KATE
Broken, beaten, buried in pain, Mell was still laughing.

"No I totally get it, Jonah does the same thing." She laughed, sitting up in her hospital bed. Iris sat next to her, her eyes red and puffy from crying. I was next to Iris, a binder about witches was open on my lap.

I chuckled falsely, reading down a page of spells. Was there a spell I could use to get Arlis back? Was there a curse? A potion? Anything? My ears were open to their conversation, but my mind was focused on Arlis. What could I do?

Iris held Mell's hand and rolled her eyes. "It makes no sense. Just put the lid down, it's not that hard."

"It's not that hard to push it down yourself!" Chance argued back, seated away from us, closer to the door.

I didn't say anything, just focused on the texts in my lap. Deflammo - extinguish a flame. I looked at the spell, remembering the time when Becker set the carpet on fire in the house. It almost made me laugh, but no happiness fell off my lips. There wasn't time to joke right now, I had to get Arlis back.

"Kate you're going to go insane." Iris snapped, trying to take the binder away from me. I ripped it from her hands, her eyes widened. "Someone's getting used to strength, isn't she?" She looked older, stress showing in her greeting hair.

I looked at the calendar on the wall of Mell's room. It was the night of Dec 28th. Christmas was fine. Dec 26th was the day Arlis was ripped away from me, shattering my world. I was asleep for two days, myself just waking up this morning. And in... in three days... I'd be a full werewolf. Full. Blood.

Chance scoffed. He was one of the last people to learn about my position and the attack considering nobody even really knew he existed. He was raging when he found out what happened, demanding someone to take him to Canada to quote on quote, "Kick Konrad's ass all the way to Hawaii."

"At least you had a grace period, sis." Chance said, looking back to the door. Any time the handle even jiggled, he was tense. "I was just suddenly a werewolf. All of it came at once."

He'd called mom, who completely flipped her shit, and (somehow) convinced her to stay home. The only point that dented her opinion on coming here was he fact that Becker healed us as well as he could. She wasn't lying when she said her and Becker were close at one point.

I closed my eyes. "I'm just looking for a way to get Ar—"

"Baby girl, we'll get him back." Iris said, putting her hand on my back, rubbing it. It was a motherly gesture that made me feel a little calmer. But I didn't need calm right now. I was storm that raged on, cursing the lands and the people I toppled over.

I stood up from the chair, knocking the binder off my lap. "You don't understand! Its eating me up from the inside out. I can't fucking breathe, Iris!" I cried, pulling my hair.

For someone I'd known for almost five months, Arlis meant more to me than someone I'd known my whole life. From the very moment my eyes met his, I was his and he was mine.

And I didn't realize that until he was GONE! Why? Because I'm just what Constance called me, a whiny bitch. A little girl who didn't understand the world she was in. No matter how much I hated that fact, she wasn't exactly wrong.

But I understood now. I understood perfectly well just what kind of environment I was in. A kill or be killed world. At this point, I wasn't scared to kill. If it meant getting Arlis back, I'd do it in a heartbeat. I was going to do a complete 180, show Constance and myself and Konrad that I won't be ignored. I won't be weak.

"Honey it's just your emotions firing up, you're just going through the changes with your wolf and—" Iries tried explaining but I didn't need an explanation. I knew exactly what I was feeling and why.

"No!" I yelled. "You don't get to tell me that. No. I'm dying because of him. I'm dying because he's gone, Iris." I looked to the door and then back to Mell. I needed to get out of here before I said something I'd regret.

But I couldn't leave Mell. I sat back down in the chair and put the binder back on my lap, moving onto the next spell.

The others reverted back to their earlier conversation, ignoring my little mental break. I was glad they let the moment slide over. I didn't want to talk about it anymore. Every moment wasted was a moment Arlis was in pain.

Gizanum - make any supernatural to human characteristics for a temporary amount of time. Time spent on slow healing depends on attack.

I looked at Mell who sat on the bed, her legs numb and unusable. "You'll be fine." I told her confidently even though I wasn't very confident.

