I scanned the courtyard one last time, my eyes skimming over the group of maidens who were still murmuring among themselves. Kayla wasn’t there. I’d been watching the whole confrontation, thinking she’d turn up at some point, but she was nowhere to be seen. A part of me wondered if she was sick, resting somewhere quietly while the rest of us stood witness to Andrea’s tearful apology. Or maybe, just maybe, she had gone back to doing what she did best—frolicking with the Alpha.
I couldn’t help the bitter thought, even though I wasn’t sure what Kayla’s intentions truly were. Still, it was hard not to wonder about her loyalties after everything that had happened.
Before leaving, I glanced at Lia and Andrea one last time. Their faces were close, Lia’s expression guarded, Andrea’s tear-streake
