Rewrite the Apocalypse dream (by Dee Cari) novel Chapter 228

Chapter 228 Healing Her Injury

Finished

Inside Joanna’s storage space, the crew was celebrating their victory over the advanced zombie horde. Jake and Kailee laughed as they counted the level-two cores.

Joanna barely heard them. The adrenaline from the fight had evaporated, leaving bone-deep weariness. Stumbling past the team, she plunged straight into her natural hot spring, clothes and all. A sharp hiss escaped her lips as the hot water turned dark from her soiled gear.

The sound caught Julian’s attention. Rushing to the spring, his sharp eyes cut through the steam. As the grime washed away, a deep, jagged scratch from the telepathic zombie came into view, the flesh red and weeping fluid.

Fierce, dominating worry tightened Julian’s features. Stepping intp crisis mode, he knelt at the water’s edge and gripped her uninjured arm firmly.

“Joanna, don’t move,” Julian ordered in a low tone that brooked no argument. “That creature’s claws tore right through your skin. Why didn’t you say anything the second it happened?”.

Briggs stepped forward, drawing his combat knife in one fluid motion. “Let’s cut the clothes away so we can see the wound better,” he said, his voice calm but steady, He looked at Julian, then down at the water. “When I was bitten, this spring helped heal me right up. It should do the same for her.”

Joanna leaned her head back against the smooth rock edge and closed her eyes, the warmth of the water finally taking the edge off the pain. “It’s true, Julian,” she murmured softly. “I will be fine in a little bit.”

Julian clenched his jaw, his fingers tightening slightly on her arm before he slowly let go. He said nothing, his dominant demeanor hardening into a tense, silent protective vigil while Briggs knelt down and expertly cut away the ruined fabric of Joanna’s suit to expose the injury to the healing waters.

Since Joanna was settled in the spring, the rest of the crew decided to turn the break into a full gathering. They brought out their own snacks and lounged around the rocky perimeter of the steaming water, chatting and unwinding. Rachel stepped into the clearing, looking significantly better after jumping into a separate section of the hot spring to soak away her psychic fatigue.

Caleb, however, remained seated on a bench near the edge, completely tense. He possessed a delicate, striking beauty, but right now, his fine features were twisted into a tight frown of anxiety.

Noticing his deep unease, Joanna leaned her head against the stone lip of the pool and looked up at him. “Caleb, what’s wrong?”

He swallowed hard, looking at her with wide, troubled eyes. “Joanna, even after you threw me into your storage space, my Dreamweaver threads were still lingering just a fraction outside on the highway. I sense that someone was watching us. He saw everything we did during that fight-and he logged all of your powers down.”

“He is long gone, but it’s only a matter of time now,” Caleb said, his voice trembling slightly as he stared into the rising steam.

Joanna narrowed her eyes, the soothing warmth of the hot spring instantly forgotten as a sharp chill ran down her spine. “What do you mean, Caleb?”

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10:44 am M WMM.

Chapter 228-Healing Her Injury

Finished

Caleb looked directly at her, his delicate features pale with dread. He leaned forward, dropping his voice to a terrified whisper. “Elliot will find out soon about our group.”

The mention of the name hung heavily in the air, instantly silencing the celebratory chatter around the spring.

Joanna’s breath hitched as a sudden wave of fear broke through her usual stoic composure. The mere mention of Elliot’s name dragged up dark, visceral memories from her dream of the original timeline- the crushing betrayal, the overwhelming odds, and the absolute helplessness she had suffered. For a split second, she wasn’t the invincible leader who had just slaughtered an advanced horde; she was a survivor trapped in a nightmare.

Before the panic could take root, Julian stepped into the water, completely ignoring his clothes getting soaked. He grabbed her hand, his grip exceptionally strong, unyielding, and fiercely protective. The commanding authority of a man used to steering entire empires anchored her instantly.

“You are not the same person from that dream anymore, Joanna,” Julian said, his deep voice carrying an intensity that demanded her full attention. He squeezed her hand, forcing her to meet his locked gaze. “Look at what you just did out there. Look at how strong you’ve become. More importantly, you are not alone this time. You have us.”

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