The beta who had questioned me twice; the same man who had doubled the guard on the nursery after the collar threat was found in the lower storerooms with a pouch of gold coins and a fresh Shadowpine message hidden in his boot.
He didn't deny it when we dragged him into the bailey in front of the entire pack. He just looked at me with tired eyes.
"I did it for my pups," his voicing shaking from fear. "Voss promised they would live if I helped him get the child. He said the curse would take the kings anyway. That keeping her here would get us all killed."
The pack was silent. Some faces showed shock. Others showed shame. A few looked away.
I stood in front of him with Lila strapped to my chest. She was awake, watching everything with those dark eyes that missed nothing. I kept my voice steady.
"You chose to protect your own by putting a knife in the back of everyone else's. That's not protection. That's betrayal."
