Eric Pov
I moved fast, my boots crunching over brittle bones, stepping over rotting limbs that hadn't been touched by life in decades.
The air in this damn place felt… wrong. Thick. Like it wasn't just hanging around—it was alive, pressing against me like invisible hands, trying to pull me into its depths. My heart was pounding in my chest, but I couldn't afford to hesitate.
"Rain," I called, my voice firm but… something else buried beneath it. Desperation. Hope. "Rain, can you hear me?"
Nothing. The silence down here was suffocating.
My stomach turned. I swallowed hard, pushing it down. This wasn't the time to think about what could be. I had to focus on what was—she was here. I just had to get to her.
My feet moved like they had a mind of their own, stepping over decaying bodies that felt wrong underfoot. Like they shouldn't be there. Or maybe it was me who shouldn't be here. I wasn't sure anymore.
When I reached her, my throat tightened. She looked like a damn ghost. Her skin was as white as the moon, cold, lifeless. Blood—her blood—clung to her like dried paint, staining her pale body, soaking into the ground around her.
I knelt beside her, my hand shaking as I pushed damp, tangled hair from her face. She didn't move. Didn't breathe for a heartbeat.
I pressed my fingers to her throat.
A pulse. Weak, but it was there.
"Thank fuck," I muttered under my breath, a tight laugh escaping. It was hollow, empty. I could feel it in my bones.
She wasn't gone. Not yet.
Then, her eyelids fluttered. Barely. A weak, lifeless movement. Her pupils barely focused on me, like she wasn't sure I was real.
"Rain?" My voice came out rougher than I wanted, but there was no hiding it. It was all I had left—hope in a damn well of misery.
A noise. A breath, more than a word, but I'd take it. "Eric…"
My heart stopped. Then started again, faster this time.
No more waiting. No more wondering if I was too late.
I lifted her in my arms, securing her against my chest. The air down here was putrid, thick with death. It had this weight to it, like it was trying to drag me under, too. But I wasn't staying. Not like this. I'd drag her out of hell if I had to.
"Thomas! Greg!" I shouted up the rope, knowing they'd hear me. "Pull us the hell up."
The rope jerked, the tension snapping back as they got the message. I held Rain closer, adjusting my grip on her limp body. The rope above swayed, moving with a quiet urgency.
But even with that, I couldn't help but feel the weight of the dead. The ones who didn't make it out of this pit. Their eyes were there, haunting me, their silent screams clawing at my back. But I didn't dare look. Not down here. Not now.
I climbed, hand over hand, holding onto the rope like it was my lifeline—because, in this moment, it was. I didn't have anything else but her, this damn rope, and my will.
Minutes passed. Maybe more. Maybe less. It didn't matter. What mattered was getting out.
And then, finally, my hand grasped the edge. A pair of strong hands reached down, pulling me up, dragging me back to life.
I blinked in the fresh air, shivering as I pulled Rain onto solid ground. Her body was light in my arms, too light. I could feel every shallow breath she took, every second ticking by that she stayed barely clinging to life.
I exhaled hard, but the relief didn't come.
"Did you bring the dress I asked for?" I muttered, keeping my focus on Rain as I slowly lowered her onto solid ground.
"Yeah," Thomas said, digging into his bag, still eyeing the dark woods. He passed me the dress without hesitation.
I didn't even glance at it as I slipped it over Rain's fragile form. Her pale skin was too thin, too bruised, a stark contrast to the blood-red gown. But it wasn't about the beauty. It was about protection. The dress had magic woven into its fabric, a shield that would help her survive the hell we were about to enter. It wouldn't save her, but it would keep the worst of the curses at bay.
Greg shifted, his boots shifting against the earth. "Alright, so... what now?"
I didn't look up as I adjusted Rain's limp body on my shoulder, my fingers gently brushing her hair back from her forehead. "You two need to go back. And you need to do it now. Before anyone realizes we're gone."
Thomas frowned, his brows furrowing deeply. "And you? You're really going to go through with this? You're actually gonna step foot in that cursed land?"
I exhaled sharply. "I don't have a choice."
Greg and Thomas exchanged glances, their worry hanging between them, but they didn't argue. They knew better than that.
"Help me put her on my back," I instructed, a hint of desperation in my voice I couldn't hide. The weight of her body was more than physical; it felt like a thousand chains, dragging me into a place even I was afraid to go.
The two men nodded, their hands working quickly, securing Rain against me. I felt the weight settle, her body limp against mine. She was so fragile. So helpless.
I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the worst. "This is goodbye, boys."
Greg smirked, his voice light. "Dramatic much?"
I couldn't help the dry chuckle that escaped me. "Just being realistic. This trip? It ain't exactly a vacation."
Thomas, on the other hand, didn't share in the humor. His face was as serious as it ever got. "Be careful, Eric. You know what they say about that place. Nobody comes back from there alive."
I nodded, a sinking feeling creeping up my spine. "I know. Just… take care of the Young Alpha while I'm gone. The rebels are still out there, and I'm not trusting anyone to get too comfortable."
Thomas's eyes darkened at the mention of the rebels, the danger still simmering in the air like a constant threat. "Yeah… and the Seer's words still bother you, don't they?"
I let out a long, frustrated breath. "His enemies are those closest to him." The words hung in the air, a sick echo that rattled in my bones.
I shook my head, gripping Rain tighter. "I don't know who the hell she meant, but something's coming. Just… keep your eyes open, alright?"
Greg and Thomas exchanged another glance, and in that single look, I saw all the fears, all the unspoken worries. But they didn't argue. They just nodded.
"We got it," Greg said, his voice grim but steady. "Now go. Before someone notices three idiots hanging out near a death pit."
I smirked, though it didn't feel like much of a smile. There was no time for anything more. No more words.
I turned my back on them, knowing that this was the last time I'd see their faces for who knows how long. With one final glance toward them, I slipped into the darkness, the weight of Rain on my back a constant reminder that there was no turning back now.
The Wasteland awaited. And everything—everyone—was counting on me.
And I couldn't afford to fail.