"This is Korovic's doing, isn't it?"

Gabriel Moncrief didn't respond, his sky-blue eyes following Mr Fu and his entourage as they crossed the hotel lobby.

"Gabriel?"

He turned to the man at his side. "Don't think anymore about it. Whoever tried to destroy our relationship with the Fu family, failed."

Theo folded his arms across his chest, one blond eyebrow arched high. "You're telling me you'll let Ivan get away with it?"

"Get away with what?" Gabriel began walking down the wide steps that led onto the glossy marble of The Peninsula Hotel's palatial ground floor. The vaulted ceilings with its ornate cornicing added to the glamour of the Hong Kong hotel that was often referred to as the Grande Dame of the Far East. Gabriel didn't usually like ostentatious establishments, but this hotel managed to do grandeur with class.

Avoiding the lustful gazes of three women at the reception, he checked his watch. "We ended up getting the microchips at a better price because of all the trouble. If anything, I should be thanking Ivan."

"So you do believe it was Ivan that did this!" Theo stopped to smirk, his blond curls falling across his forehead, then he was rushing to keep up with Gabriel's long stride. "Hey, we had to fly all the way to China because of that asshole. You aren't really thinking of doing nothing, are you?"

"Watch how you speak of him, Theo, he is an Alpha."

"I beg your pardon, I mean because of that Alpha asshole. So if we aren't going to take legal action, we should at least steal something from his beloved art collection."

Gabriel shook his head to ward off a blonde who took a step towards them.

"Although, now that I think about it," Theo considered as they walked around a giant Christmas tree strewn with glittering baubles and snowflakes. "Ivan has terrible taste so we might end up doing him a favour by relieving him of something hideous."

Gabriel laughed at his cousin's sardonic tone. To outsiders Theodor Moncrief, Vice President of Lupus Corp, didn't appear to have a serious bone in his body. But Gabriel knew his friend well. For the past few months, Ivan had been causing trouble every chance he got, the incident with the Fu's the latest of them. Theo's patience had finally run out, and Gabriel understood. He might have been angered into taking revenge himself if he didn't have an iron grip on his emotions. Acting on feelings was for the weak.

"There is no evidence to link Ivan or any of his pack members to this incident."

"But won't leaving him alone just encourage him -"

"We will let it go." Gabriel cut him off. He was no longer speaking as a relative, friend or the CEO of Lupus Corp, he was speaking as the Alpha of the Moncrief Pack and Theo's demeanour changed instantly. His cousin nodded quickly, saying no more; the Alpha's command was never questioned.

Letting the power of his wolf recede, Gabriel gave his cousin a quick smile. "Don't worry, there is only eight weeks left to the board of directors meeting. Once the election is over, the troubles will cease."

"Excuse me," a tall scantily dressed model and her friend moved into their path. She struck a pose aimed at showing more of her long legs through the long slit in her skirt, then held out a golden square with Suite embossed across it. "Did you drop this room key?"

"No." Gabriel moved past the women with no hesitation, then cast a sideways glance at Theo, "Did you message the pilot to tell him we are on the way?"

Theo jaw had gone slack. "You really are something, cousin. I get that women are constantly throwing themselves at you, but those girls looked like Victoria's Secret models! Would it have killed you to speak to them for a few minutes?"

"The pilot?" Gabriel repeated, unwilling to indulge in useless conversation. He didn't waste time on human women, no matter how attractive.

"Your looks are wasted on you, my friend. Wasted!" Theo shook his head in despair. "If I looked like you..."

"Theo!" The warning in Gabriel's voice as clear.

"Alright, give me a second." Theo sighed, "Are we flying straight back to Boston?" He followed close on Gabriel's heels, his eyes now on his cellphone.

"Yes. Tell the captain to refuel in London, I need a few hours in Europe headquarters."

They stepped through the revolving doors and out into the bright sunshine. A fleet of black Bentleys were parked around the famous Tsim Sha Tsui water fountain at the entrance of the hotel, the white globe of the Space Museum rising on the opposite side of the street.

Spotting them, the valet rushed past the black cars to the sleek gold sports car at the end of the row. He was pulling the BMW X4 in front of them, when a female voice called out:

"Gabriel!"

Gabriel turned at the tug of energy.

Flanked by four bodyguards, Rosabelle Pong moved through the smattering of bystanders who hastily made way for the intimidating group. A few unwitting tourists lifted their phones, entranced by the queenly figure in the vibrant red cheongsam. They were stopped short from taking pictures by the hostile glares from her men in black suits.

Gabriel never quite understood why the Alpha of the Pong Pack felt the need to make her presence quite so overt, but she was good at putting on a show. As if her Alpha energy would not gain her enough attention, she had braided her long midnight hair with golden leaves and wore ruby encrusted talons on her little fingers in the fashion of ancient Chinese empresses.

"I received notice of your arrival, but are you leaving already?" Her English had only a hint of accent, her tone disappointed.

"Unfortunately, yes. There are things that need my urgent attention back in Boston." He opened his senses, then reached for Rosabelle's hand, brushing a kiss on the back of her knuckles. As expected, her thoughts that were difficult to discern only a moment earlier became easy to read; physical contact had always been Rosabelle's weakness. Such wide shoulders. So restrained and those lips. Red. Delicious. Gabriel sifted past her physical desires and found curiosity, uncertainty and something that bordered on affection.

