The rain and wind were slapping at my face as I came home with a load of groceries. There was a storm brewing, and the air already smelled like one.

My mind went to last night when Ethan and I were at the Trailer Park Dream. It always scared me how suddenly the Dark Stranger found me there. In other dreams, I had time, sometimes lots of time, but in that one, he would always just be there. No matter how many times we tried to change our routine, I always ended up gutted, hanging from the ceiling of that stinky old trailer.

I usually did the shopping for Dad and took care of the meal preps for seven days in a row. Ever since our mom died, I’d taken it upon myself to take care of us. Next door, the twins were loudly playing some R&B music. Jax was probably giving them hell for it. He always hated it when they were obnoxiously loud.

Suddenly, the music stopped. Jax probably got to them. The wind also died, and the rain ended as if someone had pulled the plug on it too.

Kai was coming over for dinner, and I saw him pull up just now. I was making enchiladas, and Kai had been salivating over the prospect of them all week. We saw each other more and more each day, and ever since that party, we had become this unofficial item. We hadn’t put a label on it yet, but we were together.

“Just in time!” I bellowed as I dragged the last of the seven grocery bags out of the old rusty station wagon. Dad was out of town with the Honda, so I was stuck with this one for the week. It did its job, so that was all that mattered anyway.

A flashback of me and Jax joyriding in it when we were way too young came back in a wave of nostalgia. The car still had a little dent in the front from where we hit that trash can in front of the Miller house.

Kai was staring at the sky with a forlorn expression on his face. His dark brows were drawn together in worry. “Kai? Did you hear me?” He was inching closer, still looking skyward, and his left hand stretched forward to silence me.

The door of the Skylars’ house slammed open with a loud bang. I saw the twins and Jax step out frantically, looking upward too.

“Kai, what’s happening?” I looked but saw nothing but gray skies with dark thunderclouds rolling in. Panic was creeping up my spine without probable cause. My senses picked up on a weird vibe. Something was wrong when all the Rainers were on high alert.

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Kai ran to me and grabbed my hand. “Babe, I need you to listen to me now.” Panic was in his eyes, his posture, his entire being. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

“You’re scaring me…” I grabbed his side and came in closer for a hug while looking into his eyes. He kissed my nose. “I had no idea… I had no idea…” he mumbled. I heard footsteps running toward us and felt a hand on my lower back.

“Freckles, you need to come with us. NOW!” It was Jax, his voice laced with worry as well. Freckles?

“You have a pod?” Kai asked. Jax nodded. Both were ready for a fight, breathing heavily through their noses.

“A pod?” I asked like they were crazy. “Why?”

“For how many?” Kai ignored me but grabbed me harder. It was almost painful.

“Five.” Jax motioned impatiently for the twins to get going toward the shed. Kai and he were having a silent conversation and even started talking in Mons for a few seconds. Jax nodded.

“Let’s go, then,” added Kai solemnly. He grabbed my face and kissed my nose again before dragging me behind him, Jax taking the lead.

“My groceries!” I yelled. They were still sitting in the driveway for anyone to just run off with. They were now rushing, and I was dragged with them, stumbling over my own two feet. My red All-Stars slipped on the wet curb.

When we got to their garden shed, I saw something I couldn’t even believe. There was a silver spaceship, looking like a giant, sleek Tesla with wings. Miro was already behind the wheel, his twin beside him.

Jax threw open the passenger door and pushed me in. Kai was on the other side, quickly stepping into the vehicle. Panic was now consuming me, eating me alive.

Why would we be joining my arch-enemies?

Kai and I hated them with a passion. “Kai…” I sobbed, feeling the nerves from everyone, which made me cry.

Jax scooted in beside me and slammed the door. “Go, go, go!” he yelled at Miro, and his brother slammed the pedal. The thing took off like a bat out of hell. I was holding onto Kai’s arm so hard, sweat beading down my brow. He pried my fingers off one by one and grabbed my face. He kissed me lightly on the lips.

“You’re going to be fine, you hear me… it’s going to be difficult, but you are strong, baby!” He had tears in his eyes. I tried to look outside the window, but he wouldn’t let me.

“No… just look at me. Look me in my eyes…” I felt like something really bad was happening to me. But I couldn’t align this with Kai. He would never let that happen. Never. But then again, I never saw Jax’s betrayal coming.

Kai glanced over my shoulder at Jax and nodded. The next thing I felt was a cold, sharp pain in my neck as Jax stuck a needle in it. “Kai… what the fuck…!” I cried out as if he had just stabbed me. In the back.

“Baby, you trust me, right?” I was trying to get out of his grip now. He was not my friend. Nothing made sense, and everything was fading around me, like I was in a vortex and only Kai was still in focus.

The struggle became more difficult because my limbs were becoming weak. Jax had drugged me with something.

“I will never forgive…” were the last words I said before everything faded to black.