Having finally left Blackwood Mountain behind, Alex drove the minibus carrying the group of teenagers who had survived a night of horror and a face-to-face encounter with the wendigos. All of them looked drained and exhausted after the nightmare.

In the front seat beside Alex sat Samantha. She kept stealing glances at him while he drove. Over the course of the night, she had already developed feelings for him—he had done too much for her and her friends. But her thoughts wouldn't let go of Alex's strange "family." He spoke of them sparingly, only briefly mentioning some sort of "family business." Samantha tried to piece it together: what kind of business hires former soldiers to hunt monsters?

Even when Alex and Jack spoke about the wendigos, the girl found herself only getting more confused. Her mind circled around Alex's family. He, noticing her gaze, understood she wanted to ask questions, but reminded her that answers would come only after they reached the hospital.

The road there was short—the nearest town was close by. But as soon as they pulled up to the main entrance, chaos broke out at the hospital. Seeing a group of wounded teenagers and the badly injured Jack, the medical staff rushed out with stretchers. The old man and Chris were taken away immediately, Hannah was also sent under supervision, while Josh—despite protests—remained in the waiting area. Emily and Jessica were escorted for examination, and the rest were seated and handed forms to fill out.

While Alex filled in paperwork, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that one of the nurses picked up the landline phone. Her eyes flicked between Alex and Samantha, Mike, Matt, and Josh. Listening in, Alex easily caught on: she was calling the police. He wasn't even surprised—it was predictable.

After the formalities, Alex, Samantha, Mike, Matt, and Josh were taken for a check-up. To avoid suspicion, he cast an illusion on himself, making it appear as though he too was beaten and injured like the rest. The nurse dutifully treated the "wounds" and wrapped them in bandages. Leaving the room, Alex sat down in the waiting area and began to wait.

Samantha was the first to return. She looked even more tired than before. Alex smiled at her, and the girl answered with a faint, weary smile before sitting beside him and resting her head on his shoulder. He put an arm around her, trying to give her at least a small sense of safety.

Soon after, Mike, Matt, and Josh appeared—the doctors had finished with them as well. They all sank into their seats with relief, waiting for news about Jack's and Chris's surgeries. Ashley was waiting outside the operating room to meet Chris. A little later, Emily joined them, irritated, clearly fed up with the doctor's endless questions.

"That idiot wouldn't stop asking what happened to us and how we ended up like this," she grumbled, rolling her eyes.

Jessica was still under observation: her injuries were far more serious, and the doctors wanted to be sure her health was no longer in danger. Despite the exhaustion and pain, the teenagers felt relief—they were finally safe.

"Josh, I think you should call your parents," Alex said quietly. "Tell them Hannah's been found. But remember: not a word about what happened on Blackwood."

"You're right… I have to tell them. At least that Hannah's alive," Josh nodded, giving a faint smile.

Alex understood his sadness: Josh already knew about Beth's fate and how Hannah had become a wendigo. But he didn't blame his sister—she had no choice. Alex handed him his phone.

Josh thanked him, took the receiver, and for a while just stared at the buttons, lost in thought. Then he dialed his parents' number. The others sat silently, supporting him with their eyes. Samantha, still resting her head on Alex's shoulder, watched her friend anxiously—she knew how hard it would be for him to explain everything to his parents.

Finally, the call connected. A man's voice came through. Josh froze, not knowing how to start, then, gathering himself, said:

"Dad… Hannah's been found."

There was silence on the line, and then his father calmly told him to move on and not dwell on the past. Alex raised a brow—the man clearly thought his son was hallucinating again.

"No, Dad, I'm serious. She's alive," Josh said firmly.

On the other end of the line, a long silence followed. Then Josh's father spoke again, trying to clarify if this was really true. Josh quickly retold the story Alex had prepared in advance: supposedly, a year ago Hannah and Beth had been kidnapped by a man hiding in the mines, and all this time he had kept Hannah locked in a cage. Beth had died trying to protect her sister.

Alex knew eavesdropping on someone else's conversation was rude, but he couldn't bring himself not to listen. When Josh's father fell silent again, the boy continued, now sounding more confident. Alex looked away—he wasn't about to dig deeper into someone else's family matters.

