Page 12 of Unmasking Mayhem (Behind the Mask Duet #2)

six

shadows

Whitney

Demons: Jelly Roll, Lil Wyte

I can feel the ecstasy surging through me as I dash blindly along the heavily wooded trail that hugs the cliff's edge, desperate to catch up with Carter and see the fucking message on his phone.

But maintaining a sense of optimism feels nearly impossible, especially with a gut full of dread weighing me down.

If the news were good, he would have told me, right?

Nothing has been going well lately, making it a fucking struggle to stay positive.

I've spent far too much of my life in negativity, and I’m determined to break free from that cycle.

I refuse to get stuck in that dark place at the back of my mind—the one filled with despair, where fear takes hold, and forcing a genuine smile feels completely out of reach.

When I was with Dustin, I lived in constant fear of what he might do, and I promised myself that if I ever escaped that nightmare, I wouldn't let myself be consumed by the darkness again. I vowed to embrace the good or create it if it didn’t already exist. For the past year, I’ve stayed true to that promise—until recently.

With Dustin back in my life, it’s a struggle not to revert to those old habits and the familiar comfort of despair.

I let out a sigh and come to a halt, bending over with my hands on my knees as I try to catch my breath from the run.

The trees sway around me as if time has slowed down, and a chill creeps down my spine, raising the hair on my arms. The unsettling feeling of being watched wraps around me, freezing me in place on the trail, surrounded by nothing but trees, darkness, and the eerie sounds that you can only hear in the middle of the woods.

Carter has vanished from sight, most likely hiding in the brush, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

I straighten up, attempting to project confidence despite the terror gnawing at me.

I’m afraid they’ve returned for me—fragments of my time with Crow at the harbor flood my mind, and I can’t shake the feeling that those same men are lurking in the shadows, watching me now.

I try to dismiss the thought, but it only heightens my anxiety as the woods seem to close in around me, suffocating and making it hard to breathe.

Feeling my legs begin to buckle beneath me, I start to drop to the ground in slow motion.

Just before I make contact, a pair of strong arms catches me, whisking me deeper into the night.

In that moment, as I’m engulfed by the darkness, I finally find solace in the embrace that lifts the panic from my chest, allowing me to breathe freely again.

I gasp for air as the world spins and the sounds of the forest fade, replaced with a heartbeat—I can’t tell if it’s my own or the steady thud of someone else's.

My heart races, but it's not solely from fear now.

The sensation of warmth and security in the arms of the unknown stills my mind, even as I wrestle to comprehend what has just happened.

“Shh, it’s okay,” a calm voice murmurs, low and soothing. "I’ve got you."

I glance up to find Carter's face just inches from mine, his features etched with concern. “You scared me,” he says, the hint of a smile breaking through the gravity of the moment.

“What are you doing?” I manage to choke out, my voice hoarse—not from the run, but from the tumult of emotions swirling within me.

“I couldn’t let you walk this path alone, not after everything.

There was a message, and I wasn’t going to wait around for you to get caught in it,” he replies, gently setting me down against the rough bark of a nearby tree.

The scent of pine surrounds us, grounding me amidst the chaos of my racing thoughts.

“I didn’t expect you to wait for me.” I shake my head in disbelief, half relieved and half embarrassed by my impulsive desperation.

The shadows seem to flicker with the memory of fear, but there’s something about Carter’s presence that softens it, and I can't explain it.

This man fucking lied to me and betrayed me, and yet I can't seem to just walk away from him.

But that's how I am; I crave the toxicity and run away from the safety.

I prefer the chaos over the comfort and seem to need the bad and run away from the good things.

“Yeah, well, I’d rather take my chances out here than let you face whatever’s ahead on your own.” He shifts a bit, casting a nervous glance toward the path we had just run.

“Can you tell me what you saw? What made you take off like that?” I ask, afraid to know what the message said. Frustration wells within me as I struggle to articulate the confusion of my emotions.

"It's Havoc," he finally admits, his voice just above a whisper. “He's not waking up…” Carter steps closer, his eyes piercing through the dark with an intensity that anchors me.

