Souls' Collision | ✔

T R U L Y

~ Chapter Twenty Three ~

"I'm gonna go buy some snacks."

Red looked up from his hands at the same time his brother appeared from the bathroom. They both looked severe.

"That's not a good idea."

"The supermarket's just downstairs," Liz countered and got to her feet, trying not to stub her knee on all the furniture squeezed into the small room.

Red got off the chair in the corner that he had been seated on for more than an hour. His knees cracked as he straightened. "Then I'm coming with you."

"Wasn't the point of coming to this busted motel that we'd be safe?"

"Yes but--"

"Good. I'm going. Alone."

The door slammed after her, rattling the single painting on the wall, depicting a sunflower. Red slowly sat back down, looked out the window to see his mate hurry across the street.

"She's right," Reva said from his corner. "It's completely dead out there. In here too. Did you see the receptionist?" He huffed. "I doubt that man will live to see the end of the year."

"Be quiet."

Reva didn't comply. He threw himself on the bed and cast his distressed brother a bored look. "What she said out there, it really bothers you."

"Of course it does," he rumbled. "She doesn't want cubs -- she doesn't want me."

"Alright -- so she's no good to you anymore then?"

"What?"

"You're gonna have her replaced, choose someone more... compliable. A wolf female. A proper one."

"What are you on about?" Red said and finally took his attention away from the window. "Of course I won't."

"Then you better stop acting like it. Brother, I can feel the chill from the bathroom. Granted, it's not too great a distance."

He stayed quiet but it was obvious he wasn't dismissing his brother's words completely. His eyebrows had furrowed, his lips strained. "I don't..."

Reva hummed, picking at one of the embroidered pillows.

"I don't know... anything. Anything at all. Not with her. It's like I'm back at zero, everything is new."

"And how does that make you feel?"

"It makes me feel-- Hold on."

Red was back at the window, his whole body tense and crouched. The hairs on his arm stood like soldiers. He was watching something go down outside. And it made him terrified.

Reva joined his side at the same time he delivered a harsh hit to the glass, making white veins spread across it.

"No," he bellowed. "No!!"

Below him was his mate, encapsuled by dark smoke. Her eyes reflected the two brothers' panic as she reached a hand out, upward towards the window. But before she could scream, which it was clear she wanted to, the smoke became too thick and it swallowed her whole. Washed over her like a wave and swallowed her like a wreck.

As the wind got a hold of the smoke -- dissolved and spread it across the streets -- there was nothing left of the girl.

Reva realized that tonight wouldn't be calm.

"Brother, I know this seems bad but--"

"Elizabeth!" he screamed, threw himself at the glass.

"Calm down!"