Raze {Wolf Rebellion II}

Chapter 22~Too Late To Apologize~

Didn't think I'd turn around and say, it's too late to apologize.

-OneRepublic, "Apologize"

Chapter 22~Too Late To Apologize~

Kitler's few days passed in a blur of tension and barely concealed fear. It was painfully obvious that Red was close, and we knew not to stay in one place for more than a day or two. From Corinth, we moved to Oxford, then Clarksdale. By then we agreed we needed a bigger city. It was all too easy to be recognized in a town of ten thousand.

So five days before Christmas, we found ourselves in the city of Cabot, Arkansas.

Kitler had shut himself away in one of the hotel rooms, and so the seven of us were spread out in the other. Cas was sitting on the bed next to Kat, who'd shown the slightest of improvement over the past two days. She wasn't out of the woods yet, and Cas and Shani still spent their days trying to figure it out, but it was enough to relieve some of the stress that knotted my muscles together.

Jasper, Reid, Shani and I sat scattered over the other bed, playing cards and trying to distract ourselves. I could hear the clicking of Kitler typing across a computer in the next room, and I had a brief moment to wonder what he was doing.

It was better than letting my thoughts wander to our seventh member in the corner. He'd been silent the entire time I'd been around, as far as I could tell. Of course, I hadn't missed the few looks he'd thrown my way since we'd been here, but I'd forced myself to ignore them. If I let myself dwell on it, I knew nothing good would come of it.

I threw a random card down, watching as he turned a page in whatever journal he was reading.

"Are you folding?"

The sudden question startled me out of my thoughts, and I glanced at Shani. She motioned to the pile of junk food in the middle of the bed.

I glanced down at my minuscule pile. A packet of sugar, and a handful of chips was all I had left. And only a pair of threes to bet.

"I'm out."

I set my cards to the side, unfolding my legs from under me and stretching as I stood up.

"Excellent."

"Hey," Jasper protested as she threw down four aces. "You've won every hand so far."

I turned, drowning out the sound of their bickering as I sat down beside Cas. He ran a hand over Kat's forehead, pausing as he glanced up.

"Yeah?"

I didn't say anything at first, watching as Kat turned in her sleep. It still made a pit settle in my stomach when I thought about her. The bruises still hadn't faded from her neck and arms, and that worried me.

"Anything new?" I could still smell the sickness on her, but I knew Cas had been keeping track of any change.

He raised one shoulder in a shrug, but the seriousness behind his eyes intensified. "There's a fever now. I don't know if that's good or not."

So whatever it was, her body was starting to fight it. "Is a hospital even a possibility?" It would be a risk, but it was one I'd take for her. Shani was doubtful doctors would even be able to help, but at this point I was convinced they'd at least be able to do more than we were.

I didn't hear what Cas said back. A sudden tingle shot up my spine. Before I could process what I was doing, I had already turned and caught the object flying though the air toward me.

"What the hell?" A flash of pain burned through my hand as I glanced down.

A pocket knife.

My heart fluttered in my chest before I finally took a deep breath. I looked up.