Page 77 of Draven

Justin nodded mechanically and walked over to where Tobias lay. With cold, detached movements, he pulled out a gun.

"No!" I shouted, struggling to move despite the pain.

Belladonna's laugh was a cruel melody.

"It's no use, Draven. You're powerless now,” she said.

Justin aimed the gun at Tobias, and my heart pounded in my chest, fear and rage mingling into a desperate fury.

I had to do something, anything to save him. But my body refused to respond, leaving me helpless as the nightmare unfolded before my eyes.

"Belladonna," I began, hating how weak I sounded. "Leave Tobias alone, please. I'll do whatever you want, just...don't hurt him."

"Wait," Belladonna told Justin, holding out a hand.

"No, I've had enough of Tobias and his dragon," Justin gritted out.

With a chilling determination, Justin raised the gun and fired, but Tobias moved at the last minute.

My heart raced with fear for my mate as Tobias tackled Justin to the ground.

In a blur of motion, Tobias had somehow managed to undo the ropes binding his hands together. The two tussled, struggling for control. Another shot went off, but it went wild.

Belladonna cursed, and I realized the bullet had hit her in the leg. This was my chance. Through our mate bond, I could taste Tobias' fear, but also his thirst to live.

My mate was fighting for his life, fighting for us. I couldn't let him outshine me. I reached for my dragon.

He was still there, shoved under layers of Belladonna's control spell.

"We can't let her control us or ruin our lives any longer," I thought, and he agreed.

I wouldn't lie; it hurt like hell, pulling him back to the surface. This must be what it felt like, being skinned alive. But slowly but surely, I could feel my other half awaken.

Belladonna raised her hand, and I watched in horror as she began casting a spell toward Tobias and Justin.

I couldn't complete a full transformation in time, but I managed to summon fire and aimed it at her.

Belladonna shrieked as the flames hit her arm, stopping her from finishing whatever dangerous spell she was casting.

As Belladonna's spell took hold of me, my body seized up, every muscle locked in place. I felt helpless, trapped within my own skin, unable to move or even speak.

The nauseating sensation swept over me, threatening to overwhelm my senses.

In that moment of despair, I heard Tobias's voice, cutting through the fog of fear that clouded my mind.

"Draven, snap out of it. You're stronger than you know.” Tobias's words were a lifeline, a reminder of the strength that lay within me.

But Belladonna's attention shifted to Tobias, dismissing me as a mere nuisance. In that moment, I felt a surge of desperation.

I couldn't let Belladonna harm Tobias, couldn't let her win.

Despite the overwhelming pain and fear, I summoned every ounce of willpower I possessed, pushing against the suffocating grip of Belladonna's magic.

I fought against the paralysis, refusing to succumb to defeat. My mate needed me, and I wouldn't let him down.

As Belladonna's spell hurtled towards Tobias, I reacted on instinct, darting in front of him to shield him from its deadly embrace.

The impact was like being plunged into an icy abyss, every nerve in my body screaming in protest against the bone-chilling cold that engulfed me.