Chasing the storm

You're right, baby. Let me fix that and make it smoother and more intense.

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Chapter 32: The Calm Before We Break

(Rowan's POV)

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The motel wasn't safe.

Not from the storm.

Not from whatever the hell was happening outside.

And definitely not from the tension inside.

The air was thick with exhaustion, but no one was sleeping.

Ava, Mia, and Oliver were going through the supplies, counting and recounting like the numbers would magically change.

Caleb was resting, his leg stretched out, still bruised from the storm.

Sienna sat beside him, running a hand through her messy hair, too tired to argue with me anymore.

Good.

Because I wasn't in the mood for another fight.

Except, apparently, the universe wanted one anyway.

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"I don't think we should stay here long," Oliver muttered, adjusting his flashlight.

Ava frowned. "Yeah? And go where?"

Oliver exhaled. "We can't just sit here."

"No one's sitting," I said, leaning against the wall. "We're surviving."

Caleb scoffed. "That what you call this?"

I shot him a look. "You got a better idea?"

His jaw ticked. "Yeah. Let's not pretend this motel is any safer than the gas station was."

Sienna pressed her lips together. "He's right."

I hated that she agreed with him.

Hated that the moment he said something, she listened.

Like his opinion mattered more than mine.

Before I could snap back, the wind howled outside—louder, angrier.

The walls shook. The windows rattled.

And then—

The power went out.

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Mia sucked in a sharp breath. "Oh, hell no."

Ava fumbled for the flashlight. "Everyone stay calm—"

Sienna grabbed the radio. "Caleb, give me that."

He handed it to her, and she pressed the button.

Static.

She tried again. Nothing.

Her fingers tightened around the radio. "It was working before."

"The storm's messing with it," I muttered.

Caleb sighed. "Great. No lights, no radio, no plan."

I ran a hand through my hair, my pulse too damn loud in my ears.

Outside, the wind shrieked—like something alive.

And for the first time since this started, I felt something I didn't like.

Something that wasn't just frustration or anger.

Something like fear.

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We Need to Move. Now.

Ava looked at Oliver. "Okay, genius, you wanted to leave. Where do we go?"

Oliver hesitated. "We wait for the storm to let up a little—"

A loud crack outside.

The ground trembled.

Mia whispered, "That didn't sound good."

I pushed off the wall, my voice sharper than before. "We don't have time to wait."

Sienna's eyes flickered to me. "Rowan—"

"We need to move. Now."

For once, no one argued.

Because deep down, they knew it too.

This storm wasn't stopping.

And if we stayed here?

Neither were we.

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