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.

Of course, I could just lie to him. Tell him this is all just a game they're playing. A huge dungeons and dragons concept. I scoffed to myself; oh yeah, because a D&D game is totally believable. In the world we were in now, he'd never believe me.

I walked into the house and my brother was digging through the fridge, food laid out onto the counter in tubs. It was all gross, raw, meat.

"Chance, you can't seriously want to eat that." I said, raising one eyebrow.

"I haven't ate in like four days. Give me a break sis." He said angrily, throwing a banana on the counter. "And you have no room to talk. You're a human in a werewolf world. You don't know what it's like to be one of them, Kate. You're constantly fighting to stay human. I'm hungry for things that used to disgust me. You know sugar? Yeah it's gross now. And chocolate? Okay chocolate is still good but not as good." He licked his lips at the Tupperware, his eyes alight with hunger. "I almost punched dad in the face when me and whats her name broke up. Dad. Because it's so good to feel angry. But I knew if I hit him he'd die from the impact. How do I know that? Because I punched a tree and I left a dent in it, almost punched through the thing. So don't tell me not to eat this because I am so hungry and this looks really good!" He smiled crazily at me and popped off one of the lids. He didn't even have a fork, he just put his hand in and dribbled red meat into his mouth. He was sad, I knew that, be was covering it up.

I thought about what he said and I puked in my mouth. I ran to the bathroom and opened up the lid to the toilet, my disgust making me cough up the last thing I ate.

I coughed and coughed until tears ran down my face from heartache.

Someone knocked on the door but I didn't want to talk to anyone.

I wiped my mouth with toilet paper and scooted backwards from the toilet until I was up against the shower, tears running down my face without me even crying. Always happened when I got sick like that.

My stomach rolled and twisted, my eyes shut as I buried my head between my knees.

I had to be strong. I had to be strong. This wasn't going to change my mind about being a werewolf. I had to do this. I wanted to do this. And now, I had Chance for forever. He would always be there.

"Kate, I know you're in there." Chance said, his voice muffled from the closed door. "I know you don't want to talk about what's happening to me, but for what it's worth... I'm sorry. I'm just glad you don't have to go through this."

I stood up and walked to the door, my hand lingering on the door handle. I pulled my hand away and sat against the door.

The gross taste of vomit was still in my mouth and I shuddered in disgust. I needed to brush my teeth.

"What was it like? Your first shift? Where did you do it? Do our parents know?" I wanted to ask more question, tell him more truths, but I knew now wasn't the time.

He took a deep breath. "I was in my room, it was two o clock in the morning and I got a text from... from Layla," his girlfriend, "Telling me that she was done with me. That I was too depressed for her and I had changed since the attack. Of course I changed, I felt it. I knew she wasn't the one and I was grossed out by her all of the sudden. A sixth sense I guess."

He had no idea what mate's were, I realized. He didn't know any other werewolves except for the ones he hung out with every once in a while when he was looking for me.

"But I was just so angry, angry that she would dump me over those reasons. I was happy she was gone but... I didn't like the easy she did it. Over text? Wow. So... I ran outside. Something was drawing me to the forest like a leash. I punched a tree, and I dented it. I had been getting stronger ever since the attack that night, but it wasn't until another two weeks that I actually became a werewolf. It was painful. The most painful thing I have ever felt. Remember when I broke my arm in baseball?" He asked me. I hummed in response, of course I remembered. He was screaming bloody murder. "It was like that with every bone in my body. My skin ripped and shed, Kate. My teeth fell out and new ones replaced them. And the fur... the fur was the worst. It was like millions of needles stabbing me all at once. My entire body was dying. I felt it. For a moment... my heart stopped. And then I opened my eyes and everything was different. I didn't see as many colors, everything was faster and grayer. There's so many shades of grey. And I could see in the dark, it was weird. But the pain was gone. And the darkness is beautiful as a wolf. Next thing I know, I woke up and was soaked in blood. Deer blood, thankfully. And all my anger was gone. I got up, calmly fixed myself. Didn't tell mom and dad and have been tracking myself, making sure nobody found out. I've been careful, Sis."

I was so proud of him. So terribly hurt that he had to go through so much pain, that's not something I would ever wish upon my brother, but I was proud. He didn't freak out. He was just calm.

"They're still shooting wolves. You remember our neighbor, right? Mr. Dames? Well... he brought in a wolf and the town was happy." He cleared his throat and breathed out. "Mom and dad don't know. I don't want them too."

I let go a sigh of relief. "Chance. There's some things I need to explain to you." And here was where I reached the hardest part about seeing my brother."

I opened the door and gulped, ready to get lectured.

***

ARLIS
"Can I ask you something, Arlis?" Konrad came and stepped up next to Arlis, his body not casting a shadow.

Arlis wanted to reach over and choke the life out of him, but he couldn't. Not when Konrad wasn't really here, when he was just in a Weeper's dream. After you take the tears, it always gives you a dream, a vision.

Arlis shrugged. "If I say no are you going to ask it anyways?" He asked, shoving his hands in his pockets as they walked through the empty pack, the snow fresh and new.

