Jackson's POV
After that brief conversation with Avery, the familiar chime of the Diner's bell faded behind me. The afternoon had already wrapped Raven's Shade in a blanket of humid heat, the air thick with the green, damp scent of the surrounding woods.
I walked to my car parked a little farther down the street, but instead of starting the engine, I stayed still, hands on the wheel, staring at the front door.
And, as always, I saw only her.
Avery.
I was still thinking about her. Always. Even after all those long months apart, it had become a painful habit. We'd lost each other along the way—for good reasons, maybe—but I had never stopped looking for her. For her gaze, her smile, the way she sometimes faded into the background just to observe the world. I could lie to myself, pretend I didn't feel anything anymore, but deep down… I had never stopped feeling responsible for her.
She'd looked unsettled when I arrived. Not just because of me, but because of the man sitting behind us.
Him.
I didn't like the way he watched her. Not directly, not obviously, but like someone waiting. Like a patient predator. Too calm. Too still.
While I tried to analyze him out of the corner of my eye, Claire and Calvin's arrival distracted me. Claire was talking with her usual energy, adding wild gestures to her story; Calvin listened, amused, nodding along. A pang of nostalgia tightened in my chest—they seemed to have gotten back together.
But the moment they stepped inside, the stranger left the Diner.
I walked out a few minutes later, but I had the unpleasant impression that he'd slipped past me without my noticing. As if he had… vanished.
I decided to follow him, as best as I could.
His footsteps echoed through the narrow alleys he took. He moved fast, but without rushing, like he knew exactly where he was going. I tried to stay far enough behind, breath uneven, every scrape of my shoes sounding like a betrayal.
For a second, I was sure he slowed down, aware of my presence. But without looking back, he turned into a side alley.
I hurried after him, heart pounding.
But when I reached the corner, there was nothing.
Nothing.
As if he had been erased from reality.
I stood frozen, fists clenched, a bitter taste in my mouth. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe he was just a traveler passing through. But something inside me refused to believe that.
I sighed. Maybe I no longer had the right to get involved in Avery's life. But if that strange man was hovering around her… I wouldn't stand by and do nothing.
---
The next night, I was at the hospital. Claire had told me about Avery's condition. And despite myself, my steps had led me here.
I stayed in front of her door for a long time before finally deciding to enter.
But the moment I pushed the handle, someone rushed out. His shoulder slammed into mine.
"Sorry, I—" he started in a low voice.
I looked up. My blood ran cold.
It was him.
The same man from the alley.
Suspicion shot through me instantly. I stared straight into his eyes, unblinking.
"You… what are you doing here?"
A heavy silence settled between us. Him, still as a shadow; me, ready to confront him.
And in that face-off, I knew for sure: this man wasn't here by accident.
"I must've gotten the wrong room," he said calmly—too calmly.
I frowned.
"I don't think so," I replied, jaw tightening. "This isn't the first time I see you lurking around her."
He shrugged like it meant nothing.
"I just got the wrong room. Move aside."
He tried to brush past me, but I grabbed his arm to stop him. A cold shiver shot through me instantly, strange and unsettling, like his skin carried some muted, dangerous energy.
"No. You're going to explain."
A satisfied smile tugged at my lips.
"I knew you were sketchy…"
His eyes hardened, his voice turning into something sharp and icy.
"You should step aside while I'm still… being nice."
"Now that I have confirmation, that's not happening, you son of—"
I couldn't finish.
With lightning speed, he lifted me with one hand and slammed me against the wall, his fingers closing around my throat. Air vanished from my lungs.
"I warned you," he whispered, his gaze gleaming with a disturbing light.
I gathered my strength and, with a burst of rage, shoved him back with equal force. He staggered, surprised.
"You think you're the only one with that kind of power?" I spat, breath ragged.
Our eyes locked, heavy with challenge. Everything around us seemed to shrink, focusing on that confrontation that could explode at any moment.
But suddenly—
---
The door swung open.
"What is happening here?!" the doctor exclaimed, shocked to find us like that.
I cursed under my breath, searching for the stranger. But he had already used the distraction to slip into the hallway, his silhouette disappearing around a corner.
I rushed to the door—nothing. No one.
"Can you explain what's going on?" the doctor demanded, irritated.
"Nothing," I answered, still breathless.
The doctor gently pushed past me to check Avery.
"Out," he said firmly.
But I didn't move. My eyes stayed on her, lying motionless in bed, cheeks flushed with fever.
The doctor checked her pulse, her vitals, jotting notes down.
"Her temperature dropped a little. The treatment is working," he murmured to himself.
He packed up his stethoscope, gave me a pointed look, but said nothing. Finally, he walked to the door.
"Not too long," he warned. "She needs rest."
When we were alone again, the room filled with its oppressive silence.
Slowly, I approached.
I sat on the edge of the bed, hesitating, heart hammering. My fingers trembled a little, but I couldn't stop myself from brushing her cheek, gently.
"Even asleep, you're still so beautiful," I whispered, a sad smile on my lips. "I missed you so much…"
A confession not meant for her. Not now. Maybe never.
Her eyelids fluttered, as if she sensed something. My breath caught—but she didn't wake. She remained in that strange sleep, troubled by dreams I couldn't guess.
I stayed a little longer, torn between fear and a tenderness I could no longer contain.
"What does he want from you?" I murmured as I stood.
I let a lock of her light brown hair fall back onto the pillow, then walked away.
Leaving the hospital, I stood still for a moment in the parking lot, eyes lost in the night. The cool air should've calmed my nerves, but my hands still trembled.
Finally, I pulled out my phone and dialed a number.
"Something happened…" I said in a low voice. "You need to know."
---