Ellie's POV
Morning light slid across the room when I opened my eyes. For a second everything felt calm and warm, Ethan’s scent still on the pillow beside me. But the peace broke fast. The letter’s words were still in my head, sharp like tiny knives. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad was already moving toward us.
I slipped out of bed quietly so I wouldn’t wake Ethan. My heart felt heavy while I scribbled a small note,went for a run, be back soon. It was a lie. I wasn’t going for a run. I needed to see John, and I didn’t want to explain why.
The morning air was cool, damp with fog. The path to John’s office was almost too quiet. No birds, no voices, just the soft crunch of my shoes on the dirt. It felt wrong. When I reached the main building the guards were missing, the ha
