The Angelus Brothers Chronicles - The Golden Hind

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

Marie ran to the gate as she saw everyone returning.

"Duncan?" She called as he rounded the corner in his wolf form limping but alive, he nuzzled his mate's hand as she reached him. 

'I'm fine my love.' He thought to her through the link all wolves shared. Turning her attention to the two women being carried by Gabriel and Raphael the doctor in her took over from the worried mate now she knew he was alive and mostly well. 

"Take them straight to my treatment room. The rest of you to my waiting room. I want to see all those cuts and bruises." She spoke in a tone that was a sign she would take no-nonsense. The group all made their way to the hospital, except Winston who started towards the house. Marie cleared her throat. 

"Everyone." 

"I have guest rooms to set up and meals to prepare." Replied the dwarf as he was stared down by the petite wolf. 

"Everyone." She repeated with her hands on her hips.

"I was not involved in the fighting and sustained no injuries."

"Winston." 

"I promise you, Miss Marie, I sustained no injuries and am very well, I merely freed the dragon. I will return shortly with tea for everyone." Without waiting for her to respond he clanked off down the drive towards the house as Kaia and Rouge appeared on the front step.

Gabriel placed the Oracle on the first bed and Raphael placed Chara on the second. When Marie entered they both gave her a nod. 

"Cassiel is treating minor injuries in the waiting room for me." She said and turned to the two women. 

In the waiting room, Cassiel was bathing a gash on Duncan's leg as Nettie held a dressing gown around her and Maude fussed over her like a mother hen. 

"Any injuries?" Asked their youngest brother with his usual cheerful tone. 

"Just a few scrapes and bruises that will heal after a feed." Replied Gabriel. Raphael nodded his agreement.

"How could you?" Kaia's voice made Gabriel cringe. She sounded so hurt. Not angry like he had expected her to be. 

"Kaia. I didn't want you to get hurt." 

"So instead of speaking to me you crept out and left us alone?" She asked as she patted her daughter's back. Rouge folded her arms as she watched her husband. 

"You really locked me in the room?" She asked, her tone was as furious as Raphael expected. 

"I didn't want you to get hurt either." 

"You weren't meant to go." Answered the witch angrily. 

"You knew I wouldn't leave Gabriel and the girls to go alone." Duncan yipped indignantly. 

"Or Duncan." Added Raphael as Gabriel and Kaia just stared at each other silently as tears welled in her golden eyes. 

"I had to go in after her." He said to his bride as their daughter began to fuss and she took her from her shoulder to rock her in her arms. 

"No you didn't," she said flatly, "you hadn't gotten your orders, you could have waited and taken more people." 

"How long was I meant to wait for them?" He asked quietly as Rouge grabbed Raphael's face and examined a gash by his right eye.

"Until the orders came and they gave you a bigger team." Kaia's tone was so upset it was crushing the vampire, where was the rage he'd expected?

"Every day that passed risked them moving the Oracle's temple to another location."