Konrad chuckled. "Yes." He responded. "Do you know why I'm doing this? Killing off the others?"

Arlis scoffed. "To be in charge? To rule the world." He replied, tired out of his mind. He hadn't slept since Konrad rose. He was too worried about Kate, too worried about his pack and his family. He couldn't even look at Konrad without past scars resurfacing. Memories plagued him of the dreaded times with him.

Konrad hummed. "Partly. But that's because I know what's best. I want to get rid of every species that isn't us."

"That's insane." Arlis argued back, looking down at his feet. "You're evil and you don't—"

"Ask an evil man if he is evil, and you will not receive an answer you believe to be true. Ask a hero if he is a hero, and if he is true hero, you will not receive an answer you believe to be true. You see, perceptions of villains and heroes are very fine lines. I am doing what's best for what for my people, and the Hunters and the Witches will tell you I'm a hero. I think I'm a hero. But you... you all think I am an evil man. I don't believe I am. I think I'm helping the world." Konrad was probably smiling, probably bathing in the moonlight with a cocky look on his face. Arlis didn't look up to check. He was too scared.

"You tortured me." Arlis struggled to say it, the silver bath still fresh in his mind.

Konrad sucked in a dry breath. "Yeah, yeah I suppose I did. But, I had to show who was in charge. You can't have power without respect."

"I have respect. I have my people's respect. You have fear." Arlis stopped walking, looking at the woods in front of him angrily. "Who gave you the power to decide who's perfect and who isn't? Who—"

"Nobody. I'm a dreamer, Arlis, just like you. I know your biggest fear, Arlis. I know it. Do you want to see it? Do you want to see something that will plague you?" The earth started rumbling and Arlis fell to the ground, rocks scratching at his skin but leaving behind no pain. This wasn't real, Arlis reminded himself.

Arlis closed his own eyes and shied away from Konrad, his fear wracking his stomach even with it the knowledge of all this being just a vision. He knew his biggest fear, and he was over it.

"I know your biggest fear! ARLIS YOU CANNOT ESCAPE THIS!" Konrad smiled wickedly and then fell to the floor in pain. Arlis couldn't tell why.

Something rose up from the ground, a casket, with Arlis's name on it. The ground stopped shaking and all Arlis could do was blink at the grave.

"Arlis... your biggest fear is dying! It's DYING! DYING! DYING! DYING!" He began screaming and screaming, Konrad was choking on his own blood as a maniacal face etched acros his skin. He got up and ran at Arlis, pinning him onto the ground. "Do you want to die?"

Arlis's heart was growing faster, beating louder. "I don't fear death! NOT ANYMORE! I have someone to live for!" Arlis kicked at Konrad, pushing him off and making Konrad roll over in the dirt. "I used to be scared of it. Because every moment of my life, death was right there. I was scared that I'd let it take me. I had no one. Everyone had someone but me. But now... I have someone who's worth dying for and I... I no longer fear death."

Konrad widened his eyes and started struggling to breath, a strange gurgling noise came from his mouth as black smoke poured from his face. "You know my biggest weakness?" He was trying to talk, trying to speak but he just couldn't.

Arlis jumped as a girl materialized next to him. A girl with the face of an angel. Kate.

Kate kissed his temple, struggling to do so because she was shorter than him. And then... she walked towards Konrad.

She grabbed a knife and looked back for only a moment and winked at Arlis. She stabbed her thigh and then smiled at Konrad. "I will always love you, my dear husband. I'll always be here. Let us kill Arlis together." She helped Konrad up and Kate smiled at Arlis, her bright eyes like melted chocolate. There was no anger or malice, no sadness. Just calmness and serenity. "You can count on me. Always. To stab someone in the back." She smirked at Arlis and walked deviously hand in hand with Konrad.

***

Arlis bolted up from the ground, breathing heavily as the forest was warped around him.

Someone slapped his cheek hard and he looked up to see his sister, standing there and crying as Travis held her hand.

Jonah and Melloni were there too but they didn't look upset, they looked angry.

Jonah rushed at Arlis, ready to kill him but Arlis stood up and ran backward until his head hit the dirt with a loud smack.

"Ah, dammit. That hurt." Arlis rubbed the back of his head and doubled over onto his stomach. He felt like he was puking, felt like he needed to at least. "I'm not insane. Not insane."

The whole group sighed out with relief.

"What were you thinking you idiot!" Dalia screamed, flipping him over. "You could've gone insane you asshole!" She was crying, the first time Arlis had seen her cry in a long time.

"But I didn't! I'm okay!" Arlis said sadly, closing his eyes.

"You're so lucky you're my brother. I should leave this pack and you." Jonah said and flipped Arlis off, walking away with Melloni holding his hand. "Nearly drove yourself, Kate, and our sister insane." He muttered as he rolled his eyes.

Arlis laid in the dirt, breathing softly. He couldn't get Kate and Konrad walking hand in hand out of his mind. He just... he couldn't. There was no explanation to that, no context.

She said he loved him.

Arlis's heart hurt even though he knew it wasn't real. Even though he knew, deep down, that he just learned what Konrad's biggest weakness was.

Kate.