Chapter 83: Wreckage
Gabriel’s pulse hammered in his ears as the footsteps grew louder, crunching over broken glass and twisted metal.
His entire body ached, but pain didn’t matter...not when Diane was still unconscious beneath him, her breathing was the only thing anchoring him to sanity.
He shifted carefully, bracing her against the wreckage to shield her from whatever was coming.
His fingers fumbled for a weapon—anything.
Blood slicked his palms from a gash on his forearm, but he pushed the pain aside and snatched a jagged piece of metal.
It wasn’t much, but it was sharp.
The footsteps stopped.
"Gabriel..." A low, rasping voice pierced the silence.
His stomach clenched. That voice...
Of course, he survived. He always survived.
Gabriel pushed to his feet, legs trembling beneath the exhaustion and adrenaline.
Through the smoke, Adrian’s silhouette came out looking messy, blood fell from a cut on his forehead—but he was still standing.
Still dangerous enough.
"I told you..." Adrian took another step closer, raising a pistol. "You’ll regret this."
Gabriel didn’t respond. Words wouldn’t save them now.
Behind him, Diane stirred, a weak groan escaped her lips.
Relief surged through him—she was still alive—but it was fleeting.
If Adrian pulled that trigger, none of them would be.
"I should kill you both," Adrian continued in a voice as cold as the night air. "End this chase. But I won’t—at least, not yet."
Gabriel’s grip tightened on the shard of metal.
"What do you want, Adrian?" he demanded, stalling for time.
Adrian tilted his head, his mouth curled into a wide smile.
"Everything you took from me." His finger hovered over the trigger. "And I’ll start with her."
The air shifted.
Someone moved behind Adrian—too fast, too quiet.
"Riot!"
He struck like a predator from the shadows.
Blood smeared his face, his shoulder hung awkwardly from where the bullet had torn through it—but he was still standing.
Riot...he was...Still fighting.
"Hey, asshole." Riot’s voice was a snarl.
Adrian spun too late.
Riot’s fist collided with his jaw, sending him staggering backward.
The gun clattered to the ground.
Gabriel didn’t hesitate.
He lunged, driving the jagged metal into Adrian’s side.
Adrian’s scream ripped through the night.
"You don’t get to touch her," Gabriel hissed, twisting the weapon deeper before yanking it free.
Adrian crumpled to the ground, blood pooled beneath him.
Riot kicked the gun out of reach, breathing hard.
"Nice timing," he muttered, wincing as he clutched his injured shoulder.
Gabriel knelt beside Diane, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
She was pale...too pale...but her heartbeat was stable.
"We need to get her out of here," he said, urgency sharpened his voice.
Riot scanned the wreckage. "Helicopter’s toast. Any other bright ideas?"
Gabriel’s jaw clenched. There had to be a way.
A faint hum cut through the night air. Not a helicopter. Something else—closer.
"Truck," Riot said, pointing to the edge of the crash site.
Sure enough, a black SUV was parked just beyond the treeline.
It had to be one of Adrian’s.
Gabriel shifted Diane carefully into his arms.
Every muscle in his body protested, but he ignored it. "Can you drive?"
"I’ve had worse days." Riot’s smirk didn’t quite reach his eyes, but he didn’t wait for a reply.
He moved toward the vehicle, checking the perimeter as he went.
Adrian groaned behind them, his body twitched weakly.
For a moment, Gabriel was tempted to finish it—to make sure the bastard never got back up again.
But there wasn’t time. And Diane needed him more.
They reached the SUV, and Riot wrenched the driver’s side door open.
"Keys," he said, rifling through the glove compartment until his fingers closed around a familiar set.
"Lucky us."
Gabriel slid into the back seat, cradling Diane against him as Riot fired up the engine.
The hum turned into a growl as the vehicle roared to life.
"Hold on," Riot warned, slamming his foot onto the gas.
The SUV tore down the dirt path, tires spitting gravel as they sped away from the burning wreckage.
Gabriel glanced back just in time to see the distant glow of flames consuming what remained of the helicopter—and Adrian’s broken form lying motionless on the ground.
"Think he’s dead?" Riot asked in a low voice.
Gabriel’s stomach twisted. "I don’t know. But if he isn’t..." His jaw tightened. "We’ll be ready."
Silence was hanging between them as the SUV cut through the dark forest.
Diane stirred weakly against his chest, and Gabriel pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.
"You’re safe now," he whispered.
But the truth gnawed at him.
They weren’t safe yet.
And if Adrian survived...
This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.
Riot shifted in his seat, his knuckles white against the steering wheel.
"You know he’ll come back for us," he said quietly.
"I know," Gabriel murmured. His eyes burned with cold fire. "Let him try."
The road stretched endlessly ahead—a narrow path through the night.
They were alive somehow...
And as long as they were breathing...
The SUV sputtered violently, jerking to the side.
"No, no, no—" Riot growled, slamming his palm against the dashboard as the engine coughed one last time and died.
The vehicle rolled to a stop in the middle of the desolate forest road.
Gabriel’s heart sank. "You’ve got to be kidding me."
"We must’ve taken damage in the crash," Riot snapped, shoving open the door.
"I’ll check the engine."
Gabriel shifted to Diane as she moved against him, her eyelids opened.
Relief flooded his chest like holy water.
"Gabriel?" Her voice was weak, confused.
"I’m here," he whispered, brushing a thumb along her cheek. "You’re safe."
She blinked blearily at their surroundings. "Where... where are we?"
Before he could answer—
A rustle in the trees disturbed them.
Gabriel tensed. Riot froze.
And then...Evelyn.
She stepped in, blood smeared across her face and a gun trembling in her hand.
Her eyes burned like the sun and something else that looked like desperation.
"Thought you’d escaped?" Her voice was a rasp.
Diane stiffened, her breath hitched. But something else caught her attention beyond Evelyn.
"A howl...?"
Diane looked toward the ridgeline, where a pack of wolves were standing beneath the moonlight. She noticed the blue eyes in one of them.
The witch’s words repeated in her mind.
"The forest will save you...blue eyes...."