STEP BROTHER DEAREST
“Then we protect each other. That’s it. That’s all we can do. Together. Alive. Human. And if one of us falters, the others hold the line. That’s the only edge we need.”
I nodded, finally feeling the truth of it. “Together,” I repeated, letting the word anchor me. “Alive. Human. And whatever comes next, we face it that way.”
Madison exhaled, a small, almost relieved smile crossing her face. “Then we rest. And plan. But not in fear. In clarity. In trust. That’s the only way we survive him, and ourselves.”
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The storm outside had passed completely. The city was quiet, almost deceptively calm. But inside, we knew the storm wasn’t over. He was out there, learning, adapting, waiting for the next