Chapter 4 .

~Harry~

I stand on the platform, a rock Dan, Marcus-another sentinel- and I had carved.

My eyes scan the crowd, looking for Kimmy. Ben is restless in my mind, pacing, clawing at me, but I push him down.

I need control tonight. I need to be clear-headed, for what is to come, and I don't need him acting up.

Kylie is the one for me-I know that. It's always been her.

But there's no easy way to break what's left of Kimmy's heart.

"Calm down, you are going to make me lose control," I tell Ben.

"At least then, we'll be able to tell why you are out of your mind." He growls back.

But I'm not listening. Where is she? I sent Liz to fetch her. I want to get this over with. Kimmy deserves the truth.

I find it harder, to breathe the longer I wait. I scan the faces below, the pack murmuring in confusion, the tension building.

I spot my mom, sitting with Maude, a cranky old lady in the pack.

They both refuse to meet my eyes. Dan steps forward, his brow furrowed, his eyes narrowed at me.

"Harry," he hisses under his breath, just loud enough for me to hear. He is pissed off.

He's probably Kimmy's biggest supporter in all these.

If he wasn't already in a relationship with Kimmy's best friend, I'd suspect him of having feelings for her.

"Don't do this. Not like this."

I cross my arms on my chest. Dan's always my closest friend, the voice of reason among us.

His rationality is one of the reasons I made him my beta.

I'm the impulsive, take-charge type. He's the cool, think_before_you_do_it type. But he doesn't understand.

Not fully. He was there when Kylie left, but he didn't feel the pain her departure caused me.

He had never been particularly fond of her. And now she's back. How can I not give her the chance to make things right?

"I have to," I mutter, keeping my voice low, refusing to let the pack overhear this conversation.

"You don't understand, Dan. She's my mate. I can't fight this anymore."

Dan steps closer, his voice urgent.

"Kimmy has been there for you through everything. She stood by your side when you were barely holding the pack together. This will break her, Harry. Are you willing to do that?"

I meet his gaze, my jaw tight.

"I never asked for her loyalty. She gave it freely. And I'm grateful for everything she's done, but I can't love her, Dan. Not the way I love Kylie."

Dan's expression hardens, his wolf in his eyes,

"This isn't just about you. It's about the pack, too. How do you think they'll take it? They've never really liked Kylie, you know that". His voice is hard.

I don't answer. I can't. I turn away from him. Kylie is waiting behind me, standing in the shadows of the platform.

My heart clenches, my mind flashing back to our conversation earlier

Earlier that Evening

Kylie sat on the edge of my desk, her legs crossed, her soft blue eyes watching me with that same intensity that once had me wrapped around her finger. When we argued, all she had to do to make me apologize was bat those baby blues at me.

"You're sure about this?" she asked, her voice a whisper, delicate yet somehow, it was commanding. She always had that power over me.

I stood and walked to the window, staring out at the gathering below. My throat tightened. " I owe this to Kimmy.

She's done nothing wrong, but I can't keep pretending I can be her mate. She deserves someone who can love her fully, and that's not me," I turned back to face her.

Kylie stood, gliding over to me, her hand brushing my arm. Her full pink lips pouted.

"She'll understand. Eventually. She'll see why it has to be this way."

I turned.

"I just need to know you're ready for this. The pack... they might not welcome you back with open arms."

Her eyes flickered, a brief flash of strong emotion; I imagine it's anticipation, but it's gone before I can categorize it.

"I'm ready. I've changed, Harry. I'll prove it to them. I'll prove it to you," she bats her baby blues and smiles up at me, " they'll love me like they used to, before my mistake."

At that moment, I felt my conviction solidify.

Kylie was the one I had loved first, the one I had always been drawn to.

That connection, the one I tried to sever, had only strengthened in her absence. There was no turning back.

Now

The murmur of the crowd breaks and I spot Kimmy emerging from the building. My heart sinks, Kimmy is here

Ben is restless again.

"We shouldn't do this," he growls in the back of my mind. But I silence him. "This is right. I know it's right."

Kimmy's eyes meet mine, confusion and waryness in them.

I can see her scanning the crowd, looking for her parents, for some familiar faces to ground her.

Then she spots Kylie. The moment her gaze locks onto her, I can almost hear the snap inside her-the shift from confusion to realization.

"What... what's going on?" she asks, her voice hoarse. The crack in her voice nearly breaks me.

I hate it when Kimmy cries, and it makes me feel like a bastard; I'm doing this to her. But it can't be helped. I need to set her free.

"Kimmy, we've been waiting for you," I say, keeping my voice calm, even though every fiber of my being is taut with tension.

"I sent Liz to get you. You must have been sleeping deeply."

"I said, what the "fuck" is going on?" the crowd is visibly shocked at her outburst, they've never heard her speak like that.

Kylie speaks behind me,

" I'm sorry, Kimmy," she whispers, tears streaming down her face, and my throat closes up. She shouldn't have to suffer this.

I begin, forcing the words out, my voice cutting through the murmurs,

"Thank you all for your patience. I have an important announcement to make." I pause, letting the weight of my 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."

"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," I say, my gaze finding hers. "And for me."

Kimmy's breath catches. I can see her trying to hold it together, but the tears are already falling.

My throat tightens, but I keep my expression steady. This has to be done.

"It's no secret I loved Kylie once," I continue.

"The truth is, I never stopped loving her. That's why I'm accepting her back into my life."

I hear the whispers and feel the pack's confusion, but I can't look away from Kimmy.

"And on that note, Kimmy..." I hesitate, but only for a moment.

"I want to thank you. You've been a wonderful Luna, and you've stood by my side through some of the hardest times. But I don't love you. Not the way I should.

Her sob cuts through me like a knife. I see the anger, and disbelief in her eyes. And then she storms up onto the platform.

I know what's coming before it happens. The slap echoes through the air.

I meet her gaze, amber flickering in my eyes as Ben stirs, but I don't let him take control.

The pack is holding its breath, waiting for me to punish her, but she deserves this at least.

"If you were anyone else, Kimmy, I'd punish you for this," I say, my voice cold and controlled.

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

Her laughter is harsh.

"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?"

I brace myself. "If you were anyone else, Kimmy, I'd punish you severely for this outburst," I say, my tone icy and controlled.

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

I take a deep breath,

"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." Even as I Say it, I know I'm lying to myself.

She laughs 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?

She laughs again, and the sound is chilling.

Then she turns her back on me. I watch her walk away, crumbling before my eyes, knowing I did what had to be done.

But the weight of it presses down on me, even as Kylie steps closer, her hand slipping into mine.

I made my choice. Now, I have to live with it.