Belle's breath was harsh, and her legs burned as she carried Alistair's weight along the cold, barely lighted corridors. His blood left a thick trail on the shattered concrete floor, staining everything with the cruel memory of how near death had been. Belle said vehemently, her voice shaking with fatigue but determined, "We're not leaving without Theodore." She looked at Alistair's pallid face, the agony carved into every feature. You must hang on. A slight grip of comfort was Alistair's fingers twitching on her arm. Belle, please don't. "No," she said, shaking her head. "No giving up at this time." Their footsteps reverberated throughout the maze-like corridors, the quiet shattered only by faraway whispers and Belle's frantic metal scraping. Every inch of his body pressed against her, the warmth of his flesh, the uneven beat of his breath, connecting them in an unspoken vow. Ahead, a faint sound moved the air, gentle, infantile cries from below. Belle stood still, heart poundin
Last Updated : 2025-05-19 Read more