She tilted her head at me. "What?"

"Gizanum." I said and shrugged. "A spell to make any supernatural have human characteristics for a temporary amount of time." At least I did something. Not for the person I wanted to do good for, but at least I knew some problems can be answered by these books.

She smiled at me. "Look at you go. Now since you figured out my issue, can you figure out how to wake Jonah up? I need to get back to the daycare, I'm sure all my helpers are sick of kids by now." She smiled brightly. "Plus, I need a jar opener. "

Iris groaned, her head leaning back. "He's asleep. How is he on your bad side?" She asked.

Mell looked sadly at her fidgeting hands. "I had that fight. He shouldn't of jumped in. He almost died." She closed her eyes and winced, opening them once again. "So I need a jar opener. He knows I like to keep my battles to myself." She smirked, hiding a mountain of pain under it.

I couldn't help my own smirk that crept up onto my face.

"HA! YOU SMILED!" Mell laughed, pointing at me.

"Did not." I defended.

"Did too!" She laid back, triumphantly grinning.

I ended up closing the binder and trying to hide another smile. She was fine. Melloni was stronger than I gave her credit for. She could deal without me. "I'm gonna try and go back home."

Iris narrowed her eyes at me. "Why? You're still—"

"I'm fine. I want to go home and have some peace and quiet." I wanted to go home and lay in Arlis's clothes on our bed. "Relax for a bit."

Maybe Doctor Myshayla would let me leave now. My theory was that if I snuck out, she wouldn't have the chance to tell me no.

I sat up and walked back to my room, hauling the bunches of binders up, the weight almost crushing. I was definitely close to becoming a full wolf. They were lighter than I remember, but still had far too much weight than I was used too.

Not all of it was from the physical weight. Some of it was from the words inside them. The answer to my problems could lie in them. If I was educated faster I could've known something that could've saved him.

But I couldn't dwell on that. If there was one thing Arlis taught me, it was that sometimes... things were out of control. And Konrad? He was out of everyone's control.

I walked through the hospital, keeping my eyes peeled for Myshayla. It was dark now, the hospital nearly empty. There was only a girl in here who was watching her boyfriend. He'd been hurt when, apparently, Leif's mom kicked his ass after he mouthed off.

I scuffled past the girl.

"Oh! Luna Kate, do you need help with that?" She asked, standing up.

I didn't really want to stop and chat with anyone. But apparently, she didn't get the message when I half ran in front of her, ignoring her question.

I shook my head. "Oh no, I'm fine." I assured.

The girl took half of the binders anyways. "I heard about what happened to Alpha Arlis, is he okay? Are you going to make a statement?" She continued on asking questions but I didn't listen to any of them. My ears were blocked from others asking the questions I desperately also wanted to have the answers to.

She was a pretty girl, probably around my age with short black hair. The bottom half, of course, was dyed a vibrant violet purple. Her eyes were an electric blue. I half expected her to be wearing gothic styled clothing, but instead she spotted a grey Saint Motel t-shirt and a pair of white ripped up skinny jeans. It wasn't her fault I wanted to be left alone. Or that I was rude at the moment. But I didn't care about that fact.

"Listen, uh—"

"Clark."

"Clark. I really appreciate your help but I don't feel like answering questions right now." I said, taking my binders from her. "Thank you though."

She huffed out a breathe. "My brother went missing a couple months ago and he just came back on Christmas." She explained, and I stopped to listen for a moment. "I came to thank you and and Alpha Arlis for... whatever you guys did." She ran a hand through her short hair. "I know he's not here but... thank you."

I frowned above all else. "It was Becker. He got the kids back to everyone." He deserved that recognition. For someone who did so many kind things, people still thought of him as a monster.

Now it was her turn to frown. "As in the Becker? The evil one?"

I nodded my head. "He's a better person than most assume." He was. He was trying. "Can you hand me my binders back," I asked. "I'd really like to get home."

The girl opened her mouth to argue and then thought better about it. "Thank you, again."

