Betrayal - Book 3 of Guardians Saga - EDITED

CH 12.1 Slow Healing

The door creaked open and Cale crept in, careful not to wake Alex. The moonlight highlighted the soft curves of her face, peaceful in slumber. He watched her for a few moments before he couldn't take it anymore and gently touched her shoulder. "It's me, Cale."

Alex stirred awake, trying to sit up, but winced in pain with the effort and lay back down. "Hi. Is it your turn already?" she asked weakly.

He nodded and pulled out a medical supply kit from behind his back. "Don't sit up. I've already got everything we need to clean your wound. Are you ready?"

"Say your prayer first," Alex said in a tight voice.

Cale bowed his head and closed his eyes as he began to pray. He had noticed how she never offered her own prayers and it made him sad. But now, at least she allowed him to pray over her.

"Creator of All, thank you for restoring our teammate to us. Help her as she recovers and draw her close to You. Let her see that You can and will redeem the suffering of those who love You."

Cale ended the prayer and lifted his head to find Alex looking away from him, her shoulders tense. She threw back the covers that had concealed the horrific truth - deep, bloody furrows where Morgan had whipped them with an electrical cord.

"Usually I clean them first, but I was too exhausted," Alex said.

Cale knelt down on the floor and gently ran his fingers over Alex's legs. He felt for any swelling or drainage from her wounds, some of which were still covered in bandages. With steady hands, Cale pulled the wrappings tinged with blood and yellow serous fluid from the rumpled sheets. He raised an eye-ridge in Alex's direction. "You didn't take these off, did you?" he asked with a mixture of mild suspicion and teasing.

Alex pursed her lips and bowed her head, her face a mask of chagrin as she spoke. "No, doctor.  I must have thrashed around in my sleep and they came off."

Cale nodded in understanding and offered her a gentle smile. She twitched when the cold, wet pad first touched her leg, then she lay still.

"Feel free to yell when it hurts. It'll make you feel better," Cale said kindly.

With effort, Alex shook her head and replied in a shaky voice. "It hurts the least with you."

Cale reached out and gently brushed Alex's arm, offering her a comforting smile. "Really?"

"Yep.  Rile is the fastest.  His attitude is rush in, scrub like crazy, and finish. He won't respect me if I show that it hurts."

"That is not correct," Cale said. "My brother respects—"

But Alex interrupted him, her voice heavy with sadness. "Poor Gabe...I know it hurts him more than it hurts me, so I can't complain. I wish he wouldn't do it, but I feel so bad for him."

"I think he would be more hurt if you tried to stop him," Cale replied, his expression sympathetic.

"I suppose you're right. You're always right." Alex grinned a small, lopsided grin at him.

Cale sighed, "Not always. Not even close." Cale carefully unwrapped the blood-soaked bandages from each wound, wincing as he revealed the raw flesh beneath. "Are you sure you're all right? You're breathing awfully fast."

"I didn't say it was painless, Cale, just that it hurts the least with you."

As Cale muttered curses under his breath, he cleaned each wound. He dabbed away blood and serum with fresh gauze pads that he dipped in a bowl of lukewarm water and antiseptic. "Now for the worst part," he said, voice low and thick with emotion, "roll over."