The cabin’s door slams open, the wind howling through the cracks as you stand, caught between the brothers. The shapeshifter’s eyes are glowing, and it’s not alone. More shadows move behind it, circling.

Dean’s hand hovers near his gun. “Stay close,” he says, voice tight with urgency.

You nod, but your heart’s pounding, the weight of the situation sinking in. Sam moves in front of you, his voice steady. “We’ve got this.”

The shapeshifter lunges—faster than you can react. Dean fires. It’s a clean shot, but the creature ducks, just out of reach.

"Dammit!" Dean shouts, reloading.

Sam doesn’t waste time. He lunges at the creature with his silver knife, but another one grabs him from behind, throwing him to the ground.

"Sam!" You yell, panic rising in your chest.

Without thinking, you charge, grabbing a salt grenade from your pack and tossing it at the creature holding Sam. It hisses, backing away in pain.

Sam scrambles to his feet, but another shapeshifter tackles him before he can fully stand.

"Sam, no!" you scream.

Dean’s there in a heartbeat, tackling the creature off Sam. The two go down in a blur of punches and kicks, but you can see it—Sam’s hurt. The blood’s already soaking through his shirt.

“No!” You rush toward him, but a shadow darts in your direction, moving too quickly.

You throw your weapon, hitting the creature right between the eyes. It drops.

Sam grits his teeth, pushing himself up, blood dripping from his side. His eyes meet yours, full of concern despite the pain.

“Get back!” Dean orders, looking at you and then Sam, panic briefly flashing across his face. “We need to finish this now!”

You take a deep breath, forcing yourself to stay calm. “Sam—stay with me. We’ll get through this.”

Sam forces a smile, though it’s strained. “You... you’re not going anywhere. We finish this together.”

The three of you stand, backs to each other, as the shapeshifters circle. The tension crackles.

And for a moment, time slows—the next move could be the last.