Dean (COMPLETED)

Chapter 11

Dean's POV

I stayed up all night in the hospital room while Royal slept. I was mentally and physically beating myself up. I refused to forgive myself, refused to sleep or to eat. I refused to do any of those. Because I let Royal, my life, my everything, get hurt. And now my children.

I started to doze off when I heard Royal starting to stir. Looking up, I could see her sitting up. "Go back to sleep." I told her, shifting myself in the seat. "No." She almost growled. There was pain in her voice under the growling.

"Are you in pain?" I ask, standing up and moving closer. But she jerked away from me. "Royal. Are you okay?" I asked, my heart breaking.

"Who are you?" She asked, looking up at me. There was anger on her face but fear in her eyes. I gave her a confused look. "What? You know me. I'm your mate." I whispered, reaching out to her but she gave a hiss.

My heart broke into pieces. She would never act this way with me, would she? Why is she acting this way? Why did she ask who I was?

-

I jerked awake and took a deep breath. My hand was pressed into my cheek and my elbow was on the arm of the chair.

Looking around the room, it was bright and the window was open, letting fresh air in.

"Dean. You look like hell." Rocco said, walking into the room. "You need to sleep baby brother." He told me, setting his hand on my shoulder. "I'm fine." I sighed, lifting my head up, only to find that Royal wasn't in the hospital room.

"Where's Royal?" I ask, looking around. "She went to the bathroom out in the hallway. She said she wanted to walk more instead of wanting to use the one in here."

I look over and Royal's walking through the door of the room. "Hey, baby." She whispered to me, walking over. "How are you?" She asked, running a hand through my hair. "I'm fine." I whispered, looking up at her. "How are you? How's the arm?"

She gave me a sad look. "Dean, don't lie to me." She whispered. "Don't worry about me. How are you?" I said, trying to get the topic off of me. She continued to give me a sad look. "You had a nightmare. I can tell."

I shook my head no. "He gets nightmares if he worries about something." Rocco told Royal. "I do not." I almost growled. "I didn't have a nightmare."

Royal sighed. "Yes you did. I heard your heart beating faster while I was in the bathroom." She said, her hand not leaving my hair. "That doesn't mean anything. I could've been waking up." I sighed. "It was right after I left and you were dead to the world."

I stood up and looked her in the eyes. "I'll be alright. I'm awake now and fine." I told her and gave her a peck on the lips. "How are you, though? Your shoulder and arm? The babies?" I asked, gently taking her in my arms. "I'm fine. The wound is almost fully healed so I can go home. Just have to wear the sling for the next day or two until it does fully healed. The babies are just peachy."

I chuckled and kissed her hair. "Good." I whispered into her hair, moving my hand to her stomach. "I'm glad all of you are okay."

"Mark said gave an estimate to when the babies are coming, though." She told me, moving away from me. "He told me in about a week, we'll know the genders and in two months, they should arrive."

"Wow, that's not that long. I know it took longer than that for mom with Maddie and Ranger." Rocco said. "Wait. Are you referring to Max as Maddie?" Royal asked, looking between me and Rocco. "Max? I never referred to him as Max. Either Maddox or Maddie." Rocco said.

I shrugged. "I called him Max once or twice. But he told me after awhile to call him Maddie." I said. "But why Maddie? That's a girls name." Royal said. "It doesn't have to be." Rocco said with a little sass in his voice.

I could tell my eyes darkened and a low growl came from deep within my chest. "Dean?" A voice called to me but I grabbed Rocco by the shirt. "Dean!" The same voice called.

"Sass my mate again! I dare you, brother! Go ahead!" I spat, pushing him against a wall. "I'll fucking rip out your esophagus!"

A hand grabbed the back of my shirt and pulled me off of Rocco. "Dean!" Royal's voice yelled. "That was uncalled for. You best keep your anger and dominance at bay or you'll be sleeping outside until well past our children are born." Royal warned.

I glared down at her. "Who do you think your-"

"I'm fucking talking to you. That's who I'm talking to. And don't you think you can use this bullshit on me. You may be able to bully your way through with some people but not when I'm around. Check yourself." She hissed at me.

She grabbing a fistful of my shirt with her good hand and pulling me down to meet her at eye level. "Don't make me make you my bitch." She growled and shoved me down until I was on my knees.

Her eyes were dark in color. Several shades darker than her natural blue. Not quite black but close. She shoved me backwards, letting go of my shirt in the process. I went from my knees to my butt. I tried to stand up but Royal's glare kept me sitting. Her eyes were still dark.

Eventually her eyes went back to her natural color. "That's what I thought." She mumbled and turned away from me. "And just for trying to glare and yell at me, you're sleeping on the couch tonight." She said and walked out of the room.