CHAPTER 224

**ZION**

The second her smile faltered, I felt it.
Something cold, coiled and sickening, wrapped around my spine.

Winter stared down at her phone like it had slapped her.

I leaned in, frowning. "What is it?"

She didn't answer. Just... froze.

The color drained from her face.

Every teasing word, every blush, every breathy laugh from earlier vanished.

I didn't wait.

I reached over and snatched the phone from her trembling hands.

*You've been a bad girl, sweetheart. Letting your friends in on our little secret? Naughty. I left you a surprise outside your gates. Come see what disobedience costs.*

A red mist exploded behind my eyes.

“Fuck.”

The word tore from my mouth before I even realized I’d spoken. My whole body went still, the phone gripped so tight in my hand I thought the screen might crack.

“Z? What—what is it?” Ro’s voice cut through the fog, sharp and alert. He was already pushing off the chair, sensing the shift in my energy.

I was already moving—fast
I was already up before I realized I'd moved —toward the door, shoving it open hard enough for it to slam against the wall My pulse thundered in my ears.

Winter's phone was clutched in my hand like a weapon.

The morning air biting against my skin, but I didn't feel it.

My blood was molten.

Something-someone-had dared to threaten her.

Leave a little something?

The bastard was watching.

Or close. I scanned the treeline.

The gate.

Every car.

Every shadow.

Footsteps thundered behind me.

Clark. Harry. Ro. Claire. Even Ariel.

But I didn't slow down.

Winter was mine.

And whoever the fuck thought they could touch her-scare her-was about to learn exactly what kind of monster I could be.

Not when she was finally laughing again.

I'd burn the world down before I let someone take that from her.

Before I let them take her from me.

I reached the front gates like a storm, fury in every step, the cold biting at my bare skin-but I didn't give a damn.

My eyes scanned everything.

And then-

I saw it.

At first, I thought it was some kind of sick prank.

A bundle.

A box.

But as I stalked closer, the sharp, metallic stench hit me first-blood.

Claire skidded to a halt behind me, Clark right beside her.

"What the hell is-" she started, but she didn't finish the sentence.

.
They all saw it at the same time.

A box.

Small, square, taped shut-but what made every hair on my body stand was the scrawled handwriting across the lid.

Just sitting there, dead center in the driveway. Like a gift. Like a threat.

My blood ran cold the second I saw what was scribbled across the top.

WINTER.

Written in red.

Slanted like someone was shaking-or laughing-while they wrote it.

"Don't," Claire whispered.

"Zion, don't open that."

But I was already moving. I didn't even hear myself breathe as I crouched.

I reached for the box.

The tape was sticky.

Too fresh.

Too clean.

Like someone had sealed it only moments before leaving it here.

The air changed when I lifted the lid.

I didn't even get the top fully open before the smell hit us.

Metallic.

Rotting.

Flesh.

Then-

Screams.

Claire let out a gagging sound and stumbled back, hand clamped over her mouth.

Then she turned and vomited into the bushes.

Harry turned pale, murmuring, “Holy—”

He didn’t get to finish his sentence.

Ariel stumbled back, her eyes blown wide in horror. Her hand flew to her mouth as she backed away, legs trembling.

She slipped—almost crumpled to the ground—but Harry caught her just in time, arms wrapping around her before she hit the gravel.

She was shaking.

We all were.

For a moment, the world stopped moving.

Then-

"What the fuck," Ro muttered, stepping up behind me. He looked down, blinked once, then recoiled like he'd been punched.

His fists clenched at his sides, eyes darkening with something dangerous.

"Sick fucking bastard-"

Inside...

A cat.

Small. Limp. Torn open.

Its body twisted unnaturally, as though someone had taken their time breaking every fragile bone.

The fur was soaked in blood, matted and reeking, the once-white patch on its chest now blackened with dried gore.

Its stomach was sliced clean down the middle.

Organs missing.

Limbs stiff.

But what made my entire body go cold was the eye.

One socket empty.

And shoved deep into the hollow-

Two blue marbles.

Winter's eye color.

"What the actual-" I muttered, voice low and hollow.

The fury that boiled in my chest was dangerous. Feral.

"Don't," I snapped.

I crouched down, every cell in my body vibrating with fury and cold restraint.

Whoever this sick fuck was-they were watching.

Calculated. Confident.

And brave enough to leave this at our doorstep.

Winter. This was for her.

This was a message.

Clark stepped beside me, jaw clenched.

"Z..."

I didn't answer.

I stood up slowly, gently tugging Claire upright as she wiped her mouth with trembling fingers.

"Winter........She cannot see this."

I clenched my fists until my knuckles cracked.

Because if she did-if she saw this-something inside her would break.

And whoever sent this...

They clearly didn't realize what I was capable of when it came to protecting what's mine.

They would.

Soon.

But then...

A scream tore through the air-sharp, raw, and filled with something I'd never heard from her before.

Pure, soul-ripping heartbreak.

My head snapped around.

Fuck!

Winter stood there frozen, wide-eyed, staring into the box like the world had tilted sideways. Her lips trembled, her chest rising in uneven gasps.

"Snowflake," I moved fast, crossing the distance in seconds, my voice rough but gentle.

"Let's get you inside, baby-come on."

But she didn't move.

She didn't even blink.

Her gaze was locked on that torn little body like it was the only thing she could see.

She just kept shaking her head, backing away from my touch like she didn't even see me. Her lips parted, a whisper escaping.

"No," she whispered, shaking her head violently.

"No, no, no-Toby... Oh my God. Toby.

Toby?

My chest tightened. "What?"

