Chapter 25 - Hotel Mayhem

**Lily**

"What did you do?"

"What?" I find myself glancing at Jeremy's back.

"To Jeremy." Jesse nudges my elbow. "He's been sulking for like ten minutes."

"I'm not a good girlfriend."

Jesse nods and says, "I know." I give him a look. He continues, "You've been an awful lot close to Chase."

I bite my lip in embarrassment. "You heard?" It's not like I want to lie to my friends but I don't think it would suit well with the others. Chase has his friends and I have mine, we're only working together because of this mission. This mishap, could harm both Chase and Jeremy and as much as I hate to say it, I don't want to harm them. Not that it's working, Jeremy isn't talking to me anyway.

Jesse tilts his head suspiciously. "Heard what?"

"Nothing."

His eyebrows furrow in confusion at my quick answer. "Right." His eyes stare at my face quizzically. "Just give him time."

I look up at him. "How much?" He shrugs at my question and walks ahead, placing his arm around Jeremy's shoulder.

Great. On the plus side, I don't have the feeling that someone is watching us anymore. It vanished about five minutes ago. And everything seems as normal as it should seem at midnight.

"Is this it?" Debra sounds annoyed. "We've been walking for more than thirty minutes, and *this* is it!"

The hotel is somehow even scarier than the one before. It has a huge red, light up sign on the door that says, "Open". The hotel looks like it was built in the decades ago, fragile and like it'll collapse in any minute. The hotel doesn't even have a parking lot, just sand everywhere and no cars in sight.

"What if they murder all their guests?" Brandon murmurs, taking a step away from the hotel. We give him a look, to which he just shrugs.

"So whose going in?" Asks Jesse.

"I'll go." Jeremy volunteers.

"Me too!" I clear my throat. "I mean, I'll go. It's kind of have to do with me." Jeremy's eyes look blank.

"I think we should all go," Megan ponders. "What if they get us here? I don't plan to die by bow."

"She's got a point," Chase agrees.

"Well, do you have wallets? Because if we all go, we'll be charged two people per room, hm?"

I sigh. "Jesse has a point. Most of us lost our wallets in the fire."

"I'm with Megan. I'm not trying to die just because we're broke," Alexis crosses her arms. The others nod in agreement.

The others follow behind Jeremy and I, who still hasn't bothered to glance at me. Each step causes the wood to make a noise as sand particles fly out from under the wood. I sigh and twist the door knob. The first thing I see is an old painting of an older lady, a mole on her nose and her eyes glaring at us.

"I think her eyes are following me," Joanne mutters, hiding behind Chase.

I make my way inside, my nose immediately detecting the smell of cigarette smoke, dirty laundry, and mold. The second thing I see is a man behind a desk, the bold spot on his head shining under the light. There is a pink robe around his body and by the look of his naked, hairy chest, I think he's naked under it.

"Visitors!" He chirps. He makes his way around the desk, a large glee-full smile on his chubby cheeks.

"Sir - " I pause mid sentence. Do you remember when I said that I thought he was naked under his robe? Well, he is.

"Wow." Megan's eyes widen. "Mazel tov." She remarks, head tilting.

A hand blocks my view of vision and Jeremy's cologne invades my senses.

"Sir, your... manhood is out." Jesse calmly states beside me. I can't see him but I'm sure he's red in the face.

"Oh!" The old man doesn't sound sorry. I hear the rustling of fabric and a couple steps. "Sorry, kids. Don't get a lot of visitors." He continues. Jeremy's hand leaves my face and I turn my head to smile at him but he's no longer beside me. "Anyway," The old man coughs, "How many rooms?"

"Can we rent two rooms?" I don't think my wallet would be able to rent a room for more than that. "Our car got blown up and we don't have money for anything else."

"Blown up?" His eyes widen.

I nod. "The car was really old." That can happen right?

"Right." He sighs and runs a hand through his face, as if regretting asking us the question. He makes his way around the desk and starts typing in his computer. "I can give you two rooms but boys and girls separate." He warns, "I don't want to appear on the news."

