The sun hasn't even crawled over the horizon when my alarm jolts me awake. Four-thirty in the morning feels criminal, but my racing thoughts won't let me fall back asleep. Rose's bloodied knuckles keep flashing through my mind on repeat.

I slide out of bed carefully, trying not to wake Chris, who's sleeping in the next room. My backpack sits ready by the door. I packed it last night, knowing I'd need to leave early. The floorboards creak under my feet as I tiptoe down the hallway, wincing at each sound that seems loud enough to wake the dead.

After yesterday, I need to see Rose. Need to make sure she's really okay. Lilly's text was too brief, too clinical. Just one word. "Yes." But that doesn't tell me if Rose is traumatized, or if she's regretting what happened, or if she's scared about consequences.

I scribble a quick note for Chris and leave it on the kitchen counter. "Had to go early. Love you." He'll be disappointed, but I can't wait around to explain.

The pre-dawn air hits me like a slap when I step outside, cool and damp with morning dew. I pull my jacket tighter around me and head toward my car, keys jingling in my hand.

That's when I see them.

Two identical silhouettes standing beside my car, their auburn hair catching the faint glow from the street lamp. The twins are here, waiting for me outside my house at four-thirty in the goddamn morning.

"What the hell?" I mutter, stopping dead in my tracks.

Rose steps forward first, moving into the light. Her face looks impossibly normal, no sign of the feral rage that consumed her yesterday, no hint of regret or trauma. Just Rose, with her usual mischievous smile and bright eyes.

"Morning, sleepyhead," she calls, her voice carrying through the quiet neighborhood. "We figured you'd try something like this."

I feel a sudden rush of emotion as Rose's voice hits me. The sound of her, so normal, so alive after what happened yesterday, breaks something inside me. Before I know it, I'm sprinting across the dewy grass, my feet slipping a little as I cross the distance between us.

I crash into Rose, wrapping my arms around her so tightly I might be hurting her, but I can't bring myself to loosen my grip. My face presses into her hair, breathing in her familiar scent.

"I was so worried about you," I murmur into her neck, my voice cracking with emotion. "Are you okay? Are you in trouble? Did anything happen after I left? Are the police looking for you?"

Rose's arms circle my waist, returning my embrace with equal force. I can feel her smile against my shoulder.

"Whoa, easy there," she says, pulling back just enough to look at my face. "I'm perfectly fine. Lilly took care of everything, just like she promised."

I search her face frantically, looking for any sign of distress or trauma. There's nothing, no haunted look in her eyes, no tension in her jaw. She looks exactly like Rose always does, confident, slightly amused, completely at ease.

"But you..." I struggle to find the right words. "You beat someone half to death yesterday. In front of a child. How are you not freaking out right now?"

Rose shrugs, as if we're discussing something as mundane as the weather. "She deserved it. Anyone who tries to touch what's mine gets what's coming to them."

The casual way she says this sends a chill down my spine, but strangely, not one of fear. It's more like recognition. Like I'm finally seeing something clearly that was always there.

"Rose," I say, the words tumbling out before I can filter them, "what you did wasn't right. You know that, don't you? Just because you're standing here like nothing happened doesn't mean you're not in serious trouble."

Rose's smile falters for just a second before returning, brighter and more dangerous than before. She reaches up to cup my face between her hands, her touch gentle despite yesterday's violence.

"Seth, sweetheart," she coos, her thumbs tracing my cheekbones, "you're so adorably naive sometimes. I'm not in any trouble at all."

I tighten my grip around Rose, pulling her closer against me, my fingers digging into the fabric of her jacket. The playful gleam in her eyes falters as she registers the tension in my body.

"No, Rose. I mean, you're in trouble with me," I say, my voice dropping lower. "What you did yesterday... I'm not okay with it. At all."

Rose's brow furrows in confusion, her lips parting slightly. She glances down at my hands still clutching her jacket, then back up to my face.

"Then why are you holding me like you're afraid I'll disappear?" she asks, genuine puzzlement in her voice. "If you're so unhappy with me, why can't you keep your hands off me?"

The question hits me like a punch to the gut. Why am I holding her? I should be backing away, creating distance between us. Instead, I'm clinging to her like she's my lifeline.

"I don't know," I admit, loosening my grip but not letting go completely. "I was terrified something happened to you. That doesn't mean I approve of what you did."

