The air in the room felt thicker now, the silence unsettling. Every breath echoed as the lights flickered on, casting harsh shadows over the remaining players. Ethan's heart pounded in his chest. The reality of the situation was sinking in — the game was nearing its end, and soon, the truth would be revealed. They were down to four.
Reaper lay motionless, her blood pooling beneath her. She had been the Hunter, a final line of defense against the Werewolf. But now, her gun was useless. The Werewolf had struck once more, and with Reaper's death, the balance had tipped.
Ethan's jaw tightened as the voice of the billionaire boomed from above.
"Reaper has been eliminated by the Werewolf."
The game had entered its final stage. There was no turning back now.
Ethan stood frozen, eyes locked on Reaper's lifeless form. He had worked with her, trusted her, and now she was gone. The weight of each loss was heavy, but this one felt different. This was the Hunter, someone who had been ready to risk it all to eliminate the wolf. And now she was gone.
"Only four remain: Ethan, Violet, Bloom, and Ghost. The Werewolf is still amongst you."
Grief and Accusation
Violet was the first to move, kneeling beside Reaper's body, her hands trembling as she checked for any sign of life. But it was useless. Reaper was gone. Her chest was still, her eyes wide open in an expression of shock.
"She was the Hunter," Violet whispered, her voice breaking. "She shot Ghost… and missed."
"She was right to suspect him," Ethan replied, trying to steady his breath. His mind was racing. Reaper had thought Ghost was the Werewolf. Was she right? Could Ghost really be the wolf? Or was it someone else?
Ghost stood a few paces away, his hands in his pockets, watching them. "She was wrong," he said coolly, his eyes narrowing. "She didn't know what she was doing. None of you did. She died because she trusted the wrong person."
Ethan's eyes flicked to Ghost, narrowing. The man was always on the defensive. Always quick to argue, but never showing any real vulnerability. Something about him had always seemed off to Ethan, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Yet.
Bloom stood nearby, her expression unreadable. She was quiet, as usual. Too quiet. But Ethan had learned not to underestimate the quiet ones. Sometimes, they were the most dangerous.
A Game of Lies
"So," Ethan began, his voice steady but his mind spinning. "We're down to four. One of us is still the Werewolf, and there's no more protection. Reaper's dead. The Hunter's gone."
Violet wiped away a tear, her gaze fixed on the floor. "Who do we trust now?"
"I trust you," Ethan said, turning to her. He didn't know if that was true, but he needed her to believe it. "I've scanned you. You're clean."
Violet nodded slowly, though there was a hesitation in her eyes. "And what about Bloom?"
Bloom shifted uncomfortably, her gaze darting between Ethan and the others. "I'm clean too. I've told you all that."
Ghost scoffed, shaking his head. "You can't trust any of us. We're all lying to each other. Just like we've been since the beginning."
Ethan's chest tightened. Ghost was always so quick to deflect, to avoid the spotlight. It was almost as if he was trying to make everyone else feel paranoid, trying to shift the focus away from himself.
"No," Ethan said firmly. "We've been honest. Reaper believed Ghost was the wolf. She died because of that belief. And now, we have to figure out if she was right."
Ghost shot Ethan a look, a mix of annoyance and amusement. "So, what now? We just keep pointing fingers at each other until someone dies? Is that how you're going to win, Ethan?"
Ethan's mind raced. There had to be a way to figure this out. He had scanned the others, but the Werewolf had been elusive. Who could it be? The doubt was beginning to creep in again.
"I'm telling you," Ethan said, his voice tight. "We need to stick together. If we keep voting each other out without thinking, we're all going to die. The Werewolf will pick us off one by one."
The Final Hour
The tension in the room was unbearable. The air felt heavy with accusation, suspicion, and regret. They were running out of time. The billionaire's voice echoed through the chamber.
"Voting begins in 30 seconds. Make your choice."
Ethan could feel the weight of the decision pressing down on him. One wrong vote, and the Werewolf would win. It could all end in an instant.
"Who do we trust?" Violet whispered, her eyes locked on Ethan.
Ethan swallowed hard. "I trust you. I trust Bloom."
Violet nodded. "Then we need to figure out who the wolf really is."
Ethan turned to Bloom. "Bloom, you've been quiet. Too quiet. It's hard to believe you're not hiding something."
Bloom stiffened, but she didn't say anything. She just stood there, waiting.
Ethan knew he had to be careful. He couldn't let himself get caught up in the paranoia. He had to think clearly, like a detective. He'd been methodical in his scans, and now he had to trust his instincts.
"I'm going to vote for Ghost," Ethan said quietly.
Violet looked at him, eyes wide with shock. "What?"
Ethan's gaze never wavered. "He's been deflecting too much. Always blaming others, never taking responsibility for his actions. He's playing us."
Violet hesitated, but then she nodded. "I'll vote for him too."
Bloom finally spoke. "I vote for Ghost as well."
The floor rumbled as the screens lit up with the votes. Ethan could feel his heart racing in his chest.
The Final Vote
Ethan votes: GhostViolet votes: GhostBloom votes: Ghost
Ghost's face twisted in fury. "You're all making a mistake. You're all wrong."
The floor opened beneath him, and Ghost fell through without another word. His body vanished from sight.
"Ghost has been eliminated."
...
…
"Ghost was… the Werewolf."
A wave of shock swept through the room. Ethan felt a mix of disbelief and relief. He had done it. He had figured it out.
Victory and Revival
The chime of the billionaire's voice echoed through the chamber.
"The human team has survived."
Lights flashed, and the room seemed to come alive with energy. The fallen players — Owl, Scorch, Reaper — were all brought back to life. They gasped for air, blinking in confusion as they returned to the game.
Violet fell to her knees, her hands trembling as she looked around, realizing that the game was not over yet. The revival of the dead players was a sign that the humans had won.
Ethan stood there, breathing heavily. He had made it. They had made it.
"Congratulations," the billionaire's voice echoed."The survivors have made it through. You will advance to Round Three. But be warned — the challenges ahead will test you like never before."
The floor beneath them shifted, and a door opened. It was a new beginning — a new round of the game.
But Ethan knew one thing for sure: he was not done yet.