On the eve of a brutal murder in contemporary Manhattan, Alexander Devoncroix realizes that he must tell his son, the ruler of the pack, the truth -- a truth that could change life as we know it, and may have resulted in murder.

And so he brings readers into the world of elegant, powerful creatures we call werewolves, and tells the story of three pivotal players in 19th-century Paris: young human Tessa LeGuerre, who falls under the spell of the very powerful, very sensual Alexander Devoncroix; Alexander, the charismatic werewolf who adores humans too well, but whose loyalty is to the pack; and Elise, the imperial leader of the pack who lays claim to Alexander. Accepted by select members of the pack, Tessa naively embraces all things werewolf -- an ambition that results in unspeakable tragedy for both their world and ours.