“I said stay back!” Harper warns.

“The letters,” I say, still breathless. “He was—watching me. For months. Kayla helped him.”

I hear the rip of paper in the background. Brecken is either opening the envelopes or tearing them to pieces. My heart throbs. A beat-beat-beat in my wound. I sway on my feet, and Harper lets out a frightened yelp.

“Back!”

“Harper, run!”

Josh. It’s Josh telling her to run. My blood runs cold as I turn, head spinning. He can’t be here already, but he is. He’s found one crutch and that limp is back. Blood trickles from his swollen lip. Was that me? Did I do that?

I wish I’d done more.

“Stay away from her, Harper,” Josh croaks. He is utterly convincing. “She pushed us. Me and Kayla. Kayla’s hurt. We have to help her.”

“No,” I shake my head hard. “Not true.”

“She needs help.” Josh drags himself forward, pain etched into his features. If I didn’t know better, I’d believe him. If I hadn’t seen him loping down that mountain. Coming for me.

“Where is she?” Harper asks.

“She’s not down there,” I say.

“Mira came at me,” Josh cries. “She had that knife. She might still have it.”

“Oh my God,” Harper says, her eyes dragging to the crimson-stained snow.

“He’s lying to you,” I cry.

He’s on us now, and I’m trapped between Harper with her shovel and Josh with his lies.

Fresh panic flares through my middle. Where is Brecken? Because Harper is a lost cause, and I can see thoughts falling over Josh features. He’s going to use her worry. Her kindness.

He’s making a new plan, right now.

“We have to help Kayla,” Josh says. He’s scanning the ground.

Oh God. The knife. It’s right beside him.

“Stay away from me!” Harper says. Josh overplayed his hand, and now she’s afraid of us both. She’s holding the shovel at each of us. Josh raises one hand, his brows sad.

“I won’t hurt you,” Josh says. “I just want you safe. Stay away from her, Harper.”

He groans like his knee hurts, leaning down awkwardly.

I see it in slow motion, and I know what this is: he’s going for the knife.

I lunge, but the snow is deeper than I thought. My foot catches and I’m down, but I push myself forward, reaching. Trying to grab it before Josh.

Everything happens at once.

My palm grazes the cold blade. Harper cries. Josh’s face is there. Right there. He’s so close, a wolf’s smile on his mouth as he takes the knife’s handle, jerks it so hard the blade slices across my palm.

I scream in fresh pain, my body curling toward the new injury. Something moves in the corner of my eye. It’s long and dark and coming fast.

Thunk.