Chapter 267

The dense forest stretched endlessly before Evelyn Vanderbilt. She had been searching for what felt like hours, but the training camp's location remained elusive. Frustration gnawed at her as twigs snapped beneath her boots.

Was she truly lost in this wilderness?

Her military training told her to stay put - wandering aimlessly would only make rescue harder. With a sigh, she dropped her backpack and sank onto a moss-covered log.

Then came the rustling.

Evelyn froze. "Winifred?" she called out, her voice tight with hope. Silence answered. The movement stopped momentarily before resuming - something large moving through the underbrush.

Her breath hitched as a dark shape emerged. Not human. Definitely not human.

Slowly, she reached for her pack, fingers trembling. The creature moved closer. Sunlight glinted off curved tusks as a massive wild boar stepped into view. Its beady eyes locked onto hers.

Evelyn's palms grew slick with sweat. Running would trigger its chase instinct. She remained statue-still, barely daring to breathe.

A branch cracked under her shifting weight.

The boar charged.

Evelyn abandoned her pack in a heartbeat, sprinting for the nearest tree. Tusks grazed her boot heel as she scrambled up the trunk. The impact shook the entire tree as the boar rammed it with terrifying force.

She clung to a thick branch, heart hammering against her ribs. Again and again the beast attacked, until finally, with a disgruntled snort, it wandered off.

Night fell swiftly in the forest. Crickets began their evening chorus as Evelyn remained treed, unwilling to risk encountering the boar again.

Miles away, Chloe Lawson led the search party through the restricted zone. Their flashlights cut through the gathering darkness, tranquilizer guns at the ready.

"We've been out here for hours," one searcher complained. "At this rate-"

"Finish that sentence and I'll break your nose," Chloe snapped. Nathan Goldmann's wrath wasn't something she cared to face tonight.

A sudden rustle silenced the group. Weapons raised, they advanced toward the sound. Then - a flicker of light between the trees.

They found Evelyn tending a small fire, her face smudged with dirt. She looked up as they approached, relief washing over her features. "Took you long enough."

Chloe rushed forward, immediately noticing the tear in Evelyn's pants. "Zoe! What happened to your leg?"