"By the way," he remarked calmly, turning to the others, "the police will be here soon. Actually, they should already be on their way."

"So they did call… And here I was hoping we'd gotten lucky," Mike sighed wearily, leaning back in his chair.

"What did you expect, Mike?" Emily scoffed, crossing her arms. "That idiot orderly kept bombarding me with questions while patching up my 'wounds.'"

"And what did you tell him?" Samantha asked, lifting her head from Alex's shoulder.

"Nothing," Emily snapped. "Everything hurts, I'm exhausted, and I just want to forget this nightmare. Answering his stupid questions was the last thing I wanted."

She rolled her eyes and slumped back irritably.

The others silently agreed with Emily's words—everyone wanted to forget that night as if it had been just a bad dream. But Alex only shook his head. He knew all too well: what had happened on Blackwood Mountain could never be forgotten. That night, and their encounter with the wendigos, had become proof for the teenagers that monsters from childhood stories truly existed.

As Alex had warned, within minutes two police officers entered the waiting area. They went straight to the reception desk to find out who had called the patrol. The nurse who had made the call began to explain nervously and pointed toward Alex, Samantha, Emily, Matt, Mike, and Josh, who was still speaking with his parents.

The officers turned and saw a group of battered teenagers in dirty clothes, wrapped in bandages. Their eyes immediately caught on the bloodstains on their clothes—it was clear something serious had happened.

"Excuse me, could we ask you a few questions?" one of them introduced himself. "I'm Officer Keeligan, and this is my partner, Officer Bridges. Here are our badge numbers." He tapped the badge on his chest.

"Of course. What do you want to know?" Alex replied calmly.

"Let's get straight to it. What exactly happened to you? And why did you arrive at the hospital with two severely injured people, when you yourselves don't look much better?" Keeligan asked in an even tone.

"It's simple," Alex began. "My friends and I decided to spend some time at Josh's family lodge. But we were attacked by a maniac. That's the whole story."

The officers exchanged glances and then looked at the other teenagers, as if waiting for confirmation. Samantha, Emily, Matt, and Mike all nodded in unison, backing up Alex's words. Realizing the gravity of the situation, the officers immediately reported in.

"Dispatch, this is Keeligan. We've responded to the hospital call. We have a code 240, possibly 245," he said into his radio.

"Keeligan, this is Dispatch. Report the overall situation," came a woman's voice in response.

"A group of teenagers claims they were attacked by a maniac on Blackwood Mountain," the officer reported briefly.

"Copy that. Sending detectives to your location. Stand by. Over." The radio crackled and went silent.

Alex raised a brow, surprised they were sending detectives right away, but he didn't dwell on it. He just shrugged and leaned back in his chair.

While they waited, the officers decided to question the teenagers in more detail. Alex had warned his friends this was unavoidable, so everyone cooperated calmly. A few minutes later, two detectives arrived at the hospital. They took charge of the case and immediately separated the group, deciding to question each one individually.

Alex was called in first. He was led into a small room the hospital had set aside for questioning. Sitting calmly on the chair, he answered every question clearly and directly. When the interrogation was over, he got up and left the room without another word.

Next came Samantha. She repeated Alex's version without hesitation: the friends had met a year after the tragedy to spend some time together, with Alex introduced as her boyfriend, someone she had decided to bring along and introduce to the group.

Then it was Emily's turn. But the moment she crossed the threshold, she erupted in a loud tirade:

"Why doesn't the police do its job?! Why are maniacs like that allowed to walk free?! Because of your negligence, my friend Hannah spent an entire year locked in a cage with a lunatic!"

She went on without stopping, not giving the detectives a chance to speak, practically drowning them in accusations.

Listening to her shouts from the hallway, Alex barely restrained himself from applauding. He even wondered how Matt managed to live with such a quarrelsome girl. But he quickly realized: it was probably his love for her.

Alex had no intention of waiting around for the interrogations to finish. He suggested to Samantha that they head to the cafeteria and grab something to eat. The girl gladly agreed—the chance to spend time alone with Alex was appealing. Besides, she had questions about his family and the mysterious "family business" he had mentioned during the night.

After letting Matt, Mike, and Josh know where they were going, Alex and Samantha made their way to the cafeteria.

