Semua Bab Surviving the Heatwave：My Ice Warlord’s Lethal Obsession: Bab 1 - Bab 10

The next morning, I didn't wait for Hudson to rouse me. I dressed quickly and quietly. Besides Hudson and me, our group had Jax, a guy with lightning powers. When Jax saw me up this early, helping him inventory supplies, his eyes nearly bugged out of his head. I didn't have to guess what he was thinking. I never touched the dirty work. I was the delicate princess everyone expected Hudson to protect. But I didn't want to die. To survive in this wasteland, I couldn't just stop being a burden; I had to learn how to defend myself. As long as I stop clinging to Hudson, he will probably feel a massive wave of relief, I told myself. I didn't complain about the heat once all day. During our lunch break, I even volunteered to take the wheel, though Hudson shot the idea down immediately. By evening, we set up camp at an abandoned motel. I hopped out to help Jax carry the supply crates, keeping my head down and pretending I couldn't feel Hudson's intense gaze burning into me as he leaned

We successfully rescued the survivors trapped in the basement. Just as expected, it was Maya and her younger brother, Ethan. When Jax found out Maya was a ridiculously rare healer, he almost jumped out of his boots. "Holy shit, a healer! Boss, we could take a fatal hit now and walk it off!" Jax cheered loudly. In this wasteland, a healer was priceless. I stood silently in the corner, my eyes betraying me as they drifted toward Hudson. He was staring intently at Maya. I knew that look all too well. It was the same way he used to look at me. My heart seized, a bitter ache spreading through my chest like poison. "I'll go load the medical supplies," I muttered, making an excuse to turn and run from the sight of them before I suffocated. Just as I hauled two heavy boxes of antibiotics out the front doors, a tall, lanky guy ran over and practically snatched them from my arms. It was Ethan. "Let me get the heavy lifting, you'll hurt your hands," Ethan flashed a bright, golden-retrie

Sometime in the middle of the night, I woke up groggy to a bone-deep cold creeping across the room. Before I could even process it, a large, dark figure slid under the covers. A familiar, aggressive scent enveloped me as strong arms pulled me tightly into a hard chest. It was Hudson. He was supposed to be downstairs on watch with Maya. Why was he here?"Hudson..." I breathed, but he bit down on my earlobe—hard enough to sting. I flinched. "Why?" his voice rumbled in the dark, dangerously hoarse. "You smile at Jax, you smile at that kid Ethan you just met, but I'm the only one you push away?"I froze, my mind racing. I couldn't tell him about the visions. I couldn't tell him that he was destined to leave me for Maya, and I was just trying to survive. "I... I just want to be more independent," I swallowed hard, trying to sound brave. "Independent?" That word was the spark that ignited the powder keg. Hudson let out a low laugh that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

Before I could even process the excitement of potentially having powers, the SUV slammed on its brakes. "Get down! Ambush!" Hudson roared from the driver's seat. Through the windshield, I saw them—a small army of heavily armed raiders swarming the dunes ahead. The Vipers. Their leader, a scarred man with fire powers, laughed maniacally as he raised his hands, hurling massive fireballs at our convoy like a meteor shower. BOOM! The explosion sent a shockwave that shattered our windows into a million pieces. Looking at the leader's scarred face, absolute terror and burning hatred warred inside me. He was the monster who had torn me apart in my nightmare. The car doors flew open. Hudson and Jax didn't hesitate. Ice spikes and lightning bolts tore through the air as they fought back. But the Vipers didn't just have powers; they had heavy military artillery. "Argh!" Jax cried out as a stray bullet tore through his thigh, dropping him into a pool of his own blood. "Jax!" Maya yelled

We got back on the road, leaving the scent of blood to the desert wind. I was back in the passenger seat of Hudson's SUV, but this time, there was no escaping his gaze. He drove with one hand on the wheel; his other hand had mine locked in a death grip, fingers laced tightly, as if I would vanish if he let go. In the backseat, Maya—who had just finished wrapping Jax's leg—leaned forward, uncharacteristically gossipy. "So, Eliza, considering the epic cold war you guys had going on, did you actually break up?" Maya teased. "If you did, let me know so I can tell Ethan. He's still pining." My face flushed. I opened my mouth to say, "We did—""No, we didn't." Hudson cut me off instantly. He shot Maya an icy glare through the rearview mirror, delivering his verdict with absolute arrogance. "Ethan doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell. Tell him to back off. Eliza and I are perfectly happy, and we are never breaking up." I was so flustered by his blatant claim that I couldn't speak, l