Outside a neighbouring village, bored guards dragged their feet, kicking up dirt, the wooden gates to their pack standing behind them. Two did their rounds while the other four played with cards and cracked jokes. Their laughter erupted, Joslynn bent low to the forest floor, her eyes squeezed shut, a mental command ran through her mind.
Fur sprouted from her hands as her fingers’ bones clicked and altered their shape for paws and she fell back onto her hind legs. Her eyesight sharpened. The Alpha guards came into view, the sound of their merriment grew louder, her furry black ears perking up at the sound. Joslynn inhaled deep, wincing as a new piercing sound she couldn’t distinguish but found it unsettling.
Torture wasn't the best background noise and it was atrocious that it had haunted her waking hours for these past few days. She was finally done scoping the strength of this new pack base.
A midnight-coloured blur cut through her line of sight, the figure steadying as the massive wolf blocked her view of the gates. Sloanne, her second-in-command, sauntered forward until his muzzle touched her own. She squinted her eyes at the creature; she maintained eye contact long enough to connect with him. In the smoky depths of his pupils, she could make out the shape of his soul. The blue fiery smoke of it shined back at her. She opened her mind to his—
Predator of Alphas, Sloanne, son of Dashon greets you.
May the Moon Goddess guard your heart, I am listening.
I’m done scouting. Battle preparations are ready for tonight. The time is ripe for your next orders.
The bond momentarily meshed their minds together. It was a blessing from the moon goddess to show her favor of her race of werewolves.
These Alphas hadn't realised it yet, but they wouldn’t live to see the next moonrise. The others she killed in the past were the same. All of them, so carefree and stupid. Baring her fangs, she stretched and prowled back to her camp in a pleasant mood. This was it.
Frigga awaited her with a towel, and clothes cradled in her arms. She had turned twenty winters recently. This was her third year in Joslynn’s pack. Her former Grand Alpha crawled on the floor and as he bled out Frigga tapped her shoulder, asking if she could join them. She cooked them meals and did their laundry to express her gratitude. Joslynn couldn't break Frigga’s habit of serving others so she made sure to help out instead.
She’d sometimes send the others to take on a large portion of Frigga’s workload. Frigga wasn’t here to be anyone’s maid. She wasn’t going to be treated like a Beta under Joslynn’s watch. Betas were lower class wolves, they served Alphas and made up most of the wolf population. Their previous king exploited his father’s heroism to oppress and enslave many Beta wolves.
The Alphas were the upper class—only wolves born from certain bloodlines were allowed the respect of a Alpha. They had titles and land in the pack. Joslynn hated them for that, more so, she hated being regarded as a Beta. Each time she killed an Alpha she enjoyed their whimpers and watching them cower. The weakness they showed her was mind-boggling when she first started but now it became addictive. She had soon gained a pack from the Alphaless Betas who didn’t know what to do. Her pack was different, they weren’t forced to obey because lineage or customs demanded it to be so. As their leader, she had proven herself worthy of her position.
“Jos, are there many of them?” Frigga asked.
Six per entrance, Joslynn answered, sending the thought through the pack bond.
Then Joslynn entered her tent, once inside, the pin-needle feeling came over her as she transformed, becoming a human again. She took her time dressing and released a soft whistle.
The guys began filing in. Ogarr and Ty, stoic as always, were the last to walk in. They headed to the back of the tent and the pair laid down by her cot.
Harry plopped down across from her, Sloanne took a space to her right and Ronan settled in on her left. They were smushed together around her small wooden circular table.
“I’ll go gather some firewood, please excuse me.” Frigga cast her a worried look before pulling back the flap and walking outside. Through the slit, the rebel leader kept her eyes on Frigga’s retreating figure until she was out of sight.
After everyone got comfortable, Joslynn began, “They’ve lowered their defense. So let’s go over the plans, some things have changed.”
Ignoring their confused expressions, she pulled a cloth map and laid it on the table. Her eyes followed the winding black ink on the map until she found the destination she wanted to pin.
Picking up a thumbtack, she trailed her index finger past those dumb dragon’s volcanic dwelling, Stormaais.
“This is where we’re heading to Varrym after we’re done here.” she said, her finger hovering over an area near Alffatir.