Once there, they stood quietly in line, waiting their turn. Alex picked up a coffee and a pastry, while Samantha settled for a plain black coffee—she just needed to steady her nerves. Looking around, they realized there were no free seats in the cafeteria. So Alex suggested stepping outside.

Samantha agreed without hesitation—the heavy atmosphere of the hospital weighed on her, and the fresh air seemed like a relief. They went outside and sat down on the nearest bench. For a while, neither spoke, both savoring the rare silence.

Samantha's mind was restless. Questions about Alex's family tormented her, but fear gnawed inside: once she asked, her life would never be the same. She felt the answer would shatter everything she believed in.

Alex, watching her, understood her hesitation perfectly. He had already given enough hints for her to realize his family was special. But if she decided to learn the truth, there would be no turning back. Lifting his gaze to the blue sky, he smirked to himself—fate seemed to love interfering at moments like this.

"You know, Samantha," he said calmly, eyes still on the sky, "someone once told me: if you're afraid of the truth, or of what lies ahead, just take the first step. Then you'll see—it's never as terrifying as it seemed."

Those words pulled Samantha out of her thoughts. She caught the hidden meaning: Alex was giving her the choice—step through the door and learn everything, or stay in ignorance.

He turned his eyes to her.

"And before you ask, remember this: once you push that door open, it will close behind you. There's no going back. What lies on the other side will force you to rethink the very nature of the world."

Samantha drew a deep breath, steeling herself.

"Even so… I'll take the risk. I want to know about your family. And about this 'business' of yours, the one where you hunt monsters and save people."

Alex smiled faintly.

"Alright. You've made your choice. But understand this—you won't be able to run, even if you want to."

He raised two fingers to her forehead.

"What are you—" Samantha began, but she didn't finish.

His fingers touched her skin, and a torrent of knowledge flooded her mind—about Alex himself, his family, his past, and everything he had kept hidden. Too much, too fast. Samantha let out a cry and lost her balance, but Alex caught her and eased her down beside him, resting her head on his shoulder.

A few minutes later, she stirred, her eyelids fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes. Shock and wonder mingled in her gaze.

"Oh my god… gods, demons, saving worlds… and… wives. Lots of wives…" she muttered, hardly believing her own words.

Alex chuckled.

"Now that's your reality. I told you—behind that door waited more than you could imagine."

"I can't believe this… I spent the whole night running from a Wendigo… with the Demon King. And he turned out to be the son of the Creator himself… And his brothers—they're the legends everyone knows! But… why am I not panicking? Not angry?" Samantha grabbed Alex's hand.

"Magic," he replied calmly. "I cast a spell on you to keep your mind clear. No panic, no hysteria, no fear."

"That spell would've come in handy during exams," Samantha remarked sarcastically, leaning back a little.

"It would've helped a lot of people, especially in critical moments. But tell me—how do you like the world now, where monsters in the closet are real, and gods are ready to tear your life apart?" Alex asked, lighting a cigarette.

Samantha smirked, brushing her hair from her face.

"How am I supposed to react? Scream? Deny it all and end up in a mental hospital? Thanks to your spell, I can't even be properly mad." She gave him a light smack on the arm.

"Sorry for taking care of your sanity," Alex replied in a deliberately casual tone, exhaling smoke.

"Oh, shut up," Samantha scoffed, but her voice carried a smile. "Better tell me… what happens next? I mean—between us. Because, judging from what I saw… you're clearly not going to let me go."

She looked him straight in the eyes.

Alex smiled faintly and turned his face toward her. Instead of answering, he simply leaned in and kissed her lips. For a moment, her eyes widened, and her thoughts turned into a chaotic whirlpool. But the touch of his lips was so intoxicating and tender that Samantha didn't want the kiss to end. She wrapped her arms around his neck, as if trying to hold on to the moment for as long as possible.

Meanwhile, Mike stepped outside to call Alex and Samantha—Chris and old Jack had been wheeled out of surgery, and Hannah had finally regained consciousness. But seeing them on the bench, lost in a kiss, he just smirked and decided to head back inside without interrupting. As he left, one thought crossed his mind: Well, that was to be expected. He remembered Chris's words about how, in every horror movie, a guy and a girl always end up kissing if they manage to survive to the end.

