Mated to alpha triplets at all-boys school Chapter 227

Him pov

I stand in front of a large oak table, the map stretches out on top of it. It’s an old one, but the only map that is precise to the smallest of details, not like the new age shit. Every wrinkle and fold on the paper marks years of battle plans, ambush sites and victories that most of these men and women weren’t alive to even witness. 

Carefully, I run my fingers over the faded ink, tracing the edge of the first that lies to the north, the very place I think that bitch is hiding from me. 

Ashley.

Her name doesn’t bring up pleasant feelings, it doesn’t taste sweet on my tongue if I ever decide to utter it. Quite the opposite, it leaves a bitter aftertaste in my throat. 

She is a stain of dirt, a problem, a fucking loose thread that has to be cut. In her throat, preferably. 

“Do we have confirmation of the current location?” I finally ask, not bothering to look up from the map, my eyes still zeroed in on the part of the map I think she might be hiding. 

Around me, the other hunters lean in closer, all of their eyes fixed on me, staying silent like they’re waiting for my next move. Some appear eager, while others are cautious and a small number of some don’t appear bothered in the slightest. 

All that aside, every person in this room knows it’s better not to question me. They are nothing compared to me, they’ve achieved nothing compared to my accomplishments within his organisation. I’ve led many before them to victories they could never imagine and I’m fucking proud of it. 

Pulling my hand away from the map and stepping back from the table, I let my gaze scan the room. The group of hunters are gathered in the room like a pack of true wolves, most of them looking like they’re ready to pounce, all they need is permission to do so. 

Some of the older, more experienced ones, wear their scars like badges of honors while others hide themselves under layers of armor and leather. None of them are strangers to the bloodshed of the beasts, regardless if they have scars to prove that or not. 

“Her name is Ashley Kingston,” I start and pay extra attention to their reaction. “She is young, maybe around nineteen years at best. But age doesn’t matter. This woman might appear as weak and harmless at first, but she’s nothing of sorts. She is the chain link we’ve been looking for - connected both to bears and wolves. Somehow, for some goddamn reason she’s the glue between them. A bridge, if you will, since both sides are desperate to have her. If we take her out, we take them all out.” 

There is a reason why I choose my words carefully as I address the hunters. None of them deserves to know my personal agenda regarding this girl, but if I frame has as the main target, all of them will do their best to help me find her. As the saying goes - all is fair in love and war, and war is what I prepare for.

I keep watching them as the hunters start whispering among themselves, none brave enough to speak up just yet. 

For a while, the only sound in the room is that of their whispers, until one of the younger hunters steps forward and clears his throat. “Do we have any information about the company she might be having as we speak? We know she slipped away during our ambush, but how sure can we be that she hasn’t found a new layer of protection? She’s like a rat in panic right now.”

I nod, acknowledging the question. “I believe she might be heading back to, or already has met the bears. She’s not safe with the wolves, even their king, so she’ll go for the next best thing.” 

“In that case, do we have any idea on the bear’s numbers? I’m willing to do anything for our cause, but going in blindly just to be ambushed by hundreds of trained supernatural warriors sounds like a suicide scenario to me.” He sounds nervous, but I have to give him credit where it’s due - he has a point. 

Stepping closer, I grin when he doesn’t flinch away. I’ve seen his kind before - flesh blood, hungry for carnage and action, yet unsure if he’s fully ready to face what is waiting for him in the shadows. That’s fine, eventually, he will learn. 

I keep watching him, silent, letting the silence settle between us. Seconds tick by and when every set of eyes is trained on me, I speak again. “Numbers don’t matter to us. Supernaturals thrive on strength and the fragile sense of loyalty they love to preach. We will take their strength from them. We will shatter the delicate sense of their loyalty. By losing her, the bears will lose their trust in their own abilities. In their ability to stay strong and united. After all, what is a group of bears if they can’t protect a little girl?” 

“But she’s just a girl,” another voice joins in. It’s gruffer, clearly older. 

My eyes dart to one of the older hunters. It’s one of the rare men I would trust my life with. Lars, a man whose bare hands have taken down more werewolves than most youngsters here could count. 

Although he’s talking back to me, he’s not throwing a challenge. Lars knows better. 

“She’s more than just a girl,” I retort, pinning him down with my glare. “Somehow, the creature you call ‘just a girl’ has managed to become their future. She is some sort of a symbol for them all. The bears are putting their lives on the line to protect her and we all know they don’t protect anyone but their own. Wolves do the same. Who is she, then? Really, just a girl? I think there’s something unusual, special about her. If she’s not this or that, why are they dying to have her as theirs, then? I believe that alone tells you everything you need to know about the importance of her role in the supernatural world.” 

The room falls silent again. Lars nods, clearly satisfied with my answer, so I turn around and return to the table to scan the map again. 

“She’s hidden for now. But I don’t believe that will last for long. Bears are arrogant in their core. They believe they can keep her safe. Trust me, soon, they will slip up, they’re underestimating our power.”

I glance at the hunters, waiting for any remarks, but there are none, so I continue. “Here’s the plan - we send in a small unit first. Let’s take our shadows, they’re quiet, fast and most importantly, lethal. At first, we don’t do anything rash, so we can’t go for the full-scale attack. I believe it’s best if we trick them out of their hiding. We could make them believe the attacks are about territorial disputes, not coming from us. Once they decide to fight back, we’ll follow them until they lead us straight to her.” 

Lars clears his throat again and I grin. Whatever bothers him enough to step out of the line has to be good. “With all due respect, while I think this approach is brilliant, I must ask something important. What if Constantine appears?”

The rest of the hunters exchange confused glances, so I have to clarify the details first. “To anyone who doesn’t know this, Constantine is a pretty notorious bear shifter. I wouldn’t say he’s a public figure, but many supernaturals admire him. That man managed to build a bear pack, which in itself sounds impossible since bears are loners. I haven’t met him in person, but the man is a myth.” 

“If he’s a myth, why would we worry?” The younger hunter interjects. 

“Because we have spies all over the place and that particular myth happens to be as real as you and I both are. And as for your question, Lars,” I grin and turn to him. “If he comes, he dies. Only if we can afford the luxury, of course. Our main target is the girl. I want her alive. Keep in mind that empires don’t collapse with corpses.” 

More whispers, these tense and worried. I get it, this group has hunted many beasts - wolves, vampires, witches and whatnot. But bears? Bears are something else. It’s not just their strength that worries me, but also their stubbornness and inability to give up even if they’re losing. 

“Are we clear on the plan?” I double check with them and everyone nods. “Good, dismissed. Lars, stay.”

The hunters leave me and Lars alone. He steps closer to the table and studies the map beside me. “You think all of this is worth it? All this for one girl?” 

I glance at him and shake my head. “It isn’t only about her. It’s about our chance to finally finish a never ending battle. They are a pack of animals, all of them. I want to rid the human kind of those beasts once and for all. Once the wolves and bears are gone, the balance will be broken. Then, we get rid of the leftovers.” 

Lars arches an eyebrow. “But what if you’re wrong? What if she isn’t some magical key and is, in fact, just a girl? What then?”

“Then she dies and we move on to our next target. Simple as that.”