The door slammed shut in Micah and Noah’s faces.

  For a moment, neither of them breathed.

  Then—

  The closet burst open like a pressure bomb.

  The Chief stumbled out first, covered in Kael’s vomit and pure indignation.

  Kael followed, pale and shaking, looking like he’d aged ten years.

  Nico hopped out last, tail wagging, completely unfazed.

  “We survived!” Nico cheered.

  Noah sucked in a breath so sharp it hurt.

  They almost got caught.

  Almost.

  Micah saved him. Again.

  But how long could they keep outrunning disaster?

  There was only one option.

  ---

  30 Minutes Later

  The Chief sat on the couch, arms crossed, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else.

  Kael lay on the floor, groaning into the carpet.

  Nico sat with his tail curled around his legs, unusually quiet.

  Micah stood beside Noah, tense, eyes flicking to him every few seconds like he was afraid Noah might disappear.

  Noah took a breath that trembled on the way out.

  “Okay,” he said. “We need to talk.”

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  The room stilled.

  Even Micah’s tail froze.

  Noah pointed at all of them. “You almost got us arrested today.”

  The Chief scoffed. “We were fine.”

  Kael groaned. “I wasn’t fine. I saw the light.”

  “You deserved it,” the Chief muttered.

  “ENOUGH!” Noah’s voice cracked — not with anger, but with fear.

  Everyone jumped.

  Even Micah.

  Noah’s hands shook. “You can’t keep doing this. You can’t hide in my house forever. You can’t fight the police. You can’t sniff strangers. You can’t—” His voice wavered. “You can’t keep risking your lives like this.”

  Nico’s ears drooped instantly.

  Kael looked away, guilt flickering across his face.

  Even the Chief’s expression softened, just barely.

  Noah swallowed hard. “You have to go home.”

  Micah’s head snapped toward him. “Noah—”

  “No. Listen.” Noah forced himself to meet Micah’s eyes. “You’ll be safe there. The Triangle is the only place humans can’t reach. You can’t stay here.”

  Nico whimpered. “But… I like it here…”

  Kael groaned. “I don’t want to go back. It smells like wet moss.”

  The Chief grunted. “We’re not leaving Micah.”

  Noah’s chest tightened painfully. “You have to.”

  Micah stepped forward, desperation flickering in his eyes. “Noah, please. There has to be another way. We can figure something out. We can stay hidden. We can—”

  “No.” Noah’s voice cracked. “You can’t.”

  Micah’s expression crumpled. “Noah… I don’t want to leave you.”

  Noah felt something inside him tear open.

  Micah reached for him. “Noah—”

  “Stop.” Noah stepped back like the touch burned. “Micah… this isn’t going to work.”

  Micah froze.

  Noah forced the words out, each one slicing him from the inside. “I don’t love you.”

  Micah flinched like he’d been stabbed.

  “I don’t care about you,” Noah continued, voice trembling. “My life would be better without you.”

  Nico gasped.

  Kael sat up.

  Even the Chief looked stunned.

  Micah didn’t move.

  He didn’t breathe.

  He just stared at Noah with eyes that were breaking in real time.

  Slowly, he nodded.

  “If that’s what you want,” Micah whispered, voice barely holding together, “then… I’ll respect it.”

  Noah’s throat closed.

  Micah turned away, shoulders trembling once before he forced them still.

  Nico crawled toward him. “Big brother…?”

  Micah didn’t answer.

  Noah stood there, fists clenched so tightly his nails dug into his palms, trying not to fall apart.

  He had to protect them.

  Even if it meant destroying himself.

  Even if it meant destroying Micah.