Betrayal: Book 3 of the Guardians Saga

Ch. 10.3 A Stupid Thing

The next two days passed slowly and uneventfully. The brothers took turns sitting by Alex's bed, disappearing into their assigned bedroom when the nurse made her hourly checks.

Rile always brought his tablet to read, Cale sang to the sleeping form, and Gabe sat and sharpened his sword and dagger.

This morning was Rile's turn and he sat, reading his tablet.

"Rile?" Alex's voice was gritty from disuse and clotted blood. "Rile?"

"She speaks." He put down his tablet and leaned over to her. "It's about time. You worried us."

"How do I look?"

"Typical female: asking about your appearance," Fear turned his joke harsher than he meant. "To be honest, remember that cat you rescued that had been dragged through the mud? You look worse than that."

"Honest, good. I need that." A fit of coughing stopped her and when she spoke again, her voice was weaker. "I'm going to die, aren't I?"

"No," Rile scoffed.

"I heard Dr. Dewey say it."

"He said that you would die if you didn't go to the hospital."

"I'm not in a hospital," Alex replied.

"I can't believe this. The first words you've spoken in ages and you're provoking me." Rile tapped his claws on the hospital bed rails to emphasize.

"I need your help."

"You need lots of help. That's why we're here."

"It has to be you." This time the coughing spell was longer and she had to gasp for breath afterwards, face pinched in pain. "You're the only one strong enough."

"Enough flattery. What do you want?" Rile asked, suspicious, and he gripped the bed rails as he leaned toward her, his claws indenting them.

"Kill me. Don't let me die slowly. This is torture."

"Alex, don't be a drama queen," Rile intentionally used the words Alex hated in his usual 'snap out of it' routine."You're not dying".

Anger flared in Alex for a second before it was replaced by overwhelming weariness. "I'm in agony, Rile. I can't live like this. Please, Rile, please, you're the only one I can trust. Neither Gabe or Cale has the strength to help me. They're too weak. You're the strong one. Please. I don't know why I didn't die from the overdose of Hermann's drug, but I didn't. Now I need you. If you ever felt any affection for me, show me mercy."

She lifted a trembling hand to his muzzle. "It doesn't have to be bloody. Just pick the lock on that red drawer. The morphine is there. Inject the entire vial. All the pain will go away. I'll go to sleep and then slip away. Please?"

Rile pressed her hand closer and sat there, speechless, shaken, watching tears roll down the bruised cheeks. Finally he said, "I can't. I'm sorry. I just can't."

"Do you want to see me suffer?"

"No, but—"

"Inject the morphine then. No more pain, Rile. I'm in agony while awake and when I'm asleep I relive the entire nightmare of what Morgan did to me. Use the IV, Rile. It's easy."

"I can't."

"I'm begging you," Alex said. "Just like I begged Morgan."

"No, Alex, don't say that. I'm not Morgan."

"I'm sorry. You're a Guardian. You do the right thing." Alex gazed up at him in a way that made him want to flop on the bed, snuggle against her, and tell her all sorts of stupid things about how he loved her. "Razz said your desire for me was very clear. Can you help me? Help your teammate out of love or desire or both?"