Chapter 0177 

Jane POV 

“Contact lens my a$$,” I muttered. 

Reaching for my mobile phone, I opened my call log and tapped the dial icon, calling the one person I was starting to depend on. 

She picked up on the fourth ring. 

“Having fun, huh,” I drawled. “I am so mad at you right now, gurl. How can you be out of town? We were supposed to go hunting TOMORROW.” 

“I know, Jane. I’m really sorry. We can still go in the evening. I’ll be back before then. My mae…, I mean boyfriend… Alex’s dad wanted to show us something in the city,” she replied. 

I let out a deep exhale, scratching my forehead. 

“It’s alright. I’m happy for you,” I replied genuinely. 

Thinking about it now, I realized it was so cool that she and her baby daddy were working things out. It was best for everyone involved, especially the sweet little boy. 

“I’ll let you know as soon as I get back,” Sara said. “We can sneak off then. I’ll pick you up.” 

“Okay. Have a nice time,” I murmured. 

I had no intention of waiting till tomorrow evening. 

The woods held answers. I was now more sure of that than anything else. Which was why I was here, sitting in my beat–up Nissan and gazing across the street. 

My eyes laid fix at the very spot I had come awake a few nights ago. The aspen leaves rustled like they were speaking to me. 

Without a doubt, I knew that was where Avery had also found me the night after. I would love to ask him to confirm this, but he was MIA, and his phone was turned off. 

It had been four days, and no one had seen or heard from the sergeant. My boss, who was his uncle, said he had to go out of town. Maybe losing Sara did hit him as hard as the townfolks thought. 

God only knew what he’d been doing in the woods at that time of night when he saw me sleepwalking. It had been past 12 AM. The middle of the night. And he’d been naked to the waist. On a cold autumn night. 

173 

Chapter 0177 

+25 BONU: 

“Where are you, Avery?” I whispered into the silence of my car. 

Something was wrong with me, and the solution was in these woods. I could feel it. I was sick and tired of my monthly problem. A monthly problem that had nothing to do with the usual one every woman suffered. 

What I saw a few days ago in that b!tch’s eyes weren’t expensive contacts. Sara was hiding something because she knew that something was not right with me. 

Avery also knew I was ill. So did his uncle. The fact that Sara suddenly mentioned that we go hunting confirmed that my solution lay in the midst of these trees, bushes and shrubs. My dreams always took place there too. 

Nightmares, not dreams, I amended. 

The recurring ones I’ve had this week were particularly troubling. 

I got out of the car and crossed the street, strolling casually into the woods. 

I imagined how my mom would react if she knew what I was doing right now. The very idea of me entering any place resembling a forest terrified her. That too was suspicious. 

The goal was to walk as far as I could, then return to my car. I didn’t yet know what I was looking for or what clue I would find. But maybe I would once I saw it. 

Following a straight path, I walked amidst the overgrown bushes. The wind ruffles the leaves overhead as monkeys and squirrels scuttled about. 

A sound caused me to stop suddenly. 

Footsteps. 

My heart thudded in my chest. Maybe I was hearing things. I turned around and saw nothing. 

I had barely taken a few more steps when the sound started again. More footsteps. I was not afraid, merely curious and anxious. 

Seconds later, the two figures emerged from the bushes a few feet ahead. 

A man and woman around my age. Both didn’t have much clothes on. The man’s bare broad chest was tattooed with a howling wolf. 

The female was familiar. I had seen her around town a few times. She was from the city and worked with the rangers at the project site. 

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