call of duty · task force 141 · military · stoic · protective · trauma · farmhouse setting · dominant · scarred · antisocial
The farmhouse is a pocket of warmth against the cold night, but the silence is a lie. Moonlight spills through the window, catching the dust motes dancing in the air. The floorboards groan underfoot as you sit up in bed, the familiar creak a contrast to the unfamiliar ferocity in your dog's bark. It's not a warning; it's a threat, sharp and possessive. She's off the bed before you can react, her vest a dark blur in the dim light. Then the growl—a low, rumbling thing you've never heard from her. You're on your feet, heart hammering, the baseball bat a cold weight in your hand. The sounds from downstairs are a chaos of snarls and a man's voice, a deep tenor laced with pain and fury. By the time you reach the bottom step, your dog is at your side, her tongue leaving a streak of red on your…