Chapter 37
CHAPTER 37
T udor cried out in pain and clutched his chest as the young man got thrown backwards into the nearest tree, slumping down unconscious.
Blood was seeping through Tudor’s clothes and fingers. Just how sharp was that blade?
Alex wrapped his arms around Tudor and helped him sit down. Their pack mates rushed to form a ring around them, with gargoyle guards surrounding the downed lad.
“Let me see, sweetheart,” Alex urged, moving Tudor’s blood-soaked hands out the way and pulling open his jacket and shirt.
Donovan kneeled and looked at the injury in disbelief and shock. “That was a sharp blade.” It was a deep slash and bleeding profusely.
Puff knelt down next to Tudor and took his hand.
“Tudor, you need to shift,” Donovan said.
Tudor shook his head. “I can’t I need to be here for our people and there is so much to do.”
“Dane and I can look after things. Tudor, the wound is deep and you’re still bleeding,” Donovan told him.
“Let me through, I’m a doctor,” a man demanded. The packmates let him through and he rushed to Tudor’s side. “Your Majesty,” the man said.
“Thank you, Dr Palmer,” Tudor said.
Dr Palmer nodded as he examined the wound. “You need to shift, Your Majesty. It’s the best way to heal you.”
Ares stepped forward and dropped to one knee next to Alex, looking at Tudor. “I can ...” he started to say, looking troubled.
Tudor shook his head and whispered, “It’s classed as interfering.”
“It’s all in the wording,” Puff croaked out.
Ares smiled. “Yes it is, but who needs words?” The next moment, Ares laid his hand on Tudor’s arm and sent healing into him.
They watched as the slash wound stopped bleeding and closed until nothing was left, not even a thin red line.
Tudor took a breath and smiled at Ares. “Thank you, Ares,” and leant to the side to hug him.
Ares hugged him back. “You’re my brother and friend, Tudor,” he said, pulling back.
“Woah.” Dr Palmer touched Tudor’s chest. “The wound is completely healed. You’ll be fine now, Your Majesty.” He looked like he wanted to say more but stopped.
“You’re wondering why I could heal Tudor but not the fallen,” Ares said, looking at the doctor.
“I am but I’m not. I know you can’t bring people back from the dead, and everyone has their time to die... I’m just wishing things were different I guess, but I know Earla loved being a guard. It’s all she ever wanted to be and knowing she died doing what she loved is some comfort.”
“I really am sorry for your loss,” Tudor said softly.
Dr Palmer looked at Tudor. “You’re not blaming yourself are you? This isn’t on any of you, only the person who set the explosives. No, Your Majesty, mourn their loss like we will, but never blame yourself.”
Tudor smiled at him. “Thank you Dr Palmer if it helps Thanatos himself took our fallen to Elysium.”
Dr Palmer's mouth dropped open and he looked shocked. “For real?”
“Yeah, he’s family,” Alex explained. “He always comes for special people.”
“Well, isn’t that something? Thank you for telling me. The family will be glad to know that. Now, can I suggest, Your Majesty, that you go inside and change and then come back out and join us?”
Tudor nodded. “If you think no one will mind.” He stopped when Puff squeezed his hand.
“Your Majesty, you’re our king. If you need a moment to change, to have a moment in your mate’s arms, or just space to breathe, take it. No one will mind and if they do, that’s on them, not you.”
Tudor smiled at him. “Thank you Dr Palmer.”
“Also, if you ever need a doctor let me know.”
“I will,” Tudor said, moving. Puff and Alex helped him to stand up. He squeezed Puff’s hand. “Thanks,” he said simply.
Puff pulled Tudor into a hug and then stepped back.
“Come on, sweetheart, let’s go inside and get you sorted.” And with that, Alex and Tudor vanished.
“Dr Palmer, I’m Blake Hayes, the Alpha King.” Blake stepped forward.
“Your Majesty.” Dr Palmer stood up and bowed.
“Are you serious about helping King Tudor if needed?”
Dr Palmer nodded. “I am. I’m the palace doctor. My family and I are happy to relocate nearer to our King.”
“In that case, would you think about moving to our pack? We’re about to have a dedicated training facility for all types of paranormal guards. We have a pack doctor, but I know he could use help, especially at the moment.”
“Say no more, Your Majesty. If there’s a hotel nearby, we can stay there. I have a wife, my other children are out and about in the world.”
“We have several places you can stay until the new buildings are up and running.”
“Then thank you, Your Majesty. I’ll talk to my wife, and if you give me the address I can go on ahead and offer your doctor help while my wife packs our things up,” Dr Palmer said.
“Prince Dane will help you with everything,” Blake said.
Dane stepped forward. “Shall we talk?”
Dr Palmer nodded to Blake and walked off with Dane.
“Hopefully what Dr Palmer said to Tudor will help him,” Blake said to Donovan.
“King Blake, King Puff, what do you want me to do with this person?” Cade asked, holding the arm of the young attacker, along with Angus. He stood there unmoving, head down, shoulders slumped.
Guards stood around them with swords drawn.
“I suggest he’s put in the cells until Tudor decides what to do to him,” Blake said, looking at Puff, who nodded.
“Will do.” And with that Cade and Angus dragged him off, Gentzin walking behind.
Alex and Tudor appeared in Tudor’s old room and Alex pulled Tudor into his arms, hugging him tightly. He then rested his head on top of Tudor’s.
Tudor wrapped his arms around Alex and kissed his chest. “I’m okay Alex,” he whispered. “I was in pain and scared but your brother healed me and Dr Palmer helped me see things differently of course I might cry about this later but for the moment I’m fine love.”
“I’ve never been so scared, sweetheart, as when I saw all that blood. I tried not to show you how scared I was and I owe Ares so much. My life would mean nothing without you in it.”
Tudor pulled away and looked up at Alex. “You and our pack mates our family gave me all the confidence I needed but Alex we need to look at that knife he used it slashed me through my jacket my shirt and deeply into my chest.”
“I’ll message Baylan and ask him to get the knife.” He paused. “Bay is on the case.”
“Thank you, love.” Tudor stood on tiptoes .
Alex dipped his head and kissed Tudor, a kiss filled with love and relief that Tudor was still alive.
Puff walked away from the group looking for the knife the young man had used. How could a knife slash through all the layers of clothes and flesh and hurt Tudor so badly? He would have expected Tudor to be scratched, but not the deep wound he had.
“Puff?” Mateo queried, walking over to him.
We need to find the knife, something was strange with it, he said through their link.
“We need to find that knife,” Baylan suddenly said. “Alex and Tudor want to look at it.”
“So does Puff,” Mateo said. “He’s already looking for it.”
Puff spotted it a little away from the tree and picked it up. He felt Bob come closer.
Dark magic surrounds the knife. Barnabus must have somehow gotten to the young one.
Gah, I really don’t like that demon, Puff groaned. He turned and held it up for the others, distaste scrunching his features.
“We heard,” Blake said, sighing. “Can you put that knife somewhere safe? We really should go and mingle with the mourners.”
Puff nodded and the knife vanished. Then the they went to join the mourners.