Mitchelâs gaze bore into Erick, probing for reassurance.
âIs she alone inside?â
âYes, itâs only her.
â At this point, Erick saw no point in lying anymore.
Mitchel cast a glance at Erick, which made him feel uneasy Thankfully, Mitchel refrained from further interrogation, instead turning his attention to Victor, who hastened to their side.
âFetch the key, now!â
Even with the key in hand, the door proved obstinate.
Erickâs heart skipped a beat as he glimpsed a hand protruding from a gap.
âRaegan!â
Mitchel was horrified, but he managed to keep his cool.
Panic was a luxury he couldnât afford right now.
With a gentle push, he eased the door ajar, his slender frame barely squeezing through the narrow gap.
Inside, a vast expanse of watermarks adorned the floor.
Raeganâs water broke! It was clear she was in labor.
Without hesitation, Mitchel scooped up the unconscious Raegan, urgency propelling his every move as he hurried out.
Erick, noticing Mitchelâs slight limp, stepped forward.
âGive her to me.
â After all, he figured, he would be much quicker! But a cold glare from Mitchel met his suggestion.
Erick didnât insist anymore.
He still bore the wound in his shoulder and failing to support Raegan securely could spell disaster.
Despite the injury in his leg, it was evident that Mitchel would hold Raegan tightly even if he fell.
With Raegan cradled in his arms, Mitchel made his way to the car, wasting no time for Erick to catch up.
The car door slammed shut, and they sped off into the night.
âHey!â Erick hastily called for another car, determined to follow them to the hospital.
Inside the car, Raegan found herself leaning against a strangerâs chest, her brows furrowed in discomfort.
Even in her unconscious state, she felt a tad uneasy.
As if trapped in a surreal dream, she was plagued by waves of pain radiating from her belly.
Tears streamed down her face, her hoarse voice pleading, âHelp⦠Help my childrenâ¦â
Only the assurance of being cradled in warm arms provided some solace, though her brow remained furrowed with worry.
Mitchel slid off his dripping wet coat with careful precision, revealing only a shirt and a snug black sweater.
He cradled Raegan tighter against his chest.
âRaegan⦠Raegan,â he murmured in a hushed tone, the words barely audible over the pounding rain.
He continued to murmur against her ear as they made their journey to the hospital.
âRaegan, stay with me⦠Hang in there.
Weâre almost at the hospital⦠I promise I wonât let anything happen to youâ¦â
Raeganâs mind swirled in a haze of pain, memories of her grandmother and foster father flickering like distant lights in a storm.
Their voices were tender and kind, calling out to her back from the brink.
âRaegan, Raeganâ¦â
A lump formed in her throat, aching with longing for their comforting presence.
Oh, how she missed them, yearned to be with them once more, regardless of anything else.
But amidst the turmoil, another voice broke through the haze.
âRaegan, hold onâ¦â