#Chapter 258: A Signal

Olivia Darren was so close that I could practically feel his breath on my skin. Nathan and I stayed stock still, even more still than the stalactites that we were hidden behind. Neither of us even dared to breathe. As Darren crept closer, I began to worry that he could even hear my pounding heart. Part of me wished that I could will it to stop beating altogether. Just then, an unexpected sound saved us. A howl, eerie and melancholic, resonated from the cave’s entrance, reverberating through its labyrinthine depths. “That’s our signal,” Colt called, a note of urgency entering his voice. “We need to leave, Darren. Now. Tooth or no tooth.” For a tense moment, Darren hesitated, still staring intently at the shadows, searching. The intensity of his gaze felt almost tangible, as though he could peel back the darkness and expose our hiding place with sheer will. But then, as if torn between duty and suspicion, he reluctantly turned and retreated. “Fi