Chapter 29

Chapter 29

It didn’t take long to get to Jessop Town in my wolf form. I shifted back just as the woods ended near the town, where there was a cave with a stash for warriors of the Fullbright Pack. I pulled on my usual warrior’s garb, fitting it to me like armor, and a cloak to hide my face. I needed information before I decided what to do.

“I am Bl oody Kora. I reminded myself again when I felt my aching heart throb traitorously in my chest. The further I got from Hale, the more the st upid, useless thing ached.

‘Maybe there’s some explanation, a soft voice in my head whispered as I weaved through the last of the trees and began walking towards town.

I strangled that thought as soon as it slithered insidiously through my mind. An explanation? Really? He was on top of and INSIDE Giselle when I caught them! “Bl oody Kora. Blo ody Kora.” I murmured, rubbing my temples. I let the apathy run through my veins, freezing away any emotion I might have left.

To hell with Mason Hale.

“Are you lost, honey?” a man whistled my way when I entered Jessop Town. “Do you have a death wish?” I seethed.

The man was drunk and had just left a prostitute panting in an alley as far as I could tell. But this was Jessop Town. When you got done with one d*rty form of entertainment, there was always some other fun to be had.

“Aw, don’t be that way. Why don’t you give us a smile?” the man said, walking straight up to me and grabbing my arm.

I didn’t have time for this. I kneed him in the groin.

The man squealed and doubled over.

“Take a hint next time,” I growled, stepping over his prone form to get to the

nearest tavern.

On the edge of town, the Wolf and Rabbit was the most bustling of the establishments in Jessop Town, and the one rife with the most gossip as a passing travelers’ watering hole. If I was going to find information about the Shadowmoon Pack, this was the place to start.

I pushed open the door and was overwhelmed by the scent of booze, hashish, and

S**.

A buxom barmaid with a tray of beer eased her way through the crowd. “Need a table, hon?”

“Yes, thank you,” I replied.

She pointed to the corner. “Only one free. Waiting for someone?”

“I hope so.” I started in the direction of the table.

“What’ll you have?” the barmaid called after me.

“Whiskey,” I called back. Then I settled myself at the table with my back to the wall. It was a perfect location, with a good view of the room and the door.

I’d barely gotten myself settled, however, before someone plonked themselves in front of me.

“Blo ody Kora,” the woman said, laughing under her own hood. “As I live and breathe.”

I sniffed the air and grinned. “Kate Welsh. I didn’t know you’d been assigned here.”

Kate snorted. “You mean you didn’t know they never recalled me home? It’s been. years! Still with that mate of yours who swept you away five years ago?”

It had been a long time. My heart squeezed again at the mention of a mate, but I grit my teeth against it, pouring the acid of betrayal over it to burn it away. “No.”

“Oh. Sorry to hear that. He was a looker.” Kate leaned back in her chair and stretched.

The barmaid set a whiskey down in front of me, and Kate eyeballed it.

“Drinking on the job, I see,” she laughed. “Okay, I’m game. I’ll have what she’s having.”

“I’m buying.” I added. I’d grabbed a few provisions at the cave, including enough money to grease whatever wheels needed greasing to get me to my goal.

“Even better,” Kate grinned. “So, you’re not with the looker. What brings you back to Jessop Town? Don’t tell me they reassigned their best warrior back to this. dump. It was a mistake the first time they did it.”

“The Shadowmoon pack is chewing away at our borders again,” I told her.

“So… then… what are you doing in Jessop Town? I figured you’d be out by Caswald…” Kate said.

“I need information.” I swirled my whiskey in the glass. I wasn’t sure whether to drink it to fortify me or leave it to keep a clear head.

“Okay.” Kate looked up and thanked the barmaid as she set a glass of whiskey in front of her. She turned back to me. “What kind of information?”

“I need to know where Alpha Shadowmoon keeps his prisoners,” I replied.

Kate rubbed the back of her n*eck. “Why, did he capture Alpha Hale or something?”

My heart panged again. I considered stealing a steak knife from the table across the way and cutting the stupid thing out. “No. He captured Shawn.”

“Your buddy Shawn Norman? Dang, I’m sorry,” Kate said. After a long pause, she pushed back her hood a little so she could look me right in the eye. “This isn’t a sanctioned mission, is it.”

I took a deep breath. “No.”

“You’ve gone rogue, haven’t you, Kate pressed.

“Yes.”

Kate nodded and sat back, looking thoughtfully at her whiskey.

“If you’re planning on turning me in, I can assure you, I can still beat you from here back to Fullbright.”

Kate was silent. My muscles tensed.

“You know,” she finally said. “I’ve always liked Shawn Norman.”

“He’s a good man,” I agreed.

“Thought maybe we’d be mated one day. Kate continued.

That was new. “Really?”

“Really” She slowly turned her whiskey glass back and forth between her hands. “Funny, handsome Quite a catch Of course, I was jealous of you until you found that looker here in Jessop. I suppose you’re mated to Shawn now.”

It was all too ridiculous. The stress of the past day finally caught up with me, and I started to laugh.

“What?” Kate asked.

“Oh, Kate. I need to tell you a story.” I chuckled.

“Da mn, Kora,” Kate said, half an hour later.

Both our drinks were still untouched, but I had paid for them, so the barmaid left us alone.

“So yeah, was rejected, then engaged, then mated, and now I’ve had it with the whole lot of it,” I summarized glumly.

“Giselle? Really? I never saw her becoming Luna…” Kate wrinkled her nose. “Goddess, what a gawdawful idea.”

“I don’t care.” I hoped I sounded more convincing to her than I did to myself. “They deserve each other.”

“Sure sounds like it. Well, alright, I’ll help you.” Kate threw back her whiskey, taking it in one gulp.

I nodded. “Thank you. Now, do you know who would”

Kate stood. “Well, come on, let’s get going.”

“Going?” I echoed, confused.

“To Caswald,” Kate replied as though I were stu pid.

“You…. you’re coming with me?” I gaped.

Kate gripped my arm and hauled me to my feet. “Two rogues are better than one, I’d say. Especially in this situation.”

“Kate, you don’t have to go rogue. You know what it means-” I began.

“I know what it means.” She shrugged. “Right now, it means I get to help a friend save another. And who knows? If I’m really lucky, maybe the Moon Goddess will see fit to make Shawn Norman my mate.”

If I was lucky, the Moon Goddess would see fit to reunite me with my father as well.

My eyes stung with unexpected emotion. I yanked Kate to me and hugged her. “Hey! No need to get sentimental. You’re Blo ody Kora. You have a reputation to uphold,” Kate mumbled into my cloak.

I pushed her back, but still held her shoulders and grinned. “Thank you, Kate.”

“Yeah, yeah. Now, tell me they still put beef jerky in that sack…” Kate said as we walked out of the tavern together.

I was so angry, I couldn’t breathe.