The Alpha's Sniper

Chapter 2

The team stood without their captain to receive a medal of honor, but the five muscular men just wanted to get out of there and stay by his side. He had now been in a coma for a week. His heart, which couldn't bear the damage, sometimes stopped. The men blamed themselves for their blunder. They had one thing to do and that was to protect him - the mission be damned. They didn'tt care for glory, their rank or medals, the only thing that they cared about was their commander – the one to lead them all.

When the 'meeting' with the president was over and done with, the team; Jake, Alice, Simon, Tom and Bian headed to the hospital. Their different colored hair standing out, covering their gloomy expressions and knitted eyebrows. The four guys towering over everyone in the entrance hall, while Alice lead them as they were behaving like lost puppies. 

The hospital staff knew them by now and let them pass without any complications. Jake opened the door and they saw their captain wrapped with bandages and wires sticking out from his arms, left shoulder, legs and right hip. They had never seen Jean look so vulnerable – the word weak never having been used, as it wasn't a adjective to define him by.

Luckily, there were couches in the room, where they could sit and keep an eye on him. Alice and Jake were the only ones to go to their captain. Each grabbing a hand, hoping for a squeeze in return. What the two soldiers didn't expect, was exactly that. After a few minutes they felt a small squeeze. Jake abruptly stood from his chair knocking it over in the process and in the meanwhile gaining the attention from the others. "What happened? Why so jumpy?"

The question brought Alice out of her trance, and looked at Bian who had spoken. Without answering she began staring at Jean to see if they had been wrong. As two minutes ticked by Alice let out a long sigh, "I guess we were wrong." Without looking at the others, Jake started picking up the knocked over chair, when he heard a shocked sound escaping the others. Jake wrinkled his eyebrows and looked at them to see surprised faces coated with happiness. They were staring behind the clueless man until they heard a voice: "Are you just going to stand there and look stupid, or should we give you a few more minutes to figure out that I have awakened?"

By hearing his captain's voice, Jake quickly turned around and looked at the man lying on the bed awake and smiling. Resulting in him looking at Alice and back at their captain, before a smile spread across his handsome face. 

"Captain!" Everyone yelled, probably waking all that were sleeping down the hall.

"Jeez thanks for making me unable to hear." Jean's remark was ignored as Tom was running out of the room calling for a doctor. In the meantime, Jean got surrounded by the rest of his team.

"It's good to see you awake! We thought we almost had to kiss you to wake up."

"If you did that I would have killed you even in my sleep."

"Well guys looks like our captain hasn't changed in his beauty sleep. Even though he was out for a week."

Jean was surprised by hearing the news, as they had probably been worried to death. Then he remembered what happened. The bullets being fired, the little girls tears flowing down creating a river and the projectiles embedding into his back, before losing consciousness.

"What happened to the mission? Was it completed?"

Jean looked around and his eyes fell on Simon, as he answered his question.

"Yes, the mission was a success beside you getting injured captain."

Jean relaxed at that. Completing a mission means that everyone made it out of there alive.

Suddenly the door opened revealing the doctor and Tom, as they walked into the room.

"Hello Mr. Pierce. My name is Dr. Stefan. How are you feeling?"

Jean looked at the doctor; his blond hair and green eyes giving him a gentle expression. Standing at about 5'8. Overall a handsome human being. Jean knew that the hospital he was put in had human and werewolves working there. Of course the humans knew of the existence of werewolves and were for the most part another half. Stefan noticed Jean checking him out, but he didn't know if it was to determine, if he was a threat or a love interest. Only when Jean was done checking for concealed weapons did his gaze meet the doctor's. An answer upon his lips.

"I'm fine, the only thing bothering me are all these wires, can you possibly take them out, as I'm now awake?"

Stefan's eyes traveled to the wires and understood his question. Approximately twelve wires were sticking out of the marine from three to four places. Making his body look traumatized. 

"Yes I can, but I would like to do it with only the two of us in the room, if that's okay."

By the answer from the doctor, Jean knew, he had something to tell him. Wanting to do it in private without any extra ears. He nodded and the captain's team left quietly through the door, shutting it behind them. The doctor and his patient stared at one another, making the marine detect sadness in the doctor's green orbs.  Knowing it was something bad, he clenched his jaw. As he had already guessed the topic to some extent. By the lack of feeling in his legs, it was probably not something he wanted to be informed about. Ignorance truly was a bliss.

"Will I be able to walk again?"

Jean's question shocked Dr. Stefan. Not having anticipated the question, the strong front and bold speaking. Stefan was indeed fascinated about the man's observing skills.

"I don't know, but it is highly unlikely even if you are a werewolf. When you were shot the two bullets to the hip and shoulder wouldn't be a problem, but the one close to your spinal cord was. The bullet hole damaged your bones and most importantly your nerves. There are only half of the nerves left in your back that's working to their ultimate effect. If you train at a steady pace and don't put too much pressure on your back, then you have a change of walking with crutches, but as I told you, it's highly unlikely."

Stefan stared at the ex-marine's face. Trying to dig out some feelings, but none flickered across his expression. It was blank, the outer shell hardened to the limit. Knowing the prideful man didn't want to break down, he quickly finished the attached wires only leaving the IV.  

"What should I tell your team? They deserve to know. You are very important to them."

Jean nodded his head and told Dr. Stefan to leave. The doctor showed his sympathy, yet didn't make any further move to discuss the topic. The most important thing was getting permission to further the information. With a nod Dr. Stefan exited the room, the door making a soft click before an oppressive silence filled the sterilized space. 
Outside the soldiers were anxiously waiting for the conversation to finish, immediately eyeing the doctor, as he appeared in the hallway.

After the bomb was dropped, the doctor stressed on the importance of giving their captain some time to work through the shock. Giving them a room down the hall to rest.

*****

Jean looked out of the window trying to uphold his blank face, but failed miserably. He watched the reflection, as his blank expression dissolved and a tear escaped its confinement. Feeling the sounds being forced down his throat. A heart breaking scream having been the only sound to allow passage.

The only questions were now: What would happen? How could he survive like this?!

His feelings being a jumbled mess. The fresh drops washing his cheeks of all traces of color. The frustration breaking through after the sadness. Pillows were thrown, dents in the bed frame came to light as blood coated his knuckles and smeared on the white bedsheets. Panic restricting his breath, causing his first blackout. The ex-marine once again feeling peace, as the dark abyss swallowed him whole.

*****

After being told about their captain's situation everyone was holding back their tears. Not even wanting to rest on the comfortable looking furniture. Thoughts travelled through their heads. Why did it had to happen? And why him of all people?  They headed for their captain's hospital room to be there for him, but what made them freeze was hearing their captain's strangled scream through the door. They looked at each other, shock present upon their faces. No matter how tough everything were, they had never heard their leader in anguish... Everyone slid down the wall. Their hearts breaking, while hearing their captain's reaction behind the door. Waiting for him to fall asleep.