Page 78 of Rescued By Four Alphas
"Bad enough," Marianna replies, working to clamp off bleeding vessels. "But it is repairable if I can get to it in time."
Another explosion rocks the building; this one is so close that the surgical instruments rattle on their tray. The lights flicker more violently now.
"Hurry," I urge, though I know she's already moving as fast as safely possible.
"Her blood pressure is dropping," Evan reports, his eyes fixed on the monitor. "It's down to eighty over fifty."
"She's lost too much blood," Marianna says, "I need to work faster."
Just then, the building's power fails, and the emergency lighting kicks in a second later, bathing the room in red. The monitors switch to battery power, but the surgical lights die completely.
"Fuck," Marianna swears. "I can barely see what I'm doing."
I grab a flashlight from one of the emergency kits. "Here."
Evan takes another flashlight and positions himself to provide the best possible lighting. In the eerie red glow, with flashlight beams lighting up the surgical site, Marianna continues her work.
"Almost there," she mutters. "I just need to repair this vessel..."
The heart rate monitor suddenly flatlines, and the consistent beep becomes one long, continuous tone.
"She's in cardiac arrest," Marianna announces, immediately moving to begin chest compressions.
My world stops. Everything fades to nothing. All I can hear is that terrible, endless tone.
"No," Evan whispers. "No, no, no..."
Marianna pushes hard and fast on Dahlia's chest. "Keep monitoring her pulse," she orders. "Tell me the second you feel anything."
Evan places two fingers against Dahlia's neck while Marianna continues compressions. She does thirty compressions, then she moves to provide rescue breathing through the oxygen mask.
"Anything?" she asks.
"Nothing," Evan replies, his voice breaking.
She resumes compressions. I count silently, watching my mate's pale face, willing her to come back to us.
"Come on, baby," I whisper. "Don't leave us now. Your babies need you. We need you."
After another round of compressions, Evan checks for pulse.
"Still nothing," Evan reports.
My hands shake as I hold the flashlight. This can't be happening. Not after everything. Not when we finally have her back.
"Again," Marianna orders, starting another round.
Thirty compressions. Two breaths. Check for pulse.
"Wait," Evan says suddenly. "I think... yes! I've got a pulse!"
The monitor comes back to life with a weak beep, and Dahlia's heart rate picks up again.
"Thank god," Marianna breathes, immediately returning to the surgical site. "I need to finish this repair before she arrests again."
My hands tremble so violently I can barely hold the flashlight. We almost lost her. For one horrible minute, we lost her.
"Her blood pressure stabilizing," Evan reports, relief evident in his voice. "And her heart rate is coming back up."
