In a market flooded with paranormal stories populated by kick-butt heroines and primitive alpha males, it takes quite a bit to stand out. It’s not enough for an author to just tell a compelling story. The characters have to be memorable, the world-building tight and unique. Fortunately, Eileen Wilks' latest addition to her Lupi series succeeds in bringing together all of these elements.

The lupi are a race of wolf shifters who are subdivided into groups known as clans. Each clan is led by a “rho” and has a wolf that acts as a sort of liaison to the other clans called Lu Nuncio. Rule Turner, the son of the Nokolai clan’s Rho and the clan’s Lu Nuncio, is also serving as a de facto rho for the Leidolf clan. Rule’s life becomes even more complicated when a Leidolf clansman goes on a rampage and kills several people. He and his fiancée Lily Yu, an FBI agent, are not convinced that this is an isolated incident of a wolf losing control.

They know something nefarious is afoot when Rule’s brother Benedict catches Arjenie Fox skulking about their clanhome. Arjenie works for the FBI as a researcher and is part sidhe. She must convince Benedict, Rule, and the Rho of her benign role while protecting secrets of her own.

This is a continuation of Rule and Lily’s story while devoting a large portion of the book to the blooming romance of Benedict and Arjenie, a story I found very sweet. It provided a nice contrast to the intensity and darkness of the plot.

Arjenie is such a great character. While I love heroines who take charge and are always in control, it is so refreshing to read about one who is a bit more hesitant in her role and yet incredibly brave. Even when faced with an impossible situation she does not devolve into fits of self-pity, merely calmly accepts and does what needs to be done. It was this quiet strength that made me like and identify with her.

I had a bit of trouble getting into the story as initially I kept comparing it to the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs, which I adore. I was afraid that I would continue my mental comparison, but after a few chapters I realized that Ms. Wilks has created a unique world with a different take on werewolf rules and politics. It’s a world that I will be happy to revisit in future installments.