Kkum stood in front of the small mirror in her cabin, staring at her reflection, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on her. Her hands moved mechanically as she brushed her hair, but her mind was elsewhere, racing through endless possibilities of what her father’s decision meant for her.

Where is he sending me?

The thought gnawed at her relentlessly, but she shoved it aside, trying to maintain some semblance of control over her emotions. Her father’s harsh words from the previous night echoed in her ears, each one a sharp reminder of the disdain he held for her. She tightened her grip on the brush, her knuckles white as she tried to stop herself from thinking about it.

It doesn’t matter, she told herself. I’ll face whatever comes next. I always do.

Still, the uncertainty clawed at her. She didn’t even know where she was going. Her father had been vague, intentionally withholding any real information. And even if she could ask, she knew better than to challenge him when he had made up his mind.

She finished tying up her long, dark hair, securing it in a simple ponytail. Her eyes, one a deep purple and the other hazel-green, stared back at her. They had always marked her as different, as strange. And after Jong-suk’s death, the pack had branded her as cursed, a constant reminder of her failure to protect her mate.

Her unique power—her visions—had started after that awful day, and though no one knew about it, the strange looks she received from the pack only grew worse. No one trusted her, no one believed in her. Not even her own family.

Am I really a curse? she wondered, the thought settling uncomfortably in her chest. Maybe they’re right… maybe I really don’t belong here.

She sighed, brushing her thoughts away as best as she could. She didn’t have time for self-pity, not when her father had just demanded she leave the only home she had left. She grabbed her jacket and slung it over her shoulders before taking one last look around her small cabin. It had been her sanctuary, a place where she could be free from the constant accusations and stares of her packmates.

And now she was leaving it behind.

Kkum took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders as she opened the door and stepped outside into the crisp morning air. The sun hadn’t fully risen yet, casting long shadows over the forest that surrounded her home. A sense of dread settled in her stomach, but she pushed it down, determined not to let it overwhelm her.

As she walked toward the front of the cabin, she saw a familiar figure leaning against a sleek black car. Kim Taehyung, the pack’s Beta and Jong-suk’s closest friend, and the replacement of jong suk, stood with his arms crossed, his sharp gaze following her as she approached. He looked as serious as ever, his features set in a neutral expression, but there was always something kind in the way he looked at her.

"Taehyung," Kkum greeted, trying to muster a small smile, though her heart wasn’t in it. "So, you’re the one taking me?"

He nodded, his expression giving nothing away. "Yeah. Your father asked me to."

Kkum tilted her head, studying him for a moment. Something was off. Normally, Taehyung would have cracked a dry joke or given her one of his sarcastic remarks, but today he was unusually quiet. Solemn, even.

"Do you know where he’s sending me?" she asked, unable to keep the curiosity from her voice. The question had been gnawing at her since last night, and Taehyung might be her only chance to get an answer.

Taehyung hesitated, his gaze flickering away from her for a brief second. He looked almost… reluctant.

Kkum’s brow furrowed. "What? Don’t tell me he’s throwing me out of the pack," she said, half-joking, but her voice wavered slightly at the thought.

The silence that followed made her stomach drop.

Taehyung’s lips tightened, and he turned his head away, avoiding her gaze. He didn’t say anything, but the look on his face was enough. He didn’t need to.

Kkum’s heart sank, the weight of the realization hitting her like a punch to the gut. Is that really what this is?

A weak laugh escaped her, though there was no humor in it. "Am I really that much of a disappointment?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, the sadness creeping into her words despite her best efforts to keep it at bay.

Taehyung immediately shook his head, his expression softening as he looked back at her. "No, Kkum. You’re not."

She scoffed, turning away from him, her eyes focusing on the trees in the distance. "Then why does it feel like everyone else thinks I am?"

Taehyung didn’t answer right away. He uncrossed his arms and walked over to stand beside her, his tall frame casting a shadow over her smaller one. For a moment, he didn’t say anything, just stood there in silence with her, as if trying to find the right words.

"You’re not a disappointment," he said finally, his voice low but firm. "You’ve been through a lot. More than most wolves could handle. But that doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It doesn’t mean you’re weak."

