I walked out to the balcony and to Lydia who was looking down the railing.

Then i handed her a little bottle of lotion " This'll help with the bruises. "

Lydia "I had worse."

I nodded " Me, too. The Whisperer, what else do you know about him? "

Lydia nodded "Only that he won't betray my mom. The ones that watch the horde are loyal. She gives them no choice."

Me „Neither will I. What else? "

Lydia "People will die, right? I hate them. But I know them, too. "

Me "Alpha drew a line, and you need to choose which side you're on. "

Lydia "I wish I'd left with Henry when he asked. My mom twists people. Gets them to do what she wants. Makes them think it's what they want. People obey 'cause they think they have no other choice. But if you let him see what you have here, that a place like this can survive. An idea like that is dangerous. It would spread. And there's nothing my mom could do to stop it."

At the cell.

I walked into the cell with a tray of food.

Daryl and Gabriel were behind me.

I put the tray on his bed.

The guy looked at it.

Me "go ahead. There's more of where that comes from"

The guy grabbed the bed, sniffed it with hunger before shoving it down his throat.

The guy looked at me "What do you want? "

Me "Well, right now, we're just gonna talk. "

He shook his head "no"

--

Me "Where's the horde?"

No answer.

i pressed my finger in his wound.

He cried out.

Me „Tell me. "

The man "ma, you have the animal in you. If we were out there, I would take you like a bitch in heat. "

I heard Daryl growl behind me.

Then i nodded and looked at the ring on my finger. It was a male ring that once belonged to Daryl. I had stolen it from him a while back. He managed to shrink it somehow so it would fit me. I like the ring. It reminded me of Daryl.

Then i punched the Whisperer in the face.

He grunted out.

I punched him again and again and again.

The ring was doing some damage to his skin.

Daryl grabbed my arm, pulling me back a little "That's enough"

I nodded.

Daryl then punched the guy.

I mocked him "that's enough"

The whisperer "You're all weak. "

Daryl took his knife out "Gonna start with your fingers first. Then both your ears. Then we'll take all your teeth. "

The Whisperer "You lie to yourselves. To each other. You fight for what? Sandwiches?"

Daryl grabbed the guy's hand and held it against the wall. Then he pressed his knife against the fingers.

The Whisperer "You ignore the truth when it's staring you in the face. I would never betray Alpha. She rescued me. She protects me. She loves me. She loves us all. She sacrificed her own daughter for us. "

Me "She killed Lydia?"

The guy nodded "Oh. She did. And I am willing to give my life for her."

Daryl looked at me and i looked at him.

--

I rushed upstairs.

Daryl "Stop. "

Me "This ends now. "

Daryl "You're not getting Lydia mixed up in this. "

Me "He swallowed every ounce of Alpha's bullshit. Every ounce. If he sees that Lydia's alive and well, gets it that his great leader lied to him, - then maybe that changes something. "

Daryl pleaded "Please. That kid's been through enough."

I nodded "i know, Daryl. I don't want that either. But we don't have a choice"

At the woods. night.

I was riding with Lydia on Blue. my favorite horse.

Lydia "We're not going hunting, are we? "

Me "You still wanna help?"

Lydia „Yeah. "

I nodded "Good."

Night. At the border. In a bridge.

I saw a Whisperer holding a knife to Aaron's throat.

Me "Let him go. Let him go. "

The Whisperer froze and let go from Aaron "No. No. No."

She ran away.

Lydia looked at me confused.

Me " Your mother told her people that she killed you. "

Lydia "You said you wanted my help."

I nodded " I did. "

Lydia "You used me. "

Me "Lydia, I'm sorry. "

Lydia "You're just like her. "

Aaron "Lydia ..."

Lydia "You said you wanted me to choose a side? I choose mine. "

I shook my head "You can't go out there. It's too dangerous. "

Lydia "You can't stop me. "

Then she ran away.

I went to follow her but Aaron stopped me.

Aaron "Wait. They could be watching."

I breathed out annoyed "Daryl will literally kill me"