Page 28 of Victorious: Part I

So, we do the only thing we know how. We settle into a vigil around her bed—Poppy holding her mother’s hand, sitting in a chair beside her mother, Alpha standing like a sentinel at the foot of the bed, and me keeping watch over them all from a chair in the corner.

Time stretches, two hours, four, then six. Marked only by the steady beep of monitors and Livvy’s increasingly labored breathing. She drifts in and out of consciousness, sometimes lucid enough to speak, other times lost in a haze of medication and pain.

It’s the early hours of the morning. I’m sure the rest of the guys out in the waiting room could use some information. And, honestly, I need to stretch my legs. Standing, I let out a long yawn and stretch. Alpha turns to glance at me, raising his brow. I keep my voice low so I don’t wake Livvy or Poppy, who is snuggled up on her chair asleep. “I thought I’d head out and tell the guys what’s going on. Maybe send them back to the clubhouse?” I whisper.

Alpha cranes his neck to the side and moves to stand, rolling his sore shoulders. “I should go talk to them,” he whispers back. “You okay to stay with Poppy?”

I glance over at her, then back to him. “Of course. You go. I got this.”

He swipes his hand through his hair, steps up to me, and plants a tender kiss on my lips. My eyes close, taking him in. I didn’t know how much I needed him until right now. My hand reaches out, my fingers clenching onto the leather of his cut and gripping hold of him for dear life as I kiss him harder. His arm wraps around my waist, holding me to him. The kiss isn’t passionate, deeply sexual, or full of lust. It’s more about two people who are going through something horrific and showing that they are here for each other in the moment.

As my stomach dances with that same rush I always get from kissing the man I adore, I slowly pull back, my eyes flooding with tears while I stare at him. His pain-filled eyes devour mine as we just look at each other.

Not saying a single word, yet saying so much.

He inhales sharply, nods his head once, then moves to pull away when a quiet voice echoes from the other side of the hospital room. “Stone?”

We both turn to see Livvy’s eyes trying to open, though it seems like she’s possibly still half asleep or maybe still fighting sedation.

Alpha turns, walking back toward her bedside. “Yeah, Livvy?” he asks.

“Remember when Poppy was born?” she murmurs, her eyes still fighting to open.

He nods, a slight laugh escaping his throat. “Smallest damn thing I’d ever seen. Thought I’d break her.”

“But you didn’t.” Livvy smiles faintly, her eyes finally fighting through and opening to look at him. “You were so gentle. Always were, underneath all that macho bullshit.”

I hold in my laugh as I make my way back to my chair and take a seat.

Alpha folds his arms over his chest, scowling. “What do you mean macho bullshit? I am macho.”

Livvy slowly smiles, her head turning to look at me. “You hearing this… Haven?” Livvy’s tone is slow, but the humor behind it still packs a punch.

I shrug nonchalantly and roll my eyes. “Hey, I find that with Alpha, it’s best to let him think he’s the top dog. But we all know that the women in the club are the macho ones.”

Alpha glances over his shoulder at me, raising his brow, but I see the humor behind his fake agitation. “I’ll remember you said that.”

Livvy giggles, which, of course, turns into another cough, instantly waking Poppy.

She bolts upright, reaching out for her mother’s good hand. “Mom! Are you okay?” She locks her fingers with Livvy as she continues to cough, the machines starting to buzz.

Alpha moves in and pats Livvy’s back, but it’s not helping.

Poppy stands dramatically, her breathing quickening. “Mommy, your hands are cold. Why is she cold?Dad?”

Alpha turns to face me as I stand dramatically. “Get Lock. Now!”

Nodding, my heart slams into my chest as I race for the door, but I don’t even have to make it far into the corridor, and I see him come running toward me.

“I got the alarm. What’s happening?” he calls out as he approaches.

“She’s coughing and cold. I don’t know, Lock. I don’t know!” I scream back at him.

He doesn’t say anything to me, just runs straight past into the room, pushing Alpha out of the way and moving in next to Poppy. Alpha steps back, letting him in as Livvy continues to cough, and he secures an oxygen mask around her head.

“Mommy!” Poppy cries when Alpha begins his relentless pacing. “Mama!” Poppy screams this time as Lock places his stethoscope on her chest, checking her vitals.

Livvy’s eyes widen, staring directly at me. A plea of desperation. A mother asking for help. Nodding, I rush forward, reaching out for Poppy and wrapping my arms around her. She tries to fight me off. And Lord knows she’s strong—I trained her after all—but I use all the strength I have to pull her against my chest, and I step back against the rear wall, holding her back to my front, so Lock can do what he needs to do to stabilize Livvy.

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