Aurie lay in a satisfied heap in bed. She hardly moved when I padded to the couch and sat with the sword I half-regretted not needing tonight. With a flick of the switch, the curved blade sprang from the deceptively small hilt. I lifted it for her to see closer when I noticed her gaze brighten with interest.

"Enchanted Damascus steel," I said.

The album from earlier played quietly in the background. Aurie shifted position in a tangle of white sheets, flashing naked brown skin. Her beauty captivated me. It was a chancy thing. It made me want to climb in bed and go beyond oral sex, but it also made me want to run.

"What makes you sure my sister is who Darcy wants?" Her voice was husky and too trusting. Intimacy had coerced her to let down her guard.

I considered how to answer. "You reported he told you something special allowed you into his exclusive event...Well, Haley was following someone that night, someone she by all rights shouldn't have been able to see."

My reflection in the sword's gleam showed bags under my eyes. It was after three in the morning. I had a text from my source at the Council asking to meet at my place. I wondered when Mys would return.

"The Guardian?" Aurie murmured.

I nodded. "It's possible he gave her safe passage."

She tugged the comforter higher and sat up in bed. "I've been thinking about it. My sister Haley saw things—imaginary friends, monsters in the closet, you name it—but nobody took her seriously. It never hit me she might be a Seer, not even after being in Overlay City and finding out this is real. Mom always said she had a vivid imagination."

"They're calling it paranoid schizophrenia now."

"Right. While I'm living it up, she's on lockdown." Aurie shoved her hands through her hair and huffed.

"Hey, come here." Moving to the bed, I pulled her into my lap. She didn't immediately yield to my embrace. Putting those walls back up. "I know it's scary, Aurie, but there's nothing wrong with Haley being in a safe place where she can get better."

"I'm doing this for her." She fought dejection as she gestured at her clothes on the floor, the rumpled bedcovers. "Is it in vain? Darcy is on the loose while Haley is a prisoner in her own mind, and I'm dead. Nothing's changed!"

I wanted to say everything would turn out alright, but I couldn't. Things could go very wrong, especially since the Council of Overlay Affairs wouldn't open an official investigation. I shuddered to think about what would happen if Cyprian got his hands on Aurie again.

"I think you should take the Light as soon as possible and cross over. Hear me out. I know you don't want to abandon your sister but moving on is best for everyone. In Overlay, you're a target we have to protect, and it's taking resources from putting Cyprian away."

Irritation blinkered her expression. "Zyr, I get that you want to solve this thing, and I hate that my presence is a hindrance, but I have a right to be here. I'm helping! I'm not leaving this to the so-called 'authorities.' The last time my family did that, my missing father was found dead. They never got his killer, either."

I nodded with sudden understanding. Another cold case. That was why Mrs. Edison was adamant about wrapping up things sooner rather than later. "Did it ever occur to you Haley's psychosis could be driven by her concern for you?" I asked.

Aurie crossed her arms and gave me a blank stare.

I tried again. "Perhaps she knows you're here. Once you go to the Light, your Soul will be off the radar for Cyprian. Haley will gather you're no longer in jeopardy, even if it takes me revealing Overlay City to her."

"Yeah, okay, and Darcy will move on to his next victim, which could be her."

"Aurie, I would protect your family like my own flesh and blood. Cyprian will never hurt anyone else who matters to me!" At my vehemence, Aurie peered at me, and I reigned it in. "How much of this is about staying for Haley, and how much is about your fear of what happens when you let go of this world?" I asked gently.

She evaded my gaze and lifted a shoulder. "I've already let go of this world. You said so yourself. Notice the advanced powers and rapid descent into madness? Anyway, we don't even know how to find the Light. Mys was so certain this would work, and it didn't."

I gnawed my lip, studying her lost expression. She was right, and the uncertainty was deeply affecting her. It bothered me, too. Nothing was going according to plan.

