The Wolf and the Natural ✔️

~•EPILOGUE 2 •~

not edited.

KATE
Arlis was laying on the bed, curled on top of blankets. He hadn't said a word. Jonah had came and taken Constance and Becker's bodies, coming in and setting a hand on Arlis's shoulder. Jonah left Konrad to rot.

I turned on the shower and somewhat half dragged, half guided, Arlis to the bathroom. I took his clothes off as he stood there, barely strong enough to life his leg, kissing his head.

Arlis wasn't with me. Physically, yes, but he wasn't here mentally. I couldn't say I blamed him. What he went through... nobody else could understand the pain, the guilt. If he had had the choice to go back and save Constance and Becker, but lose the world to Konrad... he would. I knew he would.

I pulled him under the warm, steaming, water and poured body wash onto a luffa. He was covered in dirt and blood. While it was important to wash that off, I think it was just as important to wash the battle off as well.

I rubbed his back, careful to not harm it worse than it already had been. He was tore up, scars drenched his back like a mosaic built out of glass and pain. I paused and kissed one of the scars trailing down him in a white streak. He'd always be scarred.

Arlis turned around and I watched him go through stages milliseconds at a time. Fear and sadness moved down his forehead, as it clenched together. Anger went to his eyes, causing salty water to leak from them, mixing with the shower. His lips quivered with depression and I watched Arlis collapse to the floor of the shower.

He had his head between his knees and his hands pulled at his hair, as he screamed. He screamed out names. I knew the names he was saying, but not because I could understand him. I only knew because I had been there. Had I not have been, I wouldn't be able to make them out between the heaves of breath and death bringing screeches.

I bent down slowly, moving his hands away from his hair. I brought his head into my lap and I felt his nails dig into my thigh from stress and despair. I let him.

I let him release some of his pain, I let myself take some of it.

He released his grip, repeating God's name over and over. He asked why, he begged God to take him. He begged the Moon to take his soul in return for Constance and Becker's.

"Arlis..." I whispered. "They wouldn't want you like this."

Arlis's eyes were empty as he looked up. "I'm alone." He cried.

I ran my hands through his hair and then reached up and turned the shower off. "You're not alone. You're never going to be alone again, I swear to you."

He sniffled in a deep breath. "They're gone. They're really gone."

"They're gone, but you're here. Your sister and your brother are here." I laid my head against the wall of the shower, continuing to brush my fingers through the grime in his hair.

"Kate. What do I do?" He asked.

I closed my eyes, not exactly sure. I just knew the sound of his breathing made me selfishly happy. "Live in their name. Push forward. Because that's what they'd want you to do."

"I love you, Kate." He squeezed me to him.

"I love you too. I'm not going anywhere." We sat there, crying and sniffling. It felt good. To let our bodies exhale, to breath.

I knew eventually we'd be okay. But right now... right now everything seemed wrong. We needed time to heal, to fix ourselves and each other.

But next to each other's sides... we could do it. There was hope.