Prince exhaled sharply, the force of his relief nearly knocking the air from his lungs.For a moment, the world tilted, leaving him lightheaded from the rush of adrenaline.He leaned closer, his breath clouding in the cold as it drifted across Finn's pale face.With trembling fingers, he brushed more snow from Finn's cheek, careful but urgent, as if afraid Finn might slip away if he moved too slowly.
"Stay with me, baby," he murmured, his voice rough and unsteady.He didn’t dare move Finn, not knowing where he was hurt, but the sight of blood against the snow made it impossible to ignore the fear clawing at him.
On the phone, Bevin's voice cracked."Dad?Did you find him?"
Prince didn’t lift his gaze from Finn, not even for a second."I found him," he said, the words coming out on a shaky breath.
He was about to tell Bevin to call for help when his phone beeped with an incoming call.Glancing at the screen, he saw Monroe's name flashing.
"Bevin, let me call you back."
"No need.I'll be there in a few hours."
The call disconnected, and Monroe's came through immediately.
"Sir, the police and search and rescue are here."
"Good.Tell them to come to Devil's Track.I found Finn, and we need to get him to the hospital now."
He looked down at Finn again.His lips were turning purple, a stark contrast against the snow.Prince shrugged out of his coat and wrapped it carefully around him, rubbing his arms and shoulders, desperate to push warmth back into his body.
“Come on, Finn,” he pleaded, his voice breaking despite himself.“You can’t leave me, not when we haven’t even started.Come back to me, baby.”
Prince lowered himself over Finn, shielding him from the wind as best he could without shifting him, holding him close and praying the rescuers would arrive before it was too late.
CHAPTER NINE
The steady beep pierced through the darkness, dragging Finn slowly toward consciousness.He felt as though he were swimming up from deep water, each sound pulling him closer to the surface.The rhythm was sharp and mechanical, too precise to belong to the mountain and too steady to be the wind.
His head throbbed with a dull, relentless ache.The air felt different, warmer somehow, and it carried a sterile scent instead of the crisp bite of snow.He tried to open his eyes, but light stabbed at him instantly, forcing them shut again.Another beep followed with a steady pulse.
The sound refused to fade.
Where am I?
Finn’s memory came back in fragments.White, falling, his world spinning out of control, and then nothing.He swallowed, his throat raw and burning.When he shifted slightly, something tugged at his hand.A faint pull in his chest felt tight and restricted, with each breath coming out shallow and measured.None of it felt like snow or being in the mountains, especially since he was warm and he no longer felt that he was going to die.
Finn forced his eyes open again, slower this time, letting them adjust bit by bit.The ceiling above him was smooth and pale, lined with fluorescent panels.He turned his head carefully and immediately regretted it when dizziness washed over him.
I'm in the hospital.How did I get down the mountain?Who found me?
For a fleeting second, he let himself imagine a knight in shining armor, mainly Prince Sullivan, finding him in the snow and carrying him to safety.The thought was ridiculous, and he pushed it aside.That was not how things worked.He tried to sit up but barely made it an inch before weakness forced him back down.Pain flared along his side, sharp and unforgiving, and the IV dug into the back of his hand when he shifted.He looked at the clear tube taped to his skin, briefly wondering if he could just pull it out, but common sense won.Better to wait for a doctor.
"Finn, you're awake."
The voice came from beside him, very familiar.
He turned his head again and instantly regretted it when his skull protested and another wave of dizziness hit him, even though he was lying down.His vision cleared slowly, and surprise crossed his face when he saw Bevin sitting in a chair, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees as if he hadn’t moved in hours.His hair was a mess, nothing like the polished playboy Finn knew, and his eyes were red-rimmed and tired.
Finn blinked."Bev?"His vision cleared slowly.
Bevin smiled, then pulled his chair closer, the legs scraping on the floor, causing the dull ache in Finn's head to intensify.
"Yeah, I'm here."His eyes scanned Finn quickly."Are you in any pain?"
Finn frowned weakly, ignoring the question."How long have I been here?What are you doing here?"he asked instead, his voice rough and barely more than a whisper.
Bevin let out a breath that almost sounded like a laugh, though it wavered at the edges."Nice to see you too," he said softly."And you've been in a coma for two days."
