Lottie’s POV

My heart pounds as I stand in the wreckage of my new cottage, glass crunching under my boots. The air smells of splintered wood and betrayal. My furniture’s overturned, cushions slashed, my few belongings scattered like confetti. I’m shaking, tears burning my eyes. This place was supposed to be my fresh start, six hours from Cambridge, but now it’s a nightmare. Who did this? Why me? My knees wobble, and I grip the doorframe, feeling small, pitiful, like the world’s laughing at my attempt to belong.“Lottie!” A deep voice cuts through my panic.

Noah bursts through the doorway, his massive frame filling the space, green eyes blazing with fury. His dark hair’s mussed, like he ran here. He’s the town’s enigmatic leader, someone I barely know but can’t stop thinking about since I arrived last week. His presence screams power, and my stomach flips, a mix of fear and something hotter.“Noah, what did you know?” My voice cracks, barely a whisper.He’s at my side in a heartbeat, his hand on my arm, steadying me. His touch is electric, sending heat through my skin despite the chaos.

“I felt you. Your fear. It called me.” His voice is low, intense, like he’s holding back a storm.“Felt me?” I blink, confused, my mind racing. “That doesn’t make sense.”Caden storms in next, Noah’s twin, just as tall, just as imposing, but with a sharper edge. His green eyes scan the room, jaw tight. “This was deliberate. Someone’s sending a message.”“Who would do this?” I ask, my voice small, pitiful. I hate how weak I sound, but I can’t stop the trembling. I’m just a vet, here to work with Dr. Patterson, not to make enemies.River follows, his amber eyes softer, his brown hair tousled. He’s leaner than the twins but still radiates strength. “Lottie, you okay?” He steps closer, concerned about etching his face.“No,” I admit, wiping tears. “This is my home. It was my home.” My voice breaks, and I hate it. I’m supposed to be strong, starting over after Cambridge, but I feel like I’m crumbling.Noah’s hand tightens on my arm, his touch grounding me.

“You’re not alone in this, Lottie. We’ll find who did this.” His voice is a promise, and my heart skips, caught in the intensity of his gaze. There’s something primal in it, something that makes my skin tingle.“Who’s ‘we’?” I ask, my breath hitching. “I don’t even know you guys.”Caden snorts, kicking a broken chair aside. “You’re in our town now. That makes you ours to protect.” His tone’s gruff, but there’s a flicker of something softer in his eyes.“Protect?” I shake my head, stepping back, my boots crunching glass. “I’m just a vet. I don’t need protection. I need answers.”

Noah’s eyes darken, and he steps closer, towering over me. “You’re more than that, Lottie. You just don’t know it yet.” His voice drops, and my pulse races. There’s a heat between us, undeniable, like a spark ready to ignite. I want to lean into it, but fear holds me back.“What’s that supposed to mean?” I demand my voice sharper now, fighting the urge to shrink under his gaze.Before he can answer, a woman’s voice cuts through, cold and biting. “Well, isn’t this cozy?” Georgia strides in, her blonde hair sleek, blue eyes glinting with malice. She’s stunning, but there’s venom in her smirk. “Poor little Lottie, already causing trouble.”“Georgia,” Noah growls, his body tensing like a predator. “What do you know about this?”

She laughs, a sharp, cruel sound. “Me? Nothing. But it’s cute how you’re all fawning over the new girl. She doesn’t belong here, Noah. You know it.”My chest tightens. She’s right I don’t belong. I’m an outsider, pitiful and out of place. But her words sting, and anger flares. “I didn’t ask for this,” I snapped. “If you know something, just say it.”Georgia’s eyes narrow. “Watch yourself, Charlotte. You’re in over your head.” She turns to Noah, her smile sickly sweet. “You’re wasting your time on her. She’s weak.”“Enough!” Noah’s voice booms, and I flinch. His power fills the room, making the air heavy. Georgia steps back, her smirk faltering, but her eyes promise trouble.River moves to my side, his hand brushing mine, a quiet reassurance. “Ignore her, Lottie. She’s just jealous.”“Jealous?” I whisper, glancing at Noah. His eyes are locked on me, intense, possessive.

My heart races, and I feel it a pull, like he’s the only thing keeping me from falling apart.Caden’s voice breaks the tension. “We need to secure this place. Lottie, you’re not staying here tonight.”“Where am I supposed to go?” I ask, panic rising again. My life’s in pieces, literally and figuratively.“With us,” Noah says, his voice firm but soft. “You’re under our protection now.” His gaze holds mine, and for a moment, the world narrows to just us. My breath catches, a flush creeping up my neck as I imagine what his protection might feel like his hands, his strength, his everything.“Protection from what?” I ask, my voice trembling. “What aren’t you telling me?”

Noah hesitates, and Caden cuts in. “You’ll find out soon enough. For now, pack a bag.”“I can’t just” I start, but Georgia interrupts, her voice dripping with scorn.“Let her stay in her mess. Maybe she’ll learn her place.”“Get out,” Noah snaps, his voice a low growl that sends shivers down my spine. Georgia huffs but leaves, her heels clicking on the floor.The river squeezes my hand. “Come on, Lottie. We’ve got you.”I nod, numb, grabbing a bag and shoving clothes into it. My mind’s a whirlwind—fear, anger, and something else, something tied to Noah’s intense gaze. As we leave the cottage, Noah’s hand brushes my lower back, a touch that’s both comforting and electrifying. I want to lean into him, to let his strength swallow my weakness, but questions burn in my mind.We step into the cool night, the town’s quiet streets lit by moonlight. Noah’s truck waits, and I climb in, flanked by him and River.

Caden takes the wheel, his jaw tight. My heart’s still racing, my hands shaking in my lap.“Lottie,” Noah says, his voice softer now, “you’re safe with us. I promise.”I meet his eyes, and the heat there makes my breath hitch. “Why do I feel like you’re not telling me everything?”He leans closer, his breath warm against my ear. “Because I’m not. But I will. Soon.”My pulse spikes, desire mixing with fear. Before I can respond, a howl pierces the night, low and menacing, from the woods beyond. Noah’s body tenses, his eyes flashing with something wild.“What was that?” I whisper, my voice barely audible.Caden glances back, his expression grim. “Trouble. And it’s coming for you.”