I nodded. "I'll relay the message to Becker."

She set the binders back in my hands and I watched as she sat back down in the empty waiting room.

***

I walked into the house and locked the door behind me, terrified someone would come in that I didn't particularly want in. So... anyone other than Arlis.

I dropped the binders on the kitchen bar and then made my way upstairs, determined to slip under the sheets that smelled just like Arlis.

I checked in on Lilly, who was asleep. A note was on the desk that read, I'm here, but Jake couldn't stand being alone so he's at the daycare.

I smiled to myself. She was like the little sister I never had. I walked out and to my and Arlis's bedroom. I didn't bother with the bright light.

I collapsed onto the bed, drowning in the little comfort I found in the empty blankets. I wasn't as warm as I would've been if he were here. I wanted him here.

I begged that he'd be here. But he just wasn't. He just... wasn't.

I needed to stop. Laying here, keeping myself up, wasn't helping the situation in any way. In any way at all.

A cold breeze fell past me. And suddenly fear covered my bones. It was like I was walking through the woods at night, my hair was on end, my blood rushing. Someone was watching me, something was waiting. Cold darkness made me whip my head around the room, all the air stripped from my lungs.

I took a deep breath and then stood up from the bed. I grabbed the vase off the nightstand next to me, holding it tightly.

"If you don't get the fuck out of my room." I threatened. No quiver. I wasn't scared.

"Ooh, not scared." A icky, warm, voice shuddered the room. "A new side to you, huh?" I threw the vase, but a gust of wind carried it away from Konrad's face, making it crash against the wall. "Throwing things, not very lady like."

I dashed to the window, hoping I could outrun him but he wrapped his arms around my waist and threw me on the bed.

"He—" I tried to scream out, but he covered my mouth with his hand. I thrashed beneath him until I realized there was no point. Even with my new found strength, I wasn't stronger than him.

He bared his teeth at me. "I'm done playing games. I've tortured, physically and mentally, Arlis so bad he can't even speak his fucking name. If you don't behave, you'll be in the same position." He leaned closer in my face, so close I could smell the mint fading off his breath. "Are you going to be quiet?"

I nodded my head.

Konrad moved his hand away and I didn't make a sound. Maybe it was cowardliness or intelligence, that was up to the Gods to determine. I was unafraid at first but hearing what he's done, is doing, to Arlis... well I was crumbling. Right now I felt scared, scared enough to let him have power over me.

"I thought you'd die, but apparently your 20th birthday is coming up and... you're quite resilient now. Kind of okay with you being alive, however." He explained. "Let's get this straight, if you don't do exactly what I ask you, you will die. And because of that, Arlis will die. So unless you want him and you dead, you're going to listen to me." Again, I was both silent and still. "I need you to get something for me. Something very... special... to the Hunters."

The stakes were to high to say anything other than what he wanted to hear. It pained me to give him what he wanted but... what choice did I have? "What is it?"

"A notebook. The Hunters' most prized possessions. The Dawns, happen to have the thickest and juiciest one of them all. I need you to get it for me." He looked around the room, almost scared someone was going to overhear him.

The Hunters? So whether or not I did what he said I'd be dead. Stealing? From Everly? I didn't think I'd love to give the book to Konrad. "How would I get it? If it's so special, they're not just going to give it to me."

Konrad grabbed my hair and I yelped, reaching up to try and move his hand but he had a death grip. "No, they're not. But I trust that you'll get it for me. I have the Dawns in my custody, you'll find the notebook. Otherwise... well... Arlis and you just might be together much sooner than you thought. When you see each other in the afterlife."

Konrad evaporated and my body dropped to the floor. I looked around the room, and then put my forehead on the cold floor. I started crying, above all else.

I fell onto my side, my nails scratching on the floor until eventually sleep took me over.

***

I walked through a familiar hallway. It was warmer than I remember. A door came into my view, a door I had knocked on and just burst right through.

Arlis's office door.

I pushed it open, the creak loud compared to my silent surroundings.

