“Fuck you,” Everett said.

Connor’s smile was feral. “I’ll offer again—you want to try me on, Everett? I’d be happy to oblige.”

The crowd began to move, to shift, to talk, anticipating a fight, willing one to happen.

“Let’s go,” Connor said. “Me and you, right here. We don’t even have to tell my father. It can be our little secret.”

He pulled off his jacket, let it drop to the floor. He’d worn a tank beneath, the fabric baring slick and strong muscle, and I heard more than a few sounds of throaty appreciation in the crowd.

“Come on,” Connor said, voice low and threatening, the room silent to catch every word.

Fury burned in his eyes like blue fire, all pretense of humanity gone from his expression. It was the haughty look of an angry titan, a primal god, enraged by the inanity of lesser beings.

It was impossible to deny he had the power, the authority, to be Apex. To lead the North American Central Pack and its shifters. And I bet every shifter in the room knew it.

Everett was either too dumb to figure it out or naive enough to believe he was stronger, because he curled his hands into fists, stepped forward until there was only a foot between them. That no fear crossed Everett’s eyes made me think he was even dumber than I’d first imagined. “Come on, pretty boy. I’ve hurt plenty of men in my life. Wouldn’t mind adding another to the list.”

He tried to shove Connor back, but Connor was younger and stronger, and resisted easily. And the expression on his face—full of cold hatred—didn’t change.

The crowd wasn’t sure what to think.

“Oh,” Connor said mildly. “Were we starting?” His fist shot out, snapping Everett’s head back.

Everett roared, and the crowd surged forward. I had my sword in hand in a heartbeat. I moved between Connor and the advancing crowd, felt Alexei sidle along beside me, and watched surprise light in the eyes of the shifters we faced. They hadn’t expected I’d be willing to fight or that a shifter would stand with me.

Ronan, for his part, merely stood by and watched, apparently content to judge, but not actually involve himself.

“Stop this!” Georgia’s voice boomed across the room. I glanced back, watched as she muscled Connor and Everett apart while Cash looked on with a bland smile.

“This is insane!” Georgia yelled. “Everyone calm down. Everett, step the fuck back.”

Everett growled, blood seeping from his lip, but he did as she demanded, working his jaw with a meaty hand.

“Connor.” Georgia’s word wasn’t a request, but an order.

He lifted his hands, put more space between him and Everett, nodded at me and Alexei. I put my sword away, and we took positions by his side.

Cash spared Everett a look of disappointment, then shifted his gaze to Connor. “The vampire broke the rules.”

“Her name is Elisa. And the rules needed breaking.”

“Rules are rules for a reason,” Cash said. “I’d have thought the Apex’s son would have realized that. Pack law rules here. And Pack law is inviolate, isn’t it?”

Connor didn’t answer, so Cash looked at me.

“We have a process here. Mechanisms for justice.”

Connor lifted his brows. “A process good enough for Elisa, but not the members of your own clan?”

“Members of our clan didn’t make an unwilling vampire.” He looked at me. “Your crimes will be heard by the clan elders, the coven, the violation of our rules considered.”

My stare was flat. I wasn’t naive enough to believe I’d get a fair hearing with Cash and Everett serving as two-thirds of the jury.

“A ruling will be made,” Cash continued, “and punishment will be decided. And administered.”

“Elisa’s not within your jurisdiction,” Connor said, his voice all business now. “She isn’t Pack.”

Connor saw the trap a moment too late. The frank admission that his romantic interest wasn’t like him, wasn’t like his family, wasn’t like his Pack. And, more important, that she was an outsider whom Connor had brought into sensitive clan discussions.

Miranda’s smile grew wider.

“She isn’t Pack,” Cash repeated. “And yet here she is, accompanying you into clan territory.” He looked at me. “You have a choice. She submits to our jurisdiction and the hearing, or we can decide her fate without your input. Your choice.”

“Have you lost your damn mind?” Georgia’s voice was loud, cutting through the noisy crowd and silencing it. “The clan is destroying itself from the inside. Someone is killing our members, assaulting humans, and you want to bring down the wrath of the Pack and Cadogan House on us because that girl saved Carlie’s life? I thought we were here to give them a talking-to, not to ensure our damn annihilation.”

“You’re soft because you’re family,” Everett said. “I don’t think you need to be part of this discussion.”

