“We look like fucking cowards,” the blond snarled. “We should’ve . . .”

Desandra shot forward, grabbed the blond by his throat, and slammed him on the stone surface of the bridge. His back slapped the rock. Desandra’s voice was a ragged snarl. “Do not question the Consort! Do not shame your clan in front of your alpha!”

The blond gasped, trying to breathe.

One does nothing, the other does double. I didn’t know who was worse.

Desandra pulled the blond up to his feet and stared in his eyes, her face an inch from his. “Look at me.”

The man stared at her, his face shocked.

“Jennifer is lenient. Search my face; do you think I’m lenient?”

The blond swallowed. “No, Beta.”

“Do you want me to demonstrate that I’m not lenient?”

“No, Beta.”

“When you earn the right to question the Consort, you can speak. Until then, when she gives you an order, you shut your mouth and obey, or I’ll rip out your tongue. I had it done to me once and it takes six months to grow back. Are we clear?”

The blond nodded.

“Enough,” Jennifer said.

Desandra opened her hand and ducked her head at me. “Our apologies, Consort.”

“I don’t need you to apologize for me,” Jennifer said. “Watch yourself.”

Desandra’s spine went rigid for half a breath, then relaxed so fast I would’ve missed it if I wasn’t looking for it. She shrugged, looked down, and purred. “I’m sorry, Alpha.”

I didn’t have time for their games. “We have less than eighteen hours until Hugh d’Ambray and the People attack the Keep. Once war starts, it will be difficult to stop.”

The People and the Pack had never seen eye to eye, and both sides had plenty of idiots who thought they had something to prove.

Desandra shrugged off her jacket and turned her back to a male wolf. He pulled a knife out and sliced her back open. She bared her teeth for a tiny second. The bullet was probably still in her body.

“We have to prevent the war,” I said. “Mulradin’s body, thoughts?”

“The killer’s a shapeshifter,” Jim said. “Not a bear. They tend to crush. The body had punctures consistent with canine or feline teeth.”

“I agree.” I looked at Jennifer. I needed a consensus, because none of them would like what I was about to say. “What do you think?”

“It’s possible that it was a shapeshifter,” Jennifer said. “Someone outside the Pack. I can’t imagine any of our people doing it.”

“I got a good whiff of the body. It’s a wolf,” Desandra said. “One of ours.”

“You’re lying!” Jennifer spat.