Page 79 of Draven

"He doesn't look too good," I pointed out, worry gnawing at me as I took in Draven's condition.

He was battered, bruised, and bleeding, barely able to stand on his own. His eyes were half-closed, and he was fighting to remain conscious.

"He'll be right as rain," Zane assured me, although I wondered if he only said that to make me feel better.

I looked at Draven, my heart aching. Even in his weakened state, he looked formidable, fierce and mine.

He leaned against Zane, covered in cuts and bruises. Blood trickled from a gash on his forehead, and he was struggling to breathe evenly.

Despite his condition, he managed to flash me a reassuring smile.

"Draven, please, hang in there," I whispered, my voice cracking with emotion.

I could feel tears stinging my eyes, but I blinked them back. This wasn't the time to fall apart.

Draven reached out to gently touch my face.

"I'm not going anywhere, Tobias," he said. "I promised you forever, remember?"

I bit my lower lip, trying to hold back a sob. "You better keep that promise," I said.

Zane placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

"He’s stronger than he looks. He’ll pull through this," Zane said firmly.

Draven moved towards me and tugged me possessively close. I couldn't help but feel a surge of hope. His heartbeat was weak but steady.

The warmth of his body against mine was a comfort, grounding me in this moment.

"We'll get through this," I whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to his mouth.

Draven’s eyes fluttered open, and he gazed at me with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat.

“We will,” he replied, his voice stronger this time.

Zane nodded, satisfied. "Let's get him somewhere safe," he said, helping to support Draven’s weight.

Then I remembered Justin. I looked for my former bully, who was still lying unconscious on the ground.

I was tempted to leave him there, especially after all the damage he'd caused. We'd traded a few words while we were waiting for Draven.

It turned out that after Draven burned his Lamborghini, Justin had gone to his father, asking him to hire a paranormal assassin to deal with Draven.

The mayor refused, and Justin resorted to looking for one on his own through the dark web. That was how one of Belladonna's people found him.

From his ramblings, I gathered that he and Belladonna met up in person... and after that one meeting, he was her creature.

I made a mental note to call Lucinda. She'd find a way to retrieve Justin and return him to his father.

A mix of pity and anger swirled inside me as I continued staring at Justin. He had been manipulated, yes, but he had also made his choices.

As much as I wanted to leave him to his fate, I knew it wasn't right. Lucinda would know what to do. She always did.

“Tobias? You know that human?” Zane asked me.

“Yeah, but someone else will take care of him,” I answered.

As we began to move, I looked up and saw the first light of dawn breaking over the horizon. I couldn’t help but think it felt like a promise of a new beginning.