There would be no way to test the shifters as they entered. Each could be a bomb waiting to happen.

When she surveyed the crowd, Randolph had vanished. She might not like being the center of his attention, but liked it even less when she didn't know where he was at all.

Chapter Seven.

SIX DAYS UNTIL THE FULL MOON.

A large boom jolted Raven out of the bed before she was fully awake. Power surged along her body in a massive wave, strong enough to bow her back. Current swirled in the air as if pulled from the nightmare chasing her, the heat blistering against her skin.

She cracked open an eye.

Sunshine slashed through the window and hit her full in the face. She flinched, squinting to preserve her sight, and swore she'd just laid her head on the pillow.

With bleary eyes, she scanned the room, half expecting the corpses from her dreams to lunge out from under the bed and clamp their clammy fingers around her ankles.

Nothing.

There was no threat.

Whatever she'd sensed had vanished with her dreams.

She slowly relaxed then bit back a curse when energy nipped along her arms and shoulders. As her surroundings filtered to her, she pinpointed the disturbance.

Damn Durant and his workers.

Her lips curled in a snarl at his high-handed ways. She didn't mind the remodeling, but it would've been nice to have been asked.

Then she remembered yesterday.

Jackson.

Coldness seeped into her skin, and a twinge of doubt stole over her. He looked very comfortable, even content to be back with his pack. His glacial eyes had her question everything that happened between them.

She reluctantly rose and fingered the heavy linen card from the dresser, the one she'd received from Kevin, knowing she would go to find out what he was offering.

She had to see Jackson one more time to make sure.

She wouldn't forgive herself if she just gave up on him until she was convinced he would be better off without her.

No one in her pack objected when she'd informed them of her plans to attend the meeting. That Durant had been absent was a non-issue. It was her decision, and she wouldn't back down.

Raven picked her outfit with care, selecting clothing that hid more than revealed. She couldn't have this lunar craziness affecting her at the meeting today.

As if his going was a foregone conclusion, London waited for her in the car, his bulk dwarfing the driver's seat. Raven shook her head. "We're going to have to go shopping for an SUV if people keep showing up."

He only grunted and slammed on the gas.

Tires spun.

Gravel sprayed.

No one could ever accuse him of being a talkative bastard.

"I think the house is being watched." She stared out the window. Shadows moved in the trees as they roared down the driveway, the place practically a hive of activity.

So far, no one had threatened anyone.

She was determined to keep it that way.

"Daily." He took a corner without braking, her poor car nearly going up on two wheels. Raven watched the side mirror, half-expecting to be followed.

Nothing.

"At least a half a dozen cars pass by the cameras every hour since you've been nominated as a Region and those are the ones that I caught." He drove like the rest of the cars should get out of his way.

Horns blared, tires squealed, and she opted not to look out the windshield to preserve her sanity. "Because of the conclave?"

When the traffic light turned yellow, instead of slowing, London gunned the accelerator until the little engine screamed in protest. "Conclave. Unclaimed female alpha. Your election and subsequent job on the police force."

His ready answer made her blink. "You knew this would happen."

A shrug was the only answer she received. "It's my job to know. You had other things to worry about."

Once again, Raven gave silent thanks to London and his calm acceptance. She didn't say anything as they parked the vehicle outside the headquarters to Pak Pharmaceuticals. They made it in one piece and record time.

The business name was boldly stamped above the door in large white block letters at least as tall as her. It was not what she'd been expecting.

Research and development, the perfect place to create an experimental drug and conduct trials, so very legal-like no one would think twice.

Her mind flashed to her case, and she wondered if her leap of logic was a reasonable step or a way for her to unconsciously seek revenge on the people who'd dared to steal Jackson.

Raven craned her neck to scan the forty floors of the high-rise. The building was deceptive. Despite feet of concrete and granite, she could tell the place was teeming with shifters. From the quantity, she bet there were at least half as many floors located underground.

Sunlight sparkled off the glass. A level of pure concrete separated every few floors. The place was a fortress dressed in disguise for human sensibility. She had no doubt the place could withstand a full frontal attack.

To prevent aggression, meetings of pack leaders were limited to the alpha and a second. The rules to brokering deals were sacred. If she messed this up, she could be blackballed from working with other shifters in an alpha capacity, which would leave her pack vulnerable.

Nerves skimmed along her back as she stood on the sidewalk. Her animals shifted in unease, but surprisingly remained dormant, possibly understanding that they the need to remain hidden to protect her.

She took that as a good sign, but not enough to relax her stranglehold over herself. "Ready?"

London grunted, still clearly not pleased with the lack of security, even though he was the security. Since they were going into the wolves' den, she thought it best to be loaded with bear.

Literally.

When riled, London would turn into a full-grown Kodiak grizzly. That she suspected he was a hybrid, genetically engineered, merely increased his value in her eyes, though most saw it as a defect.

Her pack was raised in the labs where each breath was a struggled to survive. The shifter community fought amongst themselves, but they never really had to stand alone. They couldn't survive without the support of their pack behind them. That gave Raven and London a very important edge they needed to come out on top.

She took a deep breath and stepped up to the door, only to halt in surprise when a doorman opened it for her. Clearly they had money and wealth and weren't afraid to show it.