After a few minutes, their lips finally parted. Samantha's cheeks turned slightly pink, but she liked the feeling. Memories surfaced in her mind — the ones Alex had shared with her, about how he was once blessed by the goddess of love and beauty herself, Freya. And then it struck her: now she was connected to this unusual family, bound together by one man — the very one she had just kissed.

"I think that answer should satisfy you. Don't forget, I gave you a choice. And you chose to step into the abyss yourself. At the bottom of that abyss, I was waiting," Alex said with a gentle smile, brushing his lips softly against her cheek.

"Yeah, yeah… Now I'm in a relationship with a guy who turned out not to be a private detective at all, but a demon saving worlds. He's got plenty of wives, even kids. And he came to this world because some evil decided to turn mine into one big horror movie just to destroy everything in the end. That's just great — I started chatting with a stranger," Samantha muttered, staring at him with an empty look.

"But there's also a bright side," Alex remarked with a smile. "Now you've got a strong and handsome guy — or to be more precise, even a future husband. A close-knit family, the chance to see worlds you could never have dreamed of. Aren't there more pros than cons?"

"Ugh… I'd like to argue, but what's the point. I can't escape anyway. And if I think about it… it's safer next to you. But what about my parents? Will I be able to see them?" Samantha asked with a heavy sigh.

"Sammy, my dear, you have complete freedom. I'm not going to lock you up in my castle. All the girls in my family do whatever they want. Some are even in other worlds right now. And don't worry about your parents, I'll figure something out. College? Believe me, in your situation, it won't help at all. But if you want to learn something, my family is full of people with all kinds of skills. In short — everything's under control," Alex said, giving her a thumbs-up.

"When you put it that way, it all sounds even crazier. I don't even want to talk about it… I'm too tired after a night like this," Samantha whispered, hugging him and resting her head against his chest.

Alex just smiled. He hadn't expected things to turn out this way: all he had wanted was to check out the places where people had gone missing, but instead he ended up helping a group of teenagers survive and escape from a wendigo. As he gently stroked Samantha's back, he thought about how he'd have to take care of her parents so she could feel at ease.

While they sat on the bench, enjoying each other's company, Josh came out of the hospital and waved. Alex immediately understood that he wanted to talk. He gently moved Samantha aside and suggested they go back to the others. She agreed, and, holding hands, they approached Josh. He looked much better than before.

"How did the conversation with the detectives go?" Alex asked, squeezing Samantha's hand.

"Same as last year. They asked, I answered," Josh replied, shaking his head wearily.

"It's their job to ask a thousand questions. While I was in there, they kept asking the same things, like I was a criminal," Samantha said irritably.

"Can't argue with that," Alex smirked. "So why did you come out?"

"Hanna woke up… but she doesn't remember anything. And I don't know if that's normal. She was… that creature. I just hope her memory doesn't come back," Josh said quietly, lowering his voice.

"Don't worry. Hanna won't remember anything. But she should still talk to a psychologist. Honestly, all of you should. The consequences of this night will linger for a long time. Things like this don't just get forgotten. And one more thing — stop taking the pills Dr. Hill prescribed. Otherwise, the hallucinations will start again," Alex said, looking Josh straight in the eyes.

"I feel better now. Probably because Hanna's alive. I understand, nothing can change with Beth… but at least she's still here," Josh said sadly.

"How did your parents react?" Samantha asked cautiously.

"Dad first thought I was hallucinating again. Then he figured maybe he accidentally took my pills himself. And Mom… she just cried when she realized at least one daughter had come back. They're both happy and heartbroken at the same time," Josh replied, trying not to show his sadness.

Alex put a hand on his shoulder.

"Josh, the past can't be changed. It's already happened. But you need to stop dwelling on that day. You were tormented by thoughts like, 'Why did I get drunk and not protect my sisters? Why am I such a useless brother?' Those thoughts nearly drove you insane. But enough of living in the past. Your duty now is to help Hanna return to a normal life. She lost a year. And as her brother, you need to be her support. Let this be your redemption and your lesson."

Hearing Alex's words, Josh's eyes widened, and he nodded. Alex was right: the past can't be changed. But now he had a chance to give Hanna back what he owed her. Josh swore to himself that this time he would do everything to take care of his sister and help her return to a normal life.

