Page 8 of Thief

Nolis approaches. He’s the only one who dares, though I’m not known for biting Beta heads off.

“Alpha,” he greets me.

“Etin Reg, Nolis. Do you have urgent news for me?”

He fists his hands. “Since last night?”

I glare.

He lowers his gaze. “We sent a Beta female into the trader’s house. She will attempt to join the servants already serving the Horde.”

“So you have no news.”

“None, Alpha.”

“But you want something from me, or you wouldn’t have banged on my bedroom. What is it?”

“The last of the shipment is arriving at the Ohala port.”

I grit my teeth. “And the Horde patrols the port?”

“Yes, Alpha.”

“How many?”

“Um… How many what?”

“How many Horde males patrol the port?”

He widens his eyes. “Three males.”

“Proceed as planned.” I extend my hand. “Inder, anyone?” Why is nobody serving me this fine morning?

Nolis stands there, blinking.

“Am I not communicating clearly?”Inder!

“But the Horde is at the port.”

“So?”

“So we may get caught.”

“We are thieves. It’s an occupational hazard. Did you only just now assess the risk of getting caught?”

“I hoped to dump the shipment.”

I take a deep breath and count to five, aggression simmering under my skin, making my armor itch to erect and kill anyone who defies me or with whom I need to argue. Though I’m an Alpha, born and bred aggressive, I also pride myself on self-control. Nolis is an asset, and I’d suffer many years of underperforming replacements until I found one like him. I don’t want to have to deal with replacing him.

“How many people live in the village?” I shout.

Nobody answers.

This is starting to piss me off. “How many?!”

“Two thousand,” Nolis says.

“Two thousand and three,” I correct. “Moliara and Keine had babies, didn’t they?’

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