“We’ve learned a lot,” Evander said. “No one in Luxoria can forge a retinal scan. That’s fucking human technology.”
Rielle gasped. “Are you saying the humans and betas are in this together?”
“It makes sense,” Charolet murmured. “They were training beta spies when we were trapped there.”
“If they can overturn the royals, take down the king, from the inside… they can take over Luxoria and use the betas to convince people to fall in line. Before you know it, they’ll have us addicted to the juice and becoming mutants just to survive.”
“Like the omegas from the Badlands,” Ashla whispered. “Just trying to survive.”
Adalai’s expression was grim but determined. “That won’t happen. Thanks to you two, I was able to get to the root of the treachery. Renaldo and his human army. Now, we just need to strategize.” He turned his hard gaze to me. “I don’t know anyone better suited to the task than you, Solen.”
“What are you saying?”
“I want you to guide our armies to victory against the humans and this uprising. You will have full discretion over the other generals and the border soldiers. Give me a way to defeat these assholes once and for all so we can live in peace. All of us, in peace.”
It sounded like a dream. Peace, after lifetimes of fighting. But… it would never work.
“You outed me as an omega. An omega in such a high position?” I shook my head. “They’ll never follow me.”
Adalai stood. “They will because—”
“Because we will,” Dagger finished. “You have always been our equal, and you still are.” He came to stand before me, hitting his closed fist to his chest before bowing his head. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Dagger was fully alpha, but here he was, allowing me to lead him.
Cassian came next, and then Evander, both repeating the symbol of respect among alphas. I nodded at them each, crossing my own fist over my chest.
I wasn’t alpha, and I wasn’t omega. I was something in between. And that was just fine, because it was going to take all of us. Alpha, omega, beta… and everything in between, to conquer our enemies and find peace.
The king was right. I knew exactly how to squash the beta resistance and their human counterparts.
How do you defeat any snake? You cut off its head.
In our case, it didn’t even matter which was the snake and which was the head. Humans or betas, it didn’t matter because a dead snake… was a dead snake.
Ashla
Chapter Sixteen
I’d outfitted many soldiers for battle in my time in the castle, but never had it been more important and more of an honor than now, when I would make sure Solen, Omega General from the East, was ready to take down the beta and human resistance.
It was personal. Someone thought I was disposable, to be used as a pawn in their game. In the grand scheme I’d only been given a sliver of responsibility, working in the armory, but my actions ensured the alpha soldiers returned home safely.
I didn’t have to gain the trust of the alpha army. I’d done that already, and it felt good.
“I’m worried about you,” I whispered to Solen as I fitted the bulletproof vest over his broad, bare chest. The device did much more than deflect bullets. It measured body temperature, heart rate, and could detect the presence of chemical warfare. Only the most important alphas had been fitted for them. The ones considered essential to the king.
Solen was most essential. My heart swelled with pride for him.
“No. Don’t worry about me, my little spitfire.” He leaned in close and kissed my forehead as I worked. The device had to be synced to the castle database, and I had a whole new set of codes to work with after the hack. “I’ve been training for this moment my entire life.”
“I’m worried how much else they know. I was a sacrificial lamb—”
“No, you weren’t,” he growled.
I tipped my head as I calibrated his gear. “The humans have no regard for us omegas. It’s so weird to openly refer to you as an omega. And I have a feeling they know your secret. Your body temperature is different than the alpha generals. If they could access my retinal scan, chances are they took a deeper dive into the system. Why would they stop at making an omega servant the scapegoat? You could’ve easily turned your back on me.”
I loved the way he rumbled in opposition. “An omega always fights for his mate. And a king always fights for his army. Adalai outed me for a reason. If the humans or the betas had done it, it would’ve caused division in the army, and the soldiers would have started another rebellion. Now I have the king’s endorsement, and his generals are fighting with me. Soldiers won’t defect, because they know they’re giving up the protection of the crown.”
“I never thought of it that way.” That part hadn’t made sense to me, because I’d had it so firmly ingrained in my mind that being omega could never be an advantage.
“The humans might’ve known you're my mate,” he said. “But I’m not sure how. I never revealed it to anyone. Or perhaps they saw you as the easiest target to incite division. A former armory keeper turned queen’s courtesan? If they know omegas, they know the queen would have been torn in two with a judgement against you.”
He was right. The only thing that kept Zelene from fighting for me was the trust she shared with Adalai. Well, that and being nine months pregnant. The humans greatly underestimated the bond between mated Weren.
“I never went to the Keep,
