Chapter 1

1

KILLIAN

T here's absolute silence as I walk into the large boardroom and take a seat. Nobody dared to sit at the head of the table, and the men and women in the room visibly relax as I choose to ignore that seat too, opting to sit at Alpha Steel's side, close to the door, but with my back to the wall. My father's paranoia has rubbed off on me. It seemed ridiculous when we were living a simple life in the Irish countryside. Here though, I have a feeling I really do need to keep my wits about me.

And that's exactly why I'd hoped I'd never have to come back here.

I fold my hands on my lap and sit back, one leg kicked out, and wait. While the council decides how to begin, nobody wanting to ask me outright what my intentions are regarding the crown, I pick a spot of lint off my immaculate navy suit. Perfectly tailored and pressed, I know I wear it well, all part of the facade required for this hopefully very short visit.

"It's a pleasure to have a direct descendant of King Morgan among us again. Most of us thought the line was lost forever."

He hoped the line was lost forever is probably a more accurate description.

Blake Steel introduced this man earlier, but his name escapes me now. From the look of disappointment on his face when he came in and saw me here, suited and booted, and ready for action, he's not one bit pleased to have me back.

I doubt anyone is. I'm not exactly pleased about it myself. But when word reached me that both Zoe and Chase had shifted, well, the time to stay hidden was over.

"My half-sister Michelle is alive and well," I point out, just to be contrary, enjoying the way he squirms a little under the intensity of my stare. "You knew the line wasn't dead, you just chose not to recognise anyone you didn't believe to be a pure-blood shifter. Or a threat."

Because it suited you to keep them in the dark, is the unsaid part of that sentence, but we all know it's the truth.

"Your sister and her children are only coming to terms with discovering our world. It would have been unfair to put such responsibility on their shoulders." Rhodes, Roden, whatever his name is, artfully evades admitting that they just ignored her existence because she didn't have a wolf.

Although, truth be told, that was a good thing. The less attention drawn to the human daughter of the king, the better.

"How generous of you," I comment dryly, and the tension around the table ratchets up.

With the disappearance of the last known royal decades ago following numerous attacks, each family that makes up this elite group has gained money and influence. And they've grown more and more powerful as they slowly asserted themselves as the rulers of the shifter world before seizing more control from the individual packs.

Some of them do it for genuinely altruistic reasons, to be of service to the public, and to be a voice for our people. They've made changes for the better to protect vulnerable wolves from tyrannical alphas.

But there are others here who only want to be involved to protect their positions, and to make sure every decision made suits their agenda and lines their pockets. How many people in my family died doesn't seem to be of concern to them.

I can tell instantly what camp Roberts here falls into.

"What are your plans while you're here?" he asks, suggesting, or hoping, that I'm not planning to stick around.

I do, in fact, plan to leave as soon as I can, but I have no intention of tipping my hand so early. I want to make them sweat.

I want to make those responsible for murdering the rest of my family scared and careless.

"Visiting my rapidly expanding family. Check out my ancestral home… And maybe find out what steps the council has taken to bring those who murdered my entire family to justice." I steeple my fingers and make eye contact with each noble in turn, letting the strength of my wolf make my intentions clear, lest they forget who they're dealing with. "When they weren't too busy dividing the coiffeurs amongst themselves and squabbling over who was in charge of what."

The sudden ripple of unease that has everyone squirming in their seats is making this boring meeting far more entertaining. Nobody bothers to deny that's what happened. They sat on their hands and waited, while my father was battling to stay alive.

"Well…" Rosco flails, unable to reassure me that every effort was made to identify those behind the massacre of the royal family, because that would be a lie. One that I'd scent in an instant.

When I raise an eyebrow and he flushes, I almost feel bad. I don't really blame him, personally. He wasn't in power at the time, but it's quite possible if either of his parents sat on the original council, he knows more than he'll ever willingly admit.

"That's what I thought." Replacing my stern expression with a friendlier one, I turn to Alpha Steel, probably the only person I really trust at this table. "I'm aware you've done extensive research while looking into Zoe's wolf. If it's okay with you, I'd like to spend some time looking over what you've found."

