The Breaking Point

The wind outside howled, carrying the last echoes of Claire's battle cries. The attackers were no more, their broken bodies scattered across the frozen wasteland. But Claire couldn't shake the gnawing feeling that something wasn't right. She inhaled deeply, her heightened senses searching for any sign of Daniel.

There—faint traces of his scent. His warmth lingered in the freezing air, but it was fading fast, too fast. A flicker of unease sparked into full-blown alarm. Something had happened.

Her boots pounded against the marble floor as she raced through the mansion, her sharp eyes catching the faintest signs: a smudge of blood on the wall, an overturned chair, and a few drops trailing deeper into the dimly lit corridors.

"Daniel," she growled under her breath, her fists clenching. Her protective instincts flared, pushing her forward at a blistering pace.

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