Love Among The Ruins-Chapter 78

NADINE’S P.O.V

After killing the monster, I just kept moving.

Slamming into the tree had left my body aching. Each step felt like torture. I could barely breathe, could barely move, but I dragged myself across the forest floor searching for a cave. My thighs grew slick as I walked but I ignored it because I knew what it meant and I couldn’t deal with it at the moment.

I wasn’t sure how long I walked until I found one. It was small, but I’d manage it. I dragged myself over, trying not to slip over any rocks but I miscalculated because I managed to trip over my own feet. I went flying to the ground hard.

My sides burned and my arms felt like lead. I tried to pull myself up but I couldn’t. Tears burned at the back of my eyes as I realized that this was how I’d die: away from everyone I knew, far from the man I’d fallen in love with. Alone.

I wasn’t sure how long I was there, the birds chirping above me and the forest moving on. I closed my eyes, willing the darkness to take me before some creature, but luck had never been on my side. The sun was beginning to rise when I heard movement behind me. It was frantic, almost rushed and I braced myself from the pain that would come from the attack but instead, I felt hands on me.

"Baby."

I nearly sobbed, wondering if my mind had conjured up Caine just to make the pain and the passing more bearable. I was pulled into a warm chest and I felt hands stroking my cheeks and face.

I squeezed my eyes shut, not wanting to open them and realize that this was all a dream. I couldn’t deal with the heartbreak.

"I’m right here, princess, look at me," his voice was softer than I’d ever heard it before and it cracked around the edges. "Please. I love you, Nadine, you can’t fucking die on me."

I shook my head. "You’re not real."

His hands stroked my cheeks and I felt something wet drop on my face. "I am, I’m right here. I need you to open your eyes for me."

I slowly forced my eyes open and saw him.

He was real.

He leaned over me, his eyes soft and filled with tears. He pressed a lingering kiss to my forehead and cursed under his breath. There was so much I wanted to say but in that moment, nothing else mattered except for the fact that he was here. The pain dulled and everything else ceased to exist.

"I’m so sorry I didn’t find you sooner." He kissed my forehead again. "What happened to you?"

"Everything."

"Did someone pack any medical supplies?"

It was at that moment I looked behind him and my brows furrowed when I realized that there were people there. Joshua and Amy stood, watching the entire scene with wide eyes and disbelief.

"I need something to clean her with!" Rowan’s voice was harsher and it spurred them into action.

Amy rushed over, opening the bag she carried with her. She pulled out a pack of cotton pads and a bottle of water and handed them over to Rowan. He slowly wiped away the dirt and blood from my face.

I wasn’t sure if he’d noticed the blood on my thighs or not so I dropped my voice to a whisper. "The baby-"

"I know," he cut me off with a shaky smile.

"I’m sorry."

His eyes grew hard. "You have nothing to apologize for. You could’ve died out here. It’s a miracle that you’re even alive."

"I think it happened when the monster threw me into a tree. At least, that’s when I noticed. I should be happy, I was going to tell you that I didn’t want to keep it-"

He grabbed my cheeks in his hands. "You just had something ripped away from you, Nadine, you have every right to be pissed and upset."

I sniffled, burying my head in his shoulder. I didn’t care that we had an audience, I didn’t care that I looked weak. I just wanted to stay in his arms and pretend that everything was alright. He held me close, his hands gently stroking my hair and back.

"Who hurt you, princess?" he asked. "Who brought you out here?"

"I don’t know."

’Nadine-" he pulled back from me.

"I don’t remember what happened after-" I trailed off, glancing up at Joshua. "We can’t go back there. They’ll kill me."

His jaw hardened. "Then we won’t. What happened?"

I looked at Joshua again which earned me an eye roll from him.

"I risked my fucking life to get him to you. I gave up everything to get them both out here. I can’t go back there. If I do, I’m going to die for treason so you may as well stop hiding things because we’re on the same fucking team."

To say I was shocked was an understatement. I couldn’t believe that Joshua would betray them, but a nod from Rowan told me that he was telling the truth. I suppose I had him to thank for my safety.

"You can trust them," Rowan assured me. "Tell me what happened."

"The General did this. I don’t know if he carried me out himself but he definitely planned it."

"Why would he do that?" Joshua asked. "What would he gain by hurting you? It doesn’t make sense."

"It will when I tell you what I saw. They were running tests on the monsters in a room in the bunker."

Amy gasped, Joshua stared at me in disbelief but Rowan didn’t even flinch. "What room?"

"I don’t know. I stumbled across it when I left the nursery. I tried to leave but he put something over my mouth. The last thing I remember before waking up here was blacking out on the floor."

Rowan ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. I knew he believed me, he knew me better than anyone and he knew that I’d have no reason to lie.

"If that’s true, then wee have to warn the others," Joshua said. "They don’t know what he’s doing."

Rowan snorted. "Do you think they’ll believe us? We’re traitors like you said. He is their General."

"We can take them to the room."

"She doesn’t even know where it is, and even if she did, I’m not putting her through that again."

Joshua frowned. "There are innocents there."

"And there are better ways to save them that don’t include putting our lives in danger. Fucking look at her, look at how they hurt her. Go back if you want, but we’re done."

"Nadine," Joshua turned to me. "They deserve the truth."

Rowan spoke before I could. "The answer is no. Now fuck off for a minute while I get her cleaned."

He picked me up, cradling me against his side as he walked us to the mouth of the cave, away from prying eyes.

Behind us, I heard Joshua curse under his breath before storming off with Amy in tow. It was only when they were gone that I finally allowed myself to breathe.

"Joshua is right though, they deserve to know."

"I know, but right now, you’re all I care about. When you get better, then we can think about the others."