Devin’s wolf Pack fanned out on either side of him as they joined him by the edge of the clearing. Several yards divided the two Packs until they prowled near the center. Every wolf in the clearing was on edge, ready to strike at the slightest sign of threat.
The leader of the group stepped forward causing a chain of reaction from the wolves guarding Devin. There must have been a misunderstanding because two wolves from the opposing sides began sparring.
Aggravation battered Devin. He darted down the line and barged between the two wolves, growling furiously at both. This split up the fighting, but by the hungry glare in their eyes, he could tell they were aching to finish what they started. Arthur, the Caedmon wolf, bowed his head, his gaze dropping to the ground in shame. The Arnou wolf backed up several feet and positioned himself behind his Pack.
The gray wolf, whom Devin presumed to be the leader of the small group of wolves, shifted with minimal effort and took his human form. “Devin Caedmon?”
This man was half-clothed. Only a pair of jeans covered his body. No shoes or shirt were worn despite the fall breeze, only a pair of raggedy dark jeans. He was devoid of hair from the neck down. A tie held back his long gray hair. He appeared to be at least two decades older than Devin. He wore a thick leather Belt with badges taking up every inch in the front. The badge in the middle had the Arnou family crest engraved on it, signifying his loyalty to the Arnou family and Pack. The multitude of other badges indicated his high-ranking position within the Arnou Pack.
To return his greeting in kind, Devin contained his annoyed countenance, which resulted from the short scuffle between their Packs, and shifted to human from. “I am.”
“Dinsel.” He nodded once. “My Alpha sent us to ensure your safe passage to the estate.”
Devin almost laughed. Tristan the Alpha of a rival Pack wanted to ensure his safety. Was it a trap or slight change of heart?
“I have my own entourage.” Devin extended his hand toward the wolves before him. Nick fell in step beside him, and they exchanged cautionary glances. He wanted no trouble tonight.
“My Alpha gave me strict orders, sir.” Dinsel eyed him sternly. “You have his permission to cross deeper into our lands. No one else.”
“Ludicrous!” This outburst came from Nick. The other Caedmon wolves growled.
Devin placed his palm on his second-in-command’s shoulder to calm him. “Fine. Get me to your Alpha.”
“Devin…” Nick protested.
He’d expected this much. Nick didn’t trust Tristan, especially after all the sly tactics.
“I’ll meet you here. If I’m not back in six hours…” Cross with caution. Devin projected the last part of his orders.
Nick was his best friend and most-trusted Council advisor. They had a deep spiritual connection—a connection that allowed thought projection. This connection brought all six members of the Caedmon Council closer spiritually thanks to unlocking and consuming the powers of the relics that had been hidden for decades.
Not only did claiming these relics give them powers, but it also gained them the unwanted attention of their rivals. And now the Elder whom Devin had held as a father figure all his life was gone.
Be careful, was the second-in-command’s reply.
Devin shifted and led the way past the Arnou wolves. He didn’t need their guidance. His nose would have gotten him to Arnou’s doorstep. The letter had Tristan’s scent all over it, and Devin detected the same smell on the Arnou wolves that followed closely behind him.
This meeting is long overdue.
Tristan’s invite was vague. Did the other wolf want to murder him? He couldn’t have the relics. They belonged with the dominant Pack. The Caedmon Pack. How long had Tristan wanted to meet with him? Why did he stand by so long and do nothing but get in the way?
Curiosity rang through Devin. Maybe he was too anxious and had let his guard down way too much concerning Tristan Arnou. Yet, he’d do everything in his power to keep his promise to Roman, even if it meant fraternizing with a man who irritated him.
Suddenly aware there were six wolves behind him that were not from his Pack, he threw a glance over his shoulder and lifted his snout to the air. He scented no fear or danger. The wolves returned his questionable stare with one of their own. All doubts aside, they were probably just following orders. Devin was sure they had reservations, but they showed no signs of it. There wasn’t complete trust in these wolves either, but they were his ticket to getting to the Arnou residence.
