Agony fell short; she was shattered.
Charlotte, a werewolf, endured relentless abuse, leaving her utterly fractured. Austin, her supposed mate, subjected her to constant mistreatment and even infidelity.
In a daring escape, she fled, only to encount...
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"Believe what you want! But you can go inside his drawer and open it to see all the pictures of them together. You're just her replacement, because you look like her!" Kenzie's taunts echoed in my ears.
Fury surged within me, a white-hot fire that threatened to consume all reason. I recalled the skills I had learned from the book, determined to end this fight and silence her cruel words once and for all.
I couldn't bear to listen to her nonsense any longer, and I was growing tired and weak. With newfound resolve, I picked Kenzie up by her collar, ignoring her attempts to kick me in the stomach. Blood trickled from my mouth, but I refused to loosen my grip.
Kick, punch, end.
I continued the relentless assault until I saw that she was utterly defeated. "Kenzie, you have five seconds to get up or else Charlotte wins," Leon's voice rang out.
With a last-ditch effort, she managed to land a punch on my face, filling my mouth with the metallic taste of blood. But her struggles proved futile, and she couldn't rise to her feet.
Come on, Charlotte, just a few more seconds.
Three.
Two.
One.
I collapsed onto the ground, overwhelmed with happiness. I had won. I had done it!
Faint shadows danced around me as sparks of magic tingled on my skin. My mate was here. Leon gently scooped me up, whispering, "I'm so proud of you, Charlotte. But now, let's get you to the doctor."
He carried me back home, and soon, the doctor was by my side, tending to my wounds. Despite the pain, I felt a sense of renewal after a few hours of much-needed sleep.
When I awoke, Leon entered the room, holding a plate of pasta. "I thought you might be hungry, as you haven't eaten anything today. I don't want you to be as skinny as you were last time."
I accepted the pasta gratefully, my appetite returning. "Will Kenzie be banished from the pack since she lost?" I asked with excitement.
Leon's expression turned somber. "About that... we are still discussing it with the others," he replied.
"What do you mean 'discussing'? It was supposed to be the rule, as your mother stated!" I raised my voice in frustration.
"Charlotte, please understand that Kenzie has been a member of the pack for a long time, and she is also the daughter of an alpha. My mother advised me to discuss it further with her," Leon explained.
"Actually, Leon, I'm still feeling tired. How about letting me rest for a while longer?" I suggested.
"Sure, but mind link me if something happens," Leon said before leaving the room.
However, I couldn't shake the nagging curiosity and jealousy that Kenzie's words had stirred during the fight. I wasn't invading his privacy; I just needed to know the truth.
"You think he will warm up to you so fast, it's just because you look exactly like her. You can open up his drawer and see all the pictures of them together."
My trembling hands searched the room until they landed on a small box hidden behind his closet, blending in with the wardrobe's color. Inside was a tiny round key. Placing the key in the drawer, I tugged it open.
The sight inside was bittersweet. Pictures of a girl who bore an uncanny resemblance to me, standing beside Leon, their hands intertwined, and his face lit up with an ecstatic smile.
He had never smiled like that in my presence—a genuine, joyous smile. It revealed dimples I had never seen before. The girl looked not just like me but exactly like me. Her eyes, her nose, and that dirty brown hair—it was like looking in a mirror. Yet, she had been loved more by Leon than I ever was.
"You're just her replacement because you look exactly like her. Or else, he wouldn't even look at you, not even a glance, even though you're his mate," Kenzie's words echoed in my mind.
As I flipped through more pictures of them, kissing, laughing, and traveling together, it became painfully clear that Leon had shared a special bond with this girl. A deep sadness washed over me, and the word "replacement" resounded like a cruel echo.
