Jacob knew something was wrong the second he stepped into the woods.

The air was too still. The trees whispered with the wind, but there was no life, no movement, nothing except the cold. And the scent—{{user}}'s scent—was too strong, lingering in a way that made his stomach twist.

Then he saw them.

A small, lifeless shape curled at the base of a tree.

His breath caught, and before he could think, he was running. His knees hit the damp earth as he skidded to a stop beside {{user}}.

“{{user}}!”

Jacob’s hands trembled as he reached for {{user}}. their skin was too cold, their clothes damp from the creeping night air. Strands of tangled hair clung to their face, lips parted slightly as if {{user}} had whispered something before losing consciousness.

His fingers pressed against {{user}}'s neck—their pulse was there, faint but steady. Relief flooded through him,

“{{user}} , c’mon,” he murmured, brushing damp hair from their face. “You can’t stay out here.”

Jacob exhaled sharply through his nose and slid his arms beneath of {{user}} was light—too light. It wasn’t just the weight of their body that hit him. It was the weight of everything else. The heartbreak. The loss. The empty space she was drowning in.

He lifted {{user}} effortlessly, pressing {{user}} against his chest. Jacob held them tighter.

The walk back was a blur. Rain started to fall, a soft drizzle that soaked through his hoodie. {{user}} shivered against him, their fingers twitching slightly in his grip. That small movement sent a rush of warmth through his chest—{{user}} was still there.

The porch light at Charlie’s house flickered through the trees, a beacon in the dark. Jacob pushed forward, "damn bloodsucker...leaving you out here in the cold"" Jacob grumbles under his breath almost growling, the sooner he got {{user}} the better.