When her mother dies, young Amyke is sold into slavery, forced to toil in the beer-shop she should have inherited.
She hides her face when Muru--the handsomest woodcutter in their city of Alalalk--comes by. If she could, she'd welcome Muru's kisses, but she's only a slave. If free, she could open her own beer-shop, smile upon Muru, and count herself the luckiest girl in Alalakh.
Worse, she's now of age, and must offer her virginity up in the temple, as is the law of the city. She's always dreaded the thought of temple service, but what choice does she have?
All her troubles become small, though, when a werewolf chooses her as its prey.
It stalks her at every turn. Her attempts to flee lead to the death of her mistress at its teeth, and Amyke is inherited by an even worse mistress. Disaster follows disaster.
When the day of her temple service comes, she finds herself in the perfect trap: she must wait in the temple courtyard until a stranger chooses her, but the only one who will come for her is the werewolf.