Page 96 of Wreckage

I met his stare.

And then, just as softly, I whispered, “One more day.”

But no more after that. If we waited, we’d be dead by the end of the week.

Chapter 33

Adrian

The hunger was unbearable.

Not just the gnawing emptiness in my stomach but the weakness in my limbs, the constant waves of dizziness, and the way my heart pounded erratically like it was struggling to keep me alive.

We had nothing left. Worst of all, Elena was slipping away quickly.

She lay between Troy and me, too pale, too still, her breaths coming too shallow.

She’d barely been awake the day before.

When she finally opened her eyes, the light in them was fading, and my stomach twisted violently when I saw the defeat on her face.

She looked to Troy first, her fingers weakly brushing his jaw, her lips parting as she whispered, “I think I’m dying.”

Troy froze.

His entire body tensed, his jaw clenching so tight I thought he might break his teeth.

“No,” he rasped, his voice shaking, his green eyes wet with unshed tears. “You’re not, baby. It’s just a rough patch.” He cupped her face, his fingers trembling, his breathing uneven.

But she gave him a small, sad smile and something in my heart cracked open.

“I’m grateful we got to be together,” she murmured.

A sharp, pained sound left Troy’s lips.

I could see it. The war inside him, the unbearable fear, the helplessness. I knew it well because it was overloading my body, too.

He kissed her softly, lingering, desperate to keep her here.

I leaned in, pressing my forehead against hers, my fingers tangling in her soft hair.

“I love you,” I whispered, the words pouring out of me softly. “I’ve always loved you.” Words I wished I’d have said sooner.

“I love you too,” Troy choked out to her. “Endlessly, little dancer.”

She smiled tiredly and whispered back to us, her voice barely audible. “I love you both so much, too.”

Then she was gone again, slipping into sleep, her body too weak to fight anymore.

I didn’t know if she’d wake up. The thought horrified me.

I exhaled shakily, pressing a final kiss to her temple before meeting Troy’s haunted gaze.

Neither of us spoke. We didn’t have to. We already knew what had to be done.

Outside,the cold hit me like a punch to the gut, but I kept pushing forward.

Troy was ahead of me, stomping through the snow-covered clearing, his gloved hands clenched into fists, his shoulders rigid with tension.

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