The woman didn't argue. She moved closer to the window, her breath clouding the glass as she stared at the whiteout outside. The snow came down so thick it blurred the world. "Guess we won't be running out of water anytime soon," she said with a faint smile. Cassian stayed silent, though his eyes sharpened. He'd noticed the man sneaking glances at the pets, his greed barely hidden. Cassian's voice came out cold and flat. "Can we go upstairs now?" The man's grin returned instantly, fake and wide. "Of course! I'll give you the biggest, cleanest room. It's right next to ours. Best one in the whole place." Cassian stared straight at him. His tone didn't change. "No. We'll pick our own." The man tried again, his voice louder now. "I'm telling you, that one's the best room here!" Cassian didn't answer. His eyes stayed on the man until the man's smile twitched. The man glanced at his wife, who gave him a subtle look. Then he sighed. "Alright, fine. Come with me and see the rooms first. You'll see what I mean. You've got three pets, and the smaller ones might feel cramped." Natalie spoke up, her tone calm but cutting. "Small rooms hold heat better. Since you offered the best one, you won't mind if we choose another. I'm not asking for a discount." The man's grin faltered, his eyes dull with irritation. He gave in with a shrug. "Whatever you say. Follow me." Before he could take a step, his wife spoke gently. "I'll show them. You should make something warm for our guests." She rubbed her arms and shuddered. "Damn, this weather's crazy. It dropped so fast." The man chuckled, his smile greasy. He gave her a hard smack on the backside. "Don't worry, honey. I'll warm you up later." He waddled off toward the kitchen, humming under his breath. Natalie's stomach turned. The sight made her want to throw up. The woman, though, didn't flinch. She just kept walking like she'd seen worse. Natalie, Cassian, and the three pets followed her upstairs. The wooden stairs creaked under their boots. At the top of the second floor, they ran into the two girls from earlier. Both were wrapped in layers of sweaters and blankets, their faces pale but alert. "Ma'am," one girl called out, "who are these people?" The woman turned back and smiled softly. "Don't worry. They're guests. They're staying the night." The girls blinked in disbelief. "Guests? After all that noise? We thought we were under attack." The woman laughed lightly and waved a hand. She didn't want any trouble now. "You two actually helped. If you hadn't yelled, we might've frozen in our sleep. Thank you." The smaller girl blushed and waved her hands fast. "It's nothing. We overreacted." The woman nodded and started leading Natalie and Cassian up the next flight of stairs. They were about to pass when the taller girl suddenly called out, "Hey, wait!" Natalie stopped and turned, her face unreadable. The girl hesitated for a long moment, then said awkwardly, "Thanks." Natalie blinked, not expecting it. The smaller girl frowned. "Selina, what are you thanking her for?"Selina Sunridge looked back. "Guinevere, if they hadn't kicked that door open when they did, we might've frozen to death down here. In our sleep." Guinevere Fellson scoffed, crossing her arms. "They didn't do it to save us." Natalie smirked. "You're right. I didn't. You don't owe me anything." She turned away and kept walking with Cassian and the pets. Guinevere frowned and stomped her foot. "See that, Selina? She's got an attitude! Total jerk." Selina smiled faintly. "Doesn't matter. I said thank you. That's enough. We should go back to our room now." Guinevere huffed but couldn't help glancing up toward the stairs again. "Still, that guy's hot." Selina followed her gaze. Cassian and Natalie had already disappeared onto the third floor. She covered Guinevere's mouth and whispered sharply, "Don't even think about it. Those two are bad news. Stay out of their way." She didn't need to explain. Anyone could see it. Their dog was healthy and round, her fur shining like polished leather. In a world where most people starved, keeping pets that fat meant power. Their coats were mink, the kind that could buy a city before the world fell. Even the animals had fur wraps. People like that didn't survive by luck. They should not get into a fight with them unless they tried to hurt them. Selina shot her friend a warning look. Those two were clearly a couple. "If you crush on that man, that icy woman will tear you apart in your sleep."