The Twisted Links

Chapter 76

CHAPTER 76

Broken trees lay among the mass destruction as two great wolves savagely battled in the forest. The wild animals who had made their home here fled the bloody scene frightened by the snarls and growls of the combatants.

Though much older, Yorick Standish had years of experience and knew how to hold his own against an Alpha. Dameon was no weaking and had the advantage of youth and strength. The former councilman would not come out on top in this battle and both man and wolf realized this.

Both wolves were injured and bleeding. Yet they kept their eyes on one another waiting for one to let their guard down. Standish's wolf was limping badly from a tear on his hind leg. If he survived then he would always have a limp. A gash on Dameon's side was deep and bleeding heavily.

Needing to end this quickly before he passed out, Dameon rushed towards the old wolf. Both tumbled down a steep incline and yelped when they hit the rocks below. Dameon injured his front paw but ignored the pain as he hobbled over to the struggling wolf who was whimpering in pain. Standish knew this was his end.

Before Dameon could finish the fight for good, a horrible pain ripped through his chest. His wolf, Phinn, howled in agony as their bond to their mate was severed. Standish recognized the grief of the other wolf and smiled. It would be much crueler to allow the man to live. Chuckling to himself, Standish limped away.

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Lucy shook her head when she looked at Lady Orla and Gericho's injuries. "We have to bring them to Cub Creek. Roger has the Golden Jade Vine there. I can use that to make an elixir. It will expel the rest of the poison. If Trish hadn't acted so quickly, they would have died."

Tracy looked over to where Haggai sat despondent as he stared at the body wrapped in a white sheet. Dona sat next to him leaning against him for comfort.

"What about the rest?" Tracy asked.

"Except for Lord Falcon who also was scratched by the Reapers, there is nothing that they can't heal from." Lucy replied. "A regular hospital for the supernatural can help them."

"Rogue Lands has the nearest fully equipped hospital. Thank the Creator that Dameon had the foresight to build one." Hezekiah said.

"Where is Dameon?" Tracy asked realizing that she hadn't seen him.

"He took off after Standish. Eesha went to find them." Jonathan said. "We have to go. It's going to take us time to get home."

Tracy nodded as anxiety crept into her mind of yet another battle.

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Warning: This next part contains mention of suicide and may be triggering.

Dameon sat against rotting log wishing that it would all end because he didn't want to go through all that pain again. He knew that the numbness he currently felt would fade leaving him in the dark place that he was before. This time he didn't want to be saved.

"Get up!" A stern voice snapped him from his daze.

"No." he said with a sigh. "My mate is dead."

"I saw the body." Eesha said coldly. "You are a king. Get up!"

"You need to work on your bedside manners."

"Beds are for the dead or dying and you are neither."

"LEAVE ME ALONE!!!" he roared.

She suddenly was kneeling in front of him holding his enraged gaze with her cold eyes. "Look at my hands." She said holding them palms up. "These were the hands that ripped my brothers' beating hearts from their chests. No matter how hard I fought I could not break the command of the evil bitch who controlled the collar that was shackled around my neck."