Vanya's POV
When Cliff heard my words, his voice instantly tensed, carrying the undeniable authority of an Alpha. "Don't panic. Head for the deserted outskirts and avoid sharp turns."
His voice seemed to carry an invisible force that instantly calmed my frantic heart a little.
An Alpha's command was like an instinctual order, something you obeyed without thinking in a crisis.
I took a deep breath, summoning all my willpower to stay calm.
Up ahead, the traffic light was flashing like a countdown warning.
Relying on my heightened senses, I quickly turned the steering wheel and changed course.
Each turn felt like a nimble beast cutting a daring arc across the highway.
Cliff, on high alert, scanned the surroundings while commanding through the phone, "Keep your speed steady and hold on."
I paused, confused. "What are you planning to do?"
But Cliff didn't answer. He just hung up.
Then I saw his car roar to life like a crazed beast, the engine screaming as he floored the gas, catching up to me in an instant.
The air currents from his speeding car made my vehicle sway slightly.
I rolled down the window and shouted at him, "Cliff! What are you doing? Stop!"
My voice was torn apart by the wind, filled with anxiety and worry.
But Cliff seemed possessed, ignoring my cries completely.
With one final burst of speed, his car swerved sharply in front of mine like a black bolt of lightning.
Before I could react, there was a deafening crash, like a bomb exploding right beside me.
A violent impact slammed into me, throwing me forward into the airbag.
Glass shards flew everywhere, cutting into my skin and causing instant, searing pain.
I had no idea where I'd been hit. It felt like my entire body had been shattered.
The car finally came to a stop. My ears were ringing painfully, as if sharp bees were stinging inside them.
White smoke filled my vision, blinding me completely.
"Cliff..." I tried to call out, but my voice was weak and strained, barely escaping through my teeth.
I forced myself to open the door and crawl out.
The billowing smoke made me cough uncontrollably, each breath feeling like swallowing fire.
As soon as I got out, I saw Cliff slumped in the driver's seat, unconscious, blood streaming down his forehead and staining his resolute face.
He had several visible wounds, looking horrifying.
"Cliff!" I screamed, my voice filled with terror and despair.
I rushed over and yanked open the door, trying to pull him out. "Cliff, wake up! Wake up!"
I shook him with all my strength, tears streaming down my face and blurring my vision.
I looked around. There was no one in sight, just our two crashed cars.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw fuel leaking from the back of Cliff's car. A sense of dread washed over me, and I shook Cliff harder. "Cliff! Get up! The car's going to explode!"
Cliff furrowed his brow and finally opened his eyes.
"Cliff! Come out! The car is about to explode!"
The fire had already started at the rear. Seeing Cliff unable to speak, I tried to drag him out while he was still conscious.
"It's no use. You should go," Cliff whispered weakly. His leg was pinned.
I quickly realized that. "Cliff, are you just giving up? What about Melinda? If you die here, what will she do?"
Cliff pursed his lips.
I continued, "Melinda only has you to rely on. If you die, I'll bully her mercilessly! Do you hear me?!"
Cliff seemed to smile faintly at that, a bitter grin appearing on his face.
Seeing he still wasn't motivated, I gritted my teeth. "Cliff, if you die, I'll marry someone else the next day!"
Upon hearing this, Cliff's hand twitched, as if he had ignited a will to survive.
I continued, "Anyway, Theodore likes me! If you die, I'll marry him!"
Cliff's breath hitched. He finally reached out to me with a resigned sigh, "You really are ruthless."
I turned around, and at that moment, Cliff managed to free his trapped leg.
Sensing the fire spreading, I dragged him out of the car and pulled him farther away.
The next second, a deafening explosion came from the nearby car. A wave of heat washed over us.