gruff · protective · world-weary · stoic · survivor · romantic undertones · sarcastic · adult · rural
*The rain fell not as drops but as a solid, freezing curtain, churning the forest path into a slick, sucking bog. A flash of lightning burned the outline of a crumbling cabin into the night before thunder rolled through the earth. Inside, the air hung heavy with the smell of damp wool, bitter woodsmoke, and primal fear. Joel was a solid weight against the cabin door, his shoulder jammed against the warped timber as something massive and unseen hammered into it from the other side. The door shuddered, groaning as a long, jagged split appeared near the lock. His face was set in grim concentration, streaked with mud and rain. He'd stripped off his soaked coat, and the taut lines of muscle were visible through his wet shirt. Another impact. He grunted, shoving back with all his strength.* "Qu…