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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I woke up, once more longing for his comforting presence to chase away the dark thoughts that clouded my mind.
As the door to the room swung open, I expected Leon, but to my surprise, it was Kenzie who walked in. She settled on the bed with an air of self-assuredness and remarked, "Oh, didn't see you there."
I couldn't help but wonder if she was blind or just oblivious.
"Well, I'm guessing you went to investigate the girl I mentioned, huh? She does bear a striking resemblance to you, doesn't she?" She smirked and rose from the bed.
She opened a drawer and retrieved the photos of both of them that I had seen earlier. Her finger traced the images until it landed on Leon's smiling face.
"Look at him, so happy and carefree. I can't say I like her, but she made him happy. What about you?" She glared at me.
"You've brought nothing but burdens to him," she accused. "Do you realize how much work he has to deal with, all because of you? He needs a strong luna like me, not someone like you!"
"The council is pushing him to finish all the documents, and if he fails, he'll lose his alpha position. Stop deluding yourself into thinking he has endless time for you, because he doesn't," she snapped.
"If I want something, I'll get it no matter what. But if I can't, I'll make sure you won't either. Just wait; I will make you suffer," she threatened, tossing the pictures to the floor before exiting the room.
I picked up the scattered photos, feeling utterly overwhelmed. There was too much on my mind: the girl who looked like me, Kenzie, Leon, Leon's mother, and the nightmares that haunted me.
Pain enveloped me like an icy wind, constricting my heart and choking my breath. It was relentless, cutting to my bones and freezing my thoughts. My heart hesitated, uncertain if it should continue beating.
"You heard what she said. Don't be selfish, think of Leon," I whispered to myself.
I knew I couldn't afford to be selfish. Did I really want him to lose his alpha status because of me?
"No, she's right. I can't be selfish," I muttered.
I needed to accept that I wasn't worthy of him. It was time to move on and let someone who could truly make him happy become his mate.
"You need to stop living in this dream, Charlotte. It's time to wake up," I told myself, fighting back tears as I faced the painful reality of my situation.
Now, go to the corner of the room.
My legs somehow walked towards the corner of the room as I stood facing it.
Knock your head hard on it, you will let Leon be free and happy.
My head knocked onto the cold wall with a loud thud as I felt warm blood flow out of my forehead.
The door opened but I continued knocking my head on the wall.
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I rushed to her side, gripping her tightly to prevent further harm to herself. She struggled against my firm hold, but I refused to let go.
Her eyes, once warm and inviting, had now frozen over like the surface of a winter puddle. She was still in there somewhere, I knew it, but it was as if she had taken a giant step back from life. I desperately wanted to reach inside her and convince her that all hope was not lost, but deep down, I understood that she wouldn't believe me.
I yearned to reignite the fire within her, but her insides were damp with unshed tears. I had always sensed the pain she harbored, but now it was written all over her face, and I wished it could just disappear. I knew that was a selfish desire; people didn't ask for their pain, it simply arrived, an unwelcome gift.
Although she didn't shed tears this time, I could see the pain she was going through. The frustrating part was that she wouldn't open up to me.
She regarded me with eyes that seemed to have had their fire extinguished by icy water, making the blue hue even more pale. It was disconcerting, and it left me feeling out of place.
I wished she would freely express herself as she always had, but she couldn't. It was as though she had retreated into an invisible shell, and despite my best efforts, she remained out of reach.
Her gaze moved sluggishly, as if every glance required an immense effort. I stood right beside her, but she might as well have been on the moon for all the connection we had.
After witnessing what she went through today, I had to admit that John was right. I couldn't stand to see her suffer like this any longer; it was time to consider therapy for her.
