Chapter 10

Brittany's mind exploded like a thunderclap. She'd sensed something was off with Derek for a while now. He'd been distracted, drowning his sorrows in booze, neglecting pack business. Whispers had even spread that he was frantically searching for Hannah. At first, Brittany dismissed the rumors as nonsense, though suspicion had taken root. Once planted, doubt grew wild. Seeing Derek pine for Hannah behind her back pushed her to the edge.

Derek quickly shut off his phone, softening his tone. "Brittany, let me explain. I was just…"

But he faltered. Just what? Just missing Hannah? Worried she was out there, hurt? Or craving her in ways he couldn't admit? Each thought felt true, exposing the twisted knot of his heart.

"Just what?" Brittany's eyes reddened, her voice trembling as she took a deep breath. "Derek, are you stuck on old memories?"

Before he could answer, she wrapped her arms around him, voice gentle. "I'm sorry, Derek. It's my fault. If I hadn't gone abroad, if I'd stayed by your side, that scheming she-wolf Hannah wouldn't have wormed her way in."

Her words were earnest, her tears hot and convincing. Derek bristled at her calling Hannah scheming, but guilt overpowered him. He pulled her close, voice heavy. "Brittany, it's not your fault. I'm the one who wavered. But trust me, you're the one I love."

Brittany's tears turned to a smile. "I believe you. Hannah was just my stand-in, right?"

Derek's throat tightened, but he forced out, "Yeah, just a stand-in."

To prove his devotion, he deleted every photo of him and Hannah in front of her. In his mind, he told himself it didn't matter—when Hannah came back, they'd make new ones. But reality had other plans. Before any news of Hannah, the Kanes pushed for the binding ceremony.

After that night, Brittany seized the moment, moving their ceremony up from six months to one. She dragged Derek into planning every detail, determined to form a sacred bond with flair. "So eager to be bound?" he'd tease. She'd reply, dead serious, "Because it's to you, I care."

Once, that would've thrilled him. Now, it felt like a weight. He couldn't help comparing her to Hannah. Hannah never pressured him. She was sharp, always reading his mood, knowing what to say or do without being told. If Brittany was the star of this drama, Hannah was the critic—calm, discerning, always ready to pivot.

The thought squeezed Derek's heart, a sharp pang of regret. Only someone unloved would be so ready to walk away.

The night before the ceremony, Derek finally had a moment to breathe and planned a surprise date with Brittany. Imagining her excited reaction warmed his eyes. But as he approached the VIP lounge at the Sullivan pack's mall, he froze, hearing voices inside.

"Brittany, no wonder you're not worried about those rumors of Derek rekindling things with Hannah. You already took care of that little she-wolf?" a voice said.

Derek's breath caught, hand stiff on the doorknob. Brittany killed Hannah?

"You're ruthless!" another voice laughed. "Not only do you have Derek wrapped around your finger, but you didn't hesitate with that vixen."

Brittany's lazy chuckle followed. "Thanks to Derek's cruelty, I just added a little fuel after he left—made sure they buried that she-wolf for good. A dead wolf can't rekindle anything. I even had her trail faked to look like she fled the pack. Derek will never find her. Over time, he'll forget her, and guilt will keep him mine forever. Oh, and don't miss our binding ceremony tomorrow!"

Derek stood frozen, his phone slipping to the floor unnoticed. The voices inside stopped. Brittany's sharp tone cut through. "Who's out there?"

He shut his eyes, turned, and walked away, his face drained of color.