Reckless Rogue - Book 2.

Chapter Fourteen.

Rachel's P.O.V.

I squeezed my eyes shut moments before they burst open to take in the white ceiling that loomed overhead. The only clear sound I could hear was the steady beeping of the heart rate monitor in the background. My body was consumed by a dull ache, no longer as unbearable as it had been. I blinked my eyes to get rid of the fogginess and tried to move my hands. My fingers twitched, catching the attention of whoever was holding onto my hand.

"Caine" Rebecca's voice reached my ears followed by a comforting squeeze of my hand. A delicate thumb brushed over my knuckles a few times as I tried to push myself up into a sitting position.

"Caine, help her" Rebecca's gentle voice said and in a matter of seconds Caine was by my side, reaching out to slowly ease my body forward. His hands gripped my shoulders to steady me as I groaned when a sharp jolt of pain shot up from my chest.

"W-Water" I managed to get out through dry lips. A chair moved at my side and the sound of water pouring into a glass filled the room. Rebecca's hand was still in mine and Caine was rubbing my back which meant that a third person was getting me the water. The smell of medicine and cleaning products was overpowering as someone handed me the glass of water. I hurriedly down the glass and held it back out to the person.

"Thank y-you" I got out, running the back of my hand across my lips. The person placed the glass down on a metal table beside my bed and moved around to the foot of the bed.

"How are you feeling, dear?" Rebecca asked, taking a seat beside me on the bed from how the mattress dipped. I squeezed her hand and let out a shaky breath.

"I'm fine" I insisted just as another wave of dull pain shot through me. I clenched my teeth and took in a sharp gasp, tightening my hold on her hand as Caine rubbed at my shoulder.

"You don't look fine" she said, reaching a hand out to place the back of it against my forehead. I raised my head to look at her.

"I'm fine" I repeated but Rebecca wasn't listening. She let go of my hand and stood up from the edge of the bed, facing Caine who stood behind me "She's burning up, I'm going to go get Zander" Caine nodded and Rebecca disappeared out the hospital room door. My eyes followed her but instead landed on the figure that stood at the foot of the bed with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Alec-." I began but stopped myself when I noticed the look of rage in his eyes that flashed red. His nostrils flared and his body was tense, shoulders stiff as he bored holes into my skull "What the hell were you thinking?" his voice was powerful as it echoed off the walls, bouncing around the room. I stayed quiet, looking at him with a clenched jaw of my own. I knew he wouldn't understand why I had to do what I did, to take away the guilt left behind because of what happened to Lisa. Because of what I allowed to happen.

"You could've easily put both your and your pup's lives in danger!" he wasn't pleased as he shook his head from side to side and muttered something under his breath. Caine stood silent behind me but I knew that he was siding with my brother "I understand that-." Alec breathed a laugh and cut me off "No, you clearly don't-." he uncrossed his arms from over his bare chest and gripped at the railing at the foot of the bed. His hands tightened around the white bar until his knuckles turned white.

"If it was just your life then fine, you could do whatever you want with it but this isn't just about you, Rachel, this is about your pup as well" his voice was lower but when he spoke there was always a hint of a snarl in the background. Caine moved around me to take a stand beside Alec.

"You can't afford to do these types of things anymore-." Alec said, keeping his head low as he stared at the bar that he clutched within his hands "You have to start thinking about your pup" an image of the little girl from my dream flashed before my eyes. Her big rust colored eyes looking up at me with wonder and awe and long dark hair that curled in natural waves like mine did.