Kkum clenched her jaw, her emotions warring inside her. She wanted to believe him, she wanted to believe that she wasn’t as broken as everyone made her feel. But it was hard. It was so damn hard when every day felt like a battle just to stay afloat, just to keep going.

She turned to look at him, her voice quieter now. "Then why is he doing this? Why is he sending me away?"

Taehyung’s gaze softened, and for the first time that morning, Kkum saw a flicker of something in his eyes. Sadness? Guilt? She couldn’t quite place it, but whatever it was, it made her stomach twist uncomfortably.

"I don’t know," he said quietly, and for once, Kkum believed him. "But I’m taking you somewhere safe. Somewhere you’ll be… taken care of."

"Somewhere I’ll be hidden away," Kkum muttered under her breath, bitterness creeping into her voice.

Taehyung sighed. "I don’t think that’s what your father wants, Kkum."

"Then what does he want?" she shot back, her frustration rising. "To get rid of me? To send me away because I’m an embarrassment? Because I’m not the perfect daughter or the strong Omega he wanted?"

Taehyung didn’t answer, and that silence told her everything she needed to know.

Kkum’s heart ached, but she forced herself to keep her emotions in check. She couldn’t let herself fall apart, not here, not now. Instead, she took a deep breath, steeling herself against the sadness and betrayal that swirled inside her.

"Let’s just get this over with," she muttered, brushing past Taehyung and heading toward the car. She didn’t want to talk about it anymore. She didn’t want to think about it.

Taehyung watched her for a moment before following, his steps slower, more cautious. He opened the car door for her, and she slid inside, the leather seat cool beneath her. She stared straight ahead as Taehyung got in on the driver’s side, neither of them speaking as he started the engine and pulled away from the cabin.

The trees blurred past them as they drove, the silence in the car heavy and thick with unspoken words. Kkum’s thoughts were a whirlwind of confusion, anger, and sadness, but she kept her face blank, her hands clenched tightly in her lap.

She didn’t know where she was going, and she didn’t know what awaited her when she got there. But one thing was certain—whatever happened next, she would face it. Alone, if she had to.

Because no matter what her father, the pack, or anyone else thought of her, Kkum refused to let them break her again.
 

_______________________

The car came to a slow halt, its tires crunching over the gravel road as Taehyung pulled into a small clearing. Kkum glanced out the window, her brows knitting together as she took in her surroundings. They were deep in the forest, far away from the familiar territory of the Lunae Pack. There were several small, modest cabins scattered throughout the area, nestled among the tall trees that stretched high into the sky.

This can’t be it… Kkum thought, her heart sinking as the weight of realization started to settle in her chest. She glanced over at Taehyung, who had a grim expression on his face.

“Where are we?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, though she already had an idea of the answer.

Taehyung hesitated for a moment before turning to look at her, his gaze steady but filled with something she couldn’t quite place. “We’re at the Lone Wolf Community,” he said softly. “It’s a place where wolves who don’t belong to a pack anymore—or whose packs have died—come to live. They can choose to stay here if they want to be away from pack life.”

Kkum blinked, trying to process his words. “You’re saying… this is where wolves without a family come?” She swallowed, the lump in her throat growing tighter by the second.

Taehyung nodded. “Yes. This is where your father has decided you should be.”

Kkum’s stomach twisted painfully. She had a family—she had a pack. And yet, here she was, being sent away like an orphan, like she didn’t belong anymore. Her father had cast her aside, severing whatever thin thread of connection they still had left.

She didn’t respond at first, her mind reeling with the weight of the truth. Her pack—the only home she’d ever known—was truly gone from her life. She had lost Jong-suk, and now she was losing everything else. Her heart felt heavy, the pain of it all making it hard to breathe.

Taehyung stood quietly beside her, waiting patiently as she tried to find her footing amidst the emotional storm that was threatening to overwhelm her. He didn’t push her, didn’t rush her to speak. He just waited.

Finally, Kkum looked up at him, her voice barely above a whisper. “So that’s it, then? My father has given up on me?”

Taehyung’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing. His silence spoke louder than words.

