27 Knowles

Malakai's POV:

'I know you can't believe me but it's the truth. There was a vampire in Viv's room. He held Niall's phone for some reason because he was in there to take her phone. He's somehow working with Niall. For some reason brother Niall ordered him to take Viv's phone- but when you were in there... he done something with your memory.' Moro told me as I looked at my face in the creek's water. I splashed into it as I crossed it on all fours and ran for the other side.

'I believe you,' I told him as I panted. 'I just can't go telling people what I know right now. Niall doesn't know I know.'

'You want to keep it that way? What if he knows? He saw the mark that vampire left on you.'

'You're right. He probably know by now,' I groaned out. 'He will know you told me.'

'Vampires don't understand how loyal wolves can be,' Moro chuckled out.

I sped up in my run as I made it into the thick protection the woods provided for me. I was on boarder patrol again. Surprisingly they allowed me to do this alone. I got the orders straight from dad. With Innath dead, Cal and Viv missing, and Niall now on beta duties the patrol was missing quite a few paws on the boarders. We had to recruit new pack members. Ones that trained to fight. Their snouts weren't adjusted to picking up scents. So while they were being trained, I would be out here on the easiest side to guard- alone.

Alpha Brendon was putting more strength now on the boarders. Thanks to his Luna being abducted. I was surprised he didn't make us all follow him off to war. It's probably because he's gathering alliances from other alphas. He will not go into war alone against Lamia.

I lept over a dead tree in my way- landing swiftly on the ground. I was about to continue my run when I heard a metal trap shut. I howled in pain as I felt my leg snap. The pain sprung through my body and made me transform back as panic sat in me. I have to- I cried as my new limb's snap echoed through the forest around me. I looked at the trap on my leg and watched blood and bone breach my skin. I trembled as I looked over the device. H-how? Why? Why is there one out here in the pack's territory? Shit!

'ALPHA!' I screamed through the only link I could think of. 'HUNTERS!' I warned as I fiddled with the trap. The only way to unhook it was with a key- I rubbed my hand over the key hole and started to cry.

'IIt's okay,' Moro tried to calm me down. 'It's okay, we will get out of this,' he promised. I followed the chain it connected to- seeing it staked to the ground and started to dig and pull it loose.

'SEND MEN OUT TO THE TERRITORY MALAKAI IS GUARDING,' I heard Alpha's orders.

'We're coming,' I heard my father's protective voice.

'Hang in there, I'm on my way, Mal,' I could hear Niall's worried voice then.

I loosened the dirt around the rod in the ground only to find it kept going. It was burried in deep. Like it predicted this. Whoever put it into the ground here. I looked at my leg worriedly, seeing it trying to heal but failing. I looked around as panic sat in. I smelled the earth worriedly. Under the smell of my own blood I caught the familair scent of wolfsbane. A herb my mother warned me about when I was a child. I looked at the trap digging into my leg. No... Did.... someone... I touched the sharp edges to feel a sticky clear substance come off of it. I tensed up as I pulled the substance to my nose and smelled it. Wolfsbane. I looked towards my wound, seeing it's healing process stop. This stuff must be in my system now. I felt light headed suddenly.

'Mal,' Moro's warning voice was faded from my mind. He sounded distant. Almost like a wall was being put up between us. I smelled the stuff on my fingers some more- not sure what else there was mixed with the wolfsbane- But as I looked up at the tree line... the stars twinkled. The moon was only a few days away from being full. I looked up at it, wondering if the moon goddess could see this. Was she coming to walk me back with her now?

'I'm going to die here,' I thought as I listened to the ground around me. Howls were on the opposite end of the pack's territory. Weren't they coming to save me? They're so far away... I looked up at the treeline and felt my heart leap out of my chest. It pounded as I felt stuck in the same position. Unable to change or move as I looked up at the dancing shadows.

Oh Luna...

Those shadows look like demons.

Little dancing demons.

I was panicking now as I felt completely alone here. Moro's scent gone from around me. He crossed over without me. He didn't want to be here to see me die. My heart was soring in my chest. I couldn't settle down it's panic.I had nothing. I was naked and stuck in a fox trap. My leg broken and my spirit to dig my way out leaving my body.

My heart lept as I heard paws hit the trail coming my way. I picked up a familiar wolf's scent and recognized it as Niall. I sat up fast- my head spinning. It's my brother!

"Niall!" I yelled. "Over here! I'm stuck!" I told him. I heard a growl rumble through his chest. I had to squint as I looked in the direction he was coming from. Niall? I caught his dark stature running at me. I ducked down quickly out of instict. Like a bird- his length sored over me as he jumped. I heard his body impact something with a large crash. I wasn't sure if he was aiming at me at the time he first jumped but I felt relief wash over me as he hit something else. I looked over my shoulder and caught him fighting off a black cat. It was huge- a dark panther. It's hollar scared off bats in the area. I widened my eyes in alarm as the cat fought my brother and appeared to be winning. They tumbled until the cat had my brother's neck in its jaws and threatening a death bite.

"Enough," I heard a man's voice echoed. "Knight. You've caused enough trouble."