Sounds of disapproval and excitement came from the men.
“What? Why are we going there? Joslynn, it’s too close to the castle. You know well enough why that’s a risky trip.” Sloanne’s words earned him a blank stare. If it hadn’t been for their discussion the night before she would have fallen for his ploy.
“You’re gonna do this again? You came up with the idea. I'm the one who told you it was risky.”
“Yes, you did. But you still haven't answered the question.” His voice brimmed with jesting. He jokingly bowed his head.
The Beta leader shook her head a little with a smile on her face, Sloanne was a riddle all on his own.
“I understand the dangers. You don’t have to remind me of this. That’s why we aren’t going inside the kingdom’s walls, but close to it. We’re running low on food and we need a place to lie low for a while. Varrym is the only sanctuary left for Betas to go.”
“How do you even know that?” he asked.
His question coaxed a laugh so loud, Jos had to clutch her stomach. After some time, she composed herself enough to answer.
“I have my sources.” You’re the one who told me, idiot. Her smile was infectious and sugar-sweet.
“And they are reliable, yes?”
She chuckled, paying him no mind while she went back to pinning tacks into the cloth.
When Jos was done, she dusted off her hands and gestured toward the map.
“So,” she said, “what do you think?”
Sloanne stuck his entire face into the map and asked, “What are we even looking at?” His tone was riddled with impending questions.
Shooing him away, Jos pushed him toward the flap of the tent. She couldn't take him seriously and she shouldn’t have to put up with his stupid questions for this entire meeting otherwise they would get nowhere. It was taking too long already; the sky was growing darker. Night was charging forward, uninterrupted. Scattered chuckles came from behind her.
“Go help Frigga. Be gone, brainless.” Sloanne flashed her a grin as he ran off in a general direction.
“Okay, Ty and Ogarr. You two take the patrolling guards on the inside of the pack. I’ll need Ronan to handle the Betas. Offer them comfort or help, whatever is needed. Check the basements for captives. Harry…” Jos met his eager stare. “You can cover the front and back entrances with Sloanne. I will go after the Alpha.”
“As expected from you, Alpha predator,” Harry said. His humorous tone was grating on her nerves today. It was too soon after he interrupted her kill of that last Grand Alpha. The one who sold newborn Beta pups. She growled at the memory. There were a lot of horrors she couldn’t undo, no matter how many Alphas she killed. It didn’t change the fact that Harry stole that kill from her and if he was anyone else, he would be dead. But Jos liked Harry. He was a lot like her. He was familiar with a certain amount of darkness and they had that in common. She summoned that part of herself to the surface often with seldom regrets.
Joslynn tried to read their expressions, searching for any signs of anxiety. Ogarr and his brother, Ty laid flat on their backs. Their eyes fixed on the ceiling of our tent. They were both tossing yarn into the air while the other caught it. Their game repeated and became hypnotic. Joslynn barely managed to tear her gaze away. Those two were fine, she didn’t expect much nerves coming from them. Harry flashed her a ravenous smile. He was definitely thinking about blood and guts, for sure. Coming as no surprise to her, Ronan’s eyes were the only ones that shifted. Jos sighed.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
“Come here.” With a firm hand on Ronan’s shoulder, she said, “Don’t worry. Someone needs to look after Frigga, she can’t hold down the camp alone.”
“B-but you promised, I’d join this time.” He thrust his chest out with a small smile, and said, “I’m ready.”
She nodded, the sliver of determination in his eyes convincing her. It would be enough to get his claws red, when he sunk them into a Alpha’s eyes for the first time and that adrenaline rush consumed him. The realisation that they were just like him. That belief of strong Alphas and weak Betas would dismantle in his mind. Jos wanted to be there when that worldview alteration occurred to him, but she’d be busy with this pack’s leader.
“Alright, boys,”—clapping her hands—”Let’s hunt some Alphas.” Ty and Ogarr took a long look at the map before leaving the tent behind the others. Frigga’s tired face greeted them on their way out. Jos walked over to her, taking the pot from her hands. “How is the hunt for food? Did you and Sloanne find anything?”
