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75: Awake

Author: Tarina
last update Last Updated: 2025-01-11 23:57:51

[Lincoln]

“C'mon, Ella, open your eyes,” I plead, shaking her slightly. My voice cracks, betraying the panic clawing at my chest. Her face is so pale, so unnervingly still, I almost feel like I’m holding a lifeless doll.

“Drive faster!” My voice thunders, raw with urgency, urging the driver on. The air in the car feels suffocating, thick with tension and the metallic scent of blood. My hands tremble as I cradle her closer.

She’s bleeding. She’s fucking bleeding! What had they done to her?

My mind is a whirlwind, flashing back to the vision of her in Deric’s arms. My blood boils in my veins, rage simmering just below the surface. What had they planned? What the hell kind of sick game were they playing?

Gritting my teeth, I whisper more to myself than to her, “C'mon, Ella, stay with me.”

Her head lolls against my chest, her warmth slipping away by the second. A small part of me is screaming that I’m losing her, and that terrifies me more than I’ll ever admit.

“You’ll be fine, Ella. You’
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