The apartment instantly felt smaller once the brothers switched into full alert mode. Rowan paced through every corner like he'd lived here for years, checking the kitchen, bathroom, closet, even under the bed. Elias didn't rush,he moved slowly, scanning every detail like he expected the walls to tell him secrets. He touched the windowsill lightly, eyes narrowing. "He was close," he muttered. Rowan groaned, "Dude, can you not say things like that?" Elias ignored him and placed a small black device at the base of my window. I frowned. "What's that?" "A proximity detector," he said. Rowan nodded. "Beepy thing for creeps." My stomach twisted. "Do we really need that?" "Yes," Elias replied, voice calm but final. Rowan sat beside me. "Ava… sit. You're shaking." I tried to deny it, but I sat anyway. The room felt too quiet, like the air itself was listening. Elias stood watching the window like it was alive. Rowan's voice softened. "We're here. You're safe." I nodded, though I wasn't sure I believed it. Elias suddenly said, "Lights off." Rowan blinked. "Already?" "Dark makes movement easier to spot," Elias said. Rowan muttered something, but Elias flipped the switch. Shadows swallowed the room, letting only faint streetlight glow through the curtains. Rowan settled beside me again. "Try to sleep, Ava." "I can't." "You can," he whispered. "I'll stay right here." I looked at him. "Rowan… are you scared?" He hesitated, then gave a small, humorless smile. "A little. Only because you are." My voice lowered. "What about Elias?" Rowan shrugged. "He doesn't get scared. He freezes his fear until it turns into something else." Elias spoke from across the room. "Now is not the time." Rowan scoffed. "She deserves to know who's protecting her." "Not tonight," Elias repeated. Silence returned ,heavy, suffocating. I lay back, exhaustion pulling at my eyes. Rowan shifted closer, his presence grounding me. "I've got you," he whispered. I started drifting, breathing evening out. But then—a faint beep broke the quiet. Elias stood instantly. Rowan tensed. My eyes snapped open. "What was that?" I whispered. Elias's voice lowered. "Movement." Rowan stood. "Where?" Elias walked to the window, parted the curtain by an inch. "Outside. Close." My heartbeat crashed against my ribs. Rowan hovered beside him. "Do you see anything? Elias?" Elias didn't answer at first. Then "A shadow." Rowan cursed. "Already? Seriously?" Elias didn't move. "He's back." My breath hitched. "Is he looking this way?" "He's across the street," Elias murmured. "Watching." Rowan raked a hand through his hair. "I swear this guy doesn't blink." Elias closed the curtain. "He's patient. And bold." Rowan turned to me, trying to soften his tone. "Hey. Don't panic. He can't get in here. Not with us." But I heard the fear he tried to hide. Elias stepped away from the window, eyes cold and sharp. "This ends soon." Rowan frowned. "Elias, don't even think about going out there." "I didn't say I would," Elias said. But he didn't need to. Rowan muttered, "Unbelievable…" Elias looked at me. "Ava. Stay close. Don't move unless one of us tells you." I nodded, pulse racing fast and painful. The apartment felt like a held breath. Elias stepped back to the window, voice dropping to a whisper. "He's watching." His gaze hardened. "But he's not the only one."
