There was a long minute of silence. “Alpha?”“Yeah, I thought so. Looks like Tellis has been hiding something. Foreman Reynolds just called me, and there’s some sort of riot/protest going on.”“I’ll check it out.”“No. Reynolds is a good man and an excellent beta. If he’s calling me directly, I need
Zane POVI’m no coal mining expert, but it was clear even as we set down that something was very wrong. A thick, dark plume of smoke was coming from one of the many holes in the ground, and I couldn’t help but notice the dozens of dead or dying trees all around us.When the door swung open, I smelle
Sarah POV“We here CBS News have reached out several times to Abrigan Mine’s project manager, Marge Tellis,” the beta female news correspondent told the camera with great earnestness. Behind her rose a thick plume of gray smoke. “But we have yet to hear from her or from anyone in authority at the mi
Sarah POVThere wasn’t any human-grade alcohol in the entire mining compound, so I had mixed mine with water and was sipping slowly. There was no question that Zane, Travis, and I would be drinking that evening.The National Guard troops had set us up with tents, including a double-sized one for Zan
“We have several active shafts, but they’re just chasing the last of the seams. About two-thirds of the mine has been abandoned, filled up with water, mostly.”“I don’t need any names, but can you tell me what happened with Shaft #18A?”“It was a death trap, but they wouldn’t let us abandon it. Said
Sarah POVThe next few days were a rush of setting up housing and medical centers, offering proper food services, and finding personnel for everything from a decent educational system to setting up a real police force. We couldn’t undo generations of abuse and corruption in less than a week, but we
Zane POVContrary to popular belief, alphas rarely strut. For evidence, I would point to parents’ night at their children’s school, where every parent, no matter what their social rank, was doing their best not to strut or peacock or preen. It was difficult, I admit, but we were all resisting at bes
“You were in Madrid?” I asked.“Oh yes, after Paris and then the Riviera and then Florence.” She laughed. “I’ve sold more makeup in the last few months than Macy’s. I needed a little break, and Alexander’s home is always open to me.”“It’s a nice place,” I said somewhat wryly. It had once been a kin
Sarah POVAfter the onsite security personnel and police had come, taken Ella’s body along with our statements, and then left, it was early morning. I worried about the girls, but they were as keyed up as I, and finally we all just piled on Zane’s bed, which was now my bed as well. Zane had his arms
Sarah POVGinnyWolf: Sarah is a MOON WOLF??!! Are you KIDDING ME?WhiteKnuckling: This is a hoax. Total bullshit.PPPPJohnP: I knew it.ShangHairSurprise: Will she be reforming the Luna Temple again?Rosemary&Sage: Hey now, PPPPJohn, THAT’S bullshit.With a laugh, I put the phone in the purse Lainey
Sarah POV“We all fear death,” Zane said.That wasn’t what I meant at all, and I told him so. My dress turned to silver in the moonlight, and I held his warm hands in mine.“If you seek the truth, stop seeking enemies and find the moon,” I and the statue and someone else said, speaking as one.He lo
Zane POVIt was thallium poisoning.“The treatment is proceeding with Prussian blue, which traps thallium to keep it from being further absorbed, as well as activated charcoal and forced diuresis,” the doctor, whose name I learned was Vassles, told me.Sitting by Sarah’s bedside, I was trying hard n
Zane POV“Alpha Zane!”Never, in all the years he had been working for me, had I heard such a sound of panic in Hans’s voice.I looked up and out my window. Hans wasn’t in the house. I saw him frantically waving at me over by the poppy garden almost a mile away.I ran down the stairs and out of the
Sarah POVThe day was lovely—perfect, even. The girls were back in school and making up for lost time, Zane was in his office and waved to me as I walked past the villa, and all the “lieutenants” had gone home.It was odd to look back on the past year. Had there ever been more than a day here and th
Ella POVMy contact at the prison told me Hayes followed his script exactly, and for the moment, I decided to put the wolf out of my mind. Few things had ever worked out as nicely as discovering the good doctor’s gambling addiction, and Hayes had several million reasons to do as he was told.When th
Sarah POVThe second Zane and I were in the car, I raised the partition for some privacy, turned to Zane, and asked the question burning acid in my stomach.“Do you think he actually hurt the girls?”Zane shook his head, but his eyes were haunted. “Not physically, but we’ll have to talk to them, see
“We found your money,” I said.“I thought you would.”We sat another few minutes in silence. “So, who was paying you? Who got you to betray my household?”Hayes smiled to himself.“Something funny?”“Do you think I’m some lackey doing someone’s bidding for a few dollars?” he asked, meeting my gaze n