Page 155 of Beast

“You need to go home and get some rest,” Lars says, walking into the room and standing behind me.

Since Beast has been in here, Lars has been a constant presence. Always nearby but never encroaching on my time with his president.

The rest of the Knights visit too. So do the club girls and the old ladies. Some days, Mya sits with me, and gently holds my hand and strokes my fingers, comforting me in any way she can. And Annika, she’s never far away, always ready to stand beside me with her hand on my shoulder.

But it all goes by in a blur as I sit here, physically aching for Beast to open his eyes and smile up at me.

“I’m fine right here,” I say to Lars, knowing what’s coming next.

It’s a thing that’s developed between Lars and me over the last couple of weeks. He’ll ask when I slept last, and I’ll lie to him.

He takes a step closer. “When was the last time you got some sleep?”

Bingo.

“Yesterday,” I reply, avoiding eye contact.

“No, it was the day before.”

“If you knew, then why did you ask?”

He crouches down so we’re eye level. “They’re not bringing Beast out of his coma today. You know that. So I’m going to need you to go home and get some sleep.” He subtly sniffs the air. “And maybe take a shower.”

I shoot daggers at him from my eyes. “Why do you care so much if I sleep or not?”

“Because you’re our first lady, and I’m going to protect you whether you like it or not.”

“That’s goes for me too,” Viking says, appearing in the doorway.

Lars brings my attention back to him. “Besides, when your old man wakes up and hears how you spent all these days and nights in here, he’ll bust my balls for not making you go home and rest.”

Exhausted, I nod. “I suppose you’re right. I’ll go home and freshen up.”

But I don’t move to leave right away. Because leaving Beast requires me to give myself an internal pep talk just so I can walk away.

Standing, I lean down to press a kiss to his cheek, feeling physically sick about leaving.

“I’ll keep an eye on him,” Lars says with a wink.

With a nod, I reluctantly leave the room but don’t get far before I see Beast’s doctor. I take the chance to ask him for an update.

He looks grim. “I had hoped he would be well enough to bring him out of his coma by now. But your husband’s condition hasn’t improved. He lost a lot of blood and his internal organs paid heavily.”

I’m only vaguely aware of Lars and Viking joining us. Then Bear and Axe and Ryder, who seem to materialize out of nowhere.

I try to swallow back the lump in my throat. “But he’s going to come out of this, right?”

“The longer he’s in a coma, the more chance he has of developing complications. We’ll continue to monitor him. But I won’t be bringing him out of his induced state just yet.” He looks me inthe eyes and I see the fearful reality in them. “Your husband might not wake up, Mrs. Vale. You still need to be prepared for that.”

He leaves, and a stunned silence lingers in his wake.

My blood roars in my ears, and my heart pounds violently against my ribs.

Beast has to live. I can’t bear the thought of him dying.

“If what he’s says is true—” Axe starts to talk but I stop him with a blazing glare.

Shaken by what I’ve just heard, I walk over to Axe and look up at him. “That is your president in there and he isnotgoing to die. Do you hear me?” I look to each of the bikers standing around me. “And I won’t hear any talk about him not waking up. Not here. Not with Beast on the other side of that wall. Have more faith in your president, or I swear to God I will punch you in the dick.”

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