The bear's expression was unreadable. "She's right. She's not political. A human female from another world—that's curiosity, not threat. It might actually help. Show the tribe that the sanctuary means something bigger than territory disputes."
"Granite—"
"I'll keep her safe." The words were simple. Absolute. "Nothing touches her while I'm breathing."
Sally looked at Alex with an expression that was half triumph, half genuine warmth. "See? Granite's got my back."
Alex opened his mouth to argue, then closed it.
Because Granite was right. About all of it. The politics, the need for a personal approach, the value of someone who existed outside the usual power structures. And Sally... Sally wasn't a child anymore. She'd survived the multiverse, adapted to a world that should have broken her, and was currently the only member of their family who could stay with him without triggering anyone's territorial instincts.