"Thank you sir!" I lean against the counter and give him a smile. "We promise we won't be a bother."

His eyes narrow in my direction, "Any damage you'll pay for though." I nod. "We don't serve breakfast but there is a gas station behind us and a diner around the corner."

After paying, reluctantly I may add, he walks us up a flight of stairs. The stairs creak as our feet make their way up, yelling at the sound of our weight. Once upstairs, more pictures of the lady with the mole greet us. She's posing in different positions but it's no doubt it's her, a large mole in the middle of all noses.

"Here we are." The old man stops in front of a room with the number five and opens it. The room is just as bad as the entire house, it even has the picture of the mole lady. It's dusty but it has a king sized bed and two couches. "The boys can stay here."

"By ourselves? And Lily?" Brandon's face turns red in embaressment. An ounce of pride fills my chest. "I mean." He stammers.

"We know what you meant, Brandon." Jesse sighs, "We'll protect you." Jesse waves his hands at Jeremy and Victor. Brandon doesn't say anything, instead he marches inside the room with Victor hot on his heels.

"Okay. Let me show you where the girls will stay." The old man walks further along the corrider, the girls follow behind him.

Jeremy and Chase don't move, eyes looking at mine. I clear my throat, the attention overwhelming. "Can I talk to you?"

"Him?" Chase doesn't look happy, a frown etched on his face. My wolf pinches my inside again. Which, thankfully, doesn't hurt as bad as the first one hundred times.

"Yeah." I avoid his eyes. His feet shuffle away and once the door closes, I smile at Jeremy as brightly as I can. Now, how does one apologize?Normally, I would just say the words "I'm sorry" or just "sorry" but it wouldn't be sincere. I *want* to be sincere but I don't think I can. My wolf was yapping brightly, for the second time since we found out Chase was my mate. It made me feel whole as a werewolf. And I feel bad for hurting him but deep down, it just wouldn't be sincere.

Jeremy eyes don't leave my face, his eyes taking in all the emotions. I open my mouth to speak but close it when the word "sorry" doesn't come out. My wolf smirks triumphantly. I ignore her, fighting the urge to shut her down.

"You can't tell me?" Jeremy looks hurt.

"I don't think so." My hands start to sweat. "I want to but..." I trail off. Telling him would just hurt him. It wouldn't be fair and physically saying it... would hurt me, my wolf, and him.

Jeremy doesn't say anything back, his head toward the floor. I can't tell what he's thinking but I know he's hurt. His hands are fisted and his shoulders are tense, as if fighting back an emotion.

"Did you want to... kiss him?" He grits out the words.

My eyes water. Damn it. I hurt him anyways. My wolf, on the other hand, is grinning inside me.

"I see." Jeremy turns his back, his fists shaking in furry. I don't say anything, fighting back a sob. I'm such a whore. I'm the type of person I never wanted to be. And I hurt an important person. A person who only looks out for me, cares for me, and fights for me. No wonder I was sold.

"I'm not angry at you, Lily. He's... he's... he was *made* for you."

I bite my lip and sniffer. "But he's not you." I whisper. He doesn't turn around but his hand twists the knob. "Are you breaking up with me?" His shoulders fall once the question flies out my lips.

I don't deserve him. I never did.

He doesn't say anything for a long time. His hand leaves the knob and his face turns toward me, a small smile on his face."You're not getting rid of me that easy."

What?

"Just give me time, please." He sounds vulnerable.

A sigh of relief leaves my lips. "Okay." He doesn't say anything else and walks inside the room.

Even now, he didn't hurt my feelings. Unlike me. I truge towards the girls room, five doors down. I make my way, a fake smile plastered on my face. The room looks similar to the boys but this room has two beds. Megan and Joanne are on the bed in the left, Debra and Alexis on the right bed.

"You're sleeping on the couch." Megan states, her eyes narrow. "If you weren't unemployed than we'd all be in a more comfortable hotel."

