Mythical Link ▸ Link Neal {Book One}

Forty Seven

     "We should let everyone know we're okay," Link said as he wiped a tear from his cheek. While he was glad that they reconciled with the baby werewolf, they still needed to let their wives and children know that they were still alive.

    "Yeah. I also suggest we go to my house to stay the night cause you know—" Rhett trailed off. He made a large sweep motion of the room with his arm and Link sighed. His shoulders slumped as he lowered his eyes. He couldn't look at it any longer knowing that everything that was damaged needed to be replaced, and the house wasn't safe to stay in for the time being with no functional windows. 

     Terra frowned. "And once again, most of the damage done to your property is my fault," she said in a small voice. 

     Rhett touched her arm gently and made her look him in the eyes. "I have to disagree with you, Terra. That monster caused most of this damage." 

     Terra's eyes widened and he nodded his head as if to verify what he'd just said. Terra eyed Link warily. "How are you going to explain this to your families?" 

     Link pushed his glasses up on his face. "We have to tell them the truth." He eyed Rhett out of the corner of his eye.

     Rhett was shook his head vehemently. "You want to tell them that we just had it out in the proverbial ring with a couple werewolves? Do you think they'd really believe us, Link?"

     "There's no way of dancing around this elephant in the room!" Link's voice rose in octaves as he searched Rhett's eyes desperately. "They saw the thing stand in front of the window. Lily saw it outside... they know it got in. They're obviously going to see the distinct slash on your face that looks uncannily like a claw mark." 

     Rhett slowly brought his hand up to his cheek and he swiped his fingers through fresh blood. He lowered his hand and looked at it with widened eyes. The contact with the open wound made him flinch and he sucked his bottom lip into his mouth.

     Terra stood with her lips slightly parted. She was torn between telling their families the truth and fabricating the story, only because they would have a hard time believing the boys' telling of the gruesome tale. "They're gonna guess that something big and monstrous caused all this damage and harm to you guys." She sighed deeply before she dropped her crossed arms and stepped toward the door.

     "Wait, where are you going?" Link asked. Even though she had just tried to kill him, he had grown used to her presence. It was a straw of normalcy that he could actually grasp. 

     She turned her head to look at them over her shoulder. "I'm gonna walk home. Don't worry about me. I have tons more stamina than I used to have." 

     Rhett huffed. "Aren't you worried it's going to find you and attack you too? I distinctly remember it throwing you out the window." 

     Terra stopped and shook her head. "I don't think so. It seems to think that I'm a part of its stupid little pack. I'll find a way to cut ties with it so I'm not under its control anymore. In the meantime, it shouldn't go after you guys again—"

     "But—" Rhett protested. 

     She had reached for the doorknob and twisted hesitantly. "Rhett, you guys can't heal like I can. I took a lot of hits and I don't have a scratch on me to show for it. You guys look like you've taken an awful beating. Please, take care of yourselves and your families." With that, she swung the door open completely and stepped out into the darkness. Link bit his lip as he hoisted himself to his feet. His lip felt like it had been peppered with salt on open flesh and he realized he'd reopened his wound.