This chapter is mostly in Maxon's POV. There's a line or two that is Bella's POV, though. From now on I'm going to be alternating from Bella's and Maxon's POV. There's a lot that happens in this chapter, so it's somewhat longer.
"BELLA!" I yell, shaking her. "BELLA! COME BACK TO ME!" I grab her body and pull her into my arms. Dr. Ashlar bursts into the room. "Doctor! Please, help her!" He sees Bella's body in my arms. I'm sobbing, slapping her face gently, trying to wake her up. "She's still alive. I know she is. Help her, please!"
"Your Majesty, you need to calm down," Dr. Ashlar says.
"Just call me Maxon, please. It's way easier at the moment."
"Ok, then, Maxon, you need to calm down. Put Bella on the bed and step away so I can examine her." I stand up and lay her on the bed gently. I grab her hand, kiss it, and step out of Dr. Ashlar's way. I look at Bella, and my hand flies up to my mouth. She looks so pale and her wrists are covered in blood. My darling Bella, I think, why did you do this? "Maxon, I don't think I can do anything…she's clearly dead…"
"Keep trying, please! I can't lose her when I just got her."
"Max-wait, I found a pulse. It's very weak, but I might be able to fix that…"
"Dr. Ashlar, do everything you can to save her. The costs will be covered."
"Ok, Maxon, but this might be painful for her. I'm going to have to clean her wounds and stitch them up. I think she might wake up, but I can't do anything about that. Afterward, she has to be brought to the infirmary to get a blood transfusion…"
"Doctor, do anything to keep her alive. I need her."
"Ok, I need to grab stuff from my bag…go find a towel for her to bite on when she wakes up…"
I rush into the bathroom and look inside the bathroom closet for a towel. I find one and run back out, running straight towards Bella. "Bella," I whisper, "you are getting help. Don't die on me now. You've stayed alive this long. Just hold on for a few more minutes." I lean on the bed, careful to avoid the blood that is still pooling under her wrists.
"Maxon, I would recommend that you stay off the bed. She might start fighting back while I perform the procedure. If you don't mind, can I ask the guards to get me a restraining bed? She will kick and try to pry her wrist away, and she could seriously hurt herself or even kill herself. The cuts are too close to the main artery in her wrist and if the needle goes through the artery just right, she will die instantly."
I go pale, terrified of losing Bella. "Yes, of course. You can ask the guards outside the door." I kiss Bella's forehead and I rub her hair out of her face. "My dear, please be ok. Please. I beg of you."
"Maxon, I have to let you know that you will see her in pain, but you can't help her. The only thing you can do is comfort her and try to have her focus on something else."
"I know, Doctor. I'll do my best."
"Good." The guards knock on the door and wheel the restraining bed into the room. "You can move it over here," Dr. Ashlar says, pointing near my bed. They do as they are told and I turn to them.
"Please go down to the ends of the hall and stand guard there," I say, wanting Bella to have privacy.
"Of course, Your Majesty," the guards responded and then hurried out of the room.
"Maxon, please lay Bella on the bed," Dr. Ashlar says. "Be careful not to touch her wrists."
I gently pick up Bella's limp body and kiss her forehead. "Be strong, Bella. I'm right here by your side." I lay her on the bed. Dr. Ashlar starts putting her feet in the restraining cuffs and then he does her arms. I don't like the way Bella looks in the restraining bed, and I don't want her to need the restraints, but I tell myself that they are necessary for her to live. I take a deep breath. "I'm ready."
Dr. Ashlar grabs the liquid to clean her wounds. "Maxon, be ready to give her the towel to bite on. I'm going to sew her with stitches that dissolve into the skin, so she won't need to get them taken out. Do you have any alcohol for her to drink so it will somewhat numb the pain?"
"I think I might have some whiskey…" I say, walking towards my desk and opening the bottom drawer. "Yes, I have some right here."
