Zina's POV
The room was thick with tension, the kind that made it hard to breathe. My arms tightened around Asher, his little body trembling against mine. I tried to calm him, whispering soft reassurances, but my heart was racing just as fast as his. Jared crouched by the window, his body tense, ready to spring into action.
In the corner, Kiera sat hugging her knees, her face pale and streaked with tears. "He's going to find us," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "He always does."
I wanted to snap at her to shut up, to stop saying the one thing we were all trying not to think about. Instead, I swallowed the lump in my throat and whispered, "He won't. Jared won't let him."
Jared glanced back at me, his jaw set. "Stay quiet," he mouthed, his eyes darting toward the window.
