Chapter 18: The Night Before

I gave him nothing.

I held the stone against my ribs, put my other arm behind Leon, and said nothing at all.

The old Alpha came down the hall steps alone, with her white braids loose over her nightgown.

She walked straight into the headlights and took the nearest shotgun out of a wolf's hands by the barrel.

"Under the council's roof," she said, "a gun at a reading is a gun pointed at the council."

Then she turned and looked at Timothy.

"Take your men home, Ramsay. Bring them back at moonrise with your hands empty, or don't come."

Timothy looked at the old woman for a long moment.

"Moonrise," he said.

He got into the truck, and the men climbed in the back, and the red tail lights went down the long road.

I gave her the stone, and it went into the glass case in the hall, with three Alphas on cots beside it and the east watch at every door.

I stood outside on the grass and found I was shaking.

Crispin took my hand.

"Come," he said. "You need to sit down before you fall."

The cabin was warm, because Pat had been in and fed the stove.

I closed the door and leaned on it.

He stood in the middle of the floor and did not come toward me.

His hand went toward the lamp.

"Don't," I said. "Leave it on."

"Lena."

"I want to see you," I said.

"Lena."

"The first time I was in a bed with you, it was dark, and I thought you were someone else."

I pushed away from the door.

"The second time it was raining and I was in a hurry. Tomorrow you'll stand up and say I'm free."

"Yes."

"Tonight I'm asking for all of it, with the light on."

His throat moved.

"Tell me what you want."

"Everything."

"That's not an answer."

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