As they drove off, I stayed behind, letting the rain soak through the thin fabric of my dress. Calmly, I opened my phone and selected the folder of evidence I had compiled: messages, photos, receipts of Derrick’s gifts to Samantha. With a few taps, I sent the files to my mentor within the pack—a powerful elder known for her ruthless loyalty and fierce protection of those she cared about.
By the time I slipped my phone back into my pocket, the cold rain had seeped through my clothes, chilling me to the bone. I shivered, but the chill only strengthened my resolve. I had done everything I could, and now I would chart my own path.
Suddenly, my phone rang, the familiar tone of my mother’s call cutting through the silence. I took a steadying breath before answering. “Hello, Mom.”
“Charlotte! Where are you? I made soup for you and Derrick. I stopped by the house, but you weren’t there,” her voice was warm, filled with love and concern, blissfully unaware of the turmoil roiling beneath the surface.
I forced a smile, keeping my voice steady. “Oh, we’re just… out for a bit. Derrick insisted we get some fresh air.”