Lilly steps out of the shadows, moving with that graceful precision that's so uniquely hers. "Is hurting someone the best way to get your attention, Seth?" she asks, her voice carrying a hint of something I can't quite place.

I let go of Rose and move toward Lilly, wrapping my arms around her. Her body is warm against mine in the cool morning air. I press my lips against hers, a gentle kiss that lingers longer than I intended.

"No, I'm sorry," I murmur against her mouth. "I was just worried about Rose."

Lilly's eye twitches almost imperceptibly when I say Rose's name, but she leans into my touch anyway, her hands sliding up to rest on my chest.

"I told you I'd take care of it," she says as her fingers play with the collar of my jacket, straightening it with unnecessary precision.

"I believed you," I admit, looking into those green eyes that seem to see right through me. "But I was still nervous. I couldn't help it."

Rose sidles up beside us, sliding her arm around my waist. "He was worried about me, Lilly. Isn't that sweet?" There's a smugness in her voice that makes Lilly's jaw tighten slightly.

"Very," Lilly replies, her tone perfectly measured. She takes my hand in hers, lacing our fingers together. "But there was no need. Everything's been handled exactly as I said it would be."

"What happened to Allie?" I ask the question that's been burning in my mind, finally escaping.

Lilly's expression doesn't change as she answers, "She has a broken nose, that's it. Nothing life-threatening."

My eyebrows shoot up. "That's it? She looked half-dead when I left."

"Facial injuries always bleed dramatically," Lilly explains with clinical detachment. "It looked worse than it was."

I turn to look at Rose, who's watching this exchange like we’re just shooting the shit. "And Martha? The little girl who saw everything?"

"Martha will never bother Chris again," Lilly says, her voice dropping slightly. "I had a very productive conversation with her while Rose was... cleaning up."

Rose beams at me, pride radiating from her like she's expecting a gold star. "See? You should be thanking me. Problem solved."

Something snaps inside me. The casual way they're discussing this, like what happened was reasonable, proportionate, it's too much.

"Thanking you?" I pull away from both of them, creating space between us for the first time since I saw them. "I could have handled it without you nearly killing Allie and traumatizing a nine-year-old child!"

Rose's smile falters, genuine confusion crossing her face. "But I fixed it for you."

"That's not fixing anything!" My voice rises despite my effort to keep it down. "That kid is going to have nightmares for years. She watched her sister get beaten bloody!"

Lilly's eyes flash with something cold and dangerous. She steps forward, her posture shifting into something predatory that makes my protest die in my throat.

"Seth," she says, her voice razor-sharp and frigid, "Allie tried to sexually assault you. She attempted to use her sister's bullying as leverage to coerce you into sex." Each word drops like an icicle between us. "We will not tolerate anyone who tries to harm what belongs to us."

I open my mouth to argue, but the intensity in her eyes stops me. There's something about the way she's looking at me, possessive, protective, and completely unapologetic, that makes my heart hammer against my ribs.

"I... I know," I finally manage, my voice smaller than I intended. "But still, the violence..."I trail off, suddenly remembering something important.

My brain shifts gears completely as I look at Lilly. "Oh, and by the way, Lilly, I know you bugged my phone."

Her expression doesn't change, not even a flicker of surprise. Just that same calm, calculating stare.

"You tried it on us first," she responds coolly. "I saw it in your journal. The only difference was that you failed."

I sigh deeply, running a hand through my hair.

‘Of course the other Seth tried to bug them. He really is a lot like me.’

"Fair…," I admit, too exhausted to be properly angry about the invasion of privacy. After yesterday's violence, this feels almost trivial in comparison. "You have to get rid of it, though."

I dig my phone out of my pocket and hold it out to Lilly. She takes it from my hand, her fingers brushing against mine. Without hesitation, she types in my passcode, and her fingers move expertly across the screen, tapping through menus I didn't even know existed.

After a minute of concentrated effort, she hands it back to me with a satisfied nod. "Done."

I take my phone back, feeling oddly relieved as I slip it into my pocket. "Thanks, Lilly," I say, offering her a warm smile.

"Of course," she replies, her eyes catching the first hint of sunrise. "But we'll probably try again at some point."

I can't help but laugh at her blunt honesty. "I get it. It's nice being loved like that, in a weird way," I admit, shaking my head. "But I need some level of privacy, alright?"

Lilly's lips curl into that coy smile that always makes my stomach flip. "No promises.”