Here Be Dragons (Completed)

Insurance

Everyone glanced at me and I immediately yanked myself away from Luke, making the little girl inside me cry out in misery at the separation. My creature growled at her to keep her quiet and my brain hurt from the many voices warring for dominance in my head. I told them all to shut up and crossed my arms over my chest, curling into myself in an attempt to fight off the chill that seeped into my skin.

Owen cleared his throat, his grey eyes flashing silver for a moment, before redirecting his attention back on Gabriel. "She tried to escape, attempting to harm several of your brothers during her flight, and she succeeded in stabbing you. Do you really expect me to allow such behavior?" He deadpanned and the purse in Gabriel's lips portrayed he didn't appreciate the condescension he heard. "There are consequences and she must be punished for her blatant disrespect and violent actions."

Luke stiffened beside me and Gabriel scowled, but Kota seemed almost relieved by Owen's words, his rigid posture relaxing slightly as his sharp green eyes studied those around him from behind his glasses. Nathan looked conflicted as his eyes flitted between the rest of us, returning again and again to me. One of his arms was half wrapped around Gabriel to keep him standing while the other rested at his side, his hand coiling into a tight fist and then relaxing before repeating. 

"She said she was sorry." Gabriel barked and confusion swirled through me as I remembered that I indeed, mumbled an apology while I sunk the knife into his flesh. Huh, weird? "And if anyone should be punishing her, it's me! I'm the one she fucking stabbed!"

Owen looked ready to argue, the sharpness of his features darkening as his earlier frustration came back full force, but Nathan spoke first. "He's right, Owen. He sustained the worse injuries, her debt is owed to him." 

Kota made a disgruntled noise as his fingers tapped against his thigh and Owen clenched his teeth with an audible click. Luke reached out for me, almost unconsciously, but I refused to let him touch me again. My obvious retreat from him made his lips thin in displeasure as an irritated hurt flashed in his eyes. I wanted to seek protection, if not from him then perhaps Gabriel, but the uncertainty of the situation made my fear and wariness heighten. I wasn't quite sure who would protect me at this point, but I did know I wanted nothing to do with Owen. We had shared something, something intimate and terrifying, but I had no doubt that he would separate himself from that moment in order to punish me severely. 

"Yeah, she's still mine and I'll deal with her." Gabriel's skin continued to pale and I glanced down at his leg to see that it had started oozing blood between the staples that now held his skin together. 

Kota coughed in disbelief. "She'll kill you before you can try. You're no in place to protect yourself from her, let alone discipline her properly." 

"Gabriel," Owen cut off his obviously displeased retort, "You can barely stand and she''ll exploit your weakness the first chance she gets. Are you really willing to risk the safety of your brothers?"

That statement made him pause, his mouth opening to argue but having no words with which to do so. His blue eyes met mine and I saw the warring emotions. He wanted to protect me, wanted to keep me, but the thought of me hurting any more of the men who lived here was torture. I saw the surrender in his eyes and any hope I had of making it out of this unscathed were dashed against the rocks. His shoulders slumped and he leaned against Nathan as the fight left him. He was giving me up and now I was royaly screwed. 

"Family first." Nathan murmured softly, holding Gabriel's weight with one arm while his other hand cupped his friend's neck in a comforting hold. Their embrace coupled with Nathan's words was almost precious and my eyes stung with the desire to cry again, and I cursed Owen and his closet from hell for ripping apart the careful control that I'd spent the last several years constructing.