The Unknown

Chapter Seventeen

(Kittai's POV)

Oh god.

Oh god oh god oh god.

No.

This isn't happening. This is my fault. First Venus, now Ash, who was next?

Kat?
Hunter?
Max?

I couldn't bear to think about it anymore, but the thoughts were invasive. Eventually, I relied on my sister for comfort, and I held her tightly and buried my face in her chest and I sobbed into it as she held me close.

My body was trembling and shaking uncontrollably, and I could feel Kat's shaking a bit too. It could feel the little movements even though she tried to hide it.

I could hear Max crying quietly, and Kai's soothing words to him resonated in my mind.

Honestly I expected him to say how he blamed me, how it was all my fault, I expected him to yell at me, and I expected him to have a reason to do so.

But he didn't. He only stayed by Max, trying to comfort him.

When I listened for Hunter, I could hear him taking shaky breaths and the occasional whimper. He was upset, but he refused to show it. He was struggling to keep it all hidden and pent up, he had a nasty habit of bottling up his problems and emotions until he panicked or broke down. It was part of the reason why his panic attacks were so bad, I've noticed that it all burst out when he broke down.

He usually didn't have to stay this strong for anyone, since he'd always had everyone else to help protect him and each other, but on occasion he'd have to risk his life for us.

In a way, he was a hero, despite his past. I admired him for that.

Eventually, he started trying to get everyone to move in the direction we'd chosen to go, telling us that it's what our fallen friends would have wanted us to do. He told us that we needed to all stay safe for them, and everyone agreed.

When we started walking again, I stayed near Kat, and Kai led the way with Hunter beside him. Hunter had to get over his shyness now, in order to protect us all.

Max.. Had fallen behind a bit. No one seemed to notice, they were all either distracted by grief or by each other.

It went on like that, until suddenly we all stopped to the sound of a scream. It was distant, and it sounded like the one who wasn't as protected.

Max.

We all spun around, our frantic eyes searching for our friend, only to find that he wasn't there. He'd been stolen from us and killed by the beast. A trail of blood led away from us, with some paw prints to prove that it was the beast.

"No!" I cried, breaking away from Kat and running towards the blood.

I was stopped, though, by Hunter and Kat. They both whispered to me that I had to stay close, and that we all had to keep moving.

Reluctantly, I agreed and continued with them.

This was my fault. All my fault.

I couldn't handle it if I lost anyone else, this was my fault.

If anyone else was threatened.. I'd sacrifice myself for them. I wouldn't let anyone else die.