rin

d-floor landing, the suffocating Alpha Dominion in the

a, stepped up and bowed slightly,

ted me to familiarize you with the

hness I used on Dayton, I off

or your trou

a massive Austrian crystal chandelier hung from a double-height

he room's construction at the price of three downtown penthous

ntique armor and oil paintings acquired over generations by t

staircase to the second floor, M

ver rooms, and the Pack's tactical command center. Aside from Beta A

heavy carved mahogany double doors at the end of the hall-the t

brary and indoor firing range, the sheer square footag

imbing three flights was effortless; for a gene-defective Wolfless like me

th floor, my calves were trembling and aching in my

a private theater, carpeted in wool so thic

rcing me to grab the cold marble pedestal of a bust to s

ned around, a flash of surprise and faint pity

er rigid tone softening toward a fragile cre

my brow, I gave a we

er wolf, so my constitution has always been ter

The Shift and rapid cellular regeneration, making us as brittle as glass. Exposing

t out a q

ght a woman into Azure Manor before, let alone someone with you

es in a textbook display of a humble, dependent vine. "Without his she

nished from Martha's face, re

you are to him. Since you're exhausted, we'll skip the fourth-floor

ped a passcard to summon a private brass elev

lid open into an even quieter,

nd the air was saturated with Dayton's signature arctic ice

nly his master suite, a small lounge, and this suite prepared specifical

trimmed in pure gold-never silver,

ll come up to see you personally once he

embossed wolf crest with my thumb, smiling cold

ha. Sorry to kee

e gold landline by the b

osed and left me alone with the sound of rain lashing the windo

oak door, and locked it firmly behind me before fixing my eyes on the froste