Chapter 9 The Paradise Island
Hunter stood frozen, his mind consumed by one single thought–was Dana still alive?
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His eyes locked on the wolves, and for a moment, he thought he saw blood glistening on their muzzles. Panic surged through his
chest.
“Dana!” he shouted, voice cracking. “Where are you? Answer me!”
But his calls were met only with silence–and the low, rumbling growls of wolves now charging straight at him.
He didn’t flinch. He had one goal: find Dana.
Suddenly, someone yanked him back with tremendous force.
“Hunter!” one of his friends shouted. “Snap out of it–the wolves are here! Run!”
By the time Hunter registered what was happening, he was already being dragged onto the speedboat by two of his friends.
As the boat sped away from the island, Hunter’s eyes remained locked on the shrinking shoreline. “Dana’s still there! I have to go back for her! Let me go!”
He lunged toward the edge of the speed boat, ready to jump back into the water, but his friends tackled him before he could move. “Are you crazy?!” one of them shouted. “Those wolves almost took us out–and we’re grown men!”
“She’s just one woman,” another friend added grimly. “She’s been on that island all night. You think she actually made it out alive? Going back there is throwing your life away.”
Hunter knew they made sense–but logic had no place in his heart right now. Every minute wasted meant Dana was exposed to danger for another minute.
“No!” he barked. “No way. Dana’s smart. She’s lucky, too! She’s alive. I know she is. She must be hiding somewhere, waiting for me to come get her!” O
“Let me go! I said, LET GO!”
Hunter thrashed wildly, nearly knocking one of them off balance, but his friends hadn’t lost it.
They knew that letting him go back now would be suicide.
“Hunter, get a grip!” one of them barked. “Forget whether Dana is still alive. Just think–what chance do you have going back there alone in that wood? That’s a pack of wolves we’re talking about! Real, man–eating wolves!”
“You won’t get to her before those wolves get to you. Look, calm down–we can call search and rescue. That’s their job. They are professional. They’ll get there faster and do it right.”
Hunter paused, breathing heavily. As much as he hated to admit it, they had a point. “Fine!” He roared, “Then what are you waiting for? Let me go so I can call them!”
Seeing he’d regained some rationality, they let him up.
Hunter pulled out his phone with shaking fingers and dialed emergency rescue. “My fiancée is trapped on a remote island,” he said, his voice tight with urgency. “There are wolves on it. Please–send help right away.”
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Chapter 9 The Paradise Island
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Thirty minutes later, the speedboat docked at the shore. The rescue team had already departed.
Hunter sat on the edge of the pier, watching the rescue boat fade into the distance, heart pounding with dread.
He silently begged whatever force might be listening to keep Dana safe.
Hunter remembered when they bought that island together for their 20th birthday.
Dana had lit up when she talked about it. She’d said she wanted to cover one corner of it with roses until the whole area bloomed
red.
She dreamed of inviting all their friends for a bonfire party.
He could still see the light in her eyes that day when she told him, “Hunter, I love this place so much. Can we get married here someday?”
Back then, she was radiant, full of joy and hope.
Now?
The island was long abandoned, the rose bushes overgrown and wild.
Dana was covered in bruises and scars–none of that old spark was left in her eyes.
And he’d left her on the very island she once called her paradise. An island that might now be her grave.
It was cruel. It was absurd.
And it was entirely his fault.
Hunter sank deeper into his guilt until a nagging thought broke through.
“Why were there wolves on the island?” he muttered.
“Huh?” one of his friends asked, but the question had been too quiet to catch.
But Hunter wasn’t listening. His brows furrowed, thoughts spinning.
When they first bought the island, there were no signs of wolves.
Even though the island had been neglected, he still paid for yearly maintenance. And no one had ever reported wolves before.
Besides, it was at least 12 miles offshore. Wolves could swim, sure, but not that far. Not in the open sea.
Hunter’s frown deepened, overwhelmed by complicated thoughts.
His buddies thought he was just worrying about Dana.
One clapped him on the back. “Still thinking about Dana, huh? Man, you’ve been acting weird. Way too concerned about her lately. Are you sure you’re not actually falling for her? What about Celine?”
Another chimed in, “Hey, let’s not forget–if Celine hadn’t called us this morning, told us there were wolves, and begged us to go,
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Chapter 9 The Paradise Island
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find you, you’d be wolf food right now.”
Hunter’s head snapped up, caught on the key message.
They had gone to the island that morning because Celine called them, saying there were wolves.
But how did she know?
Even he hadn’t seen the wolves until he arrived.
His brow furrowed. He turned to the guy who had spoken. “Wait. Are you saying Celine was the one who told you to come get me?”
The man nodded with a grin. “Yeah, man. Celine called real early, totally freaking out. Said there were wolves and begged us to check on you, genuinely scared something would happen to you.”
He laughed lightly, clapping Hunter on the back. “I’m telling you, Celine’s your lucky charm. Always saving your skin-” But he didn’t finish. “Hey, where are you going?”
Hunter was already walking away, his face grim. Without a word, he climbed into his car and slammed the door.
His buddies watched, stunned, as the vehicle roared to life and disappeared down the road.
