Before I Rise

Unknown POV

The smell of fear hit me as soon as the doors behind me opened. The closer they got to me, the more tangible the smell became. Good, they should be afraid. They have failed me. I gave them one simple task and they couldn’t even accomplish that. Why must it be so hard?

They stopped walking and waited for me to say something to them. I didn’t bother to turn around to face them as I spoke.

“Did you accomplish what I asked you?” I already knew the answer to my question, I just wanted to know if they had the gumption to lie to me.

They took a few seconds to answer me, “No, we did not find it. However, we did accomplish wiping out most of the pack. Though the Alpha is still alive.”

I turned around to face them, trying to keep my anger in check. They quickly looked down, afraid to make eye contact with me.

“Well how nice of you to do that. But as I recall, I did not ask you to wipe the pack out, I asked you to find it! I do not care about a measly pack! If you walked in here expecting praise from me, you will not be getting it. All of you are wasting my time!”

The one that spoke before took a step forward and cleared his throat, trying to calm himself down. The fact that he was shaking like a leaf almost caused me to smile in satisfaction.

“We believe that we are close to finding it. There’s another pack in that area, with your permission I would like to start sending out scouts again.”

I took a few seconds to think about my options. I could send them to scout and see if its there, or I could get rid of these rogues and find new, more efficient ones. Both options would take some time, time I did not have. It took me long enough to tweak their blood, I was not sure I had the time to do it again on new rogues. The clock was ticking. I needed to find it, otherwise my plan would be ruined.

I looked at the group in front of me again. I wasn’t keen on working with the rogues. They were reckless and barely had two brain cells to share between them. However, make a few promises to them and they are putty in your hands. They would do anything I say. They also fear me, which means they’ll never betray me.

“Fine, send some scouts to the other pack. Report back to me as soon as they find something.” They began to leave before I stopped them. “Oh and by the way, if you fail again, I will eradicate you.” The smell of fear hit my nose like a ton of bricks, this time I did smile.

I turned my back to them as they left. Once the door shut, I began to rethink everything. If it wasn’t in the Blood Moon pack, it had to be close by. I took a glance at a map I had sitting on my desk that had all the packs in their respective places. Taking the marker I circled one that would be next. If it took burning down every pack to get what I wanted, so be it.