, even with Stefan.”
A moment of silence passed between them, while the sounds of the town continued around them… but their conversation was much heavier than any noise.
Meanwhile, inside a quiet hospital room, the dim white light filled the space, and the sound of medical equipment pulsed regularly, breaking the silence.
Vicky lay on the bed, her eyes closed… before suddenly moving and slowly opening her eyes.
She breathed deeply, as if returning from a distant place, then her eyes began to scan the room.
On the side, Matt sat in a chair, his head tilted slightly forward, sleeping deeply after hours of staying awake.
Vicky stared at him for a few seconds, her features calm… but behind that calmness was something unsettling.
She moved her body slowly, then placed her feet on the cold floor.
She stood… with hesitant steps.
She moved toward the bathroom, each step quieter than the last, as if the place itself was holding its breath.
She pushed the door slightly and entered.
She stood in front of the sink, then turned on the faucet.
Water flowed quietly, and she placed her hands under it, staring without focus, as if her mind was still caught between sleep and wakefulness.
She slowly lifted her head… and looked into the mirror.
Her pale face reflected back, her eyes tired… but with a hidden tension beginning to rise.
She froze for a moment.
Then she whispered softly, barely audible:
“Matt… Matt?”
No response came.
She frowned slightly and turned her head toward the bathroom door, then slowly returned to the room.
She looked at the chair.
Matt was still there… in the same position.
She took a step… then another.
She stopped directly in front of him.
She stared at his sleeping face, watching his breaths, trying to reassure herself.
Then—
He moved.
His head slowly rose.
Vicky opened her mouth to say something… but the words caught in her throat.
His features… were not Matt’s.
His eyes changed, widening horrifically, his fangs protruding, and a savage expression spread across his face.
It was Damon.
Vicky froze in place, her eyes widening in pure shock, unable even to scream.
He leaned toward her slightly… with a cold smile.
And suddenly—
She gasped loudly.
Vicky sat up on the bed in one motion, her breaths rapid, her eyes moving wildly around the room.
The room remained the same.
The white light.
The sound of the machines.
And Matt… still asleep in the chair, as he had been.
She placed her hand on her chest, trying to calm her heartbeat, but the fear did not go away.
Because… it did not feel like just a dream.
Meanwhile, with Stiles and Scott.
Noon had fallen over the Mystic Hills preserve, and silence enveloped the place except for the sound of the wind passing through the burned trees.
Derek quietly emerged from the ruins of his family home, his steps steady, and his gaze cold as always.
He went straight to his Camaro, opened the door, then sat behind the wheel and started the engine.
After a few moments, the car drove off… unaware that someone was watching.
Not far away, Scott and Stiles were sitting in the Jeep, watching every movement.
Stiles waited until the Camaro had completely disappeared, then said in a low voice: “I think this is our time.”
Scott didn’t respond, he just nodded, opened the door, and got out of the car.
Stiles followed him quickly, both carrying a pickaxe.
Scott moved forward slowly, his eyes scanning in every direction, as if the place itself was watching him.
Stiles joined him at the front of the car; Scott handed him a flashlight, then they both headed toward the side of the house… where the ground had recently been overturned.
After a few steps, Scott suddenly slowed.
He looked around worriedly, then said in a low voice: “Wait… something’s different.”
Stiles quickly turned to him and said nervously: “How different?”
Scott shook his head slightly, as if he couldn’t explain his feeling, and said: “I don’t know…”
Finally, they arrived at the site, and Scott paused for a moment, then said as if wanting to finish it quickly: “Let’s just get this over with.”
He plunged his pickaxe into the ground forcefully, pushed it in with his foot, then began digging out the soil and throwing it aside.
Stiles joined him, and the two of them began digging in silence, only the sound of metal hitting the earth and their tense breaths could be heard.
Minutes passed…
Scott wiped his forehead with his sleeve and said with obvious concern: “This is taking way too long.”
Stiles didn’t stop digging, he just said, exhaling: “Just keep going.”
Scott hesitated for a moment, then said with greater concern: “What if he comes back?”
Stiles shrugged nonchalantly and said: “Then we run immediately.”