Devin turned his attention forward and quickened his pace, and so did the others.
Time was of the essence. Plus, he had a reputation for being on time—not a minute late.
***
The home was it replicated a Mediterranean-style structure and was situated on a tract of land miles from civilization. He supposed that was intentional since the Arnou village flanked the Arnou estate and the community consisted of wolf-shifters for the most part. Come to think of it, this was exactly how the Caedmon village was fashioned. The Alpha’s main home was the center of it all, and those who wished to live in the shifter community could elect to build their homes or take up residence on the property. Of course, there were a great deal of shifters who worked and mingled in the human world and couldn’t be forced to live inside the village. From what he heard, Tristan ordered all Arnou shifters to follow a more stringent process when it came to associating with human society.
Devin was led through a sitting room just left of the entrance and foyer. He waited in the den which had a cylinder fireplace in the center of the room. The structure of the room was circular. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lined most of the interior. Portraits and abstract paintings covered the rest of the walls.
Being the devout architect he was, Devin could spend all day studying and decoding the construction of this home. The style of the modern accents and décor indicated the interior had been remodeled sometime in the last few years. But the old-world Mediterranean structure and materials used on the exterior told him the home was built several decades earlier.
A portrait hanging on the wall nearest the seating area caught his attention as he waited for Tristan to make his appearance. The framing was old, man-made and worn, and the picture inside was dated. The man in the photo gave him pause. He thought he recognized this man, but he couldn’t put a name to the face.
“The portrait you are staring at is of Thibaud Jr.” A man spoke from behind Devin, catching him off guard. “I don’t think you had the privilege of meeting him.”
“Not in person,” Devin replied then he turned, identifying the scent from the new presence in the room as Tristan’s.
Their gazes met, and a foreboding feeling struck deep in Devin’s veins. He couldn’t explain it. Couldn’t understand if it was telling him to proceed with caution or embrace without doubt. His Wolf Spirit stirred beneath his skin, causing goose bumps to spread across his body.
Tristan studied him too, his dark-mahogany eyes roving over him. With several feet separating them, this gave them a good vantage point in which to size each other up.
This moment was the first time Devin had met Tristan Arnou.
Man to man. Alpha to Alpha.
Tristan dressed cleanly with a crisp white-collared shirt, black tie, and ironed black slacks. Everything was designer labels from head-to-toe, down to the gold watch and chain around his neck. He wore the Belt too, like the men in the forest. The Arnou family had been using this Belt for decades to keep in check those who pledged to protect the Arnou legacy and to give each one a sense of belonging and pride. Tristan’s Belt was made of the finest gold. The badge was twice as large, and the family crest was twice as notable. There was a dark ruby stone embedded below the crest.
“I’ve heard and read some things about Thibaud Jr. over the years,” Devin said, breaking the awkward silence.
Tristan caught his gaze and his lips twitched. “Some things?” He lifted a dark eyebrow in question.
If Tristan
invited him here to be grilled, he had more than another thing coming. “Thank you for inviting me to a dinner.”
“I’d like to extend my thanks for coming on such short notice.” He moved in a little closer before stopping a couple feet short of the circular fireplace. “How was your trip over?”
“It was bearable.” Devin’s gaze shifted to the lamps hanging from the ceiling just as the bulbs turned two shades brighter than before. It must have been on a sensor and in tune with the time of day. “You have a commendable home. Sound structure, richly designed interior and, from what I’ve seen, a very dynamic floor plan.”
“The home is about thirty years old. It was built to suit Thibaud Jr.’s vision when I was barely a seed in my mother’s womb. The layout is fine but everything else became dated. I had the interior redesigned to more modern themes, and the exterior has been renovated.” Tristan cleared his throat. “I forgot you were into that stuff. You still design and construct buildings?”
Devin nodded. “Commercial and residential.”