Suddenly, Mys breezed into the flat with the attractive blonde from the pub on her heels. Bad timing. I yanked the comforter over Aurie's nakedness. With a tiny yelp and soft poof, the ghost disappeared, leaving us staring at the spot she had vacated where the comforter rustled flat.

"Invasion of privacy much?!" Aurie's indignant voice shouted from behind the bathroom door that she slammed. I covered a grin, wondering when she had mastered teleporting.

Mys' friend voiced her fascination, "I take it that was the ghost. This is the werewolf? Mitsuyo, you've been holding out."

"Mitsuyo?" I let the name roll around in my mouth. Mys was short for Mitsuyo. I liked it.

"I figured the coast was clear. How'd it go?" Using a hand to obscure the friend's view, the Empath pantomimed an apology. I approached with a grin as I finished buttoning my shirt.

"We'll talk about it later, Mitsuyo." When I said the name, Mys pulled a face. I paused and tugged the sexy being to my lips. There was an audible, lingering click. My tongue teased the partition of their mouth, and I imbibed the sweetest sigh from their recesses. Mys turned a faint shade of pink when I let go. "Favor for a favor. We're even now," I whispered.

"Thank you. I w-wanted you to meet—"

"Kittie Cad, enchanté." Her friend pushed forward.

I lightly bussed the back of Kittie's hand. "Zyr Ravani, the pleasure is mine. I believe we bumped into each other last weekend under less fortunate circumstances. I can't wait to meet you properly, but you'll have to excuse me tonight. I'm needed elsewhere."

Mys looked at me quizzically. I had questions for them, too. I was sure they had a valid reason for bringing a human into the fold, but we would discuss all this some other time. I jogged out the door and hopped on my bike, pulling my cellphone from my pocket.

When the line connected, I asked, "Still up, Maan?"

My mother had let herself into my townhouse. The delectable smell of chicken biryani greeted me when I opened the door. I kicked off my shoes and stealthily padded to the kitchen where Ajit was watching her cook. The dog barked, giving me away. Of course, my mother the Luna—born female pack leader—had already detected my presence.

"Ammi, you shouldn't have!" I said with a laugh, dropping my keys into the tray.

Farida Ravani turned to me wielding a familiar wooden spoon. "Ut-ut! Don't 'Ammi' me. Where were you? Out all hours of the night!" She scolded in her faint London accent.

I hefted the grand woman in a hug, roaring with mock indignation. She was tall and fit, and it wasn't an easy feat. Mum succumbed to laughter. When I set her down, she pushed her hair out of her girlish face to study me.

She had cut it to her shoulders since the last time I had seen her, and her unlined face was radiantly tanned. The only hint of her age was the shimmer in her eyes. I nodded as she suppressed the tears to find a smile for me.

"How long has it been?" I whispered.

"Too long. I can tell by how skinny you are." She returned her gaze to the food she was cooking to hide her emotions. "Thank goodness I brought food. It's in the fridge and the pantry. I imagined you'd have a woman taking care of you by now. What happened to the pretty girl with the red hair?"

"My partner?" I scrunched my nose.

"Eh, partner. You should've been an engineer," she tsked as she popped off the stove.

Leaning against the peninsula, I cocked my head and grinned. "I know you didn't come over to fuss. How are the boys?"

"Your brothers are prospering. Hazeem's prototype is making waves in the auto industry, and Yazeed was given project lead last month at that big gaming company."

"And my sister?" I asked lightly.

"Much better than a year ago. I speak with her frequently on the phone. She's happier pursuing her MBA in Paris, although she, too, could've been an engineer or—"

"A doctor?" I finished for her with a smile. I was overjoyed at the understated good news. My sister had been so broken by what Cyprian had done to her that, for a while, it seemed she would never recover.

"I was going to say a fine wife, but that would be sexist, right? Especially coming from the first Luna to gain a Council seat since its inception," Mum smiled. "I want to see all of you happy. I want grandchildren."

