Nothing there. Just the empty dirt clearing and—
"Bailey! Bailey, get back here!"
A golden retriever bounds into view, racing toward the distant RV where soone stands in the doorway, waving.
I exhale a laugh that sounds more like a gasp. See? Dog. Just a dog. Totally normal. Totally fine.
Paranoia's getting to . This skin-crawling feeling makes everything seem like so monuntal problem instead of just so random neighbor's dog coming around to sniff the new arrival.
Asher watches carefully but doesn't comnt. After a long mont, he says, "I need to make a supply run, but it's at least a fifteen minute drive to town. I'll be gone about an hour."
"You're leaving?" My voice pitches higher than I intended.
"There's no indication we were followed." His tone is calm and asured as he explains, "We need water and fuel. I won't be long."
I nod, though anxiety crawls up my spine like tiny spiders. He's right. We need supplies. Who knows how long we'll be here. Echo doesn't sound like she's coming back tonight. She said they were stopped at a motel because the others were tired.
They were driving all night, so it's no surprise.
Asher gathers his keys and moves to the door. His hand pauses over the handle as he turns back to , his gray eyes intense. "Lock this behind ."
"I will."
He steps outside, and I follow him outside, watching as he motions toward the underside of the RV. Fenris appears, manifesting out of thin air, smaller than he usually is. Much like when I thought he was a black dog instead of himself, with only the faintest hint of ethereal glow deep in his fur.
He starts padding toward , but Asher growls, and he jerks to the side and slithers under the RV, panting in the shade of its cover.
"He'll stay here."
I frown. "Does he have to stay outside?"
"Yes."
The wolf's gray eyes peer at , and I swear they look pleading.
"Can't he co inside…?"
"No."
Asher climbs into the truck, starting the engine. The mont the truck begins to roll away, chaos erupts.
Finn and Pip burst past , sprinting toward the moving vehicle, and Fenris bolts after them.
"Stop!" I yell. Too harsh. Too sharp. But it's a mont of panic. "Get back inside, now!"
The younger boy freezes, then turns with a scowl sour enough to curdle milk. The toddler, sensing the tension, hesitates too, reaching for Finn's hand once she sees Fenris behind them.
The wolf circles, looking for all the world like… a herding dog.
"Now," I repeat, my voice cracking.
The boy stomps back up the steps, shooting a dark look. Guilt twists my belly.
Fenris chuffs, bumps my thigh, and slithers back under the trailer.
"What's your problem?" Finn mutters.
"I'm sorry for yelling," I say, softer now, "but we need to stay inside. At least until he cos back."
Maddox appears in the doorway, his steady presence an imdiate balm. "Finn, knock it off. Treat it like Rowan's place—ergency protocol, rember?"
The boy's shoulders sag slightly, but he nods.
The truck idles at the end of our clearing. Sothing's wrong. Asher's hesitating, and I can see his profile, rigid and alert. I hurry over, jogging the entire way. Fenris trots behind , clearly taking his guard dog duty seriously.
"What is it?" I call out.
He's glowering out the window, his gaze fixed on the distant RVs, particularly the one with the older couple.
"Probably safe isn't certainty," he says, his voice low and hard. "Get your ass inside and lock the door, Violet."
I hesitate, but the authority in his tone is clear. I nod, jogging back. Up the steps and into the camper, the lock clicks with finality behind . Poor Fenris remains outside.
By the ti I get to the window, he's already gone.
"Who's hungry?" I ask, forcing brightness into my voice.
Four blank faces stare back at . No takers.
"I can help you set up," Maddox offers, breaking the silence.
Lily stands too. " too."
"Yeah, okay," Finn mumbles, already over his attitude. "What can I do?"
Pip squeals and starts jumping on the daybed, her little body launching higher with each bounce. Just as she teeters dangerously close to the edge, Maddox lunges forward and catches her.
My heart jumps like an overcaffeinated rabbit. I cover with a deep breath, pushing down the panic that threatens to overwhelm .
We're safe. We're out. Asher will be back soon. Everything's fine. Pip's got all of us watching her, and no one followed us here.
Everything. Is. Fine.
But tell that to the creeping dread still following around. Better than before, but still present.
"Okay, team." I clap my hands, finding strength I didn't know I had. "Lily, grab things off the bed in the back. Ask if you aren't sure where sothing goes. Finn, can you unpack everyone's backpacks? Keep your clothes in your bags, but get all the food and other stuff out, and we'll find a place for them. Maddox, help in the kitchen. There's a lot of stuff in the cabinets we need to put back."
I won't put everything out. Optional decor can stay packed, just in case we need to leave in a rush. But we need to at least make sure we're comfortable and can easily access everything we need in the anti.
"Okay," all three of them chorus.
Oh, wait. I still need to turn off the second AC unit.
The thermostat is sleeker than I expect—flat, matte black, with a soft-glow screen. It ntions zones—one and two—which is super helpful as soone who has no idea what she's doing. What's wrong with "living room" and "bedroom"? It would be a lot clearer.
I poke at it until Zone 2 clicks off. The bedroom AC winds down with a chanical sigh, and I check the solar panel with bated breath.
Estimated run ti: 11h 42m. Battery: 96%.
Thank goodness.
Though I'm guessing the number will go down with the sun.
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