Third person's POV
At Chloe's command, a tense silence fell over the clearing. Then, one by one, the remaining Shadowpaw wolves began to lower themselves to the ground in submission.
A small triumphant smile played on Chloe's lips.
"Wise choice. Ethan, you and some warriors should secure the perimeter. Round up the survivors and kill anyone who shows the slightest resistance." She instructed the men who quickly nodded respectfully and sprung into action.
"Liam, you and some men should come with me. I am going inside, I know his wife and children are inside there, hiding." Chloe said to Liam who nodded obediently. But before they could surge forward, a moderately big grey wolf whose color had been stained with blood, appeared from the corner of the Alpha's manor they were headed to.
Immediately the wolf saw Chloe, he shifted into human; the only son and heir of Alpha Garrett. He was the same age with Chloe but since he was a man, he was huge and way taller.
"You will have to get through me before going in there to attack my family." Kenneth said firmly and Chloe let out a choked laugh.
"Get through you first? Kenneth, the way you said that as if it is a big deal is very funny and ridiculous. You should know it won't take one of my warriors more than a few minutes to take you down." Chloe said and scoffed in mockery.
Kenneth's nostrils flared in anger at the mockery.
"You have really underestimated me, Chloe. You should come and check for yourself what I can do." He spat at her.
"You? I don't need to check anything. You are too insignificant for me to deal with. Have you seen the state of your father? Did you see how his head was rolling around the spot I stood?" Chloe asked him, raising an eyebrow.
The information shocked Kenneth who was just learning about his father's death. He had thought his father was still inside the manor where there were heavy guard. That was where his mother and his sister were also kept, sheltered from harm.
"I didn't believe when people talked about how evil and merciless you have become until now, Chloe. What happened to you? You were a sweet, fragile girly girl when we were still kids." Kenneth stated, subtly recounting how close they were at childhood.
They had been friends, close ones at that. Their parents' friendship had been transferred to them and they were all happy and everything was good.
"You really don't know what happened to me? Oh, clueless Kenneth, where should I start from? Should I start from how your father and his co conspirators decided to sacrifice my mother and the child in her womb for their evil, dark cause?" She bellowed at the man.
"Sacrifice? You don't know what you are saying, Chloe." He retorted, shaking his head vigorously, not believing her words. Chloe let out a dry chuckle at his reaction.
"You are so clueless. You have no idea how deep the whole thing runs, do you? Well, that is not the only reason I am standing here today." She said and paused to stare at his face before continuing.
"I am here because your Alpha refused my offer of protection and was disrespectful to me. I am here to claim your territory. It is either you surrender and accept me as your leader or you lose your life right now. This very minute. As I don't have time to waste with you. I have better things to attend to, such as dealing with your mother and sibling." Chloe informed him casually as if telling him about the cool weather.
"I can never surrender to you. I am the Alpha's heir, who is going to lead this pack after my father's departure. I won't allow you to take my pack from me." Kenneth replied to her, firmly.
Of course, it wasn't as if he believed he was strong enough to dare the fierce, ruthless woman standing elegantly but fiercely before him. He was actually hoping Chloe would still be able to remember the beautiful moments they had shared together as childhood friends before everything changed overnight.
"Very well, Kenneth. You have made your choice. So, which one do you prefer? A quick painful death from me or a slow painful one from my warriors? Well, either ways you are going to die painfully." Chloe informed him with a smirk.
Kenneth's heart sank as he realized she wasn't actually bluffing.
"Chloe, have you really forgotten about all those moments we shared..." He was saying emotionally but the emotionless Chloe cut him short as soon as he had started. Her face was as cold as a snowball.
"We shared those moments together then, not now Kenneth. A lot have changed. Now, choose how you want it to be. I don't have all day." She snapped at him, impatiently.
Liam, who had been beside Chloe all along, cleared his throat, he wanted to talk but he decided against it and just watched on.
The warriors behind Chloe were on their toes, waiting for their Alpha's command and they were expressionless.
Kenneth gulped, a flicker of fear and determination flashed across his face.
"I would prefer you to do it, Chloe. I would love to see you try." Kenneth challenged her. He was betting his life on the bond they had shared years ago. On the memories that seemed to have faded away.
Liam's eyes narrowed on Chloe, wondering what her decision would be. They had all grown up together and were good friends. Liam could remember how closer the duo were. It was obvious they liked each other so much and were protective of one another.
Some pack members had even predicted that they would be mates. But the incident that happened ten years ago had changed everything.
"Chloe..." Liam had mumbled under his breath. He wished she would just allow another warrior to deal with Kenneth as he knew it would definitely hurt her if she should finish him by herself.
"Unless, there is no iota of humanity in her anymore... I hope there still is, even if it's a little." Liam wished desperately in his mind.
However, he was disappointed when Chloe smirked dangerously and in a blur of motion, was before Kenneth, gripping him by the throat.
"You should have surrendered when I gave you the chance. Sorry to disappoint you but I am no longer the Chloe you used to know." She said to him, thoroughly enjoying the fear that was showing in his eyes.
"You desperately wanted me to remember the moments we shared, but it seems you forgot about them when I was lonely and mourning the deaths of my family and beloved ones in my pack. I didn't see you besides me because you forgot right?" She said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"I...I s...swear I wanted to come but..." Kenneth trailed off, obviously not knowing what to say and Chloe chuckled sadly.
"Goodbye, Kenneth. Farewell to all the memories we shared." Chloe stated and within a twinkle of an eye, Kenneth's blood stained her claws. She had dug them into his oesophagus.
She dropped his lifeless body to the ground ruthlessly and Liam exhaled shakily.
"Let's go finish this, it is becoming boring." Chloe said to her warriors. Immediately, they followed behind her as she headed ruthlessly but elegantly to the Alpha's manor.
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"Please spare our lives. At least remember the relationship our families shared..." Carolina, Alpha Garrett's wife was saying but Chloe didn't allow her to finish the sentence before silencing her. To death.
"I am really tired of hearing that word 'relationship'." Chloe grumbled as the woman dropped dead. She had dug her claws into the woman's oesophagus just like she did with her son, and ripped out her tube.
Alpha Garrett's second child, Kylie saw her mother dropped dead and shrieked. Then she burst into a full blown sob.
"Oh girl, I hate that girly shriek." Chloe snapped at her, feeling irritated.
"Please spare my life, I am ready to surrender to you. I accept you as my leader. Just don't kill me please." Kylie desperately pleaded for her life amidst sobs.
A satisfied smirk spread across Chloe's face and she nodded at the younger girl.
"You have made a wise choice, congratulations." She said to the girl.
"And we are done here." Chloe announced and howled, signalling to her warriors that the war was over and they had conquered.
As Chloe strode out of the Shadowpaw pack's main settlement, Ethan fell into step beside her.
"An impressive victory, Alpha." Ethan said, his tone respectful but tinged with awe.
Chloe's eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
"Victory? Oh no, Ethan. This isn't victory. This is just the beginning." She replied to him with a smirk.