Kkum stood frozen in place, staring at the door long after her father had stormed out. The bitter words he’d thrown at her still echoed in her mind, each one sharper than the last. Her chest felt tight, her heart pounding painfully against her ribcage. She should have known better than to expect anything else from him—disappointment and disdain were all she ever seemed to receive from her family.

"You're going, that's final. Don't be a more nuisance than you already are."

The memory of his Alpha-commanded voice still lingered, suffocating her thoughts. It was final. He had made the decision for her, like always. Her life was no longer her own—it hadn't been for a long time, and yet the weight of his words felt like a chain tightening around her throat.

She didn’t want to go. She didn’t want to leave her cabin, the one place where she could be free from the pack’s constant judgment, away from the harsh stares and whispered accusations. Her home was the only place where she could grieve in peace, where she could still feel the presence of Jong-suk in the memories they had shared here. And now, even that was being ripped away from her.

Her fists clenched by her sides, and she fought the urge to scream out of frustration. The tears that burned in her eyes refused to fall. No. Not again. She refused to let herself break down, not this time. But her emotions twisted in her chest, and for a moment, she couldn’t breathe.

Where is he taking me? she wondered, her mind racing. Why now? What’s changed?

The helplessness in her own thoughts made her feel weak, and she hated it. She hated feeling like she had no control over her own life, like a puppet dancing on strings pulled by someone else. Her father had made his decision, and she had no choice but to obey. But something deep inside her, something primal, resisted.

No more.

Kkum closed her eyes, trying to steady her breath. She couldn’t just let this happen without a fight, without at least trying to stop him. There had to be someone who could help her. Someone who would stand by her.

Jimin.

Her brother had always been her refuge, the one person in her family who hadn’t turned his back on her after Jong-suk’s death. He had protected her before, stood up for her when no one else would. Surely, he wouldn’t let their father do this to her. If she could reach him, he would come. He had to.

Clenching her jaw, Kkum focused on the bond she shared with Jimin, reaching out with her mind. Jimin… please… I need you.

She waited, holding her breath, expecting to feel his familiar presence in her mind. Silence.

She tried again, her mental call more desperate this time. Jimin, answer me!

But still, nothing. The emptiness on the other end of the mind-link was as cold and hollow as the ache in her heart. He wasn’t responding. He wasn’t there. And she had no idea why.

The sting of betrayal hit her harder than she expected. It felt like another blow, another person abandoning her when she needed them the most. Her throat tightened, and for a brief moment, the pain of it all became too much. Tears blurred her vision, and her chest heaved with the weight of emotions she couldn’t seem to control.

Why won’t you answer me?

The loneliness that had been creeping into her life since Jong-suk’s death now engulfed her completely, wrapping her in its suffocating grip. Her father’s cold words, the pack’s accusations, Jimin’s silence—it all felt like too much to bear. She had no one. She was truly alone.

For the first time in a long while, Kkum felt the familiar urge to crumble, to let herself break down the way she hadn’t allowed herself to. Her emotions begged for release, the grief and anger and fear bubbling up inside her, threatening to drown her in the darkness she had been fighting to keep at bay.

But just as quickly as the tears had welled up, she blinked them away. She clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms, grounding her in the pain. No. She couldn’t break. She couldn’t let herself fall apart—not here, not now.

She inhaled sharply, her mind clearing as she straightened her spine, forcing herself to stand tall. The sadness still clawed at her, but she shoved it down, burying it deep where it couldn’t reach her heart.

“I won’t be weak anymore,” she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible in the quiet cabin.

Whatever fate had in store for her, whatever decision her father had made, she would face it. She wasn’t going to break. She wouldn’t let them see her crumble.

If they think I’m weak, then I’ll show them how strong I can be.

Kkum took a deep breath, steeling herself as she looked around her small cabin. Her safe haven. She didn’t know where she was going, but one thing was certain: she wasn’t going back to the pack. She wouldn’t return to that place where the walls felt like they were closing in on her, where the whispers of her packmates made her feel like a ghost among them.

Whatever her father had planned, she would face it on her own terms. She wasn’t the same broken girl who had lost her mate. Not anymore. And no one—no one—was going to control her life but her.

With that thought, Kkum wiped the last traces of her tears from her face, her expression hardening as she began to prepare for whatever came next. She didn’t know where she was going, but she was done letting others decide her fate.

Whatever the Moon Goddess had in store for her, she would face it with her head held high.

And this time, she wouldn’t let anyone break her.

_____________________

The night air was crisp, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth as Jungkook ran through the forest, his wolf, Kyro, relishing the feel of the ground beneath his paws. The trees blurred past him, a blend of dark shadows, and the world seemed smaller, simpler out here, away from the constant strain of being the Alpha. He pushed himself harder, faster, needing the rush of speed to distract his mind from everything that had been haunting him—the lingering scent of that girl in the forest, the way his wolf had almost lost control, the doubts gnawing at his resolve.

His heart pounded in rhythm with Kyro’s, but even the run wasn’t enough to quiet the storm brewing inside him.

