Feral → newt, tmr

Chapter 29: I'll Fix You With My Love

Brenda exhales, breaking the silence. “What the hell was that?”

Katherine shakes her head. “I—I don’t know.” But her gut tells her it was more than just anger. Something is wrong.

Without another word, she follows them, heart pounding. The air is cold when she steps onto the rooftop. Newt sits on the ledge, staring out over the city, shoulders tense. Thomas stands a few feet away, arms crossed. They don’t notice her, so she stays back, listening.

“Sorry about that,” Newt mutters. His voice is quieter now, the fire from earlier burned out. He exhales before rolling up his sleeve.

Thomas stiffens.

Dark veins crawl up Newt’s right arm, stark against his pale skin. The sight knocks the air out of Katherine’s lungs.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Thomas asks, voice barely above a whisper.

Newt lets out a humorless chuckle. “Didn’t think it would make a difference.” His fingers trace the lines, his expression unreadable. “All I know is WICKED must’ve put me in that maze for a reason. Maybe it was just to tell the difference between immunes like you and people like me.”

“We can fix this,” Thomas insists. “Okay? We can.”

Newt smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Don’t worry about me, Tommy. This is about Minho. He needs us. And if there’s even the slightest chance we can save him, we have to take it. No matter what the cost.”

Thomas hesitates, then nods. “Okay. I hear you. Does Kat know?”

Newt glances away. “I don’t want her to know.”

Thomas shifts. “Newt—she deserves to know.”

“I know, Tommy. Just don’t tell her. It’s better this way.”

Thomas opens his mouth to argue but freezes. His gaze flickers over Newt’s shoulder.

Katherine stands there, tears streaming down her face.

The weight of realization settles in. She heard everything.

“Shit,” Thomas mutters.

Newt turns, his expression shifting from confusion to horror. “Bloody hell.”

Katherine wipes at her face, but the tears won’t stop. She doesn’t say a word. Doesn’t need to. The heartbreak is written all over her.

Then, before either of them can move, she turns and bolts.

Her vision blurs as she rushes down the stairs. She barely registers the solid chest she collides with until strong hands catch her shoulders.

“Whoa—are you okay?” Gally’s voice is uncharacteristically gentle.

“Get the fuck outta my way!” she snaps, shoving him aside.

Gally lifts his hands in surrender, watching her storm past. “What the hell just happened?” he mutters, more to himself than anyone.

Katherine barely makes it to her room, slamming the door shut behind her. She locks it. Her back hits the wooden surface, and she slides down to the floor, burying her face in her hands. Tears spill hot and fast, her body trembling as she struggles to quiet her sobs.

Maybe she’s overreacting. Maybe she’s letting the fear eat her alive. But she’s angry—furious that Newt tried to hide it from her. The infection. The dark veins creeping up his arm, a cruel reminder of the time slipping away. And she’s terrified—terrified of losing him, of watching him fade into something he’s not, something he swore he never wanted to become.