Breaking the Bond that Binds.

Chapter 64 - Wolfsbane

Sorry for all the typos in the last chapter...I think I've found all of them.  I think the missing word "Tea" probably confused a few people....again sorry.   Anyway let me know if you see any glaringly stupid ones I've missed.

There's a bit more coming in this chapter.  Couldn't sleep last night so I wrote most of this in a bit of a blur.

Lewis (PoV)

For an hour the compound was in chaos. Purely by chance Lewis went to the PA's apartment to deliver some books to Virgil. He was aware of the Homelander's' scent as soon as he entered the building. He followed it to the PA's door. Lewis knocked tentatively and waited a moment, then picked the lock and slowly walked in. His eyes scanned the room from where he stood. The scent was IN THE APARTMENT. The TV was on. He called out for Virgil but there was no reply. He walked to the lounge area and picked up the coffee cup on the table. It was still warm.

He dropped the books he was holding and pulled out his phone.

"Has the Homeland Guardians car left the compound. Close the gate immediately. Don't let anyone in or out. NO ONE."

Then he called the Hoplite Guardian John Villa. " Guardian it's  a code black."  Within minutes the process of securing the compound and the safety of the Pures began.

All the guards and lieutenants not on duty were called in to report to Guardian Villa In groups they were sent to search every inch of the compound for Virgil and the Homeland Guardian. CCTV was scrutinised and plans set in place for any situation that may arise. At this point they had no idea what was going on. In the end, ironically it was the lack of CCTV footage that lead them straight to the main house. The Homeland guards disabled the cameras along the path they took. Once Lewis's men noticed the first, the rest were easy to find. They obviously didn't care about being found out after the fact, they just wanted to get from A to B at a particular time.

Lewis knew that the PA had a meeting planned for 6 with Guardian Doukas in his office. That was where Virgil was taken. So it wasn't only Virgil who was possibly in danger but the PA as well.

.....

Virgil Pov

"Paid in full." As soon as the words were out of Virgil's mouth the room went silent. The Homeland attendants simply stared in shock. Guardian Doukas went from surprise to anger and landed on "perhaps this is even better" especially when he saw the look of utter anguish on the face of the PA. The mutt playing hero worked out to be a much more satisfying revenge, he found he liked the idea that in the end Nico finally completed his mission of killing the lowborn.  He would have loved to watch this tragic scene play out but it was probably to late anyway to get away cleanly.

The moments of silence came to an end as everyone came back to reality when loud noises came from outside the building, in all directions.

Guardian Doukas and his men rushed for the door and ran to the back of the main house where their car was parked. The driver was waiting, the engine running ready to leave. They jumped in and the car drove off at speed.

Back in the PA's room Virgil was still standing in the same spot. The reality of what he had done was sinking in. Paul had his arms around him holding him up. "Why the hell did you do that. What were you thinking." He still couldn't understand what happened. Virgil felt no different at that point but he knew what to expect. He was thinking "it's fair enough, it couldn't be any other way....just suck it up."

He managed a small smile when he looked in to Paul's eyes. "It's OK...mate I couldn't let you take the fall for me." Then he started to feel the burn start in his mouth and slowly run down his throat.....he hoooooooowled!!!!in agony.

Paul picked up his writhing body and started running but before he made it to the main hall he saw the medics coming the other way. He told them it was wolfbane poisoning and the time he drank it.  They started treating him immediately,  forcing the liquid charcoal down his throat and attaching a saline drip, pumping fluids in him.  Virgil had only a very small window of time to be treated and even then the survival rate of wolfbane poisoning was small.

The PA stood watching as Virgil, thrashing like a mad man was strapped down in the trolley, so he could be sedated and then hoisted into the ambulance for the short ride to the hospital. Every second counted. His gurgling screaming was disgusting, blood had started to drip from his mouth, bloody tears streamed down his face.

Damien and Lewis came running as the ambulance left. "What happened? What did they do to him?" Damien was beside himself. Paul told him about the Honour Debt.

"It was meant for me. Poison.' He was speaking incoherently, couldn't think straight. "I was to pay the Honour Debt but the fool took the cup away from me and drank it himself. He said he couldn't handle the guilt." Paul covered his face with his hands and pulled himself together.

Damien looked at him. His face was stone, his eyes glowing silver, his nostrils flaring, his fangs dropped. He growled in rage. "It was meant for you?"

The PA closed his eyes and then turned to face him "Yes." And then he felt the Alpha's fist hit his jaw with full force, snapping his head to one side and lifting him off his feet before he fell backwards hitting the floor.

......

The waiting room had that awful hospital smell, that neither human or  Lycan could  like. Damien and Paul sat in silence. Lewis had stayed for a time taking instructions from Damien on where to securely accommodate Guardian Doukas and his entourage until he was able to see them. They hadn't got passed the gate, not that it seemed to have been part of the plan. Guardian Doukas felt he could act with impunity because of his connection with the King. Damien planned to show him that he was mistaken. He could wait, hungry, thirsty and sitting in his own shit until the Alpha was ready to see him. Virgil was his first priority.

Damien and The PA hadn't spoken again. The PA sat with his elbows on his knees holding an ice pack to the side of his face. Every now and then The Alpha glared in his direction.

It had been a couple of hours since the doctors took Virgil away, they had had no news since. The loop of news reports on the TV and the wurring of the air conditioning was starting to drive Damien crazy and the waiting was torture.

"So tell me everything that happened..." Damien eventually broke the silence. "...from the beginning." The PA for the first time in his life felt out of control, all it took was a split second for everything he had been sure about to disappear. He had been prepared to died, accepted it but someone else had other plans. Paul pulled himself together and reported every detail as professionally and dispassionately as he could. He face returning to it's usual blankness. Damien frowned as he listened to the plan Doukas had orchestrated to avenge his brother's death. When the PA finished both of them fell silent again. Damien came to sit beside The PA. "I'm sorry. My reaction was totally irrational." He said quietly.

"I would have done the same if it had been the other way around." The PA said without even having to think about it.

......   

A tired looking doctor eventually came with news. Virgil was in ITU being monitored closely and although in critical condition he had a chance, be it a small one, of surviving. He was still suffering convulsions, was in and out of consciousness and hallucinating. His blood pressure was the main problem at the moment....it was far to low. His heart had stopped beating at one point and he had to be resuscitated. They explained that getting treatment within 20 minutes of ingesting the wolfsbane had been crucial to him surviving this long. The fact that they had put him on a drip quickly, pumping him full of fluids to slowdown the burning effect and then administered Atropine to prevent his airways from blocking saved his life. When he arrived he was given a liquid mix of charcoal, wolfsbane ash to bind the toxins in his stomach, this stopped the poison from entering his blood stream and effecting one organ after another until it reached his heart. There was no coming back if that happened.

The chance of surviving, the doctor offered cautiously, was perhaps 30 percent. It was still too early to see him and suggested Damien and the PA return in the morning.