The year is 1203, and Robert Cutnose, tired of war and lonely in his immortal existence, travels to a place he has avoided for centuries, the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, Constantinople. There he finds a city under siege from the crusaders of France and Venice, but dangerous elements of the Order lurk within their ranks as well. Seeking friends within the elite bodyguards of the emperor known as the Wolf Guard, he finds a decadent empire crumbling on the edge of defeat, propped up by the loyal and voracious warriors that share a bond with him, whose motto demands death before dishonor. Drawn into the desperate conflict against the crusaders, Cutnose must navigate the violent politics of the Wolf Guard and empire alike while seeking his place among the last pack of Ulfhednar. Surrounded by enemies, Cutnose must find a way to survive the relentless onslaught as all seek to secure the greatest holy relic known to men and wolves alike: the Black Chalice. As the winds of the mob shift, and the crusaders grow restless, the noose tightens among the Wolf Guard, and Cutnose must risk all if he is to save everything he holds dear including his adopted empire. But he only has one life to give. Will it be enough?