"Reading my mind? I would admonish you on being unfair, but you know that for Pongs, power is the right of rule." Rosabelle pulled her hand away, casting a sideways glance at the man closest to her. Daniel Pong stepped forward with a slip of paper, passing it to Theo with a curt bow. "My people tell me your Michelin star Chef was poached. I have made a reservation for two at that address tomorrow. It is a small place run by a woman known as Māmā Fàn. My people have tried to persuade her to take over The Green Jade without success. I was planning on going myself soon, but if you can convince her to work for you, you may consider it my gift to the Moncrief family."

Gabriel understood Rosabelle's meaning clearly. Every Alpha was born with a power, a gift that few other werewolves possessed. Rosabelle had the power of persuasion, an ability that only Alphas stronger than herself could resist. This Māmā Fàn would not have been able to refuse her and if the Pong Alpha wanted her to be the Chef of her family's three-Michelin-starred The Green Jade, the woman had to be something special.

"I gratefully accept your gift and will do my utmost to convince her." Gabriel gave a short bow.

"But didn't you say we were leaving...?" Theo cut himself off at his warning look. His cousin had grown lax, speaking his mind beside him however he pleased. Most Alpha's did not tolerate being gainsaid by werewolves of lower rank. Rosabelle was one of them.

"Plans change." Gabriel said, trying to smooth things over.

"Indeed they do," Rosabelle took a threatening step towards Theo. If she wanted to hurt him, she would not have to lift a finger. At best, her men would give him a beating. At worst, she would mesmerise him to beat himself. Gabriel would never allow either to happen, but he wanted to keep peace with the Pongs. Not only were they the strongest pack in the region, they were influential in all areas of Chinese business. If Rosabelle put her mind to it, she could ruin the deal he just fixed within this very day. "You really shouldn't let your people get out of hand, Gabriel. An Alpha should keep a tight leash."

He didn't need to read Theo's mind to know his cousin was biting back curses. Gabriel smiled at Rosabelle, "I will keep that in mind."

Disarmed by the warmth in his look, she nodded and stepped back. "Since you will be here a while longer, you must join our celebration tonight. Daniel has made a newborn."

A newborn! Daniel was Rosabelle's younger cousin and had a reputation for his hearing range as well as his love for human women. The former made him an excellent informant. The latter had been drawing constant disapproval from his pack elders.

Turning a human could only be performed by Alphas and their closest kin; those with Alpha blood that packs referred to as Royals. While some packs regarded turning humans as a means to strengthening their bloodlines through variation and numbers, more traditional families like the Pongs boasted about their pure heritage. Turned wolves and their descendants were not welcomed into traditional packs. Daniel must have found a wolf mate at last.

"Congratulations," Gabriel said to Daniel.

"Thank you." Daniel kept his eyes lowered as he nodded.

"No need for such surprise. Plans change," Rosabelle laughed, then she reached forward with one gold talon, touching the navy button on Gabriel's blazer and letting her thoughts loose: I'm looking forward to tonight. She gave him a heated look, then raised her hand, signalling her men to move.

Theo took the car keys from him silently and passed it to a valet, while Gabriel watched the Pong's walk out of sight.

What does she want from you? Theo looked at him knowing Gabriel would be reading his mind. They would not speak out loud, not with Daniel Pong in the vicinity. The Royal's hearing ability was famous and he would have been ordered to listen for their reactions.

Gabriel turned on his heal, leading the way back into the crowded lobby. There was enough distance and noise now not to worry about eavesdroppers. "Ivan has approached her."

"Guessed as much," Theo grimaced. "The Pong's don't have a vote in the upcoming election, but they can influence those who do. Do you think she will side with him?"

"Rosabelle sees power as right to rule." Gabriel stopped at the check-in desk, locking eyes with a petite receptionist. "Two of your best suites."

She blushed, reading his name from the black credit card he put on the table. "Right away, Mr Moncrief."

"Then it shouldn't be a problem," Theo continued, lowering his voice after pushing his passport in the receptionists direction. "Whether it comes to strength in business or leadership, Ivan can't win against you."

"I'm not sure Rosabelle will see it that way." Gabriel's lip curled with irony, "After all Ivan isn't hampered by morality. And when it comes to getting what he wants, he won't let human laws stand in his way. She will see that as an advantage. Still, she hasn't made up her mind."

Theo's eyes widened. "You think she is going to test you tonight, don't you?"

Now his cousin was starting to get the picture. "She was careful not to think about what she has planned, so I don't know how. But she will test me, of that I have no doubt."

"I see." His humour restored, Theo shrugged. "You know, all of this is totally needless. The Pong Alpha has obviously just not gotten over your rejection of her. Why don't you sleep with her so we can go home?"

Gabriel raised his brows. "You have gotten out of hand, lately."

"What? Women go ga-ga over you. You should use it what you've got. I'm being practical!" Theo said, a picture of innocence.

Gabriel's eyes narrowed.

"Here are your room keys, gentlemen," the receptionist cut in, putting two small envelopes with their key cards on the table. Her eyes were on Gabriel as she continued. "If there is anything else anything at all...I've put my number on the back of your key."

Theo burst out laughing.

Gabriel turned away from the desk, muttering about being too lenient with ungrateful muts.