Chapter 31: A Caged Animal
**John**
Everything was ruined. I was so close, but I couldn’t resist…it felt like trying to pull back from the only source of water in an endless desert. I needed her with such a force, I thought I might explode with it.
Now, as I sit at my desk on the top floor of the House, I feel my self-loathing ignite like an inferno of hatred. Why had I done that? What was this thing inside me that could not be controlled?
A knock sounds at the door, and I know who it is before they even step across the threshold. Castanza wobbles through the door without waiting for my response. His wary eyes gleam at me with their ancient stare, and I know he heard about what happened.
Even though the Alpha is the head of the pack, the elder of the Council exists to check the Alpha and ensure they’re acting as any Alpha should. Since day one, after I took over the position after my father’s death, Castanza has had his eyes on me.