DONOVAN CONNOR.

PAST.

꘎♡━━━━━━━♡꘎

"Welcome back!" Kate's cry shatters the tense silence of the foyer. Without hesitation, she throws herself into my arms, wrapping herself around my neck as if her life depended on it. Her body trembles slightly against mine, like she's been holding her breath this whole time, waiting for my return.

I hold her tight, clinging to her like I need to prove she's real too. I close my eyes and breathe deeply, losing myself in that sweet scent of lemon and green apple that lingers in her hair. Two months. Two months away from home, away from my pups, from this place that should be a sanctuary but has become a battlefield instead.

The house reeks of suppressed tension, repressed fear, and unspoken orders. The furniture is still in place, but there's a coldness in the air that wasn't there before. An absence of warmth. Yet here I am. I can't leave them alone. Aarón and Kate need me. Even if they don't always show