Beyond These Walls

Chapter 15

Werewolves are noisy eaters, I realized two hours later. They were all gathered around a large table in the cabin house, pieces of chicken in their hands as they talked loudly.

Chomping noises and frequent bursts of laughter occurred over and over again. Xerxes sat at the head of the table beside Flynn. He didn't seem bothered by the noise. He was probably accustomed to it. That and he looked too indulged with the food to even care.

I looked back down at my plate and stared at the macaroni and chicken on it. I swallowed the bile that threatened to erupt from my mouth after I saw that the chicken was almost raw and had some blood on it.

I moved it to the side of the plate with my fork, like how children would do when they didn't want to eat the vegetables.

The Marconi was good though and I managed to eat that. Afterwards I relaxed back in my chair and watched the werewolves continue to talk and eat.

Music suddenly erupted and the werewolves all got up to dance. I stiffened when one of the werewolves suggested to Xerxes that he ask me to dance. Xerxes frowned briefly and met my wide eyes. I don't dance. Ever.

I stood from my seat, causing it to knock over just as Xerxes stood as well. Narrowing my eyes at him I shook my head. I was not going to dance with him. Especially not amongst these werewolves.

He was smirking now. It seemed that he liked seeing me pissed and because of that he advanced even closer to me. 

I turned on my heel and jogged through the crowd of dancing werewolves. After glancing over my shoulders and not seeing him I slowed down.

I went out to the hallway and began walking aimlessly down it, looking at the strange pictures of wolves and words in some foreign language hung up on the walls.

"Rebecca!" Charlotte waved at me from an entrance of a room. Smiling I walked over to her and she clasped my hand in hers.

"I'll show you where the phones are. But we have to hurry." Charlotte whispered to me, quickening her pace. Our footsteps echoed loudly as we walked and I winced, hoping none of the werewolves would be able to hear them.

I was beginning to think that Charlotte didn't even know where the phone was located fifteen minutes later. It seemed as if we had been walking around in circles.

But finally, she came to a stop outside a door and pushed it open. We stepped what looked like a library room. Rows and rows of books were on the large bookshelves, but they were not what I was really after.

Charlotte scurried across the room and shoved away some papers that were on a desk, revealing a black phone. I held the phone tightly in my hand. Chewing anxiously on my lip I dialed the number which the sheriff had told me to call if something ever came up or I wanted to talk.

I waited impatiently for the gruff voice of the sheriff to sound through the phone. No one answered and my heart sunk. With shaky fingers I dialed the number again.

"Hello?"

I sucked in a breath, relieved. "Goodnight Sheriff." I waited expectantly for his immediate response, but none came for the first twenty seconds.

"You need to come back, Rebecca." His voice was low and hoarse, which was unusual of him. He paused briefly and I heard him clear his throat. "Your mother, she's very sick. The doctors are saying she won't make it-"

The phone slipped from my hands at his words and I shook my head in disbelief. My world tilted and I found myself on my knees.

"No," I clutched at my hair, feeling hot tears forming in my eyes. Charlotte stepped forward in worry. I bent over, shaking my head furiously. "She can't." My voice cracked and I didn't stop the tears from falling.