MICHAEL GOTHAMKlein Markov took his time before responding, seeming to enjoy the silence as much as it annoyed me.“Lovely morning for tea isn't it? I don't suppose one of your servants would be so kind as to bring up a jug of hibiscus tea to me? They don't offer that where your brother has me lodged you know? And the room is a bit tight, that how you treat all your guests or just the rogues?” He rambled, fiddling with his long black claws that glinted unnaturally in the yellow haze of the sunlight filtering in through the trees.“I don't suppose you called me here for tea and gossip. Make it quick rogue, I am not your friend.” I snarled harshly, and the strained smile dropped from the man’s face like shit from a clenched bum.“Very well then. It's about our deal, Your Highness. I say our expeditions went pretty well, don't you think? It's time for me to collect,” He said, rising to his full height so that we were at eye level with each other.I was not scared of the man, and yet, I

ELENA WOLFEI could scarcely hear the whooshing of the wind through the large blue windows, or the murmur of conversation of the elite women sitting around the tea table in the drawing room.How could I? Blood roared in my ears and I gripped the window sill until my knuckles shone white…tight, as I watched the scene below me.There was something about the way Michael held himself away from the rogue that set alarm bells ringing in my head. Something was very wrong. Michael was always smiling, but there was not a hint of amusement on his face as he glared at the rogue wolf.Did any of this have to do with Alpha Alaric? I shuddered when the dark beast’s image swam in my mind before shaking myself.My ears flexed as I tried to make out what the man who had his back turned to me was hissing to my mate, but the only sound that filled my head was the wind howling through the windows.“What the hell? You're not even listening to us Elena, really! This isn't the way a future Luna is supposed

ELENA’S POV The rumble of thunder in the overcast rims of the night sky did nothing to lessen my uneasiness as Emily’s thin fingers flew over my body, pulling the thick black fur coat high around my shoulders before lowering the hood of the cape over my eyebrows. It was freezing, and I rubbed my hands together, wishing now that I had taken the gloves when the maid suggested it. It was too late now, I rocked back and forth on the balls of my feet, creeping toward the woman when she waved her hand hurriedly at me. “That's one post down, M’lady, the guards don't patrol often around the apartments, to let the Gotham elders see their mistresses you know?” She murmured distractedly and I hid an amused smile behind my shaky hands. Trysts in Gotham?! My goodness have I been living under a rock! It was no wonder the women were always dressed to kill! I tried to imagine someone as fancy as Theodora or Racquel fooling around in the bushes with their legs high in the air as one of the massi

ELENA’s POVSeveral beats passed in the silence that followed, broken only by the rush of waves around us, echoing through the cave walls.I swallowed reflexively, flattered when the men carefully dressed me, each brush of their fingers and each stroke of my hair igniting the embers of passion that burned low inside of me.“I brought in the horses while your lazy ass was asleep, you can thank me for that, brother,” Michael tutted, backing away toward the mouth of the cave until the sun blinded my view of him.Anthony barked a laugh, tugging me along after throwing the rest of our stuff in his ornate wooden box and coming out behind me.If I had thought the stream looked dazzling in the moonlight, it was even better under the yellow haze of the sun.I hooded my hand over my eyes and gawked at the beautiful scenery.The grasses were greener, each red and white and lavender of the flowered vines that hung like a tapestry over the bare water rocks standing out even more.“Goddess, it's be

MATTHEW THE GUARD I wasn't supposed to be here. I had gone deeper into the woods, farther away from the burning fluorescent light of the palace walls like His Highness said I should.This night was very important, I could almost feel the rush of adrenaline blazing through my body.Someone in Gotham had killed the love of my life. My Sophia.No one knew what it felt like, to watch life play out from the sidelines.I had been toiling away for months, tracing back my woman’s steps to the night of the murder, and finally, finally, I had hit it big.My boots crunched loudly as I paced over the dried leaves matting the forest floor, glancing around the darkness as anxiety tightened in my gut.What the hell was taking Sir Anthony so long? My letter had been clear enough hadn't it? I'd told His Highness about my suspicions.How I figured out Alfred hadn't been alone the night Sophie was killed. He had been working with someone even more, powerful, evil. “Just you wait Sophie, after tonight,