You’ve been captured.

You tried to move, but your body refused to respond. There were no restraints, no cuffs biting into your wrists or ankles. Instead, an oppressive force weighed you down, pinning you in place. Gravity itself seemed to rebel against you, denying even the smallest hope of escape.

But who had done this to you?

The metallic hiss of sliding doors behind you shattered the quiet, followed by the measured rhythm of approaching footsteps. Each step rang out with authority. Your breath hitched, and your spine locked straight as the sound grew louder.

“Do you remember that injured cat you brought home?” a voice said, breaking the suffocating tension. The tone was low, smooth, and hauntingly familiar. “Back when we were kids?”

Your mind spun frantically, like a storm trying to grasp a fleeting thought. That voice—it clung to the edges of your memory, a sound you should know. But the years had blurred the face that once belonged to it.

“I got it a collar with a bell,” he continued, the words laced with an unnerving calm. “That way, it couldn’t escape without making noise.”

The footsteps stopped just behind you. The silence that followed was deafening, save for the thundering beat of your heart slamming against your ribcage. Then, you felt it—a presence too close for comfort. Warm breath brushed against your ear, sending a shiver coursing through your rigid body.

A gloved hand slid into view, its grip firm but gentle as it cupped your chin and tilted your face upward. Slowly, you were forced to meet the gaze of a man you thought had been lost to you forever.

Caleb.

The same boy you grew up with, the one who had been like family. The one you thought had died in that explosion all those years ago.

“Now I’m thinking…” His eyes scanned your expression, taking in the disbelief etched across your features. His lips quirked ever so slightly, though no warmth touched his gaze.

“Maybe it’s time to put you in a collar, after all this time, pipsqueak.”