23 Cold-Blooded

♔ Flynn (P.O.V)

"It's not over!" Flynn yells at Tristen, his former king.

Tristen continued walking, Eustacia in tow right beside him. Sadness filled the pit in his heart, a sadness he hated. Perhaps he didn't hear him. Perhaps he did, and he chose to ignore him. Either way, Flynn's ready for this shit to end.

"Gedeon, Iev, meet me in the war room. Now!" Flynn howls through the pack link, as the anger and sadness gripped at his soul.

"Flynn? What just happened?" Flynn had just turned around and started to make his way to the war room when she interrupted him.

"Emma, nothing happened." Flynn walked over to Emma, who was dressed in a strapless red dress. Carefully holding her right cheek in his hand, he strokes her face with his thumb. "I promise."

Tears fought at the bottom of her eyes, begging to be released. "Who was that wolf?"

"It was no one," Flynn coos.

"Please don't tell me it was who I think it is. Flynn, you said you got rid of her. You marked me not her!" Sure enough, he knew he marked her. The proof rested right there on her neck. A small blue outline of his name danced across her skin. It wasn't an extravagant marking since she wasn't his mate, but it was something. Flynn, however, didn't let her mark him. He was still Eustacia's, for whatever reason that was.

"Alright," he sighs defeatedly, " it was Eustacia. She's my mate Emma, and I'm struggling so hard in my mind. I just wish it would stop."

Once he mentioned it, it was clear how bad he looked. His eyes had endless bags under them, and because of it, he looked lifeless.

Emma drops her head, almost as if she was ashamed of his words. "You chose me as your mate. I'm your mate!" She howls, pointing at the marking on her neck. "Why can't you just fucking let her go! You're not her mate anymore!"

"Don't say that," Flynn whispers under his breath.

"For the love of the Moon Goddess, Flynn. She has a second chance mate! What makes you think she would accept the one that marked the person that almost killed her?" Emma pleads, trying to get her point through.

"You're right. All I have to do is get rid of you like I should have done in the first place." Flynn states in a monotone voice.

His eyes turned bright red as he slipped his hand from her cheek down to her throat. "I'm going after her, and I'm taking that silver spoon-fed bastard down."

"Flynn, please don't" Emma grabs at his hands, trying to loosen them. Instead of letting go, Flynn tightens his grasp on her petite throat.

"You're fucking insane!" She squeals as her throat is being squeezed tighter.

"I've been insane, my dear. Why do you think my wolf left me?" A wicked smile dances across his lips. Flynn squeezes as hard as he can, shattering her neck into many fractures.

"Maids! Dispose of the trash please," he orders.

Four maids, in classic maid attire, rush into the pits where her body landed. Quickly they pick up her body and start to take off with it. Where to wasn't his concern as long as she was out of the way.

"Thank you," he says as they leave his sight.

"Back to business," he mutters to himself as he makes his way to the war room.

~~

The war room was plain since nothing covered its white colored walls. The floor, a gray rock tile, has nothing decorating its surface. Not even a potted plant, instead it has a single table that was used for mapping out plans.

Gedeon stood behind the table, waiting patiently it seemed. His large stature had been squeezed into a formal suit, one that almost made him look like a circus monkey. His black hair hadn't been slicked back today, instead it had been left loose and fell down into his face.

Iev, Flynn's head warrior, bowed once he entered the room. She had been standing beside Gedeon, the tall 6′5″ brute made her look like a small mouse. Her muscular build, and brown pixie hair style, almost made her resemble a guy.

"Gedeon, reach out to Raoul, the alpha of Storm Hunters. Tell him that it's time and that his assistance will be appreciated," Flynn motions for Gedeon to hurry up.

"Yes, alpha." Instantly picking up on his hint, Gedeon rushes off to contact the other pack.

"Iev, how are your warriors?" He questions, tilting his head slightly.

"They're ready Alpha Flynn. We have been practicing with the weapons you received after dominating the Shadow Thorn pack," she states, standing stiffly in place.