"Ok, I'm going to clean her wounds and hopefully she will wake up then. As soon as she wakes up, have her drink what's in that flask." I walk over to Bella, ready for her to wake up. "I'm starting to clean her wounds now…"
He brings the cloth to her wrists, rubbing the blood off of Bella's wrist. Bella doesn't stir. He moves onto her next wrist and her eyelids flutter. "Bella! Bella! Can you hear me?" I ask, rubbing her forehead. Dr. Ashlar starts cleaning the inside of her wounds and Bella's eyes quickly open. She screams and starts moving around. "Oh my gosh, Bella! You're alive!" I started crying with tears of relief, scared I was going to lose her. "Bella, it's ok. Here, drink this." She opens her mouth and I pour the whiskey in her mouth. "Swallow it, Bella. It'll help with the pain. Good job, darling. Bite on this now." I put the towel in her mouth and she bites on it and screams. "It's ok, Bella, I'm right here."
—-
All I am aware of is pain and Maxon. Pain. White-hot pain…
—-
"Bella, sh…sh…" I say, rubbing her forehead. "I'm right here. Please, my love." Dr. Ashlar is sewing her wrists and Bella is obviously in pain. She looks up at me and she is crying from the pain. I shower her face with kisses, trying to comfort her. I realize she is shaking violently, probably from the pain and the adrenaline. "Doctor, how much longer?"
"I'm almost done, Maxon. I just need a few more stitches…"
"Bella, it's almost over. You will be ok."
"Alright, I'm done. Now, let's go to the infirmary to give Bella a transfusion…Help me get her out of the restraints."
I rush to her feet and I quickly free her feet. I look at her and she is so pale. Her wrists still have blood dripping down from the stitches. "Oh, darling. My darling Bella," I say, tearing up at her state.
"Maxon, can you carry Bella downstairs?" Dr. Ashlar asks. I notice he has gotten her arms out of the restraints.
"Of course," I say, already grabbing Bella.
"Ok, but wait a few minutes. I need to get the blood ready for the transfusion. Try to keep her conscious and be careful with her. I would say stay in here for like five minutes."
"Ok, thank you for everything, Doctor."
"Of course, Maxon." Dr. Ashlar rushes out of the room, and I look at Bella.
"Bella, are you awake?" Bella turns to look at me.
"Mmm?" she says.
"My dear, I'm so glad you are ok."
"What…happen'?" she asks, and I'm confused by her speech. It hits me that she is drunk from all of the whiskey.
"Darling, I'll explain later. How are you?"
"Mmm…I don' know."
"Bella, I need to bring you to the infirmary."
"Why?" She seems more awake now.
"You need to get a blood transfusion."
"What? Why?"
"My love, I'll explain when this is all over. For now, just trust me."
"Ok." I slowly lift Bella from the bed and she whimpers in pain. "It hurts so much, Maxon. I can feel everything."
"I know, darling. I know. Just please stay with me."
"I'll try."
"You're a fighter, Bella. Remember that. You've already gone through so much. I know you can do this." I walk towards the door and I open it. "Guards, shut the door." The guards quickly do what I said. "You can guard the room again." I walk towards the stairs. "Bella, this isn't going to feel good when I walk down the stairs."
"I know."
I walk down the stairs and I watch Bella's face. It has a thin layer of sweat on it and she grimaces from the movement. "Hold on, Bella. We're almost done…" I reach the last stair and I notice a little black ball. "What?" I notice a red blinking light on the ball. It's a bomb, I figure out. There's a timer and there are ten seconds left until it goes off. I start running down the hall, hoping to get out of the way. Bella cries out in pain. "I'm sorry, my dear. I have to get out of the way." I'm mentally counting the seconds down in my head. Six. "Bella, I love you." Three. I kiss her forehead. One. I throw Bella and myself down to the ground. Bella screams and it is almost not human. I fall on top of Bella, although I try not to. The bomb goes off and I look to see what happened. The bomb just missed us, and if I didn't throw myself in this hallway, we would have died.
"Bella! Bella! Are you ok?" I ask, turning to look at her.
"Mmm…" she responds, her eyelids fluttering.
"Bella Starr, don't leave me now! We're almost there!"
"Maxon…"
"Bella! Just hold on!" I stand up and I feel a sharp pain in my leg. There's glass in my leg from the mirror that was right behind me. I hissed. Bella looks up at me and she tries to get up. "Bella, I'm fine. You just rest." I walk towards her ready to pick her up, but my leg gives out from the pain. I hiss and fall to the ground. I see black spots on the edge of my vision.
"Maxon!" I hear Bella cry.
"I'm…fine," I say through gritted teeth. I put pressure on my bad leg and I fell into darkness.
