With shaking hands, I recorded the apology, tears streaming down my face. The moment I posted it, Derek released the girl who collapsed gasping on the floor. He checked my post and nodded with satisfaction.
"Pack your things once you get better," he ordered. "You're coming home with us."
"Us?"
"Tara will be living with us now," he said. "She needs protection from false accusations. And you need to be reminded of your place."
He leaned over, his lips brushing my ear as he whispered: "This is just the beginning of your punishment, Luna Hazel."
For five days, I stared at the hospital ceiling. Each breath reminded me of how I'd abandoned everything for him.
My position as heiress to the Northern Lake pack and my family's legacy. All sacrificed for what I'd foolishly believed was love.
Now I lay broken in a hospital bed while Derek paraded around with his stepsister.
My phone chimed with a notification. With trembling fingers, I unlocked the screen. A new video from Tara.
They were at our favorite beach, the one where Derek had first told me he loved me. Tara was wearing my swimsuit, laughing as Derek chased her into the waves.