"Alright, alright! Enough with that. How are you, Ammi? How's work?"

The question hung in the space between us until Farida shooed me to the table and brought a glass of ginger ale along with my plate. I wasn't hungry but refusing her food would be the ultimate insult. I dug in, discovering I didn't have to fake enthusiasm. I missed her cooking.

My mother was my insider at the Council. She sat across from me, her face in shadows. The dining table, positioned between the open-concept kitchen and living room, was illuminated by the warm glow of the light above the stove. Mum rubbed my hand lovingly. This entire visit was against Council orders, and she was risking her seat to meet with me.

"I'm so sorry they turned down your request for an audience. I came to tell you personally that I did everything I could to get them to change their mind, but...it wasn't enough."

"I understand, Maan. I could never hold it against you." I looked down.

"I know you don't, but I feel so helpless. Ever since your father left us, you've endured so much. You deserve better than life has given you. When you're ready to assume your role as Alpha, I'll gladly step away. I like this work, but I prefer leading people who can be shown reason."

"I don't know how you can work with them, especially Cyprian."

"Biding my time, like you."

While she chatted more about her responsibilities as a council member, my fingertips drummed the table with increasing rapidity until I struck the hardwood with the flat of my hand. My mother placed her warm, smooth hands over mine.

I blew out a breath. "This case should be the final nail in his coffin. Unfortunately, nothing is going as it should."

She leaned back and interlaced our fingers. "Don't worry. The right people are watching the situation. We are all simply cautious. No one wants to make an enemy of Darcy Cyprian."

"I won't let him harm you."

"Hubris will be the death of you," she jested. "As satisfying as it might be to challenge him to an ass-kicking, we need a solution that sticks. Have you gotten video testimony from your ghost? Gathered other witnesses? Notwithstanding their reticence to meet with you, I can slip someone the tapes."

"I can keep working on it. Are you saying they'll review the evidence without meeting with me?"

"If you can get it to me within the next two weeks, I can guarantee it. After that, I can't be certain. Campaign season begins."

I turned away, thinking of the decisions that would be made in October. New councilmembers would be chosen for the first time in a hundred years. The person to take control of the Ravani holdings would also be decided. I knew my mother was thinking about that.

Farida refilled my glass and patted my shoulder as she moved to the window and gazed out. "He's aware you're onto him. We have to tread lightly. I came to tell you one of his pets works in your precinct," she murmured.

"I figured as much. The other week the surveillance footage from the hotel disappeared. It's highly irregular for evidence to go missing like that, but nobody knows anything."

"From now on, keep copies of everything in a safe place away from work. Do you have someone you can trust?"

Her question seemed like subtle confirmation it was time to try telling my partner about Overlay City again. "Tegan has always had my back. I'll tell her what's going on and get her to keep an ear out at the station house."

"I'd like to meet her someday. She sounds like a wonderful woman for you."

"Maan." I smiled, but my voice held censure.

"Now, I'll go. Don't fret if you can't reach me. I have to keep my head down for a while. I've probably already done too much."

"Yes, Maan. I'll be careful, and you do the same."

I rose and hugged her again, lingering at the door to watch her leave. I hated Darcy for this. Honor-bound to pursue him to the ends of the earth, I had turned down the role of Alpha. The Council of Overlay Affairs had broken up Ravani territory, putting our wealth in a trust until a new Ravani pack leader could be elected.

Gone were the years of turf wars and rivalries, but only so far as the laws were concerned. In reality, instinct couldn't be overridden. Thus, the Council had banned me from interacting with all wolves, even my own family. Nothing drew human attention like agitated werewolves.

As a rogue, I was truly alone, thanks to Cyprian.

I peered out the window and watched my mother stealthily cross the street and disappear in a black Mercedes. I picked up my phone and sent Tegan a text saying, "I need to talk to you." It wasn't until after I hit send that I realized it was almost five in the morning.

The incoming reply said: omw.