Chapter 31 · The Moon Comes Early

The council chamber doors are locked from the inside.

Cain's shoulder hits the wood hard enough to crack the frame but the bolt holds. I can smell Ivy through the gap—jasmine and something sour, like fear dressed up as victory. She's got the council ring. She's got the elders in there. And she's got about thirty seconds before I rip this door off its hinges and shove it down her throat.

"Lila." Cain's voice is low. Controlled. The kind of control that means he's two seconds from losing it. "Step back."

"No."

He turns his head just enough to look at me. His eyes are still gold from the fight in the tunnels. Blood's dried on his knuckles. There's a gash across his ribs that should've healed by now but hasn't because he used his Alpha command three times in the last hour and it's eating him from the inside out.

"I'm not asking."

"Good. I'm not listening."

His jaw tightens. For a second I think he's going to use the command on me and if he does I don't know what I'll do. Probably something stupid.