Page 115 of Blood Red Rage

Roman had tried to keep him calm. “She needs rest.”

That had been the wrong thing to say because he immediately started to sit up. “Why?” Nobody answered quickly enough, Viking noticed. Of course he fucking noticed. “What happened?”

“Nothing.” Draugr later admitted that was his mistake.

Viking had turned his head toward him his eyes flashing with concern. “What. Happened.”

“She's fine.”

“Then why are all of you looking at me like that?” He was met with silence.

Viking tried again to sit up but pain put him straight back down. “What happened to Bryn?”

Roman told him to stop moving. Viking told Roman to go fuck himself which was normal family communication. “What happened to my mate?”

Lucien finally answered. “She had a difficult couple of days.”

Viking apparently lost all colour at this revelation as he went completely still. “What does that mean?”

“She was frightened.”

“About what?”

Lucien had stared at him. “You, you stupid bastard.”

That was when Viking tried getting out of bed. Tearing monitoring wires from his chest which had Dragan come running. Roman grabbed one shoulder as Draugr grabbed the other. Viking nearly took both of them down despite barely being able to stand.

“GET THE FUCK OFF ME!”

“Your wound will reopen!”

“WHERE IS SHE?”

“Viking!”

“WHERE THE FUCK IS BRYN?”

I slept through all of it, I still didn't understand how. Then Viking's feet hit the floor, his knees immediately buckled but Roman caught him as Volken swore. Dragan threatened to sedate him. Viking turned his head to glare at him and threatened to remove Dragan's head. Apparently, that was when Draugr finally lost patience.

“She's six fucking metres away from you, you idiot.” Silence as Viking had looked across the room, past the equipment, past the privacy screen and seen me. He'd gone completely still.

I woke to the sound of my name being roared. “Bryn.” I opened my eyes, for one confused second, I didn't understand what I was seeing but then I saw him. Viking was awake, standing.

Well, technically being held upright by Roman and Draugr while Volken hovered behind him and Dragan swore at everyone, but he was awake. His eyes met mine and the world stopped.

“Viking?” At my words his face broke, there was no other word for it. Every hard line disappeared, every trace of anger. He looked at me like a man seeing sunlight after being buried alive.

“Angel.” I was out of bed before my brain caught up but Dragan grabbed my arm.

“No.”

I rounded on him. “If you stop me right now, I swear to God…”

“Sit.”

“I’m not sitting!”

Across the room Viking growled. “Get your fucking hand off her.”