Bloody Ransom

Beauregard did not like this. His fur stood on end, gaze flicking over each member of the wolves that had gathered here. When a wolf came to answer him, it was a purple and white furred woman. She gave him the barest of nods, but Beau had never been the sort of man to lord his title over others. She gave a name to the wolves gathered here; The Syndicate. A name that was stored, and he would wait, watch, and listen as she continued to speak. They came to return his boy but there were conditions to his return… and how Beauregard chose to meet those demands would affect how his son was returned. That brought the slightest of growls bubbling in his throat. The man was a father, a protector, before he was an alpha.

But charging in against so many opponents would be a deathwish. Beauregard’s fur bristled, but he would not allow his anger to rule him here. They wanted his crown, his lands… a title that had never truly suited him. The last raid with those vikings had proven that he wasn’t meant to be a leader, and his pack wasn’t going to survive if more fights like that were going to happen. While kind, Beauregard had gathered wolves who… were not fighters. Those who had handicaps and his other children. And this wolf seemed to do her homework, threatening not just his son, nor him, but the entirety of his pack should he refuse their demands.

He could hold his own in a fair fight… but Beauregard doubted these wolves were going to fight fair. A man, their leader, was next to add that their resources be left behind. Fine, they were just things anyway… but then… then he dared move to loom over Nolan. A snarl ripped from Beauregard’s lips as he took a step forward, snapping at the man. “A title, lands, and possessions mean little to me in the grand scheme of things, but if you dare move even a hair on my son’s body you can have them when my body is dead and cold.” His blue eyes flashed, shooting toward the woman who made the demands. She wanted conditions? Fine, he was going to counter with his own!

“IF your word can be trusted, you leave my wolves out of this, and you will find no resistance. Have my crown, the lands, our resources… But the moment The Syndicate brings harm to any of Norad’s wolves I will turn to retaliate. You may have seasoned fights, but I’m no greenhorn myself. You may emerge victorious, but not before risking your own to be forever marked by my fangs and claws.” Beau’s gaze flicked back to the purple man. “You give me my son, and I’ll strip off my weapon and leg wraps here and now. They will be laid before you as a sign of our agreement. But the boy comes to stand with me first.” He drew in a breath. “...and I’m not foolish enough to run. You’ve enough wolves here to catch both of us before we made it far.” Some additional reassurance for them. He knew the terms… but would they accept his small conditions.

"Speech," 'Thought.'