Instinct » Liam Dunbar [Book 3]

10

CHAPTER TEN » GOODBYES
"There's always hope."

☽

"How the hell are you still here?"

"Nice to see you too," Theo responded sarcastically, grimacing as he straightened up properly. "You know about Liam, right?"

"Yeah, he's gone into the hunt," I replied, glancing up at him. "I think."

"Yeah, I saw him earlier," he said, eyes scanning our surroundings. "Where's Hermione Granger?"

I shot him a look. "If you mean Venus, then I'm not sure. She got out of the elevator to save your ass."

"Yeah, she did," he stated, wincing slightly, likely from injury, as he moved. "But I lost her."

"How long ago?" I questioned, looking back towards the hospital. If I could find Vee and we could connect our powers, she might be able to perform the spell we needed.

"I'm not gonna let you go back in there," he stated firmly.

I snapped my head back round to look at him, raising my eyebrows. "I didn't ask for your approval."

"I doubt she made it out, Bex."

I rolled my eyes, scoffing. "If you managed to make it out then I'm pretty sure she has."

"Ouch," he said, narrowing his eyes as he mockingly placed his hand on his chest.

"Sorry," I said, tilting my head to the side. "Guess that would have hurt your heart if you had one."

"You know, I risked my ass to help you guys," he said curtly, stepping closer. "The least you could do is be a bit grateful."

"I don't owe you any gratitude," I retorted back, moving to sidestep him. "Now if you'll excuse me–"

"You're not going back in there."

"Dude–"

"I know you think you can save everyone, just like your brother," he started. "But you can't, Becca. You have to focus on what's important."

"You realise Vee is the key to this?" I asked, shaking my head at him as my eyes narrowed into a glare. "Let me put this into simpler terms so that your tiny little brain can understand," I paused, taking a step closer. "Venus is the only way that we're going to have a shot at stopping the Wild Hunt. If she gets taken, we're fucked. There will be no more Beacon Hills. You get that, right?"

"She can manipulate the elements," he said after a short pause, realisation seeming to dawn on him. "Not many can do that."

"Exactly," I replied. "So you wanna help, Theo? Then we need to stop Venus from getting taken."

"I'll go back to where I last saw her," he said. "But you stay here."

"No, I'm coming with you," I argued, but he shook his head dismissively, about to say something until I gasped involuntarily, cutting him off.

A flash of something I couldn't make out took control of my mind all of a sudden. I winced, squeezing my eyes shut in an effort to create a clearer picture.

In my mind, the hospital corridors wobbled, the floor swaying. There were bright lights flashing at the end of the corridor every so often. Then a green puff of smoke, leaving the hospital in an eerily empty silence.

"Shit," I breathed out, my hand on my pounding head. Venus was still in there, but not for long.

"What did you see?" Theo questioned, studying me cautiously.