Frigga’s tight smile excused her from answering. Joslynn cursed. We had to end this hunt now. A couple rabbits would do just fine for the seven of them, she hoped they found something edible soon. They were all tired and hungry. Their water supply was running low. Jos ran her fingers through her tawny auburn hair and gripped their strands.
“So who’s next on the list?” Sloanne asked, rubbing his beard.
Schooling her features, Jos dropped her arms to her side and entertained him.
“This slimy fat bastard, Walter Fleming. He used to work in the castle under the duke. He de-fangs his wolves and he's commonly known to massacre them, young or old. Only to request new imports from the king.” She gestured for Ronan to pass the binoculars that were on a table behind him—handing them to Sloanne.
He growled.
“I could shoot him now.” He pulled his sniper up and tracked the Alpha’s movement. Joslynn laughed and took it from him, causing him to lift his head and meet her gaze.
“We don't need to rush. I want to see him face-to-face.”
It’s been days since she’d gotten a wink of sleep, their hunting spirits becoming impatient, insatiable and starved. It bled into the pack bond that linked them. The only one who didn’t seem agitated by any of this was Harry. A smile was glued to his face as he jabbed punches and kicks in the front of the guys’ faces. His false blows didn't land. The only one to flinch was Ronan. Harry changed his target to inanimate objects when he accidentally tried to do this near Sloanne. Sloanne almost knocked his head clean off. Both warriors were agile and strong. She tried imagining them in a serious battle. Joslynn tilted her head. Sloanne…? Harry…? She shrugged. They’d both lose against her and that was really all that mattered. Harry was now bouncing up and down, making circles around a nearby tree. Before he could smash his fist through the trunk, she called out to him.
He gave his leader a sheepish smile, scratching the back of his head. “Sorry, Jos. The nerves are getting to me.” He was practically ready to start the raid now. He really needed to chill. She contemplated whether she should knock him out and wake him when it was time. It was nearly night, so that wasn’t an option. Frigga approached Jos from behind, her arms filled with a stack of firewood. Placing them down beside her, Frigga sat on a small stool made of pine wood and grabbed her half-knitted sweater.
“Preparing for winter already?” Jos asked.
“Yeah. I hope this is the last time we go hunting. We don't have enough to keep going. We have to return home. This is getting us nowhere.”
She was right but…
“One last kill,” she promised.
Jos lifted her hand in the air, making the sign of war. They surrounded her in the blink of an eye. Frigga gathered her hair and tied it in a simple ponytail. Jos turned back, and they were in position, waiting for her command. She sprayed the Nyme elixir she’d swiped from the last Grand Alpha’s home, it would cloak their scent. They all put on masks as Sloanne and Harry ran ahead, tossing noxious gas bombs at the front gates. Within the smoke, Harry wielded his sword and sliced three heads off. Now that's a way to start a riot. Joslynn smiled as she ran inside the gate alongside Sloanne. Ty and Ogarr had branched off toward the side entrances, dragging Ronan with them as well. Entering, she frowned at what she saw. Junk crowded the pathway. There were wolves living outside.
The cabins didn't look any better. Their doors were open and hanging off their hinges. The insides were empty aside for more junk. Dilapidated. Most homes they passed didn't have roofs. The wolves walked the streets. A couple of teen wolves were hanging out against a gate, chatting. No canines in their mouths. They looked skinny and malnourished, their weary eyes tracking their movement. The teens shrank under their gazes. There was no other explanation for this.
Anger boiled inside her.
I can see a big house ahead. It looks clean. Sloanne's thoughts entered her head.
Jos nodded and ran ahead.
It was the Grand Alpha’s home, a green two-story mansion, well-kept with white flower boxes under windows. His door had a bronze knocker. His porch was swept and had two rocking chairs on each side. She walked up the steps and kicked in the beautifully-crafted door. Startled noises came from within. When Jos crossed the foyer, there were some fumbling sounds from above.
She gave a sarcastic laugh as she took in the couches, coffee tables. Someone was cooking in the kitchen. Another wolf straightened the couch pillows, pausing in his duty, he noticed her.
“Who are you to disrupt the Grand Alpha?” he asked, his voice quivering. A brave one.
“Go home. All of you!” Jos shouted, injecting power into her voice. The wolves scattered.