Scott looked at him unconvinced and said: “What if he catches us?”
Stiles finally stopped digging, lifted his head to look at him, then said coldly and sarcastically: “I have a plan.”
Scott hesitated, then asked: “…and what is it?”
Stiles gave a slight smile and said: “You run one way, I run the other… and whoever catches him first? Bad luck for them.”
Scott stared at him for a second, then said irritably: “I hate this plan.”
The two returned to digging, but this time the tension was heavier.
Suddenly—
Stiles’ shovel hit something hard.
He froze immediately, raised his hand quickly in front of Scott, saying: “Stop… stop…”
The two looked down, where ropes buried under the soil appeared.
They knelt and began removing the dirt with their hands quickly, until they revealed a bundle wrapped in coarse fabric and tied tightly.
Stiles began trying to untie the knots, while Scott said with clear anxiety: “Hurry!”
Stiles exhaled with frustration and said: “I’m trying! Did he have to tie it with nine hundred knots?”
Scott bent down to help him, and after a few moments they finally succeeded in untying the binding.
Then—
They froze.
Inside… was a severed black wolf head.
Aaaahhhh!!
The two screamed at the same time, jumped back quickly, and fell to the ground crawling away.
Stiles said, panting: “What the hell…?”
Scott looked at him, shocked: “It’s a wolf.”
Stiles replied with tense sarcasm: “Yes, I see that… but you said you smelled blood… human blood.”
Scott raised his hands slightly and said: “I told you something’s different…”
Stiles shook his head in disbelief and said: “This makes no sense…”
Scott looked around quickly and said: “We need to get out of here.”
Stiles nodded, then said: “Wait… help me cover it.”
The two bent down and began replacing the dirt, but suddenly Stiles stopped.
He stared at something in front of him, and said in a low voice: “Do you see that flower?”
Scott looked at it disinterestedly and said: “And what about it?”
Stiles said with focus: “I think it’s… wolfsbane.”
Scott frowned and said: “What?”
Stiles looked at him incredulously and said: “You’ve never seen the movie The Wolfman before?”
Scott shook his head: “No.”
Stiles stared at him with greater shock: “Lon Chaney? Claude Rains?”
Scott shook his head again irritably: “No!”
Stiles sighed in despair: “You are completely unprepared for this…”
Then he stood up quickly, walked toward the plant, and uprooted it.
He stopped suddenly.
He looked down… then began pulling something buried beneath it.
It was a rope.
A long rope, coiled around the grave in a spiral, tied to the bundle… and covered with wolfsbane.
And as he untied it… it began to glow a faint red.
Scott looked at him nervously, but suddenly—
He froze.
His eyes widened as he looked into the grave.
He said in a low voice: “Stiles…”
Stiles raised his head, saw Scott’s expression… then approached slowly.
He looked inside the grave—
And screamed, retreating backward while holding Scott’s shoulder.
Inside the grave…
There wasn’t just a wolf.
But the upper half of a girl’s body… staring with empty eyes into nothingness.
And it was the same corpse… that Scott had seen in the forest.
Inside the hospital corridor, the harsh white light reflected on the shiny floor, and the sound of scattered footsteps echoed through the place.
The door of one of the rooms opened slowly…
And Vicki stepped out.
She was walking cautiously, as if her body had not yet gotten used to movement.
Her clothes were ordinary now instead of the hospital gown, but fatigue was still evident on her face.
Directly behind her, Matt was carrying some items in his hand, watching her with eyes full of concern.
Vicki suddenly stopped.
She closed her eyes for a second, then took a deep breath, as if trying to maintain her balance.
Matt approached her quickly and said in a low voice: “Are you okay?”
She opened her eyes, looked at him, then nodded and said quietly: “Yes… just… I need some air.”
Matt hesitated for a moment, then nodded: “Okay… let’s get out of here.”
They walked together down the long corridor, their steps slow, but the sense of tension preceded them.
They passed some patients and nurses, but Vicki did not look at anyone.
Her eyes were fixed ahead, as if trying to escape something chasing her inside her mind.
Matt said, trying to break the silence: “The doctor said you were lucky…”
She didn’t respond.
