Echoed 8

Chapter 8 The Longest Night 

Chapter 8 The Longest Night 

Hunter didn’t have any unfinished work. 

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He’d only used that as an excuse to leave the room. The truth was, he was restless and needed an escape from his thoughts. 

Hunter had no idea how he was supposed to face Dana the next day. 

He’d told her he was just going to the shore to pick up some fireworks he’d stashed earlier. 

The round trip–from the island to the mainland and back–should have taken no more than 90 minutes. But he hadn’t returned, gone the entire night. 

There was no way Dana wouldn’t figure it out. It was painfully obvious he had left her there on purpose. 

What was he supposed to say? That he’d fallen in the water and gotten swept away? 

Even he couldn’t convince himself of that lie–it was too pathetic. 

Dana wasn’t stupid. Of course she’d realize he was lying. 

Maybe this time, she’d finally see through everything. 

Maybe she’d remember all the other times he’d deceived her, how he twisted the truth, and covered it with sweet words. 

And maybe this time, everything would come crashing down. Maybe after this, Dana would never look at him the same way again. 

She might even walk away from him forever. 

The thought of losing the girl who had been at his side since childhood, who used to follow him around with wide eyes and endless trust–felt like a knife turning in his chest. 

But none of that even mattered right now. What mattered was that Dana was hurt–seriously hurt–and he had left her all alone on a wild, undeveloped island. 

Sure, there weren’t any man–eating beasts, but the place was swarming with insects; there could be snakes too. 

And Dana was terrified of snakes. What if she ran into one? 

Would she run? She probably wouldn’t get far–her stitches might tear open from the strain. She could bleed out before help ever arrived. 

Horrible thoughts flooded Hunter’s mind. 

A gut–deep dread gnawed at him. Something felt wrong–very wrong. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something terrible had happened to Dana. 

And yet, he had made a promise to Celine to leave Dana on that island for one night. It was supposed to be punishment. 

Celine had sworn that after today, she’d stop messing with Dana for good. 

Hunter was torn. 

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2:57 pm G Ppp. 

Chapter 8 The Longest Night 

He sighed heavily and looked up at the moon through the window. Hunter just wanted the night to be over. 

As soon as the first light broke the horizon, he’d go back and get her. 

Hunter sat on the edge of his bed, chain–smoking with a knot in his chest. 

The night stretched endlessly, every second weighted with guilt. 

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Finally, the sun crept above the edge of the earth. Hunter didn’t waste a second. He bolted from the house, jumped into his car, and tore down the road to the dock. 

He fired up his speedboat and pushed the throttle to its max, speeding straight for the island. 

But when he reached the shore, Dana wasn’t there. 

She was supposed to be waiting for him. That’s what he told her to do. Dana always listened to him. Always. So where was she? 

A wave of dread rose in his chest. 

Was it really happening–just like he’d feared the night before? Had she run into a snake? 

“No,” he whispered to himself. “No, no. Dana’s always been lucky. She’s not the kind of person bad things happen to.” 

Still, he shouted her name at the top of his lungs, “Dana! Dana! I’m here! I came to get you! Where are you?” 

But Dana, by then, was long gone–she’d left with Jamie under the cover of night, far from Hunter’s reach. No one answered his call. 

He yelled again. And again. Nothing. 

Panic set in. His hands trembled as he stood frozen, helpless, on the beach. 

He forced himself to breathe. To think. Maybe she was just unconscious somewhere. Maybe she’d passed out from exhaustion and was lying somewhere nearby. 

The island wasn’t that big. If he just searched carefully, he was bound to find her. She had to be here. She had to be okay. 

He repeated the thought like a prayer, trying to believe it. He took one step forward. Then another. Suddenly, a rustle came from the trees ahead. 

Hunter’s heart jumped. Relief flooded him. Maybe she heard him. Maybe she was coming to him now. 

He broke into a run, calling her name again. “Dana!” 

But what burst from the woods wasn’t Dana. It was wolves. Several of them. 

And in that moment, Hunter’s mind went completely blank. 

Not because he was afraid for himself. But because Dana had spent the entire night out here. On an island with wolves. 

His face went pallid. 

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2:57 pm G ppp. 

Chapter 9 The Paradise Island