(Door opens)
"That's enough, Rico. I believe you don't want her to cry herself to death because of you!"
"Look who's here to interrupt. Micha, my beloved prodigal twin brother. Another mockery of our existence. Can you imagine, Siah? He's come to lecture me about how to live my life, having squandered his own youthful years roaming around the world looking for only the Moon God knows what." Rico chuckled.
"Say whatever you want about me, but I won't tolerate you disrespecting her again!" Micha stood head-to-head with Rico.
"Cut me some slack, bro. She deserves whatever treatment she gets."
"There's no way Riaha's at fault. You're the one who's wrong and should get the worst treatment in the world for being a horrible mate to her."
"Oh, darling, sweet Riaha, my brother thinks I'm horri -"
"Yes, you are horr -"
"No, he's not! He's not, please stop it. Rico isn't horrible. Please, he's the sweetest thing in my life. He's not horrible, no, he's not!" I sobbed bitterly, my mind refusing to accept Micha calling my mate horrible.
"Can you stop crying already?" Micha moved toward me. He embraced me, and I began soaking his clothes with tears.
"Seems you came late to the party, elder bro. And I don't care how you see things, but what I'm about to tell you doesn't make me a horrible person. Here's what you missed: I have nothing to do with her anymore. The mate bond is broken. She's no longer mine, and I'm not hers either." Rico laughed.
"Please, Rico... please don't do this to us!" I threw myself from the bed. Micha tried to restrain me but landed on the floor when I pushed him away. I rushed over and knelt before my mate, clutching his legs while weeping uncontrollably. I reminded him of the good old days and all the beautiful things he once said to me.
"Hey, look here, weakling! There's no more 'us,' don't you get it? From now on, it's you and you alone. And me, myself, and I. You're free to do whatever you please with your miserable, ugly, annoying life. I don't give a fuck."
"Siah, sister, say something. I'm begging you. Don't let him do this to me, please, Siah." My weeping intensified. Siah's face was heartbreaking to see. For the first time, my sister looked utterly bewildered and stressed.
"No way! You can't do that!" Micha snapped.
"But I already did," Rico chuckled.
"Rico, try and consi -"
"There's no room for that, Siah!" he screamed at her.
"This is unacceptable," Micha retorted.
"Says who? You? The only thing that gives you the right to be close to me is blood. I don't give a fuck if you're older, I'll rip your fucking guts out if you meddle in my affairs." He glared, and Micha fell silent.
"Try listening to what she has -"
"Ugh, Siah. I've endured far too long. I'm not reconsidering. It's over between your sister and me. It's OVER!"
"Give her one last chance, Rico. Please, for the sake of our pack," Siah pleaded, locking eyes with him. He glanced away.
"Stop acting like a dimwitted creature. What part of 'it's over' don't you understand? The mate bond is broken. She's free to move on with her worthless -"
"I can't move on without you, Rico... I can't. It's impossible for me" I whimpered, tightening my grip on his legs.
"You can't what?" he snarled. His baritone voice echoed through the window. Shock paralyzed me, and several items fell from the wall upon his raised voice.
"I can't move on without you," I managed to choke out.
"You seriously want to drag me down to live your worthless, bottomless, careless life? Is that your plan? To sink the next-in-line Alpha of the Waivers Pack?"
"Rico, my sister needs -"
"Stop! Stop it right there!" he roared, snatching a chair and hurling it against the wall. It bounced back, and he caught it.
"Tell me. Do you think this is a joke, you pathetic creature? Can't you see you're inflicted? And still, you're trying to infect me with your weakness. How horrible you are. I wish I'd seen it sooner... Gosh."
"I know you don't mean these things, Rico. You promised never to leave me no matter what. You promised me a world without pain, suffering, need, or desire," I cried, clinging tighter.
"Fuck those promises. This is reality, and I mean every damn word. So instead of whining like a defrauded whore, take my advice: remove these weak hands from me before I shred them to pieces." His ears twitched, nails popped out, and bones cracked ominously.
(Door opens)
"Guys, you need to come now. They found her."
"Where?" Rico and Siah asked simultaneously.
"Bisbrough. The pack hounds found her traces in the woods. They're hunting her down."
"What about the Alpha?"
"Your dad's already gone ahead. Riaha, Siah, your parents are with him. The rest of the pack are on their way."
"We don't have time. We need to go, Siah," Rico ordered.
"You can't go without me!" I pleaded.
"Call the nurses," Rico told the man.
"Please, Rico. Don't leave me. I'm begging you don't make me lose you. I won't survive it. I know I'm weak and useless, but tell me what to do. I can't live without you!"
(Nurses enter)
"Worthless. Bro, make yourself useful for once in your life?" Rico spat. A nurse prepared a syringe.
"Micha, Micha, don't! Take your hands off me!" Micha threw me onto the bed, pinning me down as the nurse injected me. Darkness swallowed me instantly.