Desperate to distract my brain from the contrary signals I was getting from Mira, I scanned the restaurant until my eyes finally settled on something else that I could talk about. “Are they all part of the Rainer family?” I asked as another server came out of the kitchen carrying a pair of plates and headed toward an old couple.

“Most are, but less than half are also part of the pack,” she replied, her voice lifting to its usual volume. “Can’t close the place because it’s a full moon.”

Our server returned with my water and tea, and then asked for our order. When I hesitated, Mira made several suggestions, indicating that we were at least staying for dinner. I had assumed that Barrett would prefer to get Mira out of his restaurant and on her way as quickly as possible. Either Barrett was not opposed to our presence, or he was more concerned with keeping up the façade that we were a normal couple in for a quiet meal.

Until the food arrived, our conversation stayed light, with Mira spinning one story after another about her time in Savannah. Her love for the city and its people was evident in every word she spoke. This was her home, and it was as much a part of her as the heart that lay still in her chest. It was a little surprising considering her carefree, cavalier attitude about everything else in her life.

When our plates had been cleared, Barrett Rainer finally appeared, wearing a dark suit and hunter-green tie. He stood close to six foot, with a stocky build. His hair was dark burnished gold and he had narrow copper eyes. An air of authority surrounded him. There was no mistaking that he was the Alpha of the Savannah Pack.

“It’s good to see you again, Mira, he said, his deep voice rumbling in his barrel chest. There was a tension in his voice and running through his taut shoulders that made me doubt if he was truly happy to see the nightwalker. A few months ago, a number of lycanthropes had been killed when the naturi had been in town searching for Mira. Barrett had lost two brothers in the struggle and most likely held Mira personally responsible.

“Hello, Barrett,” Mira purred, smiling up at him. “May I introduce a friend of mine? Danaus, this is Barrett Rainer, proprietor of this wonderful establishment.”

Sliding to my feet, I took Barrett’s hand and shook it. His rough hand was warm and I felt a faint ripple of power surround him. He was strong, and powerful for a lycanthrope. The species wasn’t generally known as magic users, but there was no question he had a strong connection to the earth.

“Yes, we’ve met,” Barrett said grimly.

“Really? When?” Mira demanded, her brow furrowing. An unexpected tension crept into her voice.

“He briefly stopped by the town house a couple months ago just before we left for Peru,” I replied.

Mira frowned, the memory undoubtedly slipping back to the forefront. “Oh. Yes.”

“I’m relieved to see that your prediction proved to be false,” Barrett said, releasing my hand.

“So am I,” I said. Just after throwing him into the refrigerator, I had informed him that Mira was going to die in Peru in order to protect everyone from the naturi. She nearly proved me right.

“Regardless, it’s good to officially meet you, Danaus. Mira has never introduced me to her friends,” Barrett said.

“That is because I am very cautious about the friends I make,” Mira interjected.

“And Danaus is an interesting choice for a friend, from what I hear.”

Mira shrugged her slim shoulders. “I am drawn to men of honor.”

“Would you join us, Mr. Rainer?” I asked, hoping to redirect this conversation away from me. I was growing extremely uncomfortable with the trend I was seeing. First, the gathering last night and now a formal introduction to the alpha male of the local pack. It felt as if Mira was carefully weaving an intricate web about me, but I couldn’t see to what end she was working.

“Call me Barrett, please.”

“I wish to thank you for agreeing to meet with us,” I said.

“It’s not a problem. I’m always happy to make time for Mira.” The smile that crossed his lips as he looked down at Mira didn’t reach his eyes, and it looked stiff and forced on his face.

Barrett slid into the booth across from me so that Mira sat between us. I returned to my seat and tried to appear relaxed. Beside me sat a vampire and across from me was an extremely powerful lycanthrope. And both knew I was a hunter. I had definitely been in more dangerous situations, and oddly enough, most involving Mira, but neither creature could do much while we were surrounded by unsuspecting humans.

“How is the family?” Mira opened. Her hands were settled in her lap, just beneath the white tablecloth. I was beginning to realize they easily gave away her anxiety as she struggled to still her nervous fingers.

“We are still adjusting to our recent loss. My mother and sisters have returned to town and are happy to be home again. We are still adjusting to our newest arrival as well.” Lines crept into Barrett’s face, stretching from his eyes and around his mouth in tension. “I hope you are not planning to give me a new bundle.”

“Nicolai is strong and intelligent,” Mira swiftly said. “Has he caused you problems?”

“No.”

“Has he questioned your authority?”

“No.”

“If he had applied to the family, would you have accepted him?” Mira pushed, sitting forward as her voice dropped closer to a whisper. After Mira had staked her claim on Nicolai in Venice, she immediately shipped him here along with Tristan in an attempt to protect both their lives. While she could force the resident vampires to accept Tristan, Nicolai Gromenko had been another matter. He had to take his place in the local pack, which meant getting past Barrett. Apparently, Mira had called in a favor. A big one.

“I might have, but I don’t recall being given much of a choice,” Barrett said in a low, deep voice that seemed to rumble across the table.

“Nor was I,” Mira softly said, sitting back in the booth again so that her back rested against the supple leather. The table fell silent as our server brought over a glass of wine and set it before Barrett.

“Nicolai Gromenko is a good, compassionate man,” I said, drawing the lycan’s hard stare back to me. Mira placed her cool hand on my wrist. Her thumb brushed across the inside of my wrist across my pulse in a caress.

Thank you. The two words whispered across my brain.

Barrett nodded to me, some of the tension easing from around his mouth and eyes. “I have no complaints regarding Nicolai beyond the means of his arrival. I am cautious.”

I could not blame Barrett for his caution. Regardless of whether Mira realized it, I had no doubt that Barrett knew that Nicolai had either been the alpha of his last pack or had been born to be an alpha. You couldn’t have two in the same pack. Either one had to leave soon or die.

The lycan’s gaze drifted back to Mira, who pulled her wandering hand back to her lap. “But you did not come to discuss Nicolai, did you?” Rainer continued.

“No.”

“The girl?” The question slipped past his thin lips in a weary sigh. “A few members of the pack work at the zoo. I’ve been hearing bits and pieces of rumors.”

“Someone from the pack was called to examine the bite marks,” I said, talking mostly to myself as I shook my head. I hadn’t expected Barrett to be so well informed on what was happening with the investigation. But then, was it any surprise that Mira had contacts in the morgue and Barrett had people on the inside at the zoo? It shouldn’t have been.

“Nearly. Our man was out that day and another went to examine the wound. He heard about the findings later that night and reported to me.”

“What are your thoughts on the matter?” Mira inquired, her tone even and neutral.

Barrett paused in the act of lifting his glass to his lips and both of his eyebrows rose at the nightwalker in obvious surprise. “That’s it?” he said returning his glass to the table without taking a drink. “I thought you were here to claim the head of the wolf responsible for this mess.”