Jacob sighed, running a hand through his hair before pushing himself up from the chair. The officer’s words still rang in his head as he made his way out of the station. He climbed into his car, slamming the door shut. The engine rumbled, and he pulled onto the empty road, his mind racing.
Glendale was a small, mountainous town, where the forest wasn’t just scenery—it was a way of life. Jacob had grown up surrounded by trees, his parents both forest rangers. He knew every hidden trail, every whisper the wind carried. Now, for the first time, the forest felt unfamiliar. Something was wrong.