He continued, in a softer tone: “I mean… it’s not every day you get attacked by an animal and come out this quickly.”
Vicki stopped again.
She slowly turned to him, a strange look passing in her eyes, and said: “Yes… an Animal.”
Matt was silent, feeling something unsettling in the way she said it, but he did not comment.
They resumed walking.
When they reached the exit door, sunlight poured in, completely different from the cold interior.
Vicki stopped at the threshold.
She stared at the light for a moment… then stepped outside.
Matt followed her, closing the door behind them.
Outside, the air was fresh, and cars passed normally, as if the world had not changed.
But for her… everything was different.
She stood for a moment, looking around, as if seeing the place for the first time.
Matt approached her and said: “Do you want me to take you home?”
She didn’t answer immediately.
Her eyes moved between people, between the trees, between the shadows… as if searching for something.
Or making sure that something… was not there.
Finally, she looked at him and said: “Yes… let’s go.”
She began walking toward the car, but her steps were slower this time.
Slower… and more cautious.
Matt opened the door for her, and she sat without saying anything.
He went around the car, then sat behind the wheel.
Before he started the engine—
He looked at her.
She was staring out the window, but the reflection in the glass showed her eyes clearly.
She was not just afraid…
But confused.
As if a part of her… was no longer as it had been.
Matt finally started the engine.
The car drove away from the hospital…
While something invisible accompanied them silently.
Meanwhile, in front of Mystic Grill, the atmosphere was full of life.
Laughter mixed with light music, and people moved back and forth.
Tyler was standing near the entrance, leaning on his car, surrounded by three girls, smiling confidently and moving his gaze between them, enjoying every moment of the attention he was receiving.
One of the girls laughed at something he said, while another approached him closer, as if she did not want to miss a moment.
And at that moment—
Jeremy approached.
His steps were fast, his expression tense, and his eyes fixed on Tyler alone, as if everything else around him disappeared.
He stopped directly in front of him.
Tyler looked at him with a slight look of annoyance, then said coldly: “What do you want, Gilbert?”
Jeremy took a short breath, then said in a voice that was outwardly calm but charged inside: “Hi Tyler… sorry to interrupt.”
He paused for a moment, then continued, looking directly into his eyes: “I was just wondering about Vicki… since you two are ‘so close.’ Is she okay?”
Tyler’s expression changed slightly, but his smile did not disappear completely.
He said nonchalantly: “She’s fine.”
Then he gestured with his hand as if to dismiss him: “Now… get out of here.”
Jeremy didn’t move.
He stepped closer.
And spoke quickly, as if the words were rushing out of him without stopping: “How bad is she? Do they know what attacked her? Will she fully recover? Was she happy to see you? Which room was she in?”
The girls exchanged glances; the atmosphere was no longer comfortable as it had been.
Tyler sighed irritably, then looked at him sharply and said: “I’m going to kick your ass.”
Jeremy smiled with slight sarcasm and said, shaking his head: “Yes… you repeat that a lot.”
Then he looked at him directly and added with clear defiance: “But when will you actually do it? Huh?”
He paused for a second… then said coldly: “Because I don’t mind if it happens now… here.”
Suddenly—
Tyler shoved him.
A small step, but enough to change everything.
Tyler’s expression immediately hardened, and he stepped closer, saying in a low, dangerous voice: “Step back, Gilbert… this is your last warning.”
Jeremy did not retreat.
He stood his ground, and said more sharply: “No… this is your last warning, you.”
His voice stiffened further as he continued: “I’m tired of seeing you manipulate Vicki.”
He stepped closer, until they were only a breath apart: “If you hurt her again…”
He paused for a fraction of a second… then said slowly, each word heavier than the last: “I swear… I will kill you.”
Silence prevailed.
Even the girls stopped talking.
Tyler looked at him for seconds, eyes full of anger… but did not move.
As for Jeremy—
He took a step back, then turned and left, without looking back.
Tyler remained standing in place, watching him leave, jaw tight.
Then he exhaled irritably, ran his hand through his hair, and looked back at the girls again, saying sarcastically: “Damn… that was a death threat, wasn’t it?”
He looked at them, waiting for a reaction.
But this time…
No one laughed.