Ava POV
I screamed until my throat burned.
The sound bounced off the library walls, raw and wild, and then died into a broken sob. Marcus held me tight against his chest, one hand cradling the back of my head. Damien's palm pressed flat between my shoulder blades. Lucas stood close, his fingers wrapped around my wrist like he was afraid I'd shatter if he let go.
Maybe I would.
"Breathe," Marcus whispered again. "Slow. In and out."
I tried. My lungs hitched, stuttered, then finally filled with air. The room came back into focus—the tall shelves, the leather chairs, the window seat where Lucas had touched me so gently just hours ago. It all looked different now. Darker. Like the whole house had shifted while I wasn't looking.
I pulled back from Marcus, wiping my face with both hands. "