I let his words wash over me, filling the cracks where doubt has begun to seep in. “I need to see him,” I whisper. "I feel like the darkness is coming for me, and he's the only one who can pull me out of it."

“There’s light in you, and you have to keep shining, even when it feels like the shadows are creeping in. You’re not powerless anymore,” Carter insists, his voice unwavering. He stands tall in the dim light, a lighthouse in the stormy seas of my mind.

I find myself searching his eyes for the truth in his words, clinging to the hope he offers while my heart beats a frantic rhythm in my chest.

“But what if I can’t?” The anxiety twists like a vine around my thoughts, choking the optimism he’s trying to instill. “What if the darkness swallows me whole?”

Carter’s gaze softens, and he brushes a stray hair from my face, the touch gentle yet insistent. “Then you fight back. You’ve fought through worse than this. Remember who you are, not just who you’ve been.”

His relentless belief in me sends a tremor through my core, but self-doubt fights back with every ounce of strength it can muster.

“This isn’t just about me anymore,” I counter, the weight of responsibility pressing down sharply. “It’s about Havoc too. I can’t stand by and do nothing while he’s... while he’s...” My voice falters, the gravity of my words suffocating in the air between us.

“I know,” he reassures me quietly, and just for a moment, I can see the fear lingering in his own eyes. “But we need to take one step at a time. We can’t help him if we don’t help ourselves first.”

With a shuddering breath, I nod, feeling the warmth of his presence like a lifeline.

I study his face, memorizing the contours, the determination etched in every line.

He’s still here, choosing to stand by me despite the storms we’ve weathered together.

I wish I could consolidate the conflicting emotions stirring in my gut—a part of me wants to trust him, while another wants to bolt and shut my heart off completely.

“Okay,” I say slowly. “What’s the plan?”

Carter’s expression hardens, stripped of its previous sweetness.

“We need to get to the club. If Havoc’s condition is as serious as I fear, he might need access to everything we can provide.

And I need you with me. You’re the one who knows him best. You can break through.

” There’s desperation in his voice, reality pulling us back into its cruel grasp.

“Right,” I mutter, peeling myself away from the warmth of the tree. I try to stand tall, to portray confidence, but my legs still tremble beneath my own weight—an echo of my fear.

As we begin to move, shadows flit among the trees, and every crack of a branch feels like an omen.

Carter walks nearer, ready to catch me if I stumble, and I take solace in his close proximity.

One foot forward becomes two, and soon we’re sprinting down the trail, hearts racing in synchrony, the sound of our breaths filling the air as we propel ourselves toward uncertainty.

The woods begin to thin as we approach the clearing, the faint glow of streetlights beckoning us back to civilization.

My pulse quickens—not just from the exertion but from the impending confrontation with reality.

I can almost feel Havoc’s presence in every flicker of light, each rush of wind through the leaves. He’s there, and I will not abandon him.

“What if he doesn’t wake up?” I ask, an unwelcome doubt rising in me again. “Or what if he does, but he’s lost everything?”

“If he has,” Carter replies, his voice firm, “then we remind him. We bring back the laughter, the courage, and all the things that make him who he is. You can’t give up on him just because there’s a chance he may not recognize what’s right in front of him.”

His words ignite a fire deep within me, rekindling the spirit that’s been dimmed by despair. “You’re right,” I exhale. “We have to try. For him, for ourselves.”

As we break free from the trees and onto the pavement, the world feels alive—each breath more potent than the last. We hop back on his bike and speed off, the vibrations from the engine awakening something inside of me as I hold onto him even tighter.

The club lies ahead like a fortress bracing for war, and I know this battle will be unlike anything I've ever faced.

But with my friends beside me, I feel a tiny glimmer of hope.

The ride to the club isn't long, but it feels like it.

I cling to Carter like he's the anchor holding me down so I don't float away, even though right now that's all I want to do.

Each touch feels like a betrayal to Havoc, even Crow, but in a situation like this, it's impossible to choose which one I want by my side.

I want all of them; I want everything they bring to the table, different and alike.

But right now, I want more than anything for Havoc to wake up.