Chapter 71: Waking into the Storm

Selene

It’s the light I notice first. then the annoying beeping.

Then the ache—dull and spreading, like I’ve been folded and wrung out. My head throbs. My body feels heavy. Distant voices echo through the haze.

Then a touch. Gentle, warm.

“Selene… baby… come on, come back to us.”

Adrian.

My lashes flutter, and I peel my eyes open.

The ceiling is unfamiliar. Sterile. White.

Hospital.

“Hey—she’s waking up!” Jonathan’s voice, loud and cracked with relief.

I shift my head slightly and see them.

Adrian is closest, crouched by the bed, holding my hand so tightly his knuckles are white. His eyes are red-rimmed, but the tears are fresh, clinging to his lashes.

John stands behind him, hand on Adrian’s shoulder, the other clenched at his side. His face is tight, pale, his jaw working like he’s trying not to fall apart.

Kostas is leaning against the far wall, but he’s stepped forward now, as if gravity won’t let him stay away. His face is unreadable, but his eyes—God, his eyes—are shattered.

And Jonathan. Seated on the couch. Legs stretched out, arms folded. His usual smirk is missing, but his eyes are kind. He lifts two fingers in a lazy wave. “Hey, sleeping beauty. Welcome back.”

I blink slowly. “What… happened?”

Adrian’s voice is hoarse. “You… you fell. At the hospital. I found you—there was blood. You hit your head. You’ve been out for hours, 2 days actually ”

My brows pinch. “The scan right ? ”

He swallows hard. Pain flashes across his face. John reaches over and squeezes his shoulder.

“Are the babies ok ? “, I cry out

“No,” I whisper, my hand moving to my belly.

It’s still slightly round, tender… but empty. I feel it. The absence. A mother always knows.

Adrian shakes his head slowly, eyes brimming. “I’m so sorry, baby. The doctor tried—he said they couldn’t…”

“No,” I whisper again. Tears slip sideways down my temples, pooling in my ears. “No, no…”

Kostas steps forward and sits beside the bed. “Selene. Look at me.”

I do.

“You’re alive. And we’re here. All of us. We’re not going anywhere.”

My throat burns. “They’re gone.”

John sits at the foot of the bed gently rubbing my feet. “But you’re not. And we’re going to get through this. Together.”

Jonathan clears his throat and wipes at his face. “Yeah, I mean, if you’re going to collect hot men like infinity stones, you might as well let us grieve like one sad little superhero team.”

That actually makes me let out a tiny breath of laughter. A sob-laugh. Ugly and beautiful all at once.

I look at them—these three powerful, broken, breathtaking men—and the grief in the room is unbearable. But so is the love.

“I can’t lose you too,” I whisper.

Adrian presses his forehead to my hand. “You won’t. We’re yours.”

Kostas reaches over, brushing hair from my cheek. “We’ll rebuild. Whatever it takes.”

John nods. “Whatever you need. Whenever you need it.”

Jonathan leans back with a sigh. “Damn. Even I’m falling in love with you a little.”

I close my eyes, overwhelmed. Not by the pain—though it’s sharp and cruel—but by the weight of what remains.

Love.

They stayed. They all stayed.

And maybe… somehow… that’s enough.

I close my eyes and dose off again. I start to dream and I’m in the restroom of the hospital, I’ve peed and as I walk out someone grabs me and shoves me down the stairs, I scream as I fall trying to hold on to the rail and shield my belly .

“Selene baby wake up,” John’s voice wakes me . “You’re having a bad dream, it’s ok love we are here “ he says quietly.

“John I didn’t fall , I didn’t “ I babble from the pain the stress and the pain medication.

Adrian,Kostas and Jonathan are at my side instantly .

“What do you mean Selene ?”, asks John.

“I mean, I went to the bathroom because I had to pee, well I did pee and was on my way back when someone shoved me down the stairs. Someone did this to me , they wanted to hurt me and now I’ve lost my babies “, As I start to cry .

John climbs onto the bed and lifts me gently on to his lap and holds me rocking me and Kostas and Adrian rub my back and arms as I cry , till my voice is hoarse. Jonathan must have stepped out because he steps back in.

“So I’ve made some calls and the cops are reviewing the hospital footage now , we should know shortly who the person is who pushed you Selene, we will get them.”

" It won't bring our babies back ." I mumble brokenly .

When I first found out I was pregnant it had been a shock no doubt . Especially given the circumstances of my current romantic relationships. But having the support of Adrian and John and recently Kostas, had made me fall in love with my babies . And now I had lost them. The guilt of having to go use the restroom weighed heavily on me. I felt broken with the pain of the loss and angry as hell at whoever pushed me .