Until I find out who was behind the decimation of my family tree, everyone at this table is a suspect. Only when I'm confident there's no threat to the Walkers, will I disappear again and return to my old, peaceful life, with my duty to my father fulfilled.

"Of course. Whatever you need." Alpha Steel looks completely relaxed despite the stifling atmosphere in the room. He might be enjoying this almost as much as I am. "And of course, you're welcome to stay here with us as long as you want."

I pretend to mull this over, to let the nobles wait, but I've already decided this is how I'll set the cat among the pigeons. They're hoping I'm about to announce when I'm leaving.

When the council looks like they're about to combust, I rub my chin with my thumb and smile.

"Thank you for your kind offer, but I'm more than aware that I represent somewhat of a security risk, and you have a pregnant mate to look after. I think the palace might be the best place for me to stay."

Stunned faces greet my proposal. All except for a woman with long, dark hair, who looks suspiciously unsurprised.

"You can't be serious. One wing is practically derelict," someone to my right scoffs, and I let some of my alpha aura out, ensuring he feels just how serious I am.

"It's far from derelict," I state, essentially ending the discussion before it even starts. "You've been funding the repair work, and there is an on-site manager in place, so I'm sure you're aware it's perfectly liveable."

It's my home. They can't keep me out of the palace. It was badly damaged in a fire during the last attack, but one wing remains standing, and the rest can be restored.

Do they really think I didn't check it out before I came here?

"Liveable, but perhaps not defensible." Another member of the council points out, feigning concern for my well-being.

Shrugging, I refuse to back down. The palace is in Falls Valley, smack inside Zane Williams's territory, the leader of the well-trained elite enforcers team. If he can't defend me, nobody can. "I think Zane might take exception to that description."

"Very well." Blake concedes. "But since you won't be staying with a pack, I wouldn't feel right leaving you without protection. We'll make arrangements to have some wolves meet you there."

The raven-haired beauty with the sour expression hits me with a stiff smile. "I'll send some of my best warriors to guard you during your stay."

Again, with the veiled references to my appearance being temporary.

I'm about to argue, tell them I don't need anyone's protection, when Steel speaks up.

"Good idea, Cressida. I'm sure all the packs can spare some warriors to assist Zane. I think a small security detail, with one or two warriors from each of our packs, sounds reasonable."

I'm not sure that's what she was suggesting at all, but Blake has skilfully made it seem like it was her brainwave to have all the packs involved. She's not going to correct him.

Steel gets to his feet, and the rest of the committee follows suit. "But now that we know where to find Killian, how about we leave ironing out the details until tomorrow and join the celebrations."

Cressida demurely tilts her head in agreement, cold and emotionless, with all the warmth of a snake, and inwardly, I groan. She's still elegant and beautiful, despite the tell-tale hints that she's older than she first appears, but her expression is hard, and her polite smile never reaches her eyes.

The buzz of excitement coming from the ballroom is already making me weary. Small talk and crowds are two of my least favourite things. But staying here would be worse.

"Splendid," I say, rising to my feet and smoothing down my tie. The sooner I get in there and show my face, the sooner I can slip away.

As Blake hangs back to talk to the irate council members, unimpressed by my vague plans and refusal to stay where they can watch me, I extend an elbow to Zoe. She slides her hand gracefully through and looks down at the floor to hide her amusement.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" she asks as I lead her out of the boardroom toward the steady thrum of noise, knowing full well the answer is no.

The jumble of scents assaulting me is too much. I haven't been around more than a few, well-known to me, shifters at any one time before. My wolf is on edge already, and being bombarded by strange scents is not helping.

"Not one little bit."

It's the truth. And while I do want to get to know my nieces and nephew, I'd much prefer that to happen away from here. But this is my duty. I promised my dad I'd come here if needed, and that time has come.

Zoe squeezes my arm as we stand before the double doors that lead into the ballroom, and the din on the far side gets quiet, the shifters inside sensing our arrival.

"Well, it's about to get a whole lot worse."