Ain't No Rest For the Wicked
04-07-2018, 05:00 PM
She might have spat venomously at him, but Malleus was confident this approach was working. He was going to take her inability to remain composed as proof that she was malleable. That she felt threatened and vulnerable. That just maybe she was feeling cornered. He could work with that. Those seeds of fear were surely sprouting now. The words were barely out of Sparrow's mouth when Malleus began his reply. The answer was obvious. "I think if you value your life and the lives of your followers, you will. The Abraxas number the stars. We have two packs and countless rogue agents. Our homeland is hemorrhaging Abraxas. Our numbers here grow by the day. I'm sure you've heard of what we've done. The same will be done to you and yours if you don't submit." He paused a moment to search her gaze and suss out the state of her mettle. "If you submit peacefully, this I can promise you: no harm will come to you or your people. We will take Abaven as an outpost, a business hub, if you will. We will use your pack lands as we see fit and you will be free to carry on as you've always done. Some of our people will live among yours, but they will be unobtrusive and under strict orders to be professional." Malleus paused again to gather his thoughts. "If you care at all about the safety of your packmates, Sparrow, you will do this for them. Your pack is small. Weak. Abaven will become part of us and if there is one thing you can count on it is that we take care of our own." |