I knelt there in the rain, picking up what little I had left. The rain soaked through my clothes, mixing with the blood dripping down my face. I didn’t even care. Let it pour.
Right on cue, a sleek black Bentley rolled up. Tristan. Because of course he’d make a dramatic entrance. He stepped out, looking every bit the untouchable Alpha in his tailored suit. His eyes flicked over me—soaked, bleeding, broken—but all he did was curl his lip in annoyance.
“Get in,” he barked, like I was a stray dog he decided to pity.
I climbed into the car without a word. What was the point? His leather seats were warm, but I wasn’t. He threw his coat over me, but the scent of Selene’s perfume clung to it like a bad memory.
“Have you learned your lesson?” he asked, voice cold but smug. “No one will ever love you like I do. Apologize to Selene, and we’ll fix this. You’ll still be my Luna.”
Oh, Luna. That word used to mean something to me. Now, it was just a leash. I turned my head, watching raindrops race down the window. I didn’t have the energy to argue. Not anymore.
His phone buzzed, and he answered it without hesitation.
“Tristan, where are you?” Selene’s voice purred through the speaker. “The pack’s waiting, babe.”
Babe. I felt my stomach twist. He didn’t even bother to hide it anymore.
“Come to the retreat,” he said suddenly, glancing at me like I was an afterthought. “You should be there.”
I blinked. Me? He never let me anywhere near his pack stuff. But sure, why not? Let’s add public humiliation to the list of today’s accomplishments.
“Okay,” I said, wiping the blood off my face with the sleeve of his coat. What else was I supposed to do?
The retreat was at some ridiculous mansion deep in the woods. The kind of place that screamed wealth and power. I barely noticed. Inside, the room buzzed with energy—Alphas, Betas, pack elites—all mingling and sizing each other up. And there I was, standing next to Tristan like a prop.
Selene was the first to greet us, of course. She draped herself all over him, flashing me a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Ember! So glad you could make it.”
I gave her a tight smile, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. “Wouldn’t miss it.”
Tristan’s hand rested on my lower back, a silent command to stay close. Like he cared. I stuck to his side, pretending I wasn’t dying inside. People stared, whispered. I felt like a sideshow attraction.