Samantha was once again struck by what Alex could be in moments like this — calm, firm, and wise. Alex noticed the determination ignite in Josh's eyes and smiled. He was glad the boy was finding the strength to cope with what had happened. All Josh needed was a goal — something that would let him live on as a normal person.

Deciding not to linger on the porch, Alex, Samantha, and Josh headed to Hanna's room, where the others were already gathered. But first, Alex peeked into the room of old man Jack to see how he was doing. The old man was sleeping soundly, and Alex decided not to disturb him. Then he moved toward Hanna's room.

Opening the door, Alex saw the girl, now fully conscious. Hanna was smiling at her friends, though she looked tired. Josh explained that she had been briefly told what had happened. The detectives, of course, hadn't missed the chance to ask her a ton of questions.

Alex approached Samantha and took her hand.

"Quite fast for you, Mr. Private Detective. Just one night—and our Miss Perfection is already in your hands," Jessica remarked sarcastically from the neighboring bed.

"It's all because Sammy couldn't resist my heroic charm. Oh, Father, why did you make me so handsome? What a sin to be this perfect," Alex exclaimed theatrically, placing a hand on his forehead and making a dramatic face.

"And here, when we're safe, his true nature shows," Chris smirked, lying on the bed with his leg in a cast. "Sammy, be careful with him."

"I'll think about it… But for now, I'm fine with everything," Samantha said, pressing her shoulder against Alex's.

Everyone just shook their heads: Alex had managed to win Samantha's heart far too quickly. Hanna, however, watched him with particular attention. She understood—he was the reason for her rescue. But what impressed her most were his eyes: strange, as if woven from shifting rainbows. She had never seen anything like them before. Alex noticed her gaze, smiled, and gave a small wave. Hanna, with a tired smile, tried to raise her hand in return.

"Glad to see you're feeling better, Hanna. How are you?" he asked gently.

"Hard to say… I don't remember anything. Everything's like a fog. I remember running from some man with Beth, then falling off a cliff… The last memory is the fall. And then, nothing. And now I open my eyes in the hospital and learn I've been missing for a year. Two detectives bombarded me with questions, but I don't remember anything. Absolutely nothing…" Hanna said quietly, feeling exhausted.

"That's normal. Stress blocks memory. All you need now is to recover. Your parents will be here soon—they miss you very much. And the past… it's better not to think about it. Trust me, there's nothing worth remembering," Alex said calmly.

"He's right, Hanna," Samantha added. "The main thing is that you're alive and with us."

"I'll try… But I can't stop thinking about Beth. It's terrifying to imagine what she had to go through," Hanna said softly.

Alex sat on the edge of her bed and replied gently:

"Beth will live as long as you remember her. She did everything to protect you. Live the way your sister would have wanted. Remember only the good that connected you."

Hanna nodded. She knew Alex was right. Her sister had always tried to protect her—even that night. The others fell silent as well, struck by how wise Alex seemed in that moment.

"Well, now you've gone into psychology too? Maybe you'll give me a session? Do friends get a discount?" Chris tried to joke, breaking the tense atmosphere.

"Of course, I'll do it," Alex played along. "Specially for you—a whole 1% off. And if you come as a group, I'll give all five."

"Why so little?! I thought, after everything we've been through together, we were already best friends. Give at least ten!" Chris protested.

"Oh, Chris, my boy," Alex said mockingly soft, pretending to be a therapist while picking up a tablet. "Better tell me—how are you feeling? Maybe we should discuss how you finally confessed your feelings to Ashley? Or talk about what this night was like for you?"

"Don't do that!" Chris shuddered. "When you say it like that, it gives me goosebumps. It's way too creepy!" The source of thɪs content is ɴoᴠel Fɪre.nᴇt

Alex laughed at his expression. The others couldn't hold back either and burst out laughing. Even tired Hanna quietly joined in with a small laugh.

For a moment, Alex wondered whether he should erase their memories of that night. But he quickly dismissed the thought. After all, he would help these kids if they needed support. He was sure that Samantha wouldn't abandon her friends—and that meant he would have to look out for them too.

To be continued…

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