The moment Kimberly stepped outside alone, a deafening silence fell upon the room.
Eyes widened in shock, some in awe, others in horror. But one question hung in the air, suffocating the space like a thick fog, where was Alpha Theo?
Kimberly's face was void of emotion, her hands clenched tightly at her sides.
Her body ached, her soul burned, but nothing compared to the hollowness in her heart.
"Theo…" she whispered under her breath.
The supreme chief priest slowly stood. "Child, where is Alpha Theo?"
Kimberly swallowed the lump in her throat, forcing her voice to remain steady. "He didn't make it out."
Gasps filled the room. A mixture of murmurs, disbelief, and suppressed glee from the shadows of the crowd.
Then, the silence shattered with Alpha Derrick's triumphant laughter. He didn't try to hide his joy, neither did Mona.
"Well, well," Derrick smirked, stepping forward.
