Chapter 5

Her boots scraped stone. The flashbang still screamed inside her skull, drowning out everything except Cain's grip on her wrist and the wet drag of his breath. He yanked her down just as footsteps struck the tunnel behind them.

Ivy hit the ground hard. Cain dropped over her, one hand sealing her mouth while his other arm braced beside her head. His blood smeared across her cheek from the tranq dart buried in his shoulder.

"Don't move," he breathed against her ear. "Don't make a sound."

Mara's voice cut through the ringing. "I know you're still in here, Ashe. That dart should've dropped you by now."

Cain went rigid.

His heartbeat hammered against Ivy's spine. Heat poured off him. His fingers dug into her jaw, and when she looked up, the thin light from the tunnel mouth caught the gold still burning in his eyes.

Mara came closer. Her boots scraped over gravel.

"You can't run forever," she called. "And the girl is only slowing you down. Hand her over, and I'll make this quick."

Cain's claws pressed against Ivy's skin.

She shoved at his wrist. He tightened his hand over her mouth.

"Don't," he mouthed.

Ivy glared at him and bit his palm.

His eyes flashed. He nearly jerked upright, but she caught his sleeve and dragged him back down.

Mara stopped outside the crack.

"Was that her?" she asked. "Ivy, if he's forcing you to stay quiet, knock twice."

Ivy felt Cain's breath stop.

She knocked once against the stone.

Then again.

Cain stared at her.

Mara laughed softly. "Cute. You think he can protect you?"

"She doesn't need protecting from me," Cain said.

His voice was rough, but it carried through the crack.

Ivy's stomach dropped. "Cain—"

"Quiet." Mara sounded pleased now. "There he is. Still trying to play alpha while the poison eats through him."

Cain shifted over Ivy, blocking the opening with his body. "Go find someone else to threaten."

"I already did. Rex has your pack boxed in at the eastern ridge. If you don't come out, he starts with the youngest wolf."

Cain's jaw locked.

Mara waited a beat, then added, "Or I can take Ivy instead. I'm sure she'd scream louder."

The gold in Cain's eyes spread wider.

Ivy grabbed his shirt. "Don't move."

"She just threatened you."

"And you charging out there gets me killed faster."

His gaze dropped to her mouth. For half a second, the tunnel disappeared beneath the heat of his breath and the hard line of his body against hers.

Then Mara stepped closer.

"Make your choice, Ashe."

Cain's claws scraped stone.

"You don't get to choose for me," Ivy whispered.

Mara's footsteps retreated. "Fine. Bleed out in the dark. I've got time."

The sound faded, but it didn't disappear. She hadn't left. She was waiting outside.

Cain kept his hand over Ivy's mouth until the ringing in her ears dulled. When he finally pulled away, Ivy sucked in air that tasted like dust and copper.

"Are you hurt?" he asked.

"My pride's wounded. You?"

"I'm fine."

"You're bleeding through your shirt."

"The dart won't kill me."

"That wasn't my question."

He pushed himself up. His shoulder shook, and he hid it badly.

Ivy followed, bracing one hand against the wall. "What did Mara mean about the pack?"

"She meant to distract you."

"Try again."

Cain looked toward the crack. "Rex is using the eastern ridge to keep my people from coming after us. If I go back, Mara gets you. If I stay, Rex gets them."

"So that's it? You pick which group dies?"

"No. I cut the pact."

Ivy stared at him. "Now?"

"Tonight."

He looked down at his hands. The claws hadn't fully retracted.

"The bond is getting stronger," he said. "The moon's thirteen days away, and I'm already losing control. Back there, I wanted to tear Mara apart. I wanted to tear through anyone between me and you."

"You didn't hurt me."

"I almost did."

"Almost isn't the same thing."

"It will be if we wait."

He reached beneath his belt and drew a short knife.

Ivy stepped back. "Put that away."

"Blood pact needs blood to break."

"You said the pact would last thirty days."

"That was before the wolf took over."

"You promised me protection."

"And I can't give it to you."

His voice dropped. The quiet made it worse than a shout.

"Not from Mara. Not from Rex. Not from myself."

Ivy's fingers curled. "So your solution is to abandon me in a tunnel while you go feral alone?"

"My solution is to keep you alive."

"Don't dress cowardice up as sacrifice."

His head snapped toward her. "You think I want this?"

"I think you're scared."

"Of what?"

"Of wanting me."

The words hung between them.

Cain's breath roughened. He stepped closer, close enough for Ivy to feel the fever in his skin through their clothes.

"You have no idea what I want," he said.

"Then tell me."

His eyes flicked to her throat before he forced them back to her face.

"I want you out of my reach before I stop asking."

The confession hit harder than it should have.

Cain cut his palm. Blood welled dark and fast.

"Hold out your hand."

"No."

"Ivy."

"You don't get to make this decision for both of us."

"Please."

The word broke on the way out.

Ivy looked at the blood running over his fingers. Then at the knife.

"What are the words?"

"There aren't any. Intent is enough."

"Convenient."

"I don't have time to teach you old pact law."

"You don't have time because Mara's waiting outside?"

"I don't have time because I'm running out of control."

His claws lengthened another fraction.

Ivy held out her hand.

Cain caught it. His palm was hot against hers.

He offered her the knife.

The handle was still warm from his grip. Ivy pressed the edge to her skin.

Her necklace burned.

She gasped and dropped the blade.

Cain caught her wrist. "What happened?"

The pendant flared against her chest. White heat raced through her arm, and the tunnel vanished beneath a hard, blinding shock.

Cain's blood touched her palm.

The world slammed shut.

When Ivy could see again, Cain was on his knees. His hand still locked around her wrist. The cut across his palm was gone.

"What the hell?" he breathed.

Ivy looked at her own hand. She hadn't cut it, but black lines were spreading beneath her skin, curling from her palm toward her pulse.

"Cain."

He stared at the mark. Then at his own wrist.

A mirror image was rising there.

"No," he said. "No, that's not how this works."

"Then explain it."

He didn't answer.

The marks pulsed together.

Ivy yanked at his grip. "Explain it!"

Cain finally looked up. His eyes had gone completely gold.

"We didn't break the pact," he said. "Your necklace changed it."

"Changed it into what?"

"A permanent bond."

"You said blood would end it."

"I was wrong."

"You think?"

He rose, still holding her hand. His claws rested against her pulse, careful but inescapable.

"The bond can't be broken by blood, distance, or death," he said. "It means you're tied to me, and I'm tied to you."

Ivy's throat tightened. "That isn't a claim. It's a sentence."

"I know."

For the first time, he looked as trapped as she felt.

Mara's voice rang out from the tunnel mouth. "Step away from him, Ivy. Now."

Cain moved in front of her.

Mara appeared through the crack with a crossbow leveled at his chest. The dart in Cain's shoulder had turned his shirt black with blood, but he still raised both claws.

"One more step," Mara said, "and I put the next bolt through her."

Ivy looked at the weapon, then at Cain's golden eyes.

"Don't," he growled.

"Don't what?"

"Don't choose me."

Mara's finger tightened on the trigger. "Pick one, girl. Him or the people waiting outside to die."

Ivy stepped toward the crossbow, then felt Cain's hand close around hers.

The mark on her wrist flared.

Mara's smile vanished. "What did you do?"

Ivy pulled against Cain's grip. He pulled back, claws catching her pulse.

"Let go," she said.

"I can't."

"Then I'll make you."

She reached for the knife on the ground as Mara drew the trigger back, and Cain lunged to—