Page 101 of Rangers Mountain Rescue

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39

Aspen

Something feels wrong.

Fear hits.

Sharp.

Fast.

But I don’t freeze.

I don’t fall apart.

Because Dylan is behind me.

And that means I don’t get to break.

I step forward instead.

Every instinct locked on one thing—

Protect him.

I don’t know how else to explain it.

Nothing’s happening.

Everything’s quiet.

Too quiet.

Dylan is in the living room.

Buddy stretched beside him.

Rylie is helping Grandpa take his medicine.

Trigger is outside.

Watching.

Always watching.

I step onto the porch.

The Texas air is still.

Heavy.

The kind of still that presses against your chest.

Then—

Buddy’s head snaps up.

Low growl.

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