Natalie~
Alex's scream ripped through the house like a siren, sharp and filled with terror.
My heart jumped into my throat, the sound slicing through my chest with a force so strong it left my breath ragged.
"Alex!" I bolted, feet pounding against the marble floor as I sprinted down the hallway.
Jacob was right behind me, his body tense, muscles coiled like a predator ready to strike.
I braced myself for the worst—blood, an intruder, something lurking in the shadows. But when I turned the corner, I found Alex pressed against the wall, trembling violently. Nora and Charlie stood in front of him, hands raised, trying to calm him.
But Alex wasn't calming down.
His tiny body shook, his wide brown eyes brimming with unshed tears as he pressed himself further into the wall, as if trying to disappear.
"Stay away from me!" he cried, his voice trembling.
Something inside me snapped.