“Hmm. We should talk about that more sometime.” Tristan extended his arm toward the adjacent side of the wall where there was another set of double doors. “Dinner is waiting. And the night isn’t getting any younger.”
Devin could agree with Tristan that they needed to finish their business. It was why he’d come. There was no written record, ever, of Alphas from two of the strongest Packs agreeing to meet under any circumstance. Both Packs were fighting for their dominance and continued existence and had at least one enemy in common. It was a good reason to meet and discuss their Pack needs and issues.
They strolled through the double doors into a smaller dining area. The room had four distinct walls and wasn’t shaped into a cylinder like the last one. The color palette was the same as the previous room. The muted tan theme carried throughout most of the first floor.
“My private dining quarters. I thought we’d be more comfortable here.”
“We?” Devin couldn’t help but ask as they both took a seat.
“We’re free to speak about what we want here.”
The servers filed into the room and began laying out piping hot serving trays, utensils, linen napkins, and wine glasses. The Arnou family crest marked each gold lid. Whatever Devin inspected, the same crest was there, indicating the Arnou family held their lineage and heritage in high regard.
“What about your Council?” Devin asked.
Tristan snorted. “I have an advisory board much like your chain of Elders, but the buck stops here. I have no Council. I like the freedom of making my own rules and decisions.”
“So your Pack’s future rests in the palm of one man’s hand?”
“Are you questioning my judgment and ability?”
Devin ground his teeth together lest he say something that would end the meeting immediately. If that happened he’d leave there with nothing and he would be in jeopardy of keeping his promise to Roman. “Since Caedmon’s creation, our Pack has had a Council. It restricts any one man from destructing the Pack, either intentionally or unintentionally.”
“Well then, I should ask if you’re speaking of yourself since you prefer your Council. Is your aim Pack destruction?”
As a sly smile spread across Tristan’s lips, Devin realized he was being taunted. “Don’t mock my loyalty to my Pack.”
Tristan picked up his napkin and unfolded it over his lap. “I was only asking. Sometimes you have to ask, you know, considering there have been traitors in the past.”
“In your Pack, you mean,” Devin said, his lips in a thin line.
“We’re talking about yours right now.” Tristan lifted the dome to reveal a thick T-bone steak sitting atop a bed of arugula lettuce. He pricked the center of the meat with his fork. “Truly Grade A prime cut. Suddenly, I’m hungry. You know, my executive chef used to own a steakhouse up the road. I convinced him to become my part-time chef.” He gestured with his fingers toward Devin’s tray. “Give this a try. It’s not every night I can indulge a special guest.”
It took Devin a split second to come to the conclusion Tristan’s rashness would not end. Maybe Arnou had time to waste but he didn’t. Real lives were at stake and dozens more had been lost. Why did Roman insist Devin get involved with Tristan?
“Look, I appreciate the impromptu dinner invite and you reaching out to me, but I’m going to tell you now I didn’t come to play games, beat around the bush, or discuss grades of beef. If this was your intention,” Devin stood, “I’m afraid my visit has ended.”
Tristan didn’t look up from his plate. He cut into the steak, using his knife and fork meticulously. He stuffed a bite into his mouth and chewed with his eyes closed.
Devin chewed the inside of his mouth, angry that Tristan would ignore him. That he wouldn’t care. It had been many years since someone so blatantly disrespected him, but he’d been the Alpha of his Pack for many years. Who would disrespect an Alpha and to his face?
Devin pushed his chair away and was about to turn toward the door when Tristan dropped his fork onto his plate.
“Your half brother Damon, the one who led the Caedmon before you did, he was murdered, wasn’t he?”
Devin stopped dead in his tracks and turned. “How did you get this information?”
“Word travels fast. Plus his death led to your rise to Alpha. I’m sure your history books have been updated with an entry to record this fact.”
Devin reached the table again in under three seconds. “His death was recorded as an accident even in our history books. So how did you get this information?”