“Then let’s all thank the gods nobody asked you. Somebody with some goddamn sense needs to be in this discussion.” She looked at Cash. “I will not agree to mutually assured destruction.”

“You’re outvoted,” Cash said. “It’s time we take a stand.”

Her brows flew up. “Against the Pack?”

“Against those who disrespect our rules and threaten our way of life,” Cash said.

“Against the Apex’s son?” Georgia persisted.

Cash’s gaze flicked to Miranda, whose expression had gone intense. And I guessed Cash hadn’t come to this little plan on his own. Miranda, who wanted Connor—and maybe the Pack even more now—had made her first real move.

After a moment, Cash looked at me. “Do you want your say, or don’t you?”

I told Connor I’d trust him, but I wanted my say. We were going to have some very serious words about treating humans as collateral damage and the clan’s total absence of authority over me. And if words weren’t enough, I’d speak with steel.

I opened my mouth—and was interrupted.

“I forgot to mention,” Cash said. “If she isn’t comfortable agreeing to our terms, I’d be happy to invoke Obsideo.”

That wasn’t a term I knew, and I glanced at Connor to see if he understood. Given his furious expression, I guessed he did.

“What is Obsideo?” Ronan asked, brow furrowed.

Cash’s smile was thin. “Would you like to explain it, Connor, since you’re our resident Pack expert?”

“Archaic Pack law,” Connor threw out, without looking at Ronan. “In a time of crisis, Pack members can summon a representative of the Apex. That rep is obliged to show up and assist in the resolution of the crisis.” His eyes darkened. “And they’re obliged to stay until the crisis is resolved.” He turned his gaze toward Miranda, nailed her with a glance.

“Magically tied,” she said, and her smile was reptilian. “And so handy that you’re already here.”

Connor looked back at Cash, and his voice was cold and hard as flint. “Obsideo isn’t a game.”

“Oh, we’re all very serious here.” He looked at me, tapped the handle of the knife holstered on his belt. “Of course, there’s no need for Obsideo if you’d rather the vamp stand up before the clan, the coven.”

Enough of this, I thought, and put a hand on my katana. But Connor’s hand was on my arm.

“She doesn’t submit to you,” he said, the words nearly a growl. “Do it.”

Cash smiled meanly. “If you insist. The elders of the Northwood Clan claim Obsideo.”

Magic shimmered in the air, thickening it, warping it. It was hard to breathe, and I had to work to stop my rising panic—and my monster’s—as my lungs constricted. Connor’s fingers tightened on my arm.

“Breathe slowly,” he said quietly. “The air is fine; you’re just feeling the magic.”

But my vision was dimming, narrowing, little sparks of light flashing around the edges.

Cash grinned mirthlessly. “Your vampire doesn’t like obligation magic.”

Monster and I both moved forward, and this time it took both Connor and Alexei to hold me back.

“Let me go,” I managed, struggling against them, and didn’t much care this time if my eyes had silvered or gone red. Didn’t much care if they saw exactly how much of an outsider I really was. I caught Georgia’s concerned glance, looked away. I didn’t want pity now. I wanted to fight. I wanted air unspoiled by magic, and honest battle with blood and steel. Not this farce.

Then the magic snapped into place around me—and I could breathe again. I sucked in air, and as I stopped struggling, felt Connor’s fingers loosen.

Obligation magic was a bitch, I thought, as I forced my heart to slow, sent the monster down again.

The magic couldn’t compel me; this was shifter magic, and as Connor had pointed out, the Pack had no authority over a vampire. But if I guessed correctly, it would tie him to the clan until the “crisis” was resolved. I noted the glimmer in Miranda’s eyes, wondered if she could keep him forever and give herself a clear path to Apex.

“You’re all right?” Connor asked.

I nodded, for form, because this wasn’t the time or the place to get into it. But I wasn’t all right. I was pissed. I hadn’t been planning to give in to this farce masquerading as justice. They knew damn well that I’d had to change Carlie, that the “extenuating circumstances” demanded it. So it was ludicrous that he was putting himself in danger—handing himself over to the clan—on my behalf. And it was insulting. I could handle myself, especially against Cash, whom I hadn’t yet seen fight his own battles.

“You’re obligated,” Cash said.

“I’m obligated,” Connor agreed, and turned to walk out.

I followed close behind, because Connor Keene and I were going to have some words.