Chapter 3 .

~Kimmy~

I step out into the hallway held high, only to find it empty.

I make my way down the hallway, my steps echoing.

The closer I get to the houses main areas dining hall, the lounge, and the common rooms_ the more I lose my confidence.

Nobody is here. I step out of the pack's double door onto the crisp evening breeze.

I take a deep breath, and my stomach rumbles reminding me I haven't had anything to eat since I woke up this morning.

I hear a little growl and look down. It is a little gray pup.

"Lily?" I ask, dropping to my knees to pet her. She growls, jumping around, trying to push me back inside.

That's when I realized-she was trying to warn me.

I gently massage her fur, but she keeps nudging me with her head, growling softly.

"What is it, sweetheart? What are you trying to tell me?"

"She says it would be better if you went back inside," Akira, my wolf, huffs out.

"The pup is trying to protect us."

Lily whines softly now, her big amber eyes pleading.

I stand and walk forward anyway, Lily trailing by my side. My pace slows as I approach the pack's main gathering grounds.

The usually quiet space-only used for occasional meetings or training sessions-is now filled with murmurs. Tension hangs in the air.

I scan the crowd for my parents but can't find them. Instead, I spot Ayeesha, tall with her long dreadlocks and warm brown skin.

She's my best friend, and her fierce, angry eyes lock onto mine.

She starts to come toward me, but someone grabs her hand, stopping her.

I turn to see what has everyone's attention. And then I see him-Harry.

He stands on the large, carved stone platform, the spot he always uses to address the pack during important announcements.

His eyes-now amber, showing that his wolf, Ben, is present-are locked on me.

They seem more intense than usual. For a moment, I think I catch a flicker of guilt in them, but it vanishes as his gaze hardens.

I swallow, my throat dry.

"What... what's going on?" I manage to say.

"Kimmy, we've been waiting for you," Harry replies calmly.

"I sent Liz to get you, but you must have been sleeping deeply. You didn't wake when I knocked."

"I said, what the Fuck is going on here?" I shout, startling the crowd and finally breaking through Harry's cold exterior. His face registers a flicker of emotion.

"Kimmy..." he trails off, then looks behind him.

Kylie Renold stands there, looking at the very picture of innocence.

Blonde hair in a neat ponytail? Check. Virginal white dress? Check.

Big, soft blue eyes that scream remorseful? Check.

But I know the real Kylie. Only I can see the faint smirk on her lips as she looks at me.

Big fat tears fill her eyes and roll down her cheeks.

I should be angry she's fooling everyone, but all I can do is marvel at how perfectly she plays the part.

"I'm sorry, Kimmy," she whispers, her blue eyes wide and pleading. Tears roll down her cheeks.

Seriously, someone gives the girl an Oscar already.

Harry's voice cuts through the murmurs, loud and authoritative.

"Thank you all for your patience. I have an important announcement to make." He pauses, letting the weight of his words settle on the crowd.

"I understand there's been a lot of confusion and speculation about Kylie Renold's return.

Everyone needs to understand her position in this pack-and in my life."

His words hit me like a punch to the gut.

"She was a valuable member of the pack before her departure, and she's returned, ready to make amends. She's extremely skilled, and losing her again would be a mistake for the pack," he says, his gaze finding mine.

"And for me."

My throat tightens. A lump forms, and I can feel tears threatening to spill over.

"It's no secret I was in love with Kylie," Harry continues.

"In truth, I never stopped being in love with her. That's not why I'm accepting her back into the pack, but it "is" why I'm accepting her back into my life."

Chaos erupts around us as the crowd finally understands where this is headed.

"And on that note, Kimmy..." His eyes settle on me again, cold and unyielding.

A sob breaks free from my mouth, tears now streaming down my face uncontrollably. Harry's eyes follow the path of my tears, but his gaze doesn't soften, not even for a second.

"I want to thank you, Kimmy. You've been a wonderful Luna, the best companion I could've asked for. You've stood by my side through some of the hardest times, and I'm sure everyone in the pack loves you," he says, his voice steady though his throat tightens.

Ben, his wolf, is present in his eyes now. "But I don't love you. Not the way I should."

And just like that, my heart shatters all over again.

I can't hold back anymore. Fury overtakes me, and I storm up to the platform, climbing onto it without hesitation.

All eyes are on me, but I don't care. Without a word, I walk right up to Harry and slap him-hard.

The crack of the slap echoes through the crowd. No one's ever dared to do this before. My hand stings, but I don't care.

His head snaps back, and when he turns to face me again, his eyes are completely amber. Ben is in control now, and a low growl escapes his throat.

I'm supposed to be terrified-anyone else would be. But I'm not.

My eyes blaze with a mix of pain, anger, and betrayal. My voice shakes as I speak.

"You think it's fine to use me and then just toss me aside, right? What, Harry? You thought I'd grovel and beg at your feet? You thought I'd be grateful for whatever scraps you're willing to give me?"

I laugh, a bitter, harsh sound.

"You used me for two years! Two years of love, of devotion, of sacrifice. And now you think you can just sweep it all away? Like I never mattered? Like it was nothing?"

Harry's expression turns cold.

"If you were anyone else, Kimmy, I'd punish you severely for this outburst," he says, his tone icy and controlled.

"But given the situation, I'll let it go this time."

He takes a deep breath, his gaze heavy with finality.

"You can choose your place in the pack, but know this: you will no longer be my Luna. That position is no longer yours. Your actions-your outburst-have made that clear."

I laugh again, a hollow, manic sound.

"Actions and outbursts? That's your excuse to throw me out as the villain so you can be with your perfect Kylie, right? Well, fuck you, Harry. Fuck you very much!"

I shove him, but he grabs my hand. I struggle to break free, Akira growling in the back of my mind, ready to lash out. I growl too.

"Kimmy, calm down. You're causing a scene," Harry says, his voice deep and frustrated. He looks like he can't wait for this to be over.

I stop struggling and stare into his eyes. Ben is still there, staring back. For the first time, I see a flicker of guilt, though I'm not sure if it's Ben's or Harry's. I look from him to Kylie, who stands with her head bowed, a faint smirk still playing on her lips.

I glance at the pack-at the familiar faces of friends and family. They're all staring at me, shocked.

This isn't the Kimmy they know.

A manic laugh breaks free from me again, and I laugh until I'm crying and hiccuping.

"I don't deserve this," I whisper to myself.

"No, we don't," Akira agrees softly.

I pull away from Harry and make my way off the platform, heading toward The pack building.

"Kimmy!" someone calls after me. It's Ayeesha. I turn to face her, tears still streaming down my face.

She's not alone. Harry's mother, Kimberly, stands beside her. She always said we were meant to be, that even our names were the same.

Kimberly's aquamarine eyes-so much like her son's-fill with worry as she takes one look at me.

"Oh, you poor thing. Come here," she says, opening her arms.

I collapse into them, sobbing uncontrollably. This might just break me.