I roll my eyes and nod. "Whatever." I fluff the small dusty pillow and hit it against the plastic couch. A number of particles fly out, hitting me in the face.

"What crawled up your butt and died?" Megan doesn't look happy. "You're the one who wanted to leave."

A fire inside my chest burns. But I push it down, a fight with Megan isn't something to take lightly. So I lie. "I'm just bummed about the bow. The fire."

Megan nods. "It'll be fine."

Debra agrees, "Yeah. It was expected."

"Expected?" I raise an eyebrow. "How?" Debra's mouth opens and closes like a fish.

"I think she means after the bow."

Right. I lift the blanket and slide inside. It's nor as uncomfortable as I thought it would be. At least I have a blanet and bed. I change positions and face the door. A yawn brushes out my lips as my body conforms to the shape of the couch.

"I'm scared," Debra whispers. "Me too" I want to say but instead yawn again and close my eyes.

A strong smell hits my nose. I lift my face and peer at the door through my sleep-filled eyes. An orange light shines through from the bottom of the door. It looks like... something familiar. A sweat bead rolls down my forehead.

"FIRE!" Megan's panicked yell makes me jump. Fire? My eyes peer at the orange light. Is it a fire? What *is* fire? My hands rub at my eyes.

"Get up! GET UP!"

My feet hit the floor. I glance behind me. Megan is slapping Debra and Joanne at the face. *Smack*! *Smack*! What's the hurry? I slide my feet inside the sneaks and make my way to the door. I place my hand on the door knob and twist it open. A heatwave smacks me in the face, my feet walking back a couple inches.

"FIRE!" This time it's me whose shouting.

Debra and Joanne are up now. Frantic shouts coming out, one after another. Megan pushes her fist through the window, the glass shatters.

"Jump out! HURRY!" Megan shouts, eyes glancing between the outside and the door.

"Are you crazy!" Joanne yells.

"It's high!" Debra yells back.

The fire hasn't hit the door yet but our bodies are already sweating bullets. Megan growls, her hands grabbing onto the collar of Debra's shirt. She lifts Debra up, as if in a trance, and throws her out effortlessly. Joanne, sensing she's next, jumps out the window.

"Lily! Come on!"

I leap towards the window and once I'm close, Megan jumps out. I stop at ledge and fear strikes my chest. The old man! I twist my body, my feet running towards the door and out into the corrider. My nose itches, the smoke fighting to enter my lungs. I place a hand over my nose and mouth and jump over the small fire that's already inside the boy's room. I sniff in the smoke, trying to pinpoint the location of the old man. He's still at the desk!

My feet run to the stairs, already engulfed in fire. The fire has already consumed the front of the house, a minute or two from consuming the desk and the old man whose knocked out on top the desk. I place my right hand over my nose and mouth, and jump over the ledge of the stairs. A pang makes me whimper but I limp towards the desk. My body seems to go in slow motion as I grab the old man by waist and place him over my shoulder.

Argh, his robe is undone.

My eyes search for an exit but it's difficult because of all the black smoke. My feel limp past the desk and to a nearby door. Locked. I limp towards the door next door and twist the knob. The door opens this time but the weight of the old man seems to shrink me down in size. I make my way to the the nearest window and smash my fist against it. A piece of glass smacks against my cheek but it doesn't hurt nearly as much as the smoke in my throat and nose.

I wince and break the other shards at the corners of the window with my foot. My eyes catch the sight of the others outside. A sudden heat touches my leg.

"Catch!" I don't know if they heard my hoarse whisper but I dump the old man over the ledge. I cough, my head turning towards the fire like an idiot.

My heart beat slows down as the familiar pair of blue eyes gaze at me through the fire. Is it possible for someone to have such bright eyes?

"LILY!"

I can't break eye contact with the bright blue eyes. It's pulling me in. Why aren't they blinking?

My eyes burn.

"LILY!?"

It's the last thing I hear before my body falls on the floor.

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What do you guys think about my story so far?

Tell me what you think please.

-Kiki