Her eyes were glassy now, a sheen of tears already forming.

"Toby..." she whispered again, voice cracking.

"That's- I... I named him Toby."

She finally looked up at me, and the devastation on her face made something in me snap.

"He's a stray... just this little white cat that started showing up my first week here. Every morning, every night-he'd be waiting outside my window or by the gate."

She swallowed hard, her voice breaking further.

"I used to sneak out food. He'd let me pet him sometimes. He was sweet. He trusted me."

She choked, the horror finally setting in, her knees almost buckling as she stared at what was left of the small creature.

I caught her just before she collapsed, pulling her into my arms. My mind spun, fury rising so fast I could hardly breathe.

"He knew. The stalker-he knew about Toby."

The rest of the group stood in stunned silence.

Ariel had a hand over her mouth.

Claire was turning green again.

Ro and Clark looked murderous.

Harry just stared, jaw set.

My blood went cold.

That marble eye.

The note.

He'd been watching her this whole time.

Close enough to know things even we didn't.

"I'll kill him," I muttered under my breath, but Winter didn't hear.

She was still whispering the name like it was a prayer.

"Toby..."

She wouldn't stop shaking.

Her body was stiff in my arms, but her lips moved-mumbling, whispering-like she was trapped in some nightmare and couldn't claw her way out.

"He k-knew-he w-was there-Toby-blood... I-I should've known-should've seen-"

Her voice broke, words tumbling out in jagged bursts, like her mind was racing too fast to catch up.

"Every night, every morning... Toby... I fed him-he was there-always there... waiting-waiting to-"

Her fingers trembled, twitching as if grasping at something unseen.

"Snowflake..."

"Why didn't I hear? The scratches-the shadows-he was-he's been stalking-stalking Toby-touched him-left him-like that-"

Breath coming in short gasps now, she swallowed hard but words spilled on anyway.

"I smiled-I waved-he saw-he knows-he knows-and now-now he's-"

Her voice dropped to a panicked whisper, almost inaudible, "...coming..."

"Snowflake," I murmured, brushing my hand gently through her hair, trying to ground her, trying to bring her back to me.

But her pupils were blown, her skin clammy, and her voice was nothing but broken fragments.

She wasn't here anymore.

Claire moved in beside me, eyes wide with panic.

"Zion..."

"She's in shock," I said tightly, trying to steady my own breathing.

Winter's hand clutched at my shirt like it was the only thing anchoring her, her mouth still moving-more frantic now.

"Toby...we .need to get him to the hospital.
... OMG... He watched me-he's been watching me-he touched Toby-oh my God, he touched Toby-"

"Ssshhh...," I said, my voice cracking with restraint.

I couldn't take it-not hearing her like this. Not seeing her unravel in my arms while I stood there helpless.

I looked at Claire and Ariel.

"Get her inside. Now."

Claire blinked. "Zion-"

"Claire." My tone left no room for argument.

"Get her inside, get her warm. Keep her talking-don't let her go silent. Ariel, find some blankets. She needs to feel safe."

They both nodded, fear written all over their faces, but they moved into action immediately.

I gently loosened Winter's fingers from my shirt.

She whimpered, her grip spasming as if letting go would shatter her.

Her lips were still moving.

"No, no, it was safe-I made it safe-Toby always waited..."

Her voice was cracked, breathless, the words more exhale than sound.

"He watched-he saw me feed him-he was there the whole time..."

I swallowed hard, jaw clenched so tight it felt like it might snap.

I placed her in Claire's arms, and Winter whimpered again, her hands twitching against the fabric of Claire's hoodie.

"I've got her," Claire whispered, hugging her close.

Winter's head dropped against her shoulder, her expression glassy, distant. Her mouth kept moving.

"Tobys dead...I should've-I should've known-he's dead-messages-trails..."

"I'll bring tea," Ariel said quickly, her voice trembling,

"something calming-chamomile, maybe..."

Her hands were shaking.

I didn't answer.

I just stood there like stone as they led my Snowflake away.
Her head lolled weakly. Her lips were still moving.

"Eyes... the marble-blue-he took it... took him-left him for me to find-Toby... oh God, Toby..."

And I stood there.

Useless.

Rage simmering so deep it felt like my bones were on fire.

And the words she kept whispering haunted me.

He was always there.

Watching.

But I understood the only thing that mattered.

Whoever did this?

They were going to fucking pay.

Clark stepped beside me, jaw clenched so tight I could hear the faint grind of his teeth.

"Z..." he said, voice low, eyes locked on the bloodied strip of paper nailed into the cat's chest.

"This isn't just some random psycho."

I turned my head slightly, watching Winter walk towards the house.

Her frame looked so small draped in Claire's arms, her legs dragging just a little like she didn't even realize she was being carried.

Her hair spilled over her shoulder, hiding half her face, but I could still see the way her lips moved-still whispering, still trapped in whatever nightmare that sick fuck had dragged her into.

My chest tightened. Rage and helplessness coiled in my gut like a ticking bomb.

Clark's fists were trembling now too.

"He knows her. This guy-he's not guessing. He's watching. He's been close enough to track her patterns, her routines. Hell, he knew about the cat. We didn't even know about the fucking cat."

Ro muttered under his breath, pacing behind us.

"He's obsessed. Possessive. Delusional."

Harry, his voice now tight with fury.

"This wasn't just a warning-it was a performance. He wanted us to see it. He wanted her to break. And he knew exactly how to do it."

"He's not done," Clark said, eyes flicking up to mine. "That message... it's just the beginning."

I nodded once, deadly calm. "Then we find him. Before the screaming starts."