I couldn't believe I was here at the Arnou estate. I had grappled with my plans over and over again until finally, I couldn't take it anymore.

And I was here…to visit the Alpha and his Queen myself.

Because of their responsibility to keep their pack in line and thriving into the future, Tristan Arnou and his mate made it a point to meet regularly with members of the community. There were still secrets and suspicions lingering around, but by being involved with their fellow pack members, they had succeeded thus far in keeping the unity.

Sometimes there were bumps in the road and hiccups in the best-laid plans, but no one crossed them and got away with it.

Their enemies had two choices. Die a swift death or a painful one—depending on which half was doing the executing. The wolf or the witch. I'd heard the tales about Tristan Arnou. He shot his victims in the head or took on his true form and ripped out their throats. Among the children of our kind, there were tales of how Tristan’s bite was as venomous as his wrath. He was COBRA after all, the wolf who struck first and asked questions last. The witch could give a man a heart attack from across the room. She had recently delivered a painfully slow death to a murderous rogue wolf found guilty of preying on and mutilating his female victims.

They were not the ones to cross. Not now. Not ever.

In fact, I think I’m a dead man walking, but I hope they’ll hear me out first.

The door opened to the right of me, and the man who entered before was led out by some of Arnou’s Elites. I wondered what business he had with the couple. Had he fallen on hard times and needed a loan? Did he seek forgiveness for crimes he committed? Had he broken a pack rule?

Before I could ponder on the man's fate any longer, my name was called, and an Arnou wolf came out into the main hall to receive me. When I entered the Great room, I knew without a doubt that this was the real deal. An Alpha and his Queen sat at the head of a big table, almost like a council. There used to be a real Arnou council fashioned after the original model—a ruling board of members whose purpose was to steer the pack in the right direction. But not anymore. That was years ago when the old Heads ruled the show. Now, there was just Arnou and his Caedmon witch. Only a handful of Arnou’s most trusted men were seated at the table with the infamous power couple, most likely to observe or interject if needed. Together, they shaped the Arnou Kingdom.

They studied me quietly as I walked across the room to seat myself at the table. The witch was beyond beautiful, adorned in tight black leather but poised just like a queen. The Alpha’s expression was unwavering. He almost looked uninterested while sipping his Scotch. He was dressed in a sharp business suit and tie and wore a prominent ruby and onyx ring on his middle finger. I couldn’t decide if I was underdressed or overdressed for the occasion.

I wondered what they’d do to me when they found out who I truly was and why I had come.

I wondered what they’d think of me when I revealed my true allegiance.