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I grunt and bellow as I pound his face until it’s a bloody ers, teeth bite into er one, it’ll never be enough There’s nothing I can do to Theo that willher easier

Soe to pay them any attention I don’t stop I can’t stop It’s like I’m possessed and there’s no hope for whatever has a hold of me

A broken cry, a sob of despair, and the scent of wildflowers haveI look up to the bed and see Jules’s face At first, I think it’s just a vision, like one of er multiplies It’s the blood on her face h my crazed state She has a bruise on her temple, smeared blood all over her face, and her cheek is swollen and sporting a scrape, but she’s alive She has to be because she’s looking at e of the bed A dead person can’t do that

I’ on Theo one second and the next I’m on the bed with Jules She’s on her knees, and I quickly crawl s are on either side of hers and my arms are around her middle I pick her up and fall to my ass with her in my lap My body hunches over her, and I cradle her in my arms I didn’t stop to think of how I must look and her possible reaction to the violence still radiating off me, but luckily, she doesn’t see toI need her in my arms I’m not sure I would have been able to handle it if she pushed me away

“Fuck me, Jules I was so scared I lost you” My voice is raw even to my own ears

I rock her gently back and forth as she cries in h to adht of losing her is paralyzing I squeeze one She’s still breathing and here with me

When I openover Theo, I’et up If he’s still alive Not one ounce of regret hits me when I think of my brother dead Maybe it should, especially because what Theo has done is so out of character for hi

I glance down at him His face is covered in exposed meaty flesh and blood I look at his chest and see it rise and fall

I bring aze back to Kale and see him pocket his phone “Cops are on their way” His eyes flicker to Jules “So is an ambulance I called a buddy ofhiet here”

“Thanks,” I grunt gruffly

My attention , but thankfully she’s no longer sobbing, just crying silently I tangle ently pull her head back I need to see her face, not only to assess the dae, but also to reassure myself she’s alive

Before I get a chance to take a good look, she implores brokenly, “Please take me out of here I can’t stand to be in this room”

Moving carefully, I slide across to the side of the bed Theo isn’t on and stand with her still in ainstback to Kale

“Make sure he stays there until the cops get here”

“Already on it” His eyes are hard when he moves them to Theo’s still form