RETT POV
I woke up the second the front door creaked open.
At first, I thought it was a dream. Then the unmistakable sound of snow-packed boots thumping against hardwood snapped me fully awake. A beat later, the scent hit—faint pine, ash, and a trace of blood. Not alarming. Familiar.
Robert.
He always smelled like a damn forest fire after a long shift patrolling the borders.
I sighed, dragging a hand across my face and sitting up in bed. The digital clock on my nightstand blinked 04:37 AM in angry red digits. Awesome.
“You know, most people knock when they return from a night of freezing their ass off,” I called, my voice still raspy from sleep.
There was a grunt from the hallway, then the fridge door opened and slammed shut. A bottle clinked.
“I live here too,” Robert muttered, fi
