Lily
The ceremony ended with a heavy, ringing silence as the last of the prayers faded into the night air, the Alphas and Lunas began to shift, their eyes darting between my shredded dress and the gashes on my skin.
Before I could slip away and head back to my room because I was exhausted, Rowan got me. He didn't wait for the guests to disperse before leaning in, his voice low and sharp.
"What the hell happened to you, Lily?" he demanded immediately.
I knew I had to sell the lie perfectly. I took a shaky breath, letting my shoulders slump just enough to look exhausted but not broken.
"I just wanted some peace," I said, my voice rasping from the fumes I'd inhaled in the shed. "I went for a walk toward the eastern boundary. I was listening to music and didn't realize how far I’d gone
