She had wanted them to be gone for Varrym yesterday. That had been the original plan, but with the renovation of this broken pack underway and more work piling up at every minute, it was becoming impossible to stick to that. They were supposed to be several miles away by now.

  “Joslynn, have you seen Tygarr? I sent him to get some wood and he hasn’t come back,” Frigga said from the right side of her.

  Jos shook her head in response.

  I hadn’t seen him since yesterday, she sent Frigga the thought as Harry jumped in front of her with questions of his own.

  “What should we do with the dead bodies? Burn ’em like the rest?”

  Alffatir was off-limits to Betas; it was considered an Alpha-centric country. While Betas lived on the outskirts and in villages. They couldn’t even live the way they wanted with these Grand Alphas breathing down their necks. Joslynn killed her own Grand Alpha when she was fourteen winters and that day was the first time she got a taste for Alpha blood. The feeling she got from overpowering an Alpha was heady and addictive. There wasn’t any other feeling like it.

  These last two years, killing Alphas became her passion. It was everything Jos represented. She needed to continue. Us Betas need freedom and I can give us that if only there is a better way. Of course, there would be some who would fear breaking tradition or disobeying the king so much so that they went back into their captive lifestyle. Joslynn held no judgment toward either. The ones who suffered in Fleming’s pack agonized over the abuse they endured. They were forced to remain in their human form and serve him. They weren’t allowed to eat unless he was having company. The stories went on and on.

  News of her rebellion should have reached the narcissistic ears of King Grahaam III, but two years have passed and they hadn’t made a dent. She removed a Grand Alpha one by one, but there were thousands more to kill. There were too many to wipe out at once. Not to mention, they had Alpha guards. She needed to change her approach.

  “Okay, Sloanne and I will go to Varrym. The rest of you, stay and help Frigga here,” Jos announced.

  Sloanne found an inn for them to sleep in for the night.

  “Hey, get up.” Jos nudged him awake. He was a terrible sleeper, from the state of his disheveled covers alone, she could tell he had a wild night. The castle town and its proximity to the kingdom walls created worry for all Betas who sought refuge here.

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  “We’re going to go meet that faerie.” Jos tossed him the bottle of water she nabbed from downstairs.

  “Already? What about breakfast?”

  “Cook it yourself,” Jos said over her shoulder before walking out of the room and heading downstairs to the dining hall below.

  “What can I do you for?” the barkeep asked while cleaning a beer glass.

  “A cider for us both please,” Jos said, flashing the woman a quick smile.

  The place wasn’t crowded, it could have been because it was too early so only one or two people sat at the bar. This made it easy to spot the faerie and the white halo over her head that drew Joslynn’s eye. Her wings draped down her back, and she reached back, plucking an ombre black and lavender feather from her right wing. She twirled the feather around in her fingers.

  Jos walked over to her table and took a seat.

  The faerie gave her a warm, welcoming smile. Her eyes alight with familiarity.

  A crooked smile curved Jos’s lips and revealed her awkwardness. Does she know what I’ve done? Jos rubbed her palms on her plain blue sweater and then rubbed them together, suddenly feeling the need to wash them.

  “The Alpha predator has graced me with her presence and I am pleased,” the faerie said. “I am Lauren, what shall I divine for you today?” She shuffled the tarot cards in her hands while she spoke. Each time the cards rifled together, she looked at Jos with a glimmer in her eyes like the faerie knew her soul. The faerie’s spontaneous smile was sad.

  “I hear the cards revealed to you our king’s downfall. I am here to learn of it if you would please inform us.” Jos placed a sack of cash on the tabletop, sliding it toward her.

  Lauren didn't spare a glance toward it, instead that smile appeared again as she laid three cards with their backside facing up.

  She flipped the first card over before saying, “You seek the king’s bride. His…mate?”

  “His mate? He has a mate?” What a lucky bastard.

  “Oh, indeed. She lives with humans. Her name is Jacqueline Harris, daughter of Rogan,” she said. Jos was suspicious of her immediate and straightforward response. She had never personally met a romani faerie before. Jos had many arm dealings with faerie craftsmen. They made incredible weapons. Never heard any tales of a romani faerie not speaking in riddles. Guess that was what gained her popularity. Straight-shooters tended to have that effect.

  “They must have left when your King Grahaam II usurped the throne. Many have,” Jos grumbled, hiding her disgust. They chose to leave like many others. There had been wolves who crossed the boundary and to think their future depended on a queen who was one of them. That was upsetting, to put it lightly. “Find the queen and balance shall be restored.”

  Jos wasn't too keen on retrieving this queen now, knowing she came from cowards. While their people had suffered the queen was likely sheltered. She lived in another world than theirs.

  She pivoted towards Sloanne. “Learn everything you can about her. I mean, everything.”