169
Chapter 169
Anna
I was shaking and almost going insane as I waited for Duncan to arrive.
"Hey, sit down. I'm sure he'll be back soon." Alice said beside me.
"It's been over seven hours," I snapped.
"Something has surely gone wrong." I panicked, feeling my palm sweat and small tremors pass down my spine.
I should not have left him. I should have waited.
Now I was sitting here worried to death not knowing if I'd ever see him again.
Lily sighed and turned me around by my shoulders.
"Nothing is wrong, Duncan wouldn't die so easily, believe me," she growled.
"She's right," Alice said.
"He's strong. I felt it when I astral projected into Celia's body. He's not going to lose. He loves you too much,"
As much as I wanted to believe their words, I was still worried about him.
He'd been seriously wounded when we'd left. Even if he managed to beat Azeal, there was no way he could beat Levi and the other men at the same time.
Not because I didn't think he was strong but because I knew how betrayed he felt.
I nodded, trying to act cool but feeling anything but cool.
After a whole five minutes, I began to walk outside. It was late and raining and I was going crazy not being sure if Duncan was alive.
"Anna, where are you going?" I heard Tim's voice call from behind me. He'd been on a call ever since we came back and I assumed it was with the chief.
I didn't care and I knew he wouldn't snitch. Not until I calmed down at least.
I hear his footsteps rushing towards me.
But ignored it
"Anna!" He called, grabbing my arms
"What is it?"
I asked.
He held my arms firmly, his eyes scanning mine like he was searching for a way to calm the storm within me.
"You can't go out there. Not like this," Tim said, his voice steady despite the rain pelting down on us.
"I have to," I replied, struggling to keep my voice from breaking. "I can't sit around and do nothing, Tim. He could be dying, he could be dead!
"He's not dead," Tim said with a kind of certainty I couldn't understand. "Duncan's not the kind of man to die without taking the whole damn world down with him first,"
I let out a bitter laugh, rain mixing with tears as they slid down my face. "You don't understand. I left him there, bleeding and broken. I left him with them.
Azeal.
"Azeal was weak when you did."
"And Levi? He hates him."
"Anna, go inside. I'd Duncan come back and something has happened to you, he's going to kill us all.
I stared at Tim, his words sinking deep, but they weren't enough to glue me in place. I needed to see Duncan. I needed proof that he was still breathing.
Before I could argue again, the heavy sound of approaching footsteps echoed down the wet street. I froze. Tim's hand dropped from my arms. We both turned toward sound.
A figure emerged from the darkness, soaked in rain and limping. My heart stopped.
"Duncan!" I whispered.
And then I saw him.
His shirt was torn and bloodied, hair plastered to his forehead, but it was him.
My Duncan. alive, staggering forward with Lucas supporting him under one arm.
I didn't think, I ran.
"Duncan!" I cried, splashing through the puddles. I threw myself at him, wrapping my arms around his waist, holding on like my life dependent on it.
His arms came around me slowly, trembling but strong, and he buried his face in my shoulders. For a moment, I could feel his heart pounding beneath my hands. Relief swept through me like a tidal wave.
falling freely now.
"I told you I'd come back," he murmured weekly, voice rough and worn.
Lucas gave a small, exhausted smile. "Hd wouldn't shut up about you the whole way back,"
I pulled back slightly to look at Duncan's face, and then his eyes rolled back.
"Duncan?" I gasped, feeling his body go slack.
He collapsed toward into my arms.
"DUNCAN!" I screamed, clutching him tightly as I fell to my knees.
Tim and Lucas rushed foward.
"He's alive!" Lucas said quickly, crouching beside us. "But he's lost too much blood l. We need to get him inside, now!"
I nodded furiously, wiping rain from Duncan's face.
"Don't you dare die on me," I whispered.
Four hours later, I was watching Duncan in his bedroom waiting for him to wake up.
He was unconscious.
I sat beside the bed, my fingers curls around Duncan's cold hand. The room was quiet except for the street rhythm of his breathing and the occasional roll of thunder in the distance. His chest rose and fell slowly beneath the bandages, and every breath he took felt like one I could finally exhale.
My eyes stung from exhaustion, but I refused to sleep. Not until he woke up. Not until he looked at me again.
I leaned forward and pressed my lips to the back of his hand. "You promised me," I whispered. "You said you'd come back... and you did. But now you have to wake up."
There was no response but I didn't care, I squeezed his hands.
He looked so beaten and battered. His minor injuries were mostly healed but I wasn't sure about the internal ones
Doctor Harrison and his assistants were in the living room and I couldn't bear to leave him by himself.
Now that I was alone and knew that he was safe, the thought of the last couple of days flooded my mind.
Azeal was locked up somewhere under ground in Duncan's basement in the West Wing.
I had no idea why Duncan kept him alive but Lucas had been adamant with chaining him.
Something about torturing the truth out of him.
Lucas had gone out with a few men to search Azeal's lair an hour ago even though we'd begged him to relax.
Levi was also dead, Azeal's son.
Duncan had killed him.
I couldn't begin to imagine how traumatic it felt for him to have to kill his best friend and Second in command.
I felt the betrayal for him.
The door creaked open and Lily popped her head in, her eyes scanning Duncan and then me.
She finally walked in and closed the door behind her.
"You okay?" She asked...
"Uh, no."
She nodded in understanding, bouncing her red curls back and forth.
"He's going to be fine. Duncan would rather die than die."
I knew she was making a joke and I would have laughed any other times but I couldn't for the life of me find in me to laugh. I managed a non committal smile.
"I hope he is, I'll kill him if he tries to leave me,"
"I support that," Lily chuckled.
"Come on, you need to eat something, dinner is ready,"
"I can't eat anything right now. I'm not hungry,"
"Yes, you are. You've only had a yogurt since you came back. This is harmful for the baby,"
Lily scolded.
I glanced up at her and sighed.
"I just don't want to leave his side..."
"Oh my God, Anna! I swear I will smack the living shit out of you if you don't stand up and come with me to the kitchen!" She snapped.
"But..."
"No bits, you're coming with me. Imagine how horrible Duncan would feel if he found out something had happened to you or the baby when he finally wakes,"
"Okay," i finally nodded.
I stood and walked over to Duncan and kissed his forehead.
"I love you," i whispered before I followed Lily out to the kitchen.
Celia, Alice, Tim were all waiting in the dinner table as I walked in.
Alice enveloped me in a hug while Celia stood at the side, looking completely out of place.
I wasn't still sure about her but she was my sister and I had to give her a chance. Besides, she knew things about Azeal I didn't and it would come in handy.
As soon as I let go of Celia, I made my way towards her.
"Thank you, sis,"
She sighed. "You're welcome,"