The rest of the night was a blur of fake smiles and forced small talk. Every word out of Tristan’s mouth was a lie. Every touch was calculated. I was nothing more than a pawn in whatever game he was playing.
When it was finally over, I retreated to the guest room Tristan had arranged for me. It was huge, lavish… and empty. Just like me.
I locked the door and collapsed onto the bed, letting out a shaky breath. My phone buzzed. A text from Cherry.
Cherry: Two days. Stay strong.
Two days. That’s all I had to survive. Then I’d be free. Free from Tristan. Free from this life.
Everyone turned to look at me as I returned to the pack’s retreat, their judgment hitting like a slap. Tristan, my oh-so-perfect mate, left me in one corner. Nice. Selene, of course, was glued to his side, looking me up and down like I was something she scraped off her designer boots. I caught Tristan leaning in, his voice low but not low enough.
“I don’t feel bad for her,” Tristan hushed to Selene. What an annoyance? And why not say it loud since I could hear it all clearly? “I just want her to know she’s nothing without me. Like, worse than a stray,” he explained.