“I’m not an idiot, Devin, and I don’t think you’re one either.” Tristan wiped his mouth with the napkin. “He was also an expert climber. Many climbers get into accidents these days, but he climbed all his life. I doubt he’d just slip and fall accidentally to his death.”
Devin plopped into his chair but didn’t make any moves to lift the dome off tray. “His death is an unsolved mystery, but my cousin Darius admitted to being involved.”
A spark of knowledge crossed Tristan’s irises. “Ah, Darius. The wolf you killed to keep your position.”
“I’m disturbed you put it that way,” Devin replied. “Willingly I fought Darius for the Pack and won. That is how I rose to the position. Darius wouldn’t give up, and after he lost was responsible for a rampage at the Caedmon Day School. He killed six people. I eliminated a threat to the Caedmon people. That is my duty.”
Tristan narrowed his gaze. “Do you think Darius acted alone in killing your half brother?”
“What do you know?”
“After you killed Darius and his mate, her—”
“Correction. I didn’t kill Silvia. She followed Darius to death.”
“Same difference, no?” He quirked an eyebrow.
“It was either me or him. I wasn’t going to take the blow so I ended it. I killed him, yes, in self- defense.”
“If the self-defense reasoning makes your human side feel better…” Tristan shrugged. “We’re both animals, you and I. Descended from one of the most powerful Wolf Spirits of our time. Our thirst for blood isn’t our fault. It’s our nature.”
Devin sat up stiffly in his chair. “What else do you know about Damon’s death? Who do you think was involved besides Darius?”
“I have my theories, but it is too early to speak them.” Tristan sat in his chair and clasped his hands together. “I thought perhaps we could talk more about what you know and what I know. And strengthen our theories, so to speak.”
Bingo. He knew the moment he’d received the unexpected invite, Tristan’s offer contained a catch. The other Alpha was merely curious and, like Devin, wanted to discover who was behind the attacks on the wolf-shifter community.
The room remained quiet as Devin relaxed his posture, falling against the chair. “So we get to the real reason why you invited me here.”
Tristan tilted his head slightly to one side. “There is a reason that is more pressing, but I’ve a
lways wanted to meet the man who claims the southern half of the United States.”
The Caedmon and Arnou Packs were the top two wolf-shifter clans. The territories were split based on region with Arnou owning the northeastern region of the United States and Caedmon owning everything else. There were some unmarked territories here and there, but those were a small percentage of the total playing field.
Devin smirked. “Don’t you mean the southern half as well as the northwestern region?” He needed to remind Tristan the split wasn’t fifty-fifty. Nonetheless, Caedmon held the top spot when it came to land. It was about territory these days, not numbers. Any wolf-shifter born of both clans grew up understanding the mechanics of their respective Packs.
Tristan chuckled devilishly. “Perhaps we can change that in the future.”
Devin snorted. “Your hopes are incredibly high.”
The grin disappeared from Tristan’s face. “About my primary reason…” He averted his gaze to his lap.
“Go on.”
Tristan lifted his gaze. “What do you know of Silvia’s family, the Osbornes?”
Devin shook his head and took a moment to gather his thoughts. “The Osbornes dissociated themselves from the Caedmon Pack long before I became Alpha. Like Silvia’s family, there are a dozen or so families who chose to remain without a Pack. None have ever chosen to reestablish their loyalty with the Pack. That’s why I considered it strange that Darius mated Silvia but still wanted to rise to the Alpha position.”
“Darius and Silvia were true mates. I see no other reasoning for a lady of pup-bearing age to choose death to be with her lover.”
Devin nodded. “You’re right. All the evidence points to a true mating between those two.”
“We know the Osbornes are famous for practicing witchcraft.”
“Yes, and—”
“Osborne Sr. bore five daughters and no sons. Silvia mated last. But the middle daughter married into the Other clan.”
“Which family did she marry into?”
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