Ethan didn’t break eye contact— But something had shifted behind it. Tighter. More focused. Not on the man in front of him— But on the time slipping through his fingers. Karpeta. Unconscious. Barely breathing. Every second here mattered. And this— This was in the way. Ethan exhaled once, steadying himself. “…Not now,” he said. Peter’s grin twitched, amused already. Ethan continued, voice low but controlled. “…We can settle this later.” A pause. “…I’m busy.” For a fraction of a second— Silence held. And then— Peter laughed. Not loud. Not explosive. But deep. Rolling. Like Ethan had just said the funniest thing he’d heard all day. “…Busy?” Peter repeated, wiping at the corner of his eye like he was genuinely entertained. “You hear yourself?” Ethan didn’t react. Didn’t rise to it. “…Move,” he said again, sharper this time. Peter tilted his head, studying him like something had just become very interesting. “…No,” he said simply. The amusement didn’t leav

Ethan stared at him—Really stared now.At the warped proportions.At the claws flexing slowly at Peter’s sides.At the thing moving beneath his skin like his body could barely contain it.And one thought cut through everything else:This is bad.Peter rolled one shoulder, and a sickening crack echoed from the joint.“…You’re quiet now,” he said.His voice no longer sounded fully human. Something rough dragged beneath every word.Ethan adjusted his stance carefully.“…You’re uglier than before,” he replied.Peter barked out a laugh.Then vanished forward.Fast.Far too fast.Ethan barely reacted in time—A clawed hand ripped through the space where his head had been a split second earlier.He twisted sharply, the attack grazing his shoulder instead of tearing through his throat.Pain burned instantly.Peter’s claws had cut deep.Ethan stumbled back—Peter was already on him again.A heavy strike slammed into Ethan’s guard and sent him skidding across the dirt.The force was monstrous.

Peter’s claws shook violently.His strength was fading fast.Dark blood spilled down his chest in heavy streams, soaking the torn fur around the knife wound before dripping onto the forest floor below.Then—Ethan twisted the knife.Hard.A horrible cracking sound came from inside Peter’s body.The beast’s entire frame jerked violently.Once.Twice.A deep growl burst from Peter’s throat, but it no longer sounded powerful. It sounded broken. Weak. Like an animal desperately trying to hold onto its last breath.Peter staggered backward, nearly losing balance, but somehow managed to stay standing. His claws scraped through the dirt as he tried to steady himself against a nearby tree. The bark splintered beneath his grip.Ethan immediately stepped back, breathing hard.Every muscle in his body screamed in pain.Blood ran down his arm.His vision blurred from exhaustion.But he kept his eyes locked on Peter.Because monsters like him didn’t die easily.For a moment, neither of them moved.

The room became quiet again.Only Karpeta’s breathing could be heard now.Weak.But alive.Ethan sat down heavily beside the bed, like his body finally remembered how tired it was.His hand stayed near Karpeta’s arm, almost checking every second that she was still there.Elsa watched him carefully.“…You’re bleeding badly,” she said.Ethan looked down briefly at his shoulder like he had forgotten about it.“…I know.”“…You need treatment.”“…Later.”Elsa frowned.“…You might pass out before ‘later.’”Ethan gave a tired breath that almost sounded like a laugh.“…Then wake me up.”Elsa stared at him for a second longer.Then she moved.Without asking.She grabbed a cloth from nearby and walked back toward him.Ethan looked up slightly.“…What are you doing?”“…You’re getting blood everywhere,” she said simply.He almost argued.But he looked exhausted now.Too exhausted.So he let her.Elsa cleaned the blood from his shoulder carefully. The cut was deep.“…This wasn’t an animal,” she sa

She still looked upset. Still jealous. But she no longer had the energy to fight properly. Her hand grabbed weakly onto his sleeve instead. “…Don’t let her stay here alone with you,” she mumbled quietly. Elsa stared at her. Then suddenly— To Ethan’s shock— She laughed. A real laugh this time. Small. Disbelieving. “…You really are serious.” Karpeta looked away angrily. Ethan rubbed a hand over his face tiredly. “…I cannot survive another conversation like this tonight.” That almost made Elsa smile again. Almost. Then she looked properly at Ethan once more. At the blood still drying on his clothes. At the deep cut on his shoulder. At how pale he actually looked now. “…You need rest too,” she said quietly. “I’m fine.”“I’m fine,” Ethan repeated.His voice sounded rougher now.Less steady.Elsa gave him a long look.“…You can barely stand.”“I said I’m fine.”“Yeah,” she muttered. “And I bet she said she’s fine five minutes before collapsing.”Karpeta weakly pointed