"W...will you stay.... Just until I fall asleep...." I stopped fussing with the pillows and looked at her, trying to determine if she actually wanted me to stay or not. I heard my voice speak before I could even truly process her request.
"If that's what you want my little Lotus.... I'll stay until you fall asleep." I watched as her body relaxed into the pillows and her eyes drifted closed.
"Thank you....." She murmured softly and I listened to her breathing as it evened out and became slow and deep. I pulled the chair closer to her bedside and sat slowly. I couldn't help but touch her hand again. I had touched her in my room. First when I moved her to my bed from the floor and then again when I carried her from my car to the emergency room triage.
I had known in that moment that I would never be able to live without her. Lotus had suddenly become my everything. My whole world. My very reason for existence. She was the very air in my lungs and I finally understood why Vigo was so determined to be loyal to his own damaged mate. My heart aches at the thought of losing Lotus.
I knew I should leave the room but the thought of doing so was like a knife twisting in my gut. What if that bastard had followed us to the hospital? What if he had found her again? What if he tried to take her away? Or worse. What if he tried to kill her? The tangled thoughts of the incident in my room and what would have happened had I not heard her scream of terror ran through my head like a disease of the mind.
It wasn't until a while after she had slipped into her peaceful sleep that Jasmine entered the room. Her parents had been yelling at her in the emergency room when they found out about her pregnancy. "They leave?" I asked as I stood to allow her to sit in the chair.
"Yes... After security escorted them out." She said with a tired sigh as she took the offered seat. We were silent for a time as we both watched Lotus sleep.
"What did you tell them?" I asked after the silence grew too heavy.
"I told them what Devin wanted to tell them weeks ago.... That I had met him and that we slept together and I got pregnant." Jasmine sounded tired and resigned to something that was obviously not true. I didn't push. Devin was my brother by bond after all.
"Are you okay?" I asked instead.
"As okay as I can be." Jasmine sighed heavily as she leaned back in the uncomfortable chair, her head resting on the back of the chair as she stared up at the ceiling. "I'm so exhausted." She finally admitted and I could hear it. That soul deep exhaustion that comes from holding things too heavy to bear.
I remained silent as I watched her. Despite her relaxed appearance I could see the tension of her body. Jasmine was wond tight like she was preparing to run. But for what reason I couldn't tell. Was she getting ready to run from the man that dared to call her his? Was she preparing for an attack that would no longer come? Was she getting ready to vanish into thin air?
"Jasmine..... You should be in bed." Devin said in a gentle scolding tone as he entered the room and lifted her from the chair. He carried her to the bed that was separated from Lotus's by a thin pale hospital pink curtain with little hospital green polkadots across it in neat little diagonal lines. "Do you mind Brandon? I doubt she will return to her own room as long as lotus is in here."
I nodded and sank back into the chair that was left empty. "It's fine." I said in a soft tone as I watched Devin hook up a fetal monitor and kiss Jasmine's forehead before murmuring about getting her chart from downstairs. I nodded to him as he strode out of the room leaving me alone with the both girls. Jasmine watched me from her own bed, eyes wary and untrusting.
I laid my head back and closed my eyes choosing to ignore her as I listened to deep even breathing of Lotus. I wasn't aware that I had fallen asleep. Just that I was waking up. It happened slowly. I first came to awareness, my body heavy and uncooperative. Then the familiar scent of the alpha.
I yawned stretched and came fully to alterness. "Morning alpha." I mumbled sleepily as I turned to him.
"3 in the morning to be exact." Vigo said softly. He had his y month old son cradled in his arms as usual. "I'm going out to visit my mate. Can you watch him for a few days?" Vigo asked in that way that told me he wasn't asking.
"Why do you do it?" I asked reaching for the sleeping infant. "Why do you torture yourself like this?"
"I don't have a choice." He said sounding tired as he handed his heir to my. "I trust you'll take good care of him."
"I promise I'll take care of him." I said softly and Vigo nodded. With that he turned and was gone.