Harper

PULSE

Harper's pov:

"Hmm, smells like coffee," I thought, snuggling closer to the warmth of the person holding me. Slowly, I blinked my eyes open, my mind still foggy with sleep. But as reality seeped in, I remembered the urgency of the situation with my family. With a jolt, I sprang up, my voice ringing out once more.

"What's happening?"

Ignoring the tender embrace of the person beside me, I surveyed the scene before me, my heart sinking at the sight. I hadn't anticipated things escalating to this extent.

I approached the girl who was bound to a broken chair, her plastic nose visibly damaged from the struggle.

"Let me go!" she screamed, shoving me forcefully to the ground. In an instant, Hardin seized her by the neck, silencing her cries with a chilling finality.

Stunned into silence, I could only watch as the echoes of the guy's screams reverberated through the room, a grim reminder that he was next.

"Get up," Caroline commanded, her voice laced with a severity I'd never witnessed before. Without hesitation, I obeyed, allowing her to lead me to my room where she locked the door behind us, sealing us in with the weight of the unfolding tragedy.

Hansel's pov:

Harper's arrival coincided with our confrontation with the man who had dared to lay a hand on her.

"What's happening?!" she exclaimed in horror, before collapsing in a faint.

We all exchanged frustrated glances. Harper's tendency to faint was becoming a tiresome routine, yet despite our annoyance, I lifted her gently from the floor and settled her onto a nearby chair.

Where had she been? My mind raced with concern.

It was unusual for me to feel such deep care for someone, but Harper was different. She was my sister, my closest companion, and anyone who dared to harm her would face the full extent of my wrath.

The screams of the assailant and his accomplice brought a strange sense of satisfaction, but nothing compared to the comfort of holding my dear sister in my arms.

Minutes passed, and Harper stirred, rising from my lap with a bewildered expression. A pang of frustration swept over me as she seemed oblivious to my efforts to protect her.

"What's going on?" she asked again, her voice trembling with confusion. As silence hung in the air, she bravely approached the girl we had restrained, offering her assistance. "Let go of me!" the girl protested, shoving Harper to the ground.

Without hesitation, Hunter intervened, ensuring the girl would never lay a hand on Harper again. As her lifeless body crumpled to the ground, the remaining assailant let out a horrified cry.

I stepped forward, ready to deal with him, when my mother's voice pierced through the chaos.

"Harper, get up," she commanded, her tone unusually stern. Even in her calm demeanor, it was clear that she, would stop at nothing to protect Harper.

Caroline's pov:

The realization that someone had violated my daughter stirred a mix of emotions within me—grief, guilt, and an overwhelming desire to protect her at all costs. 

She had endured hardships beyond measure, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I had failed her by not being there when she needed me most.

 Her gentle soul, so full of kindness and compassion, only served to amplify my anger towards those who would exploit her innocence.

As I watched her lying on the ground, battered and bruised yet still reaching out to help her attacker, my heart ached for her.

 "Get up," I instructed, my voice trembling with a mixture of concern and restrained fury. To my surprise, she rose without complaint, her resilience a testament to her strength.

Leading her to the sanctuary of her room, I gave her a reassuring look before locking the door behind her. I needed to ensure her safety above all else.

Returning downstairs, I found the perpetrator barely clinging to life, his labored breathing a stark contrast to the indifference of the others.

 Determined to uncover the truth, they pressed him relentlessly for answers. "What did you do to her?" Hades's voice rang out, punctuated by the force of his blows.

With each strike, the man's resolve crumbled until he lay broken and defeated. I checked for a pulse, confirming his demise. "There's no pulse," I declared, the weight of his death settling over the room.

"What are we—" I began, but a scream from Harper's room cut me off.

"Harper?" Hunter's voice was filled with concern, echoing the fear that gripped us all in that moment. With a heavy heart, I followed his lead, rushing to my daughter's side, determined to protect her from any further harm.