Flynn had ravaged the Shadow Thorn pack a few years ago. Although they were aligned, their bond was failing after he took over as alpha. Their alpha's didn't trust him for whatever reason, and he didn't let it bother him. When he asked for help creating weapons like theirs, they refused. With no way to get his hands on the craftsmanship, he sent rogues and hunters to get what he wanted. By any means necessary.

"Good, good. Go have your men fill the claws with wolfsbane, and make sure they're careful. Those things are silver, and the wolfsbane combining could hurt them. I kind of need them alive." He emphasises the word alive, most of the good warriors are air heads. Most would be dead in a day if left alone.

The claws are weapons that slide over their wolf forms paws. With four individual silver nails, they hold hidden compartments for poisons. With one single spring loaded into the very tip of the nails, once it makes contact with its prey it injects the liquid.

Rubbing his chin he mauls over strategy ideas. "Have you talked to the hunter's chief?"

"I have not spoken to him alpha, he left pack grounds earlier today. Something about important business, but his son is here. I think his name is Ruston." Iev points towards the door, "I could go get him for you if you'd like. He has the same amount of pull that his father does."

"Yea, go ahead and grab him. Hopefully, by the time you get back, Gedeon will be as well."

"Yes, alpha," she bows once more before leaving out the door.

"What's the best way to go against you, pretty boy?" Flynn whispers to himself, tapping his fingers on the war table.

Examining the war table, he notices papers litter it. Flags of three colors decorate the board, and they are: red, blue, and green.

"These papers won't work," he sticks his thumb in his mouth and begins chewing on it. A nervous habit he can't seem to shake.

Grabbing all loose papers, he lines them up and beats the bottom edge against the table. One. Two. Three. Four hits against the table edge. Effectively getting them even. He eagerly sits them in the top right corner, in a very neat pile.

"Better," he mumbles under his breath, not expecting a response.

"What's better?" A males voice asked, surprising Flynn.

Whirling around almost as if his life depended on it, he realized who it was. Gedeon.

"Damnit, man! Why are you so fucking sneaky!" He hadn't heard Gedeon approaching from behind him, most likely because of the papers.

"My bad," he apologizes. "Flynn, we have a problem."

"It's fine, just try not to do it again. I'm hella on edge," he frowns, "what's the problem?"

"Raoul has broken off the alliance, says he won't be joining the fight."

"What kind of bullshit is that? I promised him power, and a rank beside us when we take over. This has been the plan since day one!"

"He apologized for backing out, but he's afraid it won't succeed. After watching Tristen fight, he got scared. He doesn't want to risk his pack's safety." Gedeon rubs the back of his neck, avoiding Flynn's gaze.

Flynn's blood started to boil. How could he promise something then back out on him? "I'll deal with his ass after we win."

"Of course you will," Gedeon forces a smile.

~~

Footsteps can be heard coming toward the room, but instead of one, it's two. The war room's door swings open as Iev and Ruston pop easily into the room.

"My alpha, I brought him as you requested," Iev bows once again.

"You can stop the bowing," he points at her in a bowing stance, disgust plastered on his face.

"Thank you for bringing him," Flynn flashes a slight smile.

"Of course, alpha," Iev responds like a broken record.

"Ruston, your hunters will listen to you the same as your father right?"

"I mean, they should. They don't like taking orders from me," he smiles awkardly, shifting his footing.

Flynn rubs his left hand up his cheek in annoyance. "Alright, well your father should have them already informed of everything going on. I just need you to tell them that it's been moved up."

"Oh, that's easy enough then," he sighs in relief.

Flynn shakes his head in disappointment. First his allied pack ditches, and now the chief is nowhere to be seen and his incompetent son is in charge.

"Iev, you're to have your men prep the claws we got from Shadow Thorn. Make sure they're nice and sharp, and every one of your best fighters has them. Fashion some for me with both liquid silver and wolfsbane. It might come in handy."

"Yes, alpha," Iev nodded her head in understanding.

"Gedeon, you go do whatever since the other pack is out of the picture. Ruston, gather your hunters and make sure their weapons are loaded."

"Yes, sir."

"Alright, scram. Once everything is prepared, we will go over the game plan. I'm taking that title, and my mate back," he growls.