All Chapters of Caught Between Two Men And The Apocalypse : Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

Virginia (2040) Natasha Reese woke up to a banging headache that made it hard to breathe. The pain sat heavy behind her eyes and pressed against her skull, she gasped, fighting through the sleepy fog until her lungs filled with air again. Sweat covered her skin, making her black tank top stick to her body, she reached out to the other side of the bed, hoping to feel the familiar warmth of her husband, Josh. The space was empty and cold. She pushed herself up slowly and grabbed the wristwatch on the small table beside the bed. It was two in the morning, she had barely slept. With a quiet sigh, she swung her legs off the bed and stood up. She was still wearing her lounge pants and black tank top from the night before. The headache reminded her that she needed medicine, so she moved quietly toward the small living room, which ran on solar power. The soft glow of the light surprised her. Not for any other thing in particular, but Josh was not in bed because he was right there on the t

The late morning sun streamed through the curtains and fell across Natasha’s face. She stirred, then jolted awake. For a moment, she did not move. Her eyes scanned the room slowly, trying to make sense of where she was. The bed, the walls, and the familiar scent of her room. She frowned. The last thing she remembered was collapsing in the bathroom. She had locked the door. She was certain of that. So how did she end up here? Natasha sat up carefully. Her head throbbed almost immediately, and a wave of dizziness followed. “Ah…” she let out a low sound as she pressed her fingers against her temple. The fever was still there. Not as strong as before, but it had not left her. She swung her legs off the bed and stood up, though her balance wavered slightly. She waited until the dizziness passed before walking toward the bathroom. The mirror reflected a version of her she barely recognized. Her eyes were red. Her skin looked pale. Her short hair was messy, falling out of place. She st

“Wait… don’t tell me you’re infected?” Martha said, her voice rising in panic. “Stop, Mom. What are you talking about?” Josh cut in quickly, trying to shut her down. Even as he spoke, he understood what she meant, and that made his chest tighten. Natasha forced herself to stay calm. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, keeping her tone steady. “I think your fever hasn’t gone away. You should rest.” Without waiting for a response, she pushed back her chair and stood up. The room felt too tight, she needed some air. She walked out and closed the door behind her, shutting them all out. For a moment, no one spoke. Then Evelyn’s voice broke the silence. “I know what I saw,” she said quietly. Josh glanced at her, wanting to believe she was wrong, but he did not argue with her. Instead, he stood up and followed Natasha outside. He found her standing on top of the wall that overlooked the compound. The street beyond was quiet, almost eerily still, with abandoned cars and

Rain poured heavily from the sky, soaking everything in sight. The ground had turned into thick, sucking mud that pulled at every step. The air smelled of rust and decay. Thunder rolled in the distance, but it was not the loudest sound in the zone. People were screaming. They ran in every direction, slipping and falling in the mud, then scrambling back to their feet in terror. Their fear was raw and desperate. But they were not running from the dead. They were running from the living. “Run! Don’t stop!” someone shouted. Behind them stood the real danger. Alaric. The man who ruled this zone with an iron fist. He was tall and broad, built like a wall that refused to fall. His presence alone was enough to freeze most people where they stood. “This is my territory!” he roared, his voice cutting through the rain like a blade. “Who gave you permission to step foot here?” No one answered, because no one dared. A bulky man stumbled in front of him, trying to escape. Alaric moved fast.

Special Forces Base, Virginia. (2039) Natasha held her rifle a little tighter. “What kind of accident?” she asked. “A level five biohazard,” the voice on the phone replied. “That is all I can tell you right now.” She didn’t need to hear more. Natasha had grown up listening to her parents’ whispered conversations. She knew about the secret projects and the things they studied that had come from the stars. She knew that if something like that ever escaped, it could end the world. “I’m on my way,” she said and hung up. She turned to her team. The soldiers noticed the change in her face. The night air in the Virginia woods suddenly felt colder. “Is everything okay, Lieutenant?” one of them asked. “Family emergency,” Natasha replied, her voice firm. “I have to leave immediately. Rowan, you’re in charge until I return.” Rowan Saheed gave a single nod. His gray eyes were calm and steady. He never asked questions he didn’t need answers to. That was one of the reasons she trusted him c