“I know who Hector Cortez is. I doubt you want me returning to my Alpha telling him I was granted an audience with the second-in-command. Mr. Cortez understands the importance we place on hierarchy, which is why he always speaks to the Alpha himself.”

The receptionist looked to the others behind her. A cry for help that no one answered, all busying themselves with their tasks.

“You can check on that by calling him, can’t you?” Karl said. “If I’m wrong, he’ll send Hector.”

An exchange of looks, then a few murmured words from the receptionist, and the guard escorted us through a pair of doors.

I PRESUMED WE were in a waiting room, but there were no year-old magazines or battered chairs to give it away. It looked more like a home office—the kind you see in magazines, with deep leather chairs, a recessed bookcase and twin oak desks. Pastries rested on a silver platter topped with a glass lid, a dainty container more suited to petit fours than the chocolate chip muffins within. Beside the door was a built-in coffee and cappuccino machine.

The guard left after receiving a call, probably telling him it would be impolite to hover over a werewolf delegate. That didn’t mean we were left alone. Every few minutes an employee found a reason to come to the waiting room, some pausing outside the door, the more daring entering and filling their cups at the coffeemaker.

“Getting a glimpse of the beast,” I whispered.

“All I need is a cage to pace in.”

“It’s your own fault. Benicio would have granted you an audience without involving Jeremy.”

“I know.”

“But that wouldn’t have been nearly as entertaining, would it?”

He smiled and leaned back, stretching his legs and crossing them at the ankles. “They’d be gawking at you too, if they knew what you were.”

“That’s the difference between us—I avoid the limelight; you jump in with both feet.”

“No, I simply tire of clinging to the shadows. Now and then, it’s nice to step out.”

I shook my head and got a glass of water, then sat down again.

“Speaking of shadows, how was business in Europe? Profitable, I presume?”

Karl shrugged. “Profitable enough.”

I waited for details, but they didn’t come. Usually he loved regaling me with tales of his escapades, knowing that I loved imagining myself climbing over those rooftops, narrowly escaping detection. I shivered just thinking about it.

“Getting restless?” he said after a moment. “How about a self-guided tour?”

“I doubt that’s allowed.”

“Think anyone will stop us?”

HOPE LEARNING FROM THE MASTERS

HOPE

LEARNING FROM THE MASTERS

Karl waited until the hall was empty, then we slipped from the room. He led me to the left, picking up speed as voices turned the corner at the other end.