INA

g of guests moving towar

or, meticulously checking

surrounded by a crowd

she was the lady of the manor,

urn

e invitation Fer

then up at me, a flicker

o verify your Pack informati

art s

rly wasn't as reliab

my entire plan for the

ce calm, my

to t

andled

s studying sec

t of this hotel

ce on the east side, but I

move, the guard

ression shifted-from suspicion to sur

listened, and straightened abruptly. "My ap

stiff nod, his earlier h

ly a second before

n a dark suit standing near the corrid

t lookin

disappearing into the shadows

unease formed

t the s

arrange

n't k

dn't b

ng was too c

ove forward, pushing

as

what ma

ver he wanted, it didn't ch

ng sea of glittering gown

m a passing waiter-not to drink, b

cess to the

looking for: a small door near the back of the

ance to the te

fec

weaving through cluster

aused, glancing around to ma

oti

ped th

mall, cluttered with

over a console, headphones on, c

or the projection screen

to the hotel's system through the

w ta

command

ly noticeable-as I established a silent bri

ad

in, I could do it

I came, the velvet curtai

picuous spot near a marble column, part

w of the stage and the large

g with other Pack leaders, completely unawa

swept th

stop

ed at the most prominent VIP table

ssed in a conversation with the man beside him-bu

in the elevator was a constant p

rom behind my c

t casual-the kind of stillness

ferred to him without se

the center of g

pers floated th

t at the V

e Alpha from the Northern

don't talk

ents, but noth

ays murmured, always cut o

e-the fear, the rever

dange

veryone

roach

yself to l

n't ma

it mat

I had o

Jared Snyder's wor

ction

ed voice introduced a

the machine, watching the obliviou

steady drum a

iting for the perfec

brought me closer t