Chapter 2 .

~Kimmy~

I come awake again, to the screams of children and the little growls of pups.

The soft glow of the pale orange evening light warms my face.

I cried myself to sleep on an empty stomach, but it isn't my stomach that feels empty-it's my heart.

I can't feel anything. I gently rise from the floor where I'd collapsed after my conversation with Harry.

His cruel words come rushing back to me, made even more painful because I know he wasn't trying to be cruel.

"You were never meant to be more than a placeholder, Kimmy."

I force myself to stand and immediately clutch the wall as a wave of dizziness swamps me.

I might not be hungry, but my body needs food, so I walk to my bathroom door and go in to freshen up.

My bathroom is a blend of luxury and tranquility, a personal sanctuary away from the chaos of pack life.

Harry couldn't have had it built better if he tried.

The floors are made of polished white marble, cool under my feet, with soft veins of grey running through them.

The walls are tiled in a warm, muted beige, giving the space a calming, spa-like atmosphere.

Harry once said the colors suited my temperament. I wonder now what he meant by that.

A large clawfoot bathtub sits in the center, its smooth porcelain gleaming under the soft light from the hanging crystal chandelier above.

The tub is deep, perfect for long, soothing baths after a day of emotional turmoil-like today.

To the side, there's a large walk-in shower encased in glass, with rainfall showerheads and a built-in bench.

Most pack members have similar showerheads.

The shower tiles are a mix of natural stone and smooth glass, reflecting the light and making the space feel larger.

Shelves built into the shower walls hold a variety of high-end shampoos, conditioners, and soaps, each with a subtle, calming scent of lavender and eucalyptus.

Harry used to bury his nose in my neck and take long, deep breaths after I showered using them.

Against one wall is a wide double vanity with marble countertops that match the floors.

Gold-framed mirrors hang above each sink, and the faucets are a matching brushed gold, giving the room a touch of elegance.

I stand in front of one of those mirrors now, looking at my shabby reflection. I look horrible.

Akira huffs out an amused laugh at my thought, finally breaking her silence.

"Yes, you do." She says laughingly, then her laugh trails off, and she adds gravely,

"And considering what you've been through today, you should look worse."

I observe my reflection in the mirror, fully aware of my drop-dead gorgeous appearance.

I also recognize that this is one of the reasons Harry noticed me in the first place.

Hell, it's the reason most men do. My features are a mesmerizing blend of my Irish mother and Brazilian father's heritage.

My fair skin and the light freckles on the bridge of my nose come from my mom, while my green eyes, the rich warmth of my skin, and the stunning array of browns in my hair-from deep mahogany to sunlit caramel, with natural highlights that shimmer in the sun-are from my dad.

My high cheekbones and the smooth, sun-kissed undertone of my skin are also inherited from him.

I still remember the day Harry noticed me for the first time.

Of course, I knew him as the pack's alpha and had heard a lot about him from the pack female gossip I occasionally engaged in.

Every unmated young woman in the pack aspired to be Luna.

It didn't hurt that the alpha in question was

"Hot as Hades." He had this brooding, intense gaze that made you feel he could see right through you.

His rugged good looks and commanding presence made him the center of whispered desires and fantasies.

I wasn't an exception. I was captivated by him and felt my cheeks growing warm every time I saw him, though he never seemed to notice.

It was a bright, sunny day with a clear sky and warm weather, and everyone was going about their duties in high spirits.

The juveniles, tasked with keeping the children from running too wild and avoiding injuries while playing, weren't having much luck with their task.

"Oh, come on, stop tumbling over each other already! Moon's mercy, someone's gonna get a bruise!" Jeremy shouted, visibly frustrated.

He was one of the pack's soldiers in training, a cute teenager who always blushed when he spoke.

The children weren't listening. Lily, the four-year-old daughter of the pack's senior healer, was leading the attack.

They were a whirlwind of joyous chaos in the sunlit clearing.

Their laughter rang out with pure delight as their tiny feet kicked up puffs of dust.

Water guns in hand, they shot streams of cool, refreshing water at each other, the droplets catching the sunlight and creating sparkling rainbows in the air.

They tumbled and rolled on the soft grass, their clothes soaked through and sticking to their bodies as they wrestled and playfully shoved one another.

Brightly colored splash marks dotted the ground where they'd slipped and sprawled, adding to the scene's vibrant energy.

The juveniles, standing on the sidelines, tried to call out warnings and get their attention, but their voices were drowned out by the children's gleeful shrieks.

Thinking to help, I entered the middle of the fray.

"Come on, sweethearts, let's get you all dried and cleaned up," I said, gently grabbing Charlie, the child nearest to me.

But before I could try to steer him away, Lily saw me and, with a mischievous grin, shouted at the top of her voice,

"Attack! Kimmy's trying to spoil the fun! Get her!"

With the command from their general, water guns were aimed at me, and a chorus of

"Attack!" filled the air. I laughed as their earlier chaos turned into a coordinated, joyful ambush.

Kids jumped her from all sides, laughing and squealing. I laughed with them.

I suddenly looked up from the mayhem, laughing, to find the alpha standing there, his unwavering attention fixed entirely on me.

Dan, his beta, was saying something to him, but Harry wasn't listening.

My eyes locked onto his. His intense aquamarine eyes bored into mine, and the chaotic laughter and splashes of the children faded into the background.

I shivered as I realized, without a doubt, that he wanted me.

I had known about his first love, Kylie, the pack's former beta's daughter.

They'd grown up together and later fallen in love. Everyone had been happy about the situation, having expected and encouraged it.

According to the stories I had heard, Harry hadn't always been like this.

"Ah, Kimmy, love, come 'ere. Lemme tell ya somethin' about Harry.

He used to be a right cheerful young lad, always smilin' and laughin'.

That was 'Fore Kylie left him, mind ya," Maude, an old Irish lady in the pack, said when she noticed Harry's interest in me.

"Really? I've only ever seen him so serious," I replied, unable to imagine Harry other than he is now.

"Aye, it's a shame, isn't it? He was a different man back then. Kylie had him all bright-eyed and full of life. But when she left, well, it changed him. He got all broody and distant. Folks only remember the way he is now. But I remember the smiles, the laughter. It's a pity, it is. A good heart lost in the shadows."

"Thank you for telling me. It's... helpful to know," I replied, shaken by the revelation.

"Ah, don't mention it, dear. Just keep that in mind when ye look at him. Folks change, but there's always a story behind the change."

Now, I wash my swollen face and brush my hair and teeth. I refuse to procrastinate any longer.

The pack members must have gotten wind of what's happening already; news travels fast in a tightly-knit pack.

I dress and mentally steel myself to face the whirlwind head-on.

"Trust yourself, Kimmy. We've got this," Akira encourages.