River
I remember walking into that grimy, dimly lit warehouse, the stench of sweat and fear thick in the air. I could hear muffled cries, and I knew instantly it was her. Noel was tied up in the middle of the room, looking so out of place in that filth. She was supposed to be safe, always safe, under our watch. My fists clenched at the sight of the bastards surrounding her. The same idiots who had thought it was funny to grab her arm yesterday, laughing like they had every right. I hadn’t forgotten their faces, and neither had my brothers.
“Let her go,” I said, my voice steady, but there was venom in it, enough to make the tallest guy hesitate.
“Oh, look, the knight in shining armor,” one of them sneered, stepping closer to me like he thought he stood a chance.
I didn’t respond.