After what felt like hours, Jungkook slowed, his breathing heavy as he shifted back into his human form. The familiar sensation of muscles and bones reforming left him feeling raw and exposed, but the cool wind against his skin helped. He made his way to his favorite spot—a peak that overlooked the entirety of the Moonlight Pack’s territory. From here, he could see everything: the cabins scattered throughout the forest, the pack house in the distance, and beyond that, the endless stretch of trees that bordered their lands.

It was a place that had always brought him peace, but tonight, even the beauty of the view couldn’t settle the turmoil in his chest.

Jungkook sank down onto a flat rock, resting his arms on his knees as he stared out into the night. His thoughts swirled, chaotic and relentless. He didn’t understand what was happening to him, didn’t know why Kyro had reacted so violently to the scent of that woman. They didn’t even know her, had never met her before. And yet, his wolf had been on the verge of breaking free, desperate to claim her.

"Mine."

The word echoed in his mind, and he clenched his fists, trying to shake it off. He didn’t have time for this. He couldn’t afford to get distracted, not with everything happening between the packs, not with the weight of his responsibilities crushing down on him. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t stop thinking about her. Couldn’t get that scent out of his head.

The soft crunch of footsteps behind him made his muscles tense. He didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. Only one person would dare to intrude on his solitude up here.

"Why the hell were you blocking me out, Jungkook?" came Jeon Jiwon’s voice, her tone sharp and irritated as she approached him. "I’ve been trying to reach you for hours."

Jungkook didn’t respond. He kept his gaze fixed on the horizon, his jaw clenched. He wasn’t in the mood to talk, especially not to his sister. He loved her, but right now, he didn’t want to deal with her questions. Didn’t want to admit that something was wrong.

"Is everything okay?" Jiwon pressed, coming closer, her eyes narrowing as she studied him. "You’re acting weird."

Still, he said nothing.

Jiwon let out an exasperated sigh, crossing her arms over her chest. "You’re really going to give me the silent treatment? What are we, twelve?"

Jungkook’s patience snapped. He shot her a glare, his eyes flashing with annoyance. "Drop it, Jiwon."

She didn’t back down. She never did. Instead, she rolled her eyes, taking a step closer until she was standing right in front of him, blocking his view of the pack below.

"Drop it? You’ve been off for days. You’re blocking me out, ignoring everyone, and now you’re sitting here sulking like a child. What the hell is going on with you?"

Jungkook’s fists tightened, and he ground his teeth together, trying to hold back the flood of frustration rising inside him. He didn’t want to do this. Didn’t want to explain the mess that was his mind right now. But Jiwon wasn’t going to let it go. She never did.

"Just leave it alone," he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

But Jiwon wasn’t fazed. She raised an eyebrow, her expression challenging. "Or what? You’ll keep ignoring me? You’re the Alpha, Jungkook. You can’t afford to shut down like this. If something’s wrong, you need to deal with it."

Her words hit too close to home, and Jungkook’s control finally slipped. "I said, drop it!" he snapped, his voice rough with anger as he stood up, towering over her.

Jiwon’s eyes widened, and for a moment, they stood there in tense silence. Then her expression hardened, and she took a step back, her lips curling into a sneer.

"You’re such an asshole," she muttered, shaking her head. "I didn’t even want to come to you, shithead. But I promised eomma I’d check on you."

The mention of their mother made Jungkook flinch, his fists clenching even tighter as a wave of sadness crashed over him. Eomma.

Jiwon noticed the shift in his expression, but she didn’t soften. Instead, she glared at him, her voice cold. "I’m only doing this because I promised her. But if you keep acting like this, if you keep shutting me out, then don’t be surprised if one day I try to kill you"

Jungkook didn’t respond. He couldn’t. The mention of their mother—of her promise—was enough to knock the air out of his lungs. He missed her. Missed the way she used to calm him, the way she’d always known what to say, what to do to pull him out of his darkest moments.

But she was gone now. And nothing could change that.

Jiwon let out a frustrated huff, turning to leave, but before she walked away, she threw one last glance over her shoulder. "You better get your act together, Jungkook. If not for me, then for , eomma and Minsoo. I promised her I’d look after you, but if you keep pushing me away, I swear I’ll kill you myself, asshole."

And with that, she was gone, disappearing into the forest, leaving Jungkook alone once more.

The silence that followed was suffocating. Jungkook’s chest heaved, his heart heavy as he stared down at his clenched fists. Jiwon’s words echoed in his mind, mingling with the grief that had never truly left him since their mother’s death.

Slowly, he sank back down onto the rock, his shoulders slumping under the weight of his emotions. The night stretched on around him, dark and unforgiving, but inside him, the storm continued to rage.

"Eomma."

He closed his eyes, the memory of her face flashing in his mind—soft, kind, full of love. She had been the light in their lives, the one who had kept them all together. And now that she was gone, everything felt fractured, broken beyond repair.

Jungkook let out a shaky breath, his fingers digging into the cool rock beneath him. He missed her. God, he missed her so much.

But he couldn’t fall apart. Not now. Not when his pack needed him. Not when he was still trying to make sense of the chaos inside him.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake the feeling that things were about to get worse.

And this time, there would be no one to pull him back from the edge.

_____________________

Dear Readers,

THANK YOU for picking up LOVE REKINDLED. I hope you love and enjoy it as much as I did while writing it.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. Stay tuned for the next chapter!

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Love,
lavendermiso <333

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