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"No, sir I am not BUR, sir There is no pack in this city as I am certain your eminence is well aware We are under your lord’s jurisdiction"

Lyall nodded, crossing his arms "Yet, you are not one of the Woolsey Castle pups I would know"

"No, sir No pack, sir"

Lyall’s lip curled "Loner" Instinctively, his hackles raised Loners were dangerous: community-oriented animals cut off from the very social structure that kept thees invariably ca official lines, with Conall Maccon’s unexpected ascension to power the , violence, feasting on hue--that was the loner’s game They were erous

The loner clutched his hat tighter at Lyall’s sneer, hunching down If he had been in wolf shape, his tail would be tucked tight between his back legs

"Yes, sir I set a watch to this office waiting for the Woolsey Alpha to send soer told ht I had best come myself and ascertain if you wanted an official report, sir I aht for a little while"

"I am here on hive, not pack, business," Lyall adenuinely surprised "Sir?"

Lyall did not like being confused He did not knoas going on, and he did not appreciate being put at a disadvantage, especially not in front of a loner "Report!" he barked

Thenot to cower at the irate tone in the Beta’s voice Unlike George Gree capabilities "They have stopped, sir"

"What has stopped?" Lyall’s voice took on a soft deadly ti his hat about further Professor Lyall began to suspect the bowler ht not survive this interview "The disappearances, sir"

Lyall was exasperated "I know that! I just found out from Greemes" The man looked confused "But he is on vaone , sir You know, the Alpha hadthe coast round these parts; keeps us well out of London’s way Also ensures we stay busy fighting pirates rather than each other"

"So?"

The ht the Alpha had started and then stopped it It has been going severala culling, did you?"

"Packs never take to loners, sir He is a new Alpha, needs to establish his authority"

Professor Lyall could not argue with that reasoning "I have got to get ain, you will let us know immediately"

The man cleared his throat subserviently "Cannot do that, sir All apologies, sir"

Lyall gave hier in his cravat to pull it down and expose his neck defensively "Sorry, sir, but I am the only one left"

A cold shiver caused all the hairs on Professor Lyall’s body to stick up on end

Instead of going on to Brighton, he caught the next stagecoach back to London

CHAPTER FOUR

Our Heroine Ignores Good Advice

Alexia was e out of her own ho a late-night call on a va, proved an able ally in her transgression Floote had been Alessandro Tarabotti’s valet before Alexia was even a twinkle in that outrageous gentleman’s eye As such, he knew a lotor two on the organization ofmiss" out of the servants’ entrance at the back of the house He had her carefully shrouded in the scullery ed to stuff her into a hired caba stiff but capable silence all the while

The hackney rattled through the darkened streets Miss Tarabotti, mindful of her hat and hair, nevertheless dren thesash and stuck her head out into the night The , had not yet risen above the building tops Above, Alexia thought she could e of the darkness to parade stars and city lights before one last load of passengers For once, she did not envy theht The air was cool and probably unbearably chilly so high up; this was no surprise, as London was generally a city not celebrated for its bale finally stopped at a good-enough address in one of the h not an end Miss Tarabotti’s particular collection of acquaintances tended to frequent Anticipating a brief engagement, she paid the hackney to wait and hurried up the front steps, holding high the skirts of her best green and gray check visiting dress

A young maid opened the door at her approach and curtsied She was almost too pretty, with dark blond hair and enormous violet eyes, and neat as a new penny in a black dress and white apron

"Miz Tarabotti?" she asked in a heavy French accent

Alexia nodded, pulling at her dress to rid it of travel wrinkles

"Zi coht diz way" Thehallway She seerace and liquid e, dark, and cluh perhaps a touch more luxurious than most, and outfitted with every possible modern convenience Miss Tarabotti could not help but corove’s palatial residence Here there was randeur, the kind that did not need to display itself openly--it si shades of deep red, probably imported directly froo There were beautiful works of art hanging on the walls Soned with naallery announceany furniture showcased beautiful statues: Roods, anda corner, Miss Tarabotti was treated to an entire hallway of polished machinery, displayed much as the statuary had been and with the saine ever built, and, after it, a silver and gold e engine? Everything was perfectly clean and chosen with utter precision, each object occupying the space it had been given with inity It was more impressive than any museum Alexia had ever visited--and she was fond of museums There were drones everywhere, all attractive and perfectly dressed, efficiently going about the business of running daylight interference and nighttime entertainment for the hive They, too, orks of art, dressed in subdued elegance to match the tenor of the house, and collected with care

Alexia did not have the soul to truly appreciate any of it However, she understood style well enough to know that it surrounded her It made her very nervous She sht be considered too sihtened her spine A plain tan spinster like her could never coe of what assets she did have She puffed up her chest slightly and took a cale drawing roo off, her feet silent on the red carpet, her hips swaying back and forth