The Wolf and the Natural ✔️

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KATE
It was hard to imagine. I couldn't physically put myself to think about Arlis being in that pain, that torment, and unable to take a breath.

I couldn't imagine him wanting to ever be near a Weeper's tears again. Not when that is what drove his father crazy along with getting a Hunter to go kill them. How could he even considerate it? And then shove it Jonah's face like that? I understood completely why Jonah was mad. I understood how I could be at risk now too. How his biggest fear could be killing me.

"Why isn't everyone's biggest fear killing their mate?" I asked when he was done telling his history. I didn't immediately ask, I waited until we both had had enough of the silence encasing us.

He cleared his throat. "Because I'm not scared that I'll one day kill you. Are you scared you'll one day kill me?"

I shook my head in response.

"Your fears are reasonable. It's based on something that could happen. Are you scared of being stuck on Mars?" He asked, lightening the situation up with a smile. It wasn't a real smile though, just a forced one that broke my heart. "While that would be terrifying, scarier than anything, it's not my biggest fear because it would never happen."

I hated to see him like this. It killed me. I wanted him to be happy and joyous, smiling true smiles as he laughed. But instead he was thinking of memories that no person should even have.

"Arlis, you shouldn't drink the tears." I said, slowing down our walk so we stood in the snow, soft flakes falling on my eyelashes. "It would hurt your family and quite possibly the pack."

He was silent, ideas and thoughts running through his mind like a marathon winner. He wasn't thinking straight, he was backed into a corner and he wanted to do what everyone told him not to. I could tell just by the way he looked not at me, but off in the distance.

"I know my biggest fear, And that's why I have to do this. Nobody understands but me." He stumbled back and ran, tripping in the snow until he got to his feet.

I tried to chase after him but the snow was beginning to get to thick, my vision was blurred and my face was cold.

I stumbled into someone. A flash of hard blonde striped across my numb face. I fell to the ground but the person I bumped into didn't.

"Dalia?" I asked, widening my eyes.

She looked wildly around. "Where's my brother?" She was panicked and trembling. I couldn't tell whether it was from fright or anger.

I stood up and brushed all the snow off of me. "Dalia, he went that way. You need to stop him. Fight him. Do something." I pushed her in that direction, surprised I could get her to even move. "He's going to drink the tears."

She shifted into her blonde and white wolf, it's brown chest so defiant against the snow.

She took off in his direction and I prayed she would catch him in time. I was too scared to face what would happen if she didn't.

If he went insane my heart would break. I didn't want him to feel the pain his father did. I don't know I'd put up with myself if he lost everything.

And at the same time, if he found Konrad's weakness I knew he'd go off alone I knew he'd drop everything to kill him. And what if he didn't come home?

I began my trudge back to the house, ready to explain what's happening to my brother. I didn't want to tell him everything, he was still innocent about this world and I didn't want him to hate me, or Arlis. Plus, he'd probably swoop me up and take me home. He's not overprotective unless it came to something dangerous or boys.