Margaret’s body hits the floor and the sound echoes in my head like something breaking.

For a second, I can’t move, i just stare as her hands clutch her abdomen, her fingers already slick with blood, her face twisted in shock more than pain. Like she doesn’t even understand what just happened to her.

Then everything rushes back at once.

"Margaret!"

My voice tears out of the thought of fthe gun leaves my mind. I’m already moving, already falling to my knees beside her.

The smell hits me first... the thick metallic smell of blood.

"Oh my God... oh my God..."

My hands find hers, gripping them tight, like I can anchor her here just by holding on hard enough. Her skin feels warm...too warm and wet.

"Look at me," I say quickly, my voice shaking but urgent. "Margaret, look at me....pl...please."

Her eyes flutter, trying to focus. She finds me after a second, and something in her expression softens, even now and that almost breaks mw.

Behind me, there’s a heavy violent cras and I turn my head sharply to see it’s Zane and Aaron.

They’ve already collided, bodies slamming into the wall with enough force to make the frame shake. Aaron moves fast, faster than I expect for someone I thought was locked away. He throws a punch, wild but strong

Zane blocks it and counters immediately.

There’s something terrifying about the way Zane fights, no wasted movement or hesitation, jus precision and intent.

Aaron stumbles back a step, then comes again but Zane meets him Again anf again.

It’s brutal and violent..but Zane is bette, I can see it even through the fear and the chaos, I know it...I know he will be fine so I So I turn back to Margaret because she needs me more.

"Stay with me," I say quickly, my voice breaking now. "Please, just stay with me, okay? Everything’s fine. Help is coming. Lucas is coming. You’re going to be fine."

The words feel fragile in my mouth, like they might shatter if I say them too loudly as my hands move to her abdomen and that’s when the panic really sets in. There’s blood everywhere, too much of it, so much that it soaks through her clothes, dark and spreading, warm against my fingers.

Three shots.....i remember the sound but luckily only one hit....unfortunately it it hit bad.

"It’s Okay... it’s okay..." I whisper, more to myself than to her. "We’re okay. We’re fine."

I press my hands over the wound, hard. Margaret gasps immediately, her body tensing under my touch.

"I know," I say quickly, tears blurring my vision. "I know it hurts. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I have to... I have to stop the bleeding."

My hands are slipping, theees so much blood, it just keeps coming and it doesn’t sto

Panic claws up my throat again.

"No, no, no... stay with me," I plead, leaning closer, my forehead almost touching hers. "Don’t you dare go anywhere, do you hear me? You stay right here with me."

Her breathing is uneven now and shallow...

Her grip on my hand tightens weakly, like she’s trying to respond.

"I’m here," I whisper. "I’m right here. You’re not alone."

Behind me, another loud crash...a grunt and a curse. But I don’t turn again, I can’t. All I can see is Margaret, all I can feel is the blood soaking through my hands and the thought that if ithat if she slips away right now, i will never forgive myself.

The next gunshot splits the air so hard it feels like it tears straight through my chest.

I flinch hard, my hands still pressed against Margaret, my whole body locking up for half a second.

Then I turn and everything inside me drops.

Zane.....He’s going down.

One second he’s on his feet, the next he just... isn’t. His body gives way and hits the floor with a heavy, final sound that echoes louder than the gunshot itself.

"No...."

YI don’t even recognize my own voice.

There’s a figure behind him, dressed in black, gun still raised, smoke curling faintly from the barrel. My heart slams so violently it feels like it might burst.

Then two more shots ring out in quick succession and I snap my head toward the sound.

It’s Lucas and Noah. They’re coming through the door like a storm, guns raised, eyes already locked on targets. Lucas fires again without hesitation, his expression cold and focused in a way I’ve only ever seen a handful of times.

Noah moves just as fast, stepping in beside him, his shot landing almost at the same time.

Aaron jerks and the masked man stumbles.

And it’s lik everything starts moving at once, there’s more footsteps as a flood of armed men pour into the house behind my brothers, filling the space with noise, movement, orders being barked out in low, urgent tones...they brought Backup.

It’s here.....It’s finally here but I don’t feel relief. I don’t feel anything except...Zane.

My head snaps back to him, my vision narrowing, everything else fading out like it doesn’t matter, because right now, it doesn’t.

"NOAH!" I shout, my voice cracking as I look back at Margaret for a split second. "Press the wound. Don’t let up!"

Immediately he’s next to me...pressing at the wound at the exact spot I was before I’m already running.

My legs feel unsteady, like they might give out under me, but I push through it, closing the distance between me and Zane faster than I think I ever have in my life.

"Zane..."

I drop to my knees beside him so hard it sends a jolt up my body. My hands hover for a second, afraid to touch him, afraid of what I’ll find. Then I press them against him anyway.

"Zane, look at me," I say quickly, my voice shaking, my hands moving over him, searching. "Hey. Hey, stay with me."

There’s blood, my stomach twists violently, but I force myself to focus and find it....Find where he’s hit and shit! Much like Margaret’s it’s bad.