The Bigshot's Superstar Wife

The journey back was worse than before. The storm showed no mercy, drenching them in relentless sheets of rain.

The wind howled, lashing against their bodies and forcing them to lean forward as they trudged through the muddy terrain. Water pooled in their boots, making every step heavier.

Lisa slipped again, this time landing hard on one knee. She cursed under her breath, struggling to get up.

"Here." Athena grabbed her arm and pulled her up with ease.

Lisa exhaled sharply. "You ever consider being a full-time survivalist?"

Athena didn't answer. Her mind was elsewhere. The feeling of being watched still clung to her skin like a second layer of cold.

She kept glancing behind her, scanning the darkened trees. No one was there. But something was.

By the time they reached camp, the situation had worsened. More contestants lay curled in their shelters, their fevers intensifying.

Some were barely conscious, their bodies slick with sweat despite the cold. Others groaned weakly, unable to sit up.

"They're getting worse," Darren muttered, already kneeling beside one of them to check their pulse. "We need to act fast."

Athena and Lisa dropped the herbs they had gathered onto a dry piece of cloth. Marco shook off his rain-soaked jacket, stepping closer.

"What do we have?" Lisa asked.

Athena crouched, sorting through the leaves and roots with practiced ease. She still couldn't explain how she knew, but she trusted the knowledge.

"This one," she said, holding up a thick green leaf. "It lowers fever when brewed into tea."

She pointed at another. "This can help with inflammation. And this root," she paused, frowning. "It's strong. We'll have to dilute it."

Darren watched her carefully. "You sure about this?"

Athena met his gaze. "Yes."

That was all it took. They worked quickly, using what little equipment they had. Darren boiled water over a portable stove, while Lisa crushed the leaves into a fine paste.

Marco cut the roots into smaller pieces. The air smelled of earth and bitterness as they mixed the ingredients into makeshift cups.

One by one, they fed the herbal remedy to the sick. Some contestants were too weak to drink on their own, so Athena and Lisa helped them.

Minutes passed. Then an hour.

The effects weren't immediate, but the violent shivering of some contestants began to subside. Their breathing evened out. It wasn't a cure, but it was relief.

Athena exhaled, tension easing from her shoulders. Then she noticed her.

A female contestant, one who had been silent the entire time, was lying too still. Her body was curled on her side, her dark hair plastered to her damp forehead.

"Hey," Athena called softly, moving toward her.

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She reached out and gently shook the woman's shoulder. "Wake up."

Still nothing. Her stomach tightened.

"Darren," she said sharply.

He was beside her in seconds, fingers pressing against the woman's wrist. A beat later, he frowned. "Her pulse is weak."

Lisa crouched next to them. "Is she dehydrated?"

Athena shifted to move the woman into a better position, but as she did, her eyes caught something on the side of her neck.

A sting. At least, that's what it looked like at first glance.

A swollen, raised bump, angry red with a dark center, pulsing slightly beneath the skin. It wasn't just a regular insect sting.

It was too large. The swelling spread out unnaturally, like something had burrowed deeper than the surface. Her breath hitched.

"What is it?" Marco asked, noticing her hesitation.

Athena didn't answer immediately. Instead, she carefully leaned in, inspecting the wound. The skin around it looked irritated, veins slightly darkened.

"This isn't normal," she murmured.

Darren's expression darkened. "Looks like a bee sting, but the swelling..."

"Is too big," Athena finished.

Lisa shifted uncomfortably. "What do we do?"

Athena's first instinct was to alert the crew, but when she reached for the communicator clipped to her belt, her heart sank. No signal. She tried again. Nothing.

"The storm must be messing with the connection," Marco muttered.

Athena clenched her jaw. They were on their own. She turned to the others. "We need to be careful. If something stung her, there could be more out there."

Lisa shuddered. "Great. As if this night wasn't bad enough."

Darren checked the woman's pulse again. "She's stable, for now. But if that swelling spreads..."

"We'll deal with it," Athena said firmly.

She pressed her lips together, thinking fast. The herbs they had gathered were useful, but none of them were meant for venom or severe allergic reactions.

They needed something stronger. And fast. For now, she adjusted the woman's position, making sure her airway was clear. Then she covered her with an extra tarp to keep her warm.

The others watched, uneasy.

"We need to check our surroundings," Athena said. "Make sure no one else was stung."

Marco and Lisa nodded, immediately moving through the camp, checking on the others. Darren stayed behind, monitoring the unconscious woman.

Athena stood, gripping the communicator tightly. Still no signal. She glanced toward the darkened forest, heart pounding.

Something was out there. Something unnatural. And it was getting closer.

A sudden gust of wind rattled the tarps, sending a fresh spray of rain into the already damp shelters.

Athena barely noticed. Her focus remained on the unconscious woman, watching the slow rise and fall of her chest.

"We need to do something about the sting," Darren muttered. "If it's venomous, her condition could worsen."

Athena nodded, scanning the herbs they had gathered. Nothing they had collected specifically treated venom.

Lisa and Marco returned, shaking their heads. "No one else was stung," Lisa reported. "At least, not that we can see."

That didn't ease Athena's concern. If this was an isolated case, it meant whatever had attacked this woman had targeted her specifically, or worse, was still out there.

"Did she go anywhere before this?" Athena asked.

Marco frowned. "She wasn't with us. I think she stayed in camp the whole time."

Athena's unease deepened. Then where did the sting come from?

Another sharp gust of wind howled through the camp, making the shadows shift. Athena's fingers tightened around the communicator. No signal. No way to contact the crew.

They were trapped in this storm. And whatever had stung the woman… it wasn't finished yet.