The Exiled Bride: Shattered By Four Brothers

a P

Suburban with federal government plates pulled

ical parkas and Kevl

ort-cropped grey hair

nt of Energy badge with a Le

ed, checking a rugge

," I

ing the duffel bags from my hands with professional efficiency. "Your academic tr

tood,"

s into the rear

ated violentl

led i

created ten years ago when we built our treehouse in

d posted

side the Sutton

ofa, holding a glass of champagne, w

and Karson, all smiling, raising

: The real team.

me the

't bother coming to the penthouse to apologiz

s already been integrated into our social modelin

in the hallway trash. Hope the A

on popped up at th

renamed the group

ged Aria Nixon's nick

We'll save a seat for you at the alumni gala

perfect name.

iption of current geo

rden's hand

Call me when you land in Fairbanks. Mayb

t the glow

ye

late-night homework sessions, ho

ic execution designed to ap

ype a sing

e group set

e Gr

? All shared media and chat logs will be p

sed Co

ened my co

er. Block

r. Block a

e. Block a

ard, my screen lit up with an inc

re watching your phone. Stop this childish sil

open th

he red tra

e Con

ed the rear pass

Security Act, all personal civilian communication hardware must be surrendered prior to crossing the state operation

it," I

into the pouch, and watched him s

een wen

al tether

to the high-

sealing out the damp coastal air, the sound o

oothly, heading north towa

lass, I watched the

lawns of the elite private academies, and the massive brick esta

the SUV reached the

e highway, marking the boundary

ced at me in the

tract becomes legally irrevocable. Your five-year non-disclosure status will take full legal effect. Under federal law, no c

es meeting mine i

nfirm your

grey highway stretching into the distan

he line,

cross the painte

threshold, an intense, physical

Karson, and I had visited an old coastal chapel and sworn a solemn oath of shared loyal

nal anchor-a childhood bond that made e

em was hurt, I felt an inexpl

passed beneath the chassis, that

g pain exploded

caught in

abric of my jeans, my knu

olent shudder ripped

ered forever, a voice tore through the void of my though

r

as J

sperate, and filled with a horror

he wire

ompletely, beau

into a cold, pr

s, my ties to the four boys who had di

back against the

s of northern snow began

ing me away from the poison, toward a frozen wo