It took a moment for Grady to start speaking again. "The pups belonged to our alpha's sister, a respected woman in our pack. She was already dead by then, as were her mates."

"And Thomas? Your alpha?" I asked.

"He was there. Weak. All of us were from the effects of the poison. Faust explained the rules of CKR and chose Archer to play it."

I sucked in a slow breath and shifted uncomfortably on the couch. "How do you play?"

"Faust told Archer ...