Chapter 102


    I ster on my most gracious smile. “Honored members of the


    Council, wee!”


    I step forward and shake hands in the order that they position. themselves and pray I’m notmitting


    some terrible faux pas by not starting with Petyr or Aleksei. But they are to the back of the others, so if I


    bypass everyone else…


    Aaron and Liam nk me and make their own hel los.


    Karolina grips my hand hard. I lock eyes with her and wonder what it is she is trying to convey. A


    warning perhaps?


    “There is food spread throughout the main floor and


    additional buffet tables outside. Please. Eat. Have a drink.”


    Elder Alekseies from the Old World and he looks it. He


    wears a suit but no tie. His silver hair is styled back. His eyes are light and taking in every detail.


    There’s a preternatural stillness to him that gives off a different energy than Karolina or even Tobin-and


    he’s probably the most intense wolf I’ve


    evere across.


    “We did note here to mingle,” Samsen says. He’s big and tawny. Aaron angles so he is in front of


    me. Liam too shifts his


    body to protect me.


    Karolinaughs. “Look at this wolf! Always so ready to fight. Rx, Alpha Rathborn. Wee here to


    talk.”


    Aarom smiles easily. “Of course.” He nces at me. “Where


    would you like to entertain our guests, Alpha Leah?”


    I appreciate how he’s handling this. Part of me worried that


    he’d already be resorting to violence, and part of me worried if he did keep his temper in check, that


    he’d be speaking on my behalf or doing something to relegate me to the background.


    But Aaron isn’t doing any of those things. He’s deferring to me.


    “Let’s bring our guests into the dining room.” I turn to my


    brother. “Liam, perhaps you can ask any of our packmates to clear that area so we might speak more


    privately. Yes?”


    Liam nods and moves quickly.


    Now I just have to hope nobody wrecked the ce in the time


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    I was upstairs.


    “It’s just this way,” I say. I lead our group through the center of the main hall, thinking that they can take


    a minute to interact


    or at the very least to allow some of our pack to show their respects-and many do.


    When we reach the main stairwell that would take us upstairs,


    I turn left to branch into the corridor that can take us to the


    dining room and formal living room.


    “It’s just this way,” I say, ncing over my shoulder and


    extending my arm to the left.


    Most of the wolves move off in that direction.


    Except for Tobin.


    He hangs back.


    Aaron does too. His eyes narrowing.


    Tobin pauses by me at the foot of the stairs. He sniffs the air and says: “I smell death…”