unknown povs
The dimly lit room hummed with anticipation. and the clashing of the auras from different powerful figures seated together can make a strong minded man wet himself. Hooded figures sat in a perfect circle, their faces obscured by the thick shadows cast by a single flickering lantern that hung from the ceiling. This was the kind of meeting that no one was supposed to know about, held in a location known to only a few.
At the head of the table, an imposing figure with sharp, cold eyes leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled together. His lips curled into a smirk as he surveyed the group before him. The tension in the room was palpable, but it was mixed with something else, confidence.
“We’ve already won,” he said, his voice smooth but laced with arrogance, breaking the silence. “The Rogue King, Brian, is as good as dead, and the girl will be in our hands soon. The traps have been laid. His forces are dwindling, and soon he’ll be nothing more than a ghost story told to scare pups.”
A murmur of agreement rippled through the group, though some exchanged wary glances. The head’s confidence was contagious, but unease lingered in the air. This was the Rogue King, after all, the most feared man in Ellorin. His name alone inspired dread for a reason.
“With him out of the way, we can finally consolidate power. No more rogue uprisings. No more threats to our supremacy. No more living in fear. The packs will fall in line, or they will fall, period,” he added, slamming his hand down on the table for emphasis.
One of the figures seated to his right cleared his throat nervously. “And… the girl with the powers? Cara, isn’t it? Are we certain she’s the one mentioned in the prophecy?”
The head chuckled softly. “Yes, Henry. Ease your doubts. I have a reliable source confirming that she’s the one. And to think she’s been right under our noses all this time.”
“But how can we be sure her powers are still dormant? And the Rogue King… are we certain he hasn’t caught on?” another hooded figure interjected, doubt evident in his voice.
The head scoffed, waving off the concern. “The girl is of little consequence now. Brian was our only real obstacle, and Ryder assured me that…”
Before he could finish, the door to the room creaked open, sending a cold draft through the chamber. The group turned, startled by the intrusion. A figure staggered into the room, cloaked in shadows, his breath ragged, his clothes torn and bloodied. The hood of his cloak was pushed back, revealing a face battered and wounded, his once-menacing aura diminished.
It was Ryder.
The room fell into uneasy silence, disbelief rippling through the gathered crowd. The leader, who had just been boasting of the Rogue King’s demise, stiffened, his smirk vanishing as he rose from his chair. “What is the meaning of this?”
Ryder stumbled forward, clutching his side, blood dripping from his fingertips. His eyes, still burning with defiance, met the head’s cold gaze.
“The plan failed,” Ryder rasped, his voice hoarse but clear. “I couldn’t… I couldn’t get her.”
A murmur of shock passed through the room. Some members leaned forward in disbelief, while others cursed under their breath, realising their supposed victory had slipped away.
“Failed?” the head repeated, his voice sharp with fury. “You were supposed to capture the girl with the special powers! You promised success!”
Ryder’s eyes flickered with frustration, and something more, resentment. “She was protected. More than we anticipated. After we abducted her, the Rogue King came charging after her. And Brian… Brian survived. He’s still alive, despite the trap. I underestimated him.”
The head’s fists clenched at his sides. “You said he would be dead by now! You assured us there was no way he’d survive the ambush!”
“I did,” Ryder snarled, his voice growing more ragged. “But something went wrong. The girl… She’s more powerful than we thought. She broke the silver chains, shattered them like they were nothing. Something awakened inside her.”
The room fell deathly quiet.
“Impossible,” one of the hooded figures whispered, shaking their head in disbelief. “No one can break chains laced with wolfbane. Not even the most powerful wolves in history have…”
Ryder slammed his fist onto the table, the sound reverberating around the room. “I saw it with my own eyes. There’s something about her, something I don’t fully understand. But I do know this: we’re not just dealing with Brian anymore. The girl has unlocked her powers. Our worst fear has come to pass.”
The head’s face twisted with rage, his composure cracking. He turned to face the others in the room, a mixture of fear and anger flashing across his features. “You incompetent fool! Do you realise what you’ve done? You’ve exposed our plans to that madman Brian, and if he learns that his so-called slave has powers, it will be even harder to capture her again.”
“If the girl realises the full extent of her abilities, she could tip the balance of power and destroy everything we’ve built!”
Ryder’s jaw clenched. “I didn’t fail because I was incompetent. I failed because you didn’t give me the right information, the intel was wrong about the rogue king and the Omega”
A hooded figure near the back of the room leaned forward. “What do you mean by wrong information?”
Ryder’s eyes darkened. “You told me she was just a slave to the Rogue King, a powerless Omega. But when she was taken, Brian went into a blind rage, summoning the elders that are hardly concerned with the affairs of the pack and even risked his own life to search for her. That’s not what you do for a slave.”
“Is the Rogue King in love with an Omega?” one of the figures whispered.
“Or maybe he’s known all along that she’s special,” another offered.
Whispers erupted in the room, everyone throwing out their own theories.
The head of the table stepped forward, his voice cold and menacing. “I don’t care what excuses you make. You were supposed to bring her back. You were supposed to end Brian’s reign. Now, because of your failure, we have a war on our hands that we may not win.”
Ryder’s eyes flared with defiance. “If anyone’s to blame, it’s the one who let her slip under his nose. He’s the incompetent one.”
“How dare you!” the head of the table bellowed, standing up, his fury washing over the room like a wave of ice.
“Please,” a voice interjected, breaking the tension between the two. “Let’s focus on the matter at hand.”
Ryder didn’t back down. “I can still finish this. I’ll get the girl, and I’ll kill Brian. But I need more time. And I need more men.”
The head sneered. “Time is something we don’t have. The General is already questioning our strength and our usefulness. We need a new plan. Now that the rogue king is on high alert, it will be more difficult to capture the girl. You’ve put everything we’ve worked for at risk.”
Ryder’s breath was laboured, but his resolve didn’t waver. “If you want to win this war, give me what I need. I won’t fail again, i promise”
The leader narrowed his eyes. “It’s no longer necessary. Plan A has failed. It’s time to move on to Plan B.”
A wave of confusion and curiosity swept over the group, even Ryder was taken aback. The head’s expression darkened as he explained, “the rogue king is now on high alert, watching for an ambush. But Plan B is already in motion, the General made sure of that. and soon, the Rogue King will fall. When he does, all of Ellorin will bow to us.”
“Hahaha, yes, his downfall is at hand!” one of the figures cackled.
“All hail our wise leader,” echoed another.
The head, acknowledging the praise with a nod, turned to Ryder. “You are dismissed.”
Ryder, grim and silent, gave a stiff nod before limping out of the room, leaving behind an eerie stillness.
As the door closed, the head of the table sat back down, his expression hardening. “We must prepare for war. Ryder may have failed, but we cannot afford to lose this fight.”
A sinister gleam flashed in his eyes as he leaned forward. “We will plant seeds of distrust and watch as the Rogue Pack crumbles from within. Soon, Ellorin will be ours.”