A bitter laugh escaped Kkum’s lips. She glanced around the quiet, unfamiliar landscape, her chest tightening with a mix of disbelief and sadness. “He really sent me here like I’m some kind of outcast,” she muttered, her voice thick with emotion.

She couldn’t believe it. Despite everything—despite the fact that she still had family, still had a place in the Lunae Pack—her father had chosen to send her here. To a place meant for wolves who had no one else. It felt like the final betrayal, a confirmation that she was truly unwanted.

Taehyung cleared his throat, shifting awkwardly. When he turned to face her again, his expression had softened, but there was still a seriousness in his tone. “Kkum,” he began, his voice formal, “I’ve been instructed to… release you from your pledge to the Lunae Pack.”

Her heart froze. She stared at him, uncomprehending, as the meaning of his words sank in.

“W-what?” she stammered, feeling a sharp jolt of panic. “What do you mean, release me?”

Taehyung took a deep breath, and his voice came out steady, though she could see the tension in his posture. “Moon Kkum, I formally release you from your pledge to the Lunae Pack.”

For a brief moment, everything felt still. The world around her seemed to stop, suspended in time as she stood there, frozen in shock.

And then, all at once, she felt it.

The mental links she had with her pack—the connections that bound her to her family, to the other wolves—faded away, like wisps of smoke being carried off by the wind. It was subtle at first, like a light fog lifting from her mind, but soon the emptiness became unmistakable.

She could no longer feel the familiar presence of her packmates in the back of her mind. The sense of belonging, of being tethered to something larger than herself, was gone. The Lunae Pack had cut her loose, severing the ties that had once connected them.

A hollow ache settled in her chest, and she closed her eyes, willing herself to stay calm, to not let the grief overwhelm her. It’s just another loss, she told herself. I can handle it. I’ve handled worse.

But this wasn’t just another loss. This was her entire life being ripped away from her in a single moment.

She opened her eyes again, her gaze distant as she stared at the ground, struggling to keep her emotions in check. “It’s really over,” she murmured to herself, her voice barely audible.

Taehyung shifted beside her, his expression unreadable. “I’m sorry, Kkum,” he said softly. “I wish… I wish it didn’t have to be like this.”

Kkum shook her head, forcing a tight smile. “It’s fine, Taehyung. It’s not your fault.” Her voice wavered despite her efforts to sound strong.

He glanced at her, his eyes filled with a mix of guilt and sympathy, but he didn’t push the matter. Instead, he gestured toward one of the cabins in the distance. “Come on,” he said gently. “Let’s get you settled.”

Kkum hesitated for a moment before nodding. She followed him as he led her toward the cabin, her mind still reeling from everything that had just happened. The loneliness weighed heavy on her shoulders, a constant reminder that she no longer had a place in the pack she had once called home.

The cabin Taehyung brought her to was small, but well-kept. It looked almost cozy, nestled among the trees with its wooden walls and sloping roof. But to Kkum, it felt more like a cage—a place where she had been sent to disappear.

Taehyung opened the door and motioned for her to step inside. “It’s not much, but it’s quiet. You’ll have your space here.”

She nodded, stepping into the cabin. The inside was simple, with a small kitchen, a bed in the corner, and a table near the window. It was practical, but it lacked the warmth of a home. Kkum felt a lump form in her throat, but she swallowed it down, refusing to let herself break down.

“I’ll be back tomorrow to check on you,” Taehyung said, his voice gentle. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to reach out.”

Kkum gave him a small nod. “Thanks, Taehyung.”

“Kkum your brother and me are always there for you”

He hesitated at the door for a moment, as if he wanted to say more, but in the end, he just gave her a nod and left, closing the door softly behind him.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Kkum let out a shaky breath, her legs feeling weak beneath her. She collapsed onto the edge of the bed, staring at the floor as the reality of her situation settled in.

She was truly alone now.

And for the first time in a long while, Kkum felt the full weight of that loneliness crash over her, threatening to pull her under.

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Dear Readers,

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

Don't be a silent reader, if you enjoy it please do like and comment.

Love,
lavendermiso <333

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