Lena rubbed her eyes as she packed up her things. It had been a long day at work, but her mind kept drifting to Ayla. It had been a while since they hung out, and she wanted to check in on her friend.

She smiled as she grabbed her phone and dialed Ayla’s number.

The phone rang and rang, but no one picked up.

“That’s weird,” Lena mumbled, biting her lip. She tried again.

This time, someone answered, but the voice on the other end wasn’t Ayla’s.

“This is Kael.” His voice was rough, laced with tension.

Lena frowned, her heart beating faster. “Kael? Where’s Ayla?”

“I... I don’t know,”...