Captivated Desires

41

The doctor nodded, though his expression remained grave. "She's stable, but her body has been through a lot. She needs plenty of rest and fluids. We'll keep a close eye on her, of course, but she's over the worst of it, for now."

Relief seemed to wash over Reign like a wave. Some of the tension in his shoulders eased, though his expression remained stern. He exchanged a glance with Azar, who looked equally relieved.

"When can we go back in?" Reign asked urgently, his eyes going to the door behind the doctor. He wanted, no, needed to see me, to be there by my side. The doctor looked at him sympathetically. "Give us a few more minutes to finish monitoring her vitals. And then you can go back in. But we need to keep her as relaxed as possible, so try not to upset her or let her talk too much, alright?"

As Azar mentioned going home to assist Olympia with the children, Reign's expression turned to one of concern. The remainder of his duties as a father seemed to weigh heavily on him, though his desire to stay by my side was equally strong. 

"You go," he said to Azar, his voice firm. "I'll stay here. I need to be here for her when she wakes up." The finality, the possessiveness in his tone was enough to indicate there would be no argument, no discussion.

Azar hesitated, clearly not wanting to leave Reign alone. But he recognized the determination in the other man's gaze and knew there was no point in trying to change his mind. "Alright," he said, his voice resigned. "You'll call me if anything changes, right?"

Reign nodded, already turning his attention back to the door to my room. "I'll keep you informed," he said, his mind already on me and what he would say to me when he was allowed back in. With a final nod, Azar left, leaving Reign alone in the hallway, his eyes fixed on the door that separated him from me.

The minutes ticked by, each one feeling like an hour. Reign paced restlessly, his steps echoing slightly in the quiet corridor. His mind was racing, a maelstrom of worry and fear blending with a fierce protectiveness.

Finally, the door opened again, and the same doctor from before emerged. This time, his face held a bit of a smile. "You can go in now," he said, opening the door wider to allow Reign to enter. Reign didn't need to be told twice. He was at my bedside in a few quick strides, his eyes drinking in the sight of me, pale and still, but alive.

He took a seat in the chair beside the bed, taking my hand in his own. He held it tightly, his thumb brushing over my knuckles in a rhythm meant to soothe his frayed nerves. He studied my face, taking in the sight of my closed eyes, the steady rise and fall of my chest. I looked so fragile, so vulnerable in my sleep. He hated seeing me like this, hated knowing that he couldn't protect me from everything.

He leaned in, his free hand coming up to brush a strand of hair off my forehead. "You have to wake up, Reina," he murmured, his voice a hoarse whisper. "You have to wake up and be alright. I can't lose you... I won't survive it."

His fingers brushed gently over my cheek, tracing down the line of my jaw and up again to my hair. He didn't know if I could hear him if I could even know he was there. But he continued to speak, the words flowing freely from his lips like a lifeline. 

"You're the strongest person I know," he said, his voice gaining a bit more strength. "You've fought so hard, through so much. You can't give up now. You have to keep fighting, you, and our children, and me, and the family. We all need you, we all love you."

He paused, lifting my hand to his lips. He kissed me softly, gently, his mouth lingering on my knuckles. "You're not allowed to leave us," he muttered, his voice thick with emotion. "You're not allowed to leave me. I can't do this without you."

Reign noticed the tear immediately, his heart lurching at the sight. He tenderly wiped it away with his thumb, his eyes searching my face for any sign of consciousness. "Reina?" he said, his voice hopeful. "Can you hear me? Can you open your eyes for me?" His grip on my hand tightened, his other hand still gently stroking my cheek.

Reign's breath caught in his throat as he felt my hand twitch against his. "That's it," he whispered urgently. "Just open your eyes. You can do it, darlin'."

The moment my eyelids flickered open, Reign's heart soared. He leaned in closer, his eyes fixed on my face. "There you are," he said, his voice filled with relief and joy. "Welcome back, sweetheart."

He gently squeezed my hand, his touch as tender as his gaze. "You had me scared there for a moment," he admitted, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Hi baby," I said slowly but softly.

Reign's smile widened, his eyes glistening at the sound of my voice. "Hey there, darlin'," he responded, his thumb tracing a pattern on the back of my hand. "You have no idea how good it is to hear your voice again."

He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. "You gave us quite a scare, you know," he said, his voice gruff but affectionate. "You need to stop worrying me like that, woman." 

"I-I'm sorry," I coughed from having a dry throat. 

"Don't apologize," Reign said, his eyes filled with concern as he heard my coughing. He reached over to a small table next to my bed, pouring a glass of water from a pitcher. "Here," he said, lifting the cup to my lips. "Take a sip, slowly now."

Reign watched as I sipped the water, making sure I didn't take too much. Once he was satisfied, he set the cup back down, his other hand still holding mine. "Is that better?" he asked, his gaze searching my face for any signs of discomfort.