When I arrived at the pack house that evening with Hannah and Louis by my side, the place was eerily quiet.
In the morning, it was bustling with activity. Now, the silence caught me off guard. Maybe it was because of Mona’s engagement being postponed.
Whatever the reason, everyone seemed calmer.
“Why’s it so quiet? It’s like everyone’s mourning,” Hannah whispered as we walked in together.
“You should know by now,” Louis replied, raising a hand to signal for Hannah to be quiet as we approached the door.
I didn’t say a word, keeping my calm. I knew Hannah. The moment I brought up Mona, she’d go on and on, never stopping.
Hannah never liked Mona’s attitude. Any chance to criticize her, and she’d jump on it. After last night’s drama, Hannah would love nothing more than to rant all evening.
So, I stayed silent to avoid more trouble with Luna Catherine and Mona. Louis being there helped keep Hannah in check, too.
As soon as we stepped inside, I saw my dad, Alpha Darwin, sitting on the sofa, watching TV. Relief washed over me seeing him, especially after the stressful council meeting today.
“Dad!” I shouted, running towards him. He smiled and opened his arms, and I hugged him tightly.
“Kimberly, sweetheart, how are you feeling?” He pulled me back to look at me, motioning for me to sit beside him. Louis and Hannah greeted him and took seats across from us.
“I’m fine, Dad,” I assured him.
“Are you sure? Did the pack doctor clear you?” His tone grew firm, knowing I could easily leave the hospital without caring about my health.
“Dad, the doctor said I’m okay, just need some rest.”
“Good,” he nodded, then turned to Louis and Hannah. “Thank you both for staying with her today. I know it was last-minute.”
“No need to thank us, Alpha Darwin,” Hannah replied respectfully. “That’s what friends are for.”
“Still, I really appreciate it,” Dad insisted.
“Kimberly can always count on us,” Louis added confidently.
“That’s good to hear,” Dad smiled and turned back to me. “We need to talk tonight. Do you have time?”
His sudden serious tone told me this was important. “Of course, Dad.”
Hannah and Louis, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, stood up. “We’ll head out now, Alpha Darwin,” Hannah said with a smile.
“So soon? I hoped you’d stay for dinner,” Dad tried to persuade them, but they insisted on leaving.
After saying their goodbyes, I walked them to the door. Once they left, I headed back inside. By then, Luna Catherine had joined my dad in the living room, sitting next to him.
“I’ll be in my room, Dad,” I said, ignoring her completely.
“Alright, sweetheart. I’ll be there soon,” Dad replied.
“Okay,” I mumbled and hurried upstairs, determined to avoid Luna Catherine and Mona for the next two weeks. That was my best chance of staying out of trouble.
When I got to my room, everything looked the same as this morning. I glanced at the mirror, and memories of what happened before I passed out flooded back.
I remembered someone knocking on my door just as I saw my hands glowing like the ocean. I was about to open the door when numbness took over my body.
“Wait, someone did come in before I passed out,” I muttered to myself, piecing together the memory. “And it wasn’t Dad.”
I shook off the thought, heading to my closet to change. I’d been wearing the same outfit since yesterday, pretending I was on a date with Alpha Derrick. It was time to get out of it.
I grabbed a pair of pink leggings and a white round-neck shirt from my closet. As I pulled them out, I scrunched up the dress in my hands. The sight of it reminded me of last night’s pain.
After changing, I lay down on my bed. My mind raced. I was sure I’d seen someone come into my room before I fainted. I didn’t know if it was a man or a woman, but it definitely wasn’t Dad.
Just as I was deep in thought, I heard a knock on my door. I jumped up, expecting it to be Dad.
To my surprise, it was Mona standing at the door. My breath caught, and for a moment, I froze. Neither of us spoke, just staring at each other.
“What? Are you going to let me in?” Mona finally broke the silence, her tone guarded, different from this morning.
“Why are you here? I can’t deal with you right now,” I snapped, anger rising in my chest.
“I’m not here to fight. I need to tell you something important.” She pushed past me into my room before I could stop her.
With a sigh, I closed the door behind her. “What is it?”
“You can have Alpha Derrick. He’s yours now,” Mona said with a sly grin.
Her words hit me like a brick. “What?” I blinked, trying to understand. “What do you mean?”
“You heard me. I’m stepping aside. You can have him,” she repeated, her smile widening.
“I’m not in the mood for your games. Get out of my room,” I snapped, my patience wearing thin.
“Fine, I’ll leave. But before I go, I’m giving you a choice. Do you want to be free of Alpha Derrick, or do you want to be his slave in two weeks? You have until tomorrow night to decide.”
And with that, Mona walked out, leaving me speechless. I sat down on the bed, my mind swirling with her ultimatum.
If I accepted, I could free myself and save my dad’s reputation. But could I trust Mona? After what happened last night, she wasn’t the same stepsister I grew up with.
“Should I take her offer?” I whispered to myself, unsure of what to do.
“What are you muttering to yourself?”
I jumped, startled, and looked up to see my father standing right next to me. I had been so deep in thought that I didn’t even notice him entering the room…