Thundering and rapid steps descended the stairs accompanied by a high-pitched voice.
“Stanley! I told you no one is to disturb my afternoon nap. Were those orders not clear?” His massive body emerged and his eyes widening when they fell on hers.
“Who are you? Are you a new Beta? I've never seen you before. Where is Stanley?”
He squinted at her. “Are those fangs I see?” he asked.
Not responding, she walked to the kitchen and grabbed the pot that was still brewing on the stove. There was soup inside. Jos picked up the pot and walked back out.
“Oh, is it supper time, already? I'll excuse your insolence this time. You seem new.”
She sloshed the liquid on his face.
He screamed in horror, holding his burning face in his hands.
“I’m not a member of your pack.”
“What?” he asked, incredulous. The flesh was already beginning to heal. “You're killing my guards. I can feel their presence fading from my mind. Their screams are all cut short. I thought it was those blasted Betas, but you're good. You really killed my men. Do you know how hard it took to get Alpha soldiers as guards?”
“Of course.” The Alpha charged toward her at a slower pace than Jos was used to. His weight must have been bearing down on him. She smacked him with the pot when he was finally in range. This was fun and easier than she’d imagined.
“A bastard like you doesn't deserve to live! You de-fanged your Beta servants while calling yourself their superior! Is this the way your king should rule his kingdom? Is this the way he should handle a vermin like you?”
“How dare you speak of our king that way! Who gives you the authority to utter these words? Our king would never. He protects his Alphas because we are stronger, dominant and more efficient than you Betas could ever dream of being,” the Alpha said, “Your hands are covered with the blood of my brothers. I heard of you. You're the Alpha predator. You and your pack are worthless Betas. It’s a surprise no one has wiped you all out.”
She opened her mouth to retort but his hands were shaking and his voice had cracked. For such a proud and ‘strong’ Alpha, he sure had weak nerves. She grabbed his thick throat. His inhales became sharp and desperate.
“These worthless Betas will bring an end to you and your tyrant king. I will make sure of it. You are not stronger than me.” Crushing his windpipe, she watched him choke as saliva dripped from his gaping mouth. Jos savored the look of surprise and anguish on his visage. “I will personally resign every last one of you ‘Grand Alphas' and then your beloved king is mine to kill.” She punched her fist through his chest and yanked out his heart. It pulsed in her hand once before stopping altogether. Joslynn stared at the bloody organ for a moment, before biting into its flesh. She devoured the Alpha's heart. His power didn't consume her immediately. It was just a drop compared to the strength she gained from eating the other Alphas’s hearts before him. But how was a man like this able to enslave so many?
Sloanne appeared. Jos raised her head before returning to lick her hands, she kicked the dead body of her recent kill. Should she shred his body up or leave it for the Betas he spent his existence terrorising? Her mind wasn’t yet made up when Sloanne walked over to her and sat down, pulling her hands from her mouth. Jos snapped her head toward him. Slo…Sloanne? “What?” she asked.
He shook his head and peered deeply into her eyes.
“Are you okay? How do you feel?” he asked.
Jos tilted her head at him, confused as to who spoke to her. Her thoughts flickered in and out of her head, but mostly, none came. Her mind was blank. Nothing coherent shook her back to conscious thinking until Ronan came running inside, his panting breaths stealing her attention. He crashed into the couch, tumbled over it before falling in front of where Sloanne and she sat. He was such a klutz. The thought came to her with ease. Energy was buzzing off of him, his excitement palpable and a prideful smirk unmistakably stamped on his face. What was prideful about that fall just now?
“I killed one of those Alpha bastards.”
She gave him a sardonic smirk.
“You? You killed someone.” Jos looked over at Sloanne who laughed.
“Yeah, I bit his fucking head off.”
Ty and Ogarr walked up behind him.
Ty came over and gave Ronan a comforting pat on his back.
“It's okay, kid.”
“No wonder, I only killed five,” Ogarr said faintly.
You don't have to stick up for him, she sent the thought to Ogarr. She hadn’t intended to bully him so Ogarr’s comment was unnecessary.
Jos walked over to Ronan and put her hands on his shoulders. “Even if you didn't kill anyone, I'd still let you join the hunts.”
Who is your favorite perspective character so far?