I recoiled as if I'd been slapped, feeling the weight of her accusation crushing me. She was right. If I had just given Alpha Donk what he wanted, if I had betrayed Alpha Dwayne's pack, Jermaine would still be alive.
"You're right," I whispered, tears streaming down my face. "It is my fault. I'm sorry, Lily. I'm so sorry."
Lily didn't respond, just curled back into herself, her body shaking with renewed sobs. I sat there beside her, my own grief threatening to overwhelm me, as the guards began to clear the courtyard.
Hours passed. The sun began to set, casting long shadows across the courtyard. Still, Lily and I remained, paralyzed by our shared trauma and grief.
Finally, as darkness fell, two guards approached us. "Time to go back to your cells," one of them grunted.
I struggled to m