Arlis sat behind his desk, the window behind him dark signifying that it was night. Arlis abruptly dropped the papers and looked at the desk with confusion.

"Arlis?" I asked, my voice soft and quiet.

Arlis's head snapped up. His eyes widened and he jumped over the desk to run to me. His arms locked around me comfortably, tightly, scared. He took a deep breath in the crook of my neck and then pulled back. He put his hands on my cheeks. "Kate?"

I didn't cry, I didn't want to. I smiled at his face. "You're back!" I shouted, wrapping my arms around his neck. I didn't get the same return. I looked at his face. "What's wrong? You're back."

He shook his head. "No, Kate, I'm not." He replied. "You're dreaming. We're dreaming."

I gulped. "But, you're here."

He kissed me hard, passionately, but I barely felt it. It was just a ghost. No flame.

"No. This isn't real life. You're in my dream." He gripped his hair. "But you will remember what happens. We will."

"What?"

"There's no time to explain. Did Konrad ask you to get the notebook?" Arlis asked.

I nodded. "Yes."

"You let me die before you get that notebook. That notebook is the end game. Do you hear me?" Arlis gripped my arms hard, although I barely felt it. "Don't get it from Everly's."

I took a step back. "But... we'll both die."

Arlis looked at my face with regret. "He said he'd kill you too?"

I gulped but that was all he needed to confirm that.

"Oh god." He covered his mouth and turned away. The moon behind us grew bigger and bigger. When he turned back his eyes were turning a darker shade of brown, near black. "I love you Kate. More than anything. If it kills us both..." he strained and bent over, gripping his stomach.

I moved to him but he shot up and pushed me backwards, causing me to tumble on the floor.

"NO!" He screamed. His nails elongated, his hands covered in black fur, not the normal calico I was used to. He stripped off his shirt, his skin bleeding from different pours as his skin ripped disgustingly.

"Arlis?"

"KILL US... BOTH!" He screamed and his scream turned into a mangled howl. "Don't give up... that notebook." Arlis's mouth was replaced by a muzzle, a full set of sharp canines.

He collapsed onto the floor, a black wolf. Not calico. Not his usual size. But a larger, darker, black wolf.

The wolf growled at me. I turned to open the door and run but the wolf latched onto my ankle, pulling me down. It tore and tore until when I tried to stand I fell again.

I turned back to the wolf and watched it pace around me, watching our surroundings.
I tried to creep away but it turned back to me, grabbed my arm and pulled until something snapped.

I screamed out, crying and begging to be let out of the room.

"Please!" I screamed.

Something climbed in through the window and I tried to see but I couldn't look around the wolf.

The wolf lunged, dragging a shadow down and tearing it to shreds.

The wolf turned and looked at me, it's mouth bloody and hungry. It howled, the noise piercing my eardrums.

**

I woke up in a sitting position on the floor. My skin felt tight from the tears that dried on them. My heart was racing, my hands clammy. I shuffled backwards until my back hit the bed. A full moon was outside the window, mocking me.

I pulled myself onto the bed and rolled onto my side, curling into a ball.

I looked at the clock, the time saying 3:09. I pulled the pillow over my head, but I knew I wouldn't sleep tonight. I wouldn't sleep for a while.

LEMME RANT REAL QUICK. I have
1. ACT testing tomorrow
2. A band competition tomorrow
3. My first haunted house to go to tomorrow.
4. I love you guys so I updated tonight.
BUT IM SO FUCKING STRESSED OML! Like.... I'm leaving tomorrow to take my test at 7:10am and I'm getting home from my haunted house around 1am. So.

ANYWAYS! Because I'm curious—
Vote below. Comment next to the name you think deserves to kill Konrad the most . I also want to see if this answer changes depending on what book (whether this one or The Hunter And The Hunted) you've read. Or both. Idk. Some of these characters are from THATH so you might not know them but...

Arlis

Kate

Dalia

Becker

Constance

Everly

Melloni/Jonah

Fiona (THATH)

Colin (THATH)

Other (specify)