“That’s the plan.” Elijah didn’t like explaining himself—not to anyone. But the truth was, soldiers like Alonzo were worth their weight in gold. He would be loyal, and more, he would work his ass off to keep Siena safe. Siena and his child.

Alonzo nodded slowly. “I’m in.”

Elijah held up his hand, glanced at Drake, who nodded and then turned back to Alonzo. He gestured to the comfortable high-backed leather chair. “Take a seat.” He slipped behind his desk. Drake took one corner of the desk. Joshua, Joaquin and Tomas remained leaning against the wall.

Alonzo didn’t like sitting in the chair. That left him more vulnerable to an attack than ever. Still, after a moment’s hesitation, he did it.

“You know anything about Drake Donovan?” Elijah asked, waving a hand toward Drake.

Alonzo nodded. “He’s leopard. Fast. Skilled. Know enough to be surprised he associates with Elijah Lospostos. Don’t mean that in a bad way, just a fact. He’s got a reputation. Hard man. Not one to cross. Tonio warned us to back off anything he was involved in.”

“I’m warning you now, we go any further, I tell you much more, you want out, or you decide to betray us, you’re a dead man.”

“Always been leopard. Always been family. I know the rules. I said yes, and my word is binding.”

Elijah studied his face. “You ever consider a different way of life?”

“I told you, don’t know any other way. I was born for this. Can’t live normal.”

“Didn’t say normal. Didn’t say easy, Alonzo. Some time ago, I decided I didn’t want the life of Elijah Lospostos. I ran into Drake, and he taught me a better way. The underbelly is always going to be there. Always. We take someone out, someone else fills that void. That’s just the way of things. But that doesn’t mean we can’t control that shit. Who is in power. What they do. It’s all based on money. On deals. We control the money and deals and we control who’s in power.”

Alonzo sat very still, turning the information over and over in his mind. Elijah already had recognized that the man was intelligent. He was also careful and thoughtful. He didn’t jump to conclusions. He might say he wasn’t material to be a king, but with a little training and experience, Elijah could shape him for that role. More than ever, he wanted the soldier committed to their work.

“Dangerous,” Alonzo mused.

Elijah nodded. “Particularly so with those who are leopard. We have to get them out first. They can hear a lie. Around the others, we have an advantage, around shifters, no. Shifters can read us as easily as we read them. So it takes work to get around that.”

“Siena know you doubled the danger to yourself?”