Right after Dorothy asked that question, she realized that she was prying into Credence and Melanie's affairs. She looked away and pretended as though she hadn't said anything.

He stared at her. He couldn't help but raise his eyes. "I have to go against her in order to keep you safe."

He didn't have time to play this tiresome game of cat-and-mouse with Melanie. Killing her in one go was the best option for everyone.

All these years, Melanie had taken so many lives, especially his squadmates back in the army. So many of them died at Melanie's hands, and their bodies were abandoned or buried in the vast forest,...