Page 212 of Shadow City: Silver Wolf

“If the majority here votes to get rid of the two of you, then we don’t need their votes.” Azbogah smirked cockily. He appeared so confident that this would go the way that he wanted. “So everyone who agrees to remove both Griffin and the silver wolf from the council, say aye. We don’t need people who cause this kind of drama representing the city. Gwen?”

The ivory-haired vampire flipped her hair over her shoulder, and her eyes sparkled with maliciousness. “Aye.”

Diana fluffed her hair. “Aye.”

“Aye!” Erin yelled gleefully and then glared at the dark-headed witch, who seemed to like to cause problems for her. “Now, Breena, tell them aye.”

My heart sank when I realized that if Breena and Ezra voted in favor of Azbogah, we would be removed from the council, and then the dark angel would come after me. Strong wolves always wanted a higher rank, so if Ezra were the one who could make the final decision, I wasn’t sure what he’d decide. No wonder the witch put Breena on the spot.

The young witch sighed dramatically and leaned back in her chair. She opened her mouth to cast her vote just as the chamber’s double doors crashed open.

Alex cruised into the room with his hand clutching a now human Luna’s arm. Matthew trailed in after them, wearing a smug look on his face.

“I can’t believe you started without us,” Alex chuckled, but there was a glint in his eye. “The whole council wasn’t present, so I don’t understand what’s going on.”

“We have your sister here,” Azbogah explained, pointing to Gwen, “And if six people here want Griffin and Sterlyn removed, then your two votes wouldn’t matter. It’s not like you would vote for these wolves. You know better than that.”

“Actually, we vote in favor of Griffin and Sterlyn staying,” Alex said as he jerked the wolf toward him. “Luna and her mother attacked them in their very own home.”

“Are you serious?” Diana hissed. “You’re going to side with shifters?”

“No, I’m siding with the truth.” Alex shrugged. “I mean, Azbogah seems a little too eager to get the wolves off the council. To me, it sounds like he has a vested interest in discrediting Sterlyn, maybe for his own selfish reasons.”

“Hey, now!” Azbogah growled. “I’m for all races having representation. I have worked across races for centuries now.”

“Yeah, you’re a saint.” Matthew shoved his hands into his pockets and stood on the other side of Luna. “But we can prove that Luna and her mother were the aggressors. Tell them, Luna.”

She jerked her head, refusing to say a word.

“Well, then we will,” Alex said, and winked at me. “We saw the fight, and actually, I’m the reason Sterlyn is standing here. I saved her from Saga, who was about to shoot her to death to avenge her husband. Dick and his family have been causing all the problems in the city and outside its gates, and Luna here can’t say otherwise because we’d all know it was a lie.”

“Tell them the truth,” Rosemary hissed at Luna. “Tell them what happened. Remember what happens to those who need to be forced. We can torture it out of you. I wouldn’t feel bad about it at all. One of your men stabbed me.”

“No, you wouldn’t.” Luna’s bottom lip quivered, and she shook her head back and forth.

Yelahiah played the part with her daughter. “We’re angels. We’re willing to do whatever it takes for the truth to be set free. If you’re honest, you know the punishment won’t be nearly as bad.”

Luna swallowed hard.

“Now listen here, you don’t get to threaten people,” Azbogah shouted.

But Luna nodded her head. “It’s true. Mom organized the attacks. All of them. Even the ones outside of Shadow City, with shifters fighting each other. She wanted to make Griffin look weak so Dad could take control. They had plans to take over the entire city.”

“What?” Pahaliah said in shock. “Then that settles it. If she were lying, we’d all know it, and that means these two aren’t guilty of anything.”

Azbogah’s face dropped in such disappointment it was almost comical. “Fine. Then what do we do with her?” He jerked a hand at Luna.

There was only one option that would work. It was the option that would hurt her the most. “Put her in jail and let her live out her days in solitude,” I said.

“What?” Luna jerked her head toward me. “No. You don’t get to make that call.”

“I second the motion,” Yelahiah stated, followed by Pahaliah, Griffin, Alex, Matthew, and then Ezra, even though the wolf shifter didn’t seem too thrilled with that decision.

But that didn’t matter right now because we managed to get the majority.

Before anyone else spoke, I stepped in, wanting to drive the knife deeper into Azbogah’s chest. “That’s seven votes right there, a majority rule.”

The dark angel scowled at me as Luna screamed, “You bitch. I’m going to kill you. You wait and see!”

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