“Now, now, kitten,” Ian chided, his tone conciliatory. “Benedict will decide—it’s his right.”

Because he was their alpha? Claire’s pulse jumped hopefully against her throat. Could this Benedict be the one?

“Fine.” Bianca glared at her, making it clear she would never be fine. Not as long as Claire lived, anyway.

“And Bianca.” Ian waited until he had her full attention again. “Benedict will agree with me. So put aside your petty jealousies. She will be one of us.”

Bianca’s lips peeled back from her teeth in a sneer. “No one will forget she killed Marcus. I won’t.”

Ian flicked his wrist and released a little sigh. “Marcus wore too much cologne. Besides, she is far prettier.”

Bianca strode past Claire, managing to sneak a kick to the ribs with the pointed toe of her boot.

“Watch the boots, would you?” Claire hissed.

Bianca’s eyes narrowed to slits, the silver glowing like light spilling from a shutter.

Suddenly, the music from inside the bar grew louder, announcing a new arrival. Claire glanced up at the heavy clang of the club’s back door, praying to see Gideon, but her hopes were dashed when she met another silver-eyed gaze. Her heart plummeted to her stomach. Where the hell was Gideon?

The newcomer assessed their tableau before his gaze settled on Claire with unnerving intensity. Dressed all in black, his face was hard as granite, his square jaw unmoving, framed by hair as black as his clothing.

He studied her for a long moment before commanding, “Come.”

“She’s ours.” Bianca declared. “Don’t interfere—”

He flashed a broad hand in the air, silencing her. “Step away if you wish to live.” His speech was oddly formal.

Bianca blinked at this edict and looked to her companion uncertainly.

“Who are you?” Ian asked.

“Someone you don’t wish to challenge,” he answered, never once looking to Ian. His steady gaze stayed on Claire with searing intensity.

“And why is that?”

“My name,” the newcomer paused, finally looking to the nervous pair, “is Darius.”

A change swept over the two lycans, an anxiety that had not been there before. She could taste their fear, coppery and metallic as blood in her mouth.

“Leave her and go,” Darius repeated, his voice a rasp of sound on the air.

Ian and Bianca exchanged looks. Finally, a touch of defiance to his voice, Ian announced, “Darius is dead.”

The one claiming to be Darius smiled. A strange smile. Like it didn’t belong on his face. Like it hurt his cheeks to do so. “Is that what is being said?”

“Does she belong to you?” Bianca demanded. Ian grabbed her arm and gave her a warning glance.

“Let’s just say I’m making her my concern.”

“She killed one of our pack.” Bianca shrugged free of Ian’s hand and pointed to the corpse, heedless of her cohort’s silent warning. “In accordance with pack law, we demand recompense.”