Josie
Kiel looked at like I had just shattered his entire world. His eyes were wide and glistening, his brows furrowed in that way that used to make my heart ache with concern. But now, it just pissed off.
He had no right to look heartbroken. None.
"You don’t get to do that!" I snapped, my voice cracking like a whip in the air between us. "Don’t you dare look at like that—as if you’re the one who’s been wrecked, as if I’m the villain in your damn story!"
His lips parted like he wanted to explain sothing, but I didn’t let him. I couldn’t.
"I believed you!" I scread. "I trusted you, Kiel. I gave you every part of —even the broken ones. And you... you took them and crushed them like they were nothing."
My voice cracked again, and I felt myself unraveling. My knees buckled as a sob clawed its way out of my throat. I hated that he was the one seeing like this. I hated that he still had this much power over . I broke down in front of him, the tears hot and violent as they spilled down my cheeks.
I felt his hand touch my arm, warm and hesitant, and it made my skin crawl. I shoved him back, hard. He barely moved, but he let go.
"Don’t touch ," I breathed out, trembling. "Just leave, Kiel. I don’t want to see you."
His voice was low and strained when he spoke. "I’m a lot of things, Josie. But I’m not a cheat. I swear to you, I didn’t do what you think I did."
I scoffed, wiping my face with the back of my hand, saring tears across my cheeks. "Really?" I asked bitterly. "You didn’t do what I think? So who was that in the video, huh? A clone? A ghost? Kiel, it was you! It looked graphic because it was graphic. Don’t stand here and insult my intelligence."
"I was set up," he said, stepping forward.
I took a step back. "Oh please, Kiel. Just stop. It’s not even about the damn video. I saw you. With her. That night. I saw it all with my own eyes and I thought—I thought I was losing my mind. I thought maybe I was imagining things because of how deeply I loved you. But guess what? I wasn’t. I saw the truth. And now the whole pack has too."
His face crumpled like I’d stabbed him, and I hated that it still hurt to see him in pain. I hated that my heart still clenched when he looked like that.
"You an everything to ," he whispered. "Josie, you’re the only one. Please don’t say things like that. You’re breaking my damn heart."
I laughed. Loud and unhinged. "Oh, you poor thing! Your heart is breaking?" I pointed at my chest. "What about mine, Kiel? What about my heart that you shattered into a thousand damn pieces when you touched her? What about my dignity? My pride? Do you know what it feels like to see yourself in a video being replaced? To know that everyone is laughing at because I was stupid enough to fall for the great Kiel?"
"I didn’t touch her the way you think!" he shouted, desperation bleeding into every word. "I would never—"
"Save it!" I scread. "I don’t believe anything that cos out of your mouth anymore!"
He reached for again, his fingers twitching like he wanted to grab my shoulders and shake sense into —or maybe into himself.
But before he could get close, the door exploded open.
Thorne and Varen stord in like a goddamn hurricane, both of them breathless and wide-eyed.
"Enough!" Thorne growled as he lunged forward and grabbed Kiel by the shoulder, dragging him back.
Varen stood between us imdiately, his broad body blocking Kiel from like a shield.
Kiel struggled, almost on his knees, his voice cracking like dry wood as he begged, "Josie, please! Please, I swear to you, I didn’t do this. Just let explain—please let —"
"Get him out," Varen said sharply, his voice low and dangerous.
"No! Let talk to her!" Kiel shouted, fighting against Thorne’s grip like a wild animal.
I sank to the floor, unable to stand as my knees finally gave out. I clutched my arms around myself as sobs wracked through .
"Josie!" Kiel cried again. "I love you, please—don’t give up on !"
Varen turned sharply, his jaw tight. "Get. Him. Out."
Thorne shoved Kiel toward the door with more force this ti, and I didn’t look as it slamd behind them.
I felt Varen’s arms around before I even realized he’d moved. He lowered himself onto the floor, pulling gently onto his lap. I clung to his shirt like it was the only thing keeping from drowning.
"I can’t do this," I whispered through my tears. "I can’t. It hurts too much."
"Breathe, Josie," Varen murmured. "I’ve got you. I’m here. You’re safe."
But I wasn’t. Nothing about this felt safe. My heart was ripped open and bleeding all over the floor.
I looked up at him, tears blurring my vision. "Do you want her too?" I asked, my voice barely audible. "Michelle. Do you want her? If you do, just say it now, so I can finally die in peace."
His eyes narrowed with fury. "Don’t you ever say that again," he snapped. "Don’t you dare talk about dying like it’s a solution. You’re not dying, Josie. You’re living. And I’m going to make damn sure you rember how to live."
I blinked at him, surprised by the fire in his voice.
"I’m not going to stand here and make empty promises like Kiel," he said softly, brushing hair away from my face. "But what I will do is prove, every single day, that no other woman can make feel like you do."
I didn’t know what ca over , but suddenly I leaned forward and kissed him.
It wasn’t wild or passionate—it was desperate. A plea. A silent scream for comfort.
His lips were warm, and he kissed back, gently at first, then with an urgency that mirrored my own.
But just as quickly as it started, he pulled back and laid down on the bed like I was sothing fragile and sacred.
We didn’t do anything more. We just lay there, two broken people clinging to the pieces of a mont that didn’t ask for explanations.
"Don’t leave," I whispered, curling into him.
"I won’t," he said, his voice steady and sure.
"I’ll do anything you want," I murmured. "Just... just don’t go."
His arms tightened around . "I won’t ever ask you to do anything you don’t want to do, Josie. I’m not him."
I closed my eyes and tried to believe him.
But the image of Kiel with Michelle wouldn’t leave.
And sowhere, buried beneath the grief, was a tiny voice whispering that it still wasn’t over.
Not yet.
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