Her Human Heart (book 2) HHM

Chapter 26

THE CEILING fan swirled above them, Daniel's face pressed against the rubber surface of the hospital bed. He had been given a spare change of clothes and had a shower. None of that seemed to calm his nerves, as Abagail lay on the bed.

Her shoulder was wrapped in bandages, her skin a dramatic pale colour. Her face looked to have sunken in, and her lips were colourless. Sweat laid in beads all over her body, and she wheezed everytime she breathed. Her eyes were closed, they hadn't opened for hours. Her arms laid by her side, the only movement other than her breathing, was her fingers occasionally twitching.

Mason squeezed the water out of the cloth, the sound of the water dripping back into the dish was the only noise in the silent room. Christopher stood at the foot of the bed, his eyes worriedly on Abagail. Daniel could sense Christopher bubbling with questions, but keeping his mouth shut was the smartest thing he had probably ever done in his life.

Mason swiped the cloth over Abagail's face, wiping the sweat off. The cloth grazed over her skin, Daniel watched as she shuddered at the touch.

"Felicè is dead." Caden's voice broke through the silence of the room. Daniel didn't look up as his cousin came up beside him, staring down at Abagail. "How is she doing?" His voice was gruff, his gaze never leaving Abagail.

"She is..." Mason trailed off, wiping his hands on his jeans.

"She's dying." Daniel said, his voice husky, throat dry. His hand reached out, brushing a hand down her slim face. Cadens hand laid down on Daniel's shoulder, the Alpha crouching down beside her.

"She'll be alright, Daniel, she's a fighter." Caden whispered, leaning down to his cousin. Tears welled in Daniel's eyes, Abagail wheezing between them.

"You didn't feel what I felt." He muttered, a lump in his throat. A tear pooled on the side of his nose, his nose running. Caden pressed his head to Daniel's shoulder, squeezing his shoulder.

"Caden, Mason, Daniel, I need to have a word with you." The Alpha's voice said softly. Daniel clutched onto Abagail's wrist, his nose burning as the tears kept coming. "Please." Caden lifted Daniel gently from under his arms, holding him onto his shaking legs.

"Look after her." Daniel whispered,his bloodshot eyes trained on Christopher. His brother nodded, gulping as he stared between his brother and his girlfriend. "She is everything to me." With those words, Daniel was dragged out the room, his eyes never leaving Abagail. Until the door closed behind them.

CHRISTOPHER looked down at Abagail, staring at her. It hadn't been that long since he'd seen his brothers girlfriend, but the girl that laid on the hospital bed looked like she had been sick for weeks. Her hair lay limp around her, thin and plastered by sweat. Sometimes she would shiver, in between wheezing and twitching. Having to watch her made him feel uncomfortable. He had no idea what was going on.

Questions circled his mind. What had happened to Abagail? How had Daniel... known... the way he did. The biggest question on his mind was what was this place. The villiage was no where he had ever been before, it wasn't on any GPS, and he had no idea of its existence.

And why had his heart raced as soon as he saw Mason. His knees had gone weak, and his palms had sweated. He had tried his best to play it off, to focus wholly on Daniel.

Right now was no time to think about his probably unrequainted crush on Mason. He doubted there would be any right time. So he kept his mouth shut.

"A... Abagail." Christopher stuttered. He cleared his throat, wiping his sweaty hands on his jeans. Coming around the side of the bed, he sat in the chair Daniel had been in. "Abagail, you need to wake up." He looked towards the door, hoping no one heard him. "I... I don't know if you can hear me, but please, wake up. Daniel needs you." Her fingers twitched. Christopher's heart fluttered, his shoulders sagging. "Please. Please wake up." He begged gently.

But Abagail didn't wake up.

CADEN wiped the tear that had escaped his eyes. He had to remember to be brave in front of fear. A pack member could see him and instill fear into the pack. Even if Caden had a lot to be afraid of. His best friend was dying. His Beta was dying. His partner in crime... was dying. Mason confirmed it... Daniel confirmed it. He was losing his family.

"Do you remember Anthon." Caden's Father asked the three boys. Each nodded, expect Daniel, who stared out the window. His lips turned down in a frown. "The infected rogue was his wife." Caden leaned against the wooden table, his eyes falling back to the door Abagail was behind. "Well, during an interview Abby did, she wrote down that the family was running from... someone."

"I don't see how this is relevant. Has my Dad gotten back to you with the test results from the rogue's body?" Mason asked, his head also looking behind him and towards the room. "I need to find out what Abagail was exposed to... and if it spreads."

"I doubt Abby would be in that hospital bed if it wasn't contagious." Caden said, paling.

"I'm getting to the relevance." The Alpha said sternly. "Daniel, I believe your Father had something to do with it..." Daniel turned his head slowly turned his head to face his Uncle. "We have been monitoring recent rogue activity, we believe the Wolf Killer's people have been... regrouping."

"You want to know if he has anything to do with it?" Caden snapped, clenching his jaw. "Daniel doesn't know anything."

"I know, I'm trying to ask if he'll... talk to Jim." The Alpha asked, looking around him, hoping no one was listening in.

"You want me to talk to my Dad?" Daniel gulped, his voice shaking.

"I have reason to believe... he had something to do with the Rogue's getting diseases. And why his old friends are regrouping just outside of town." The Alpha said.

"Do you think he'd know what is wrong with Abby?" Daniel's voice was small, like he was a hopeless, vulnerable child. Caden pinched the bridge of his nose, hoping it would stop the next wave of tears that threatened to fall.

"I'm not certain... But there is a chance." The Alpha said, running a hand over his beard. "You can go back to her now, think about it."

"I know, I want to... I mean... I will go." Daniel gulped, his eyes again rimmed with tears.

"We... I'll take you there tomorrow." The Alpha gulped, looking at each other boys faces. "Go back to her - except you Caden." Mason took Daniel by the arm, not missing a beat, as he led Daniel back into the room. After a moment of silence, he spoke up again.
"I suggest... you think of another Beta-in-line... just incase." His Father said softly, his voice breaking.

"No." Caden flinched, tears again brimming. "How can you say that? How can you say that to me right now? How could you be so heartless - how can you not love her? I won't give up hope... not like you."

"You think I don't love her? She is one of my own... she is like a daughter to me." The Alpha screamed, slamming his hands on the table, tears running down his face. "I love her too, Caden, it kills me inside to say this... but you heard them, she's dying. You need... You need to think of the pack." Caden turned his back on his Father, storming down the hall, past Abagails room and outside.

The Alpha stood in the hallway, alone, and cried.