Willow's POV
The first light of dawn crept across the horizon, whispering promises of a new day that I was all too fearful to believe. I sat quietly in the dimly lit living room, the silence both a comfort and a prison. The house was still, except for the faint sounds of breathing coming from the spare room where Nat slept.
As the front door creaked open, I looked up abruptly, my heart skipping a beat. The sight before me was like a scene from a nightmare. Dillon and Kasey were half-carrying, half-dragging Brax into the house. He looked terrible, a shadow of his usual strong self. His face was bloody, with two black eyes and a split lip, each a stark reminder of the brutal world we inhabited.
I stood up quickly, my own shock freezing me to the spot. Brax lifted his face just enough for
