At the hospital

Hardin’s POV

Frozen in sight, my eyes locked on the horrifying sight of Freda crumpling to the ground, crimson staining her clothes as blood gushed from her stomach. Despite the urgency of my men rushing to her aid, I stood rooted to the spot, an invisible force holding me in place as if time had come to a stop. It felt as though the very foundation of my world was crumbling before my eyes, a sense of helplessness washing over me like a tidal wave.

I tilted my head in the direction of Shelby who wasn't feeling remorseful for what she did. The audacity of her actions left me reeling, disbelief mingling with a rising tide of fury that threatened to consume me whole.

As the red haze of anger clouded my vision, instinct took over, primal and unyielding. Without a second thought, my hand moved on its own accord, reaching for the familiar weight of my gun. The cold metal pressed against my palm.

In that fleeting moment of clarity amidst the chaos, I raised the weapon, my finger curling ar