The thick glass was bulletproof. The doors reinforced. There was even a fall back door behind the main desk if the lobby fell in an attack.

Everything inside was marble. One would normally call it elegant, but the quantity tipped the scales to vulgar. The place would've been a beautiful piece of artwork if you could discount the awful decor.

"Status."

"What?" Raven continued into the lobby, grateful for London's presence when the smell of wet dog threatened to overpower her. Not appreciating the scent either, her wolf pawed the ground restlessly. The beast took advantage of her preoccupation to peer through her eyes and assess the scene.

The unexpected action startled Raven so badly, she stopped and scrutinize everything around her. The sheer quantity of information filtering into her brain nearly overwhelmed her. She didn't care if it appeared she was gawking as she processed everything.

Her wolf's vision muted the distracting colors of the human eyes. Movements were sharper, shadows disappeared, and every predator was noted, judged and found lacking.

"They're proclaiming their status amongst other packs."

His words broke her concentration. Her wolf retreated, dormant for now, waiting to be called at even the slightest sign of trouble. The disorientation lasted seconds. Vision restored, Raven snorted at London's comment. "More like screaming it at the top of their lungs."

She continued toward the front desk, resisting the urge to sneeze and clear her nose. Without waiting for her to speak, the man rose.

"If you would follow me, Miss Raven, they are expecting you."

She tensed at the recognition, so used to her anonymity throughout the years that being identified on sight disturbed her.

Though slim and unassuming, the sidearm revealed the guard was prepared for trouble and would take care of it the most efficient way possible. Not surprising. He was a wolf, the scent of pack all over him in what smelled like itch weed.

London prodded her in the back, nearly sending her sprawling when her feet were reluctant to move. "Thanks."

Teeth flashed. "My pleasure."

"This way, please."

They were led down a series of corridors. After crisscrossing their own path more than once, she decided it was either a test or they were trying to make sure she couldn't find her own way. She was betting on the former.

"If you could wait here." The room was blindingly white, the walls, the floors, the flowers and even the furniture. She saw the refreshment, but wasn't tempted closer.

London stood to the side of the door, took the standard bodyguard pose, and just froze. His uniform of a white shirt and black pants did nothing to diminish his impressive size. Though he looked bored, she knew he would come to attention at the least provocation.

The room didn't really have a smell to it, everything new and unused. Cocking her head to the side, she closed her eyes and concentrated. The walls teemed with energy, the wires all but crackling with power. She couldn't resist the urge to probe further. She mentally hovered her fingers over the cables then stiffened when she saw where the electricity pooled.

The room was rigged.

They were being watched.

She withdrew slowly, careful not to trip any wires, leaving no trace of herself. Turning, she lifted her chin toward the camera artfully hidden at the top of the picture frame, another in the far corner and a third hidden in the fireplace.

"Most guests never discover the cameras." The boy from the club slipped into the room, his dimple flashing as he spoke. The jeans and shirt were casual, but not to be mistaken with cheap. They probably cost more than her car. "Mother's letting you stew."

"I suspected." Raven nodded, doing her best not to show her surprise at his sudden appearance. He'd been so well guarded at the club, she suspected no one knew he'd snuck in to talk to her.

He wasn't as compact has his old man, but he had a few years of growing left. Given time, she didn't doubt he'd outstrip his father in strength. Closely cropped blond hair stood in spikes around his head, and those ghostly pale blue eyes studied her with unnerving intensity. A twang of discord simmered around him, same as at the club, but she couldn't pinpoint what actually felt off about him.

"Should you be down here?" The boy didn't wander away from the door. When she shifted to sneak a glance at the cameras, she understood. He was out of range if he remained still.

A security breech? Or done on purpose?

Damn sneaky shifters.

She angled her body so she appeared to be speaking to London.

"Jackson's very protective of you."

She shrugged off the quick surge of hope, but could do nothing about the way her heart leapt. "As he is of you."

He shook his head in denial, never taking his eyes off her. "Not like you. You're different."

Footsteps sounded down the hall behind her, and she looked over her shoulder at the door. When she turned back, the kid was gone.

London came to her side, his chest an impressive expanse of muscle enough to discourage any inquisitive wolf. "Strange kid."

"Why do I feel like I've just been vetted?"

The door opened before he could reply.

"If you'd follow me." A different male approached, his suit impeccably pressed, his shoes shined to a polish, every piece of hair in order. The man looked so similar to the guard that if he hadn't smelled slightly tangier, she would've guessed he'd changed clothes.

They obediently followed him into the elevator and watched as the steel doors slid shut. "Is that normal?" She gestured toward their escort's back, and the building's Stepford husband look-alikes.

London's face was expressionless. Nearly a minute passed before he shrugged, and Raven's brow furrowed. "More status shit?"

She would swear she saw his lips twitch, but no smile formed. The ride shot upwards without warning. The confined space sucked out all the fresh air. With each breath, the man's scent crept over her skin, invaded her lungs.

The walls pressed closer.

Determined not to let her beasts out of their cage, she grabbed a tiny spark to ensure they remained tame, stepping back so she wouldn't infect the others.

And gasped when her back pressed against cold steel.

Electricity leapt at the contact, feeding her a steady stream of current. Her core greedily sucked it down as if starved.

Or threatened.

Lights flickered.