"Jo--"
"Not one more step, Rachel!" Jodie's voice cracked like a whip, sharp and commanding. Her hand shot up, palm out, as if she could physically halt the other woman with her will alone. Her eyes burnt with a fierce intensity, their usual warmth replaced by a cold, unyielding glare. "You'll answer the damn question from right there, or by the moon I'll turn you into a bloody rat!"
Rachel froze mid-step, her mouth opening and closing like a fish gasping for air. Her hands fluttered nervously at her sides, fingers twitching as if searching for something to hold onto. Her wide, panicked eyes darted around the room, avoiding Jodie's piercing gaze. She looked trapped, as though she'd been dragged through the forest and thrown into this confrontation without warning.