The cat rumbled in anger. My brother suddenly dropped unconcious in its jaws. I suspect from being unable to breath. I'm going to die. I wasn't even scared. I was impressed if anything. Curious more then anything as the cat dropped Niall and turned to look at me. I heard the fox trap unlock like a key freed me. I looked down to see it fall off. A puff of smoke coming out of it's lock. The cat walked towards me hesitantly. It's ears falling. It crept towards me. I couldn't move as it walked up and licked my wound clean. I still wouldn't heal properly but- the thought was meaningful. My leg closed it's open wound.

"Get on his back," I heard the same man's voice order. The cat turned on me and offered me a lift.

"I don't know you," I growled.

"I'm saving your life. Get on." This voice came from the cat. It was familar. I've heard it before...

"Who are you?"

"Marquis Knowles. One of the three. Now get on."

It was hard to place his voice. I looked around for the second voice I heard. I could see a shadowed figure stepping behind a tree. "Who is that?" I asked. Are they saving me from my brother or the fox trap? Both?

"My brother, Sowle."

"He called you Knight. Just now," I pointed out.

"It's a nickname given to me by my master."

"And who is your master?" I asked softly.

"Hurry up. I think the pack is coming," I heard the man in the shadows tell us.

"What should we do about him?"

"Leave him. It'll look like a struggle happened."

"What is going on here?" I asked quickly.

"Someone wants you dead and its not one of us," Sowle told me.

"We think Lamia set up this trap to hurt you," Marquis told me softly. "We've been watching under other orders to ensure your safety."

"Is Niall trying to kill me?"

"No, I think he rather likes you," Sowle laughed out softly. "But he was here to injure you enough to delay your wolf from telling you any more secrets."

"Where are you going to take me? I have to be with the pack for the full mo-"

"We can have you back in time," Marquis assured me.

Marquis' voice was so familiar to me. I couldn't place it. I've never met a werecat before. I leaned into the crook of his neck as I climbed onto his back. I got a whif of his scent but came out dry to my memory. "Have we met?" I asked softly.'That's him! I recognize his scent... He's younger then when we first met him,' Moro told me. Glad to see Moro came running back. Looks like he sensed I wasn't dying quite yet. I'll scold him for leaving me later. I could feel Moro was tense now. I felt tense. I wasn't sure if I could trust them, now. "You're the vampire," I muttered softly. "Are- you a vampire?" Moro, you dummy. How can he be the vampire I met? He's a werecat.

"And, you remember me?" He asked and I could tell he was curious. It is him?

"No, Moro- my wolf is telling on you," I chuckled out. I don't know why I was laughing. But, with the way his body was lean cut, he did look young to me.

'Must be some sort of magic. Ask him!'

"Moro wants to know how you're a cat," I muttered. Marquis purred in amusement.

"I've always been a cat. I'm a halfbreed. Mixed blood," he told me. But, I had a feeling he wasn't going to tell me anything else. We had an equal amount of trust in one another.

"Our family is unusual," Sowle told me. "Marquis can turn into a cat, it's one of his unique powers. You've been under his powers of persuasion once before."

"So what are you guys mixed bloods in?" I asked as I tried to understand their scent.

"Marry one of us and we might share our secret with you," Sowle teased me.

"Magic is mixed into our blood," Marquis happily blurted out.

That wasn't a full answer, but I'll take it for now. I decided to stay on his back. If he really meant to harm me, I would smell the lies. But he was doing a good job at telling me the truth. They both were. Their lying made them believe their own lies? Possibly.

"So, who asked you to come here?"

It was the only question I felt unanswered. My brother was out of the question.

"Does it matter?"

"If you truly want to help me then stay with me until Alpha Brendon arrives. I'll tell him the situation." Not to mention... Marquis was the one who tried to help Niall take away the one thing that might point fingers at my brother. Shit, Niall. What have you been doing in your free time? SO there is no way I want to go with them entirely. They might be putting on an act. Ptttf. Someone wants to help me? Then help me arrest my brother!

'Good idea, persuade them to stay so Alpha Brendon eats them alive.'

I looked at Niall's unconscious body. If I leave him here it will make him look like he tried to save me from getting kidnapped.

'I have to stay and explain what you know to them, Moro.'

"What would you explain to him? How two tresspassers just saved your life from your brother's bad intentions? How he's actually the bad guy. That- even though we're the suspicious ones- you're pointing fingers at your brother? Are you insane?" Sowle asked me.

"I'm his cute brother in-law. He'll listen to me," I insisted.

"We'll be doggy chow, Mars. We can't listen to this pup's reasons. Let's just knock him out. It'll make this easier."

I growled quickly in alarm.

Knock me out!?

"Someone will have to fix his leg soon," Marquis muttered. "Will we stop fighting and think rationally. Is it better to stay or go?"

We fell silent.

Niall is- trusted beta now.

WOULD Alpha Brendon even stop to listen to me?

He would act fast and irrationally. Because I look like a hostage right now. He might have them killed. I don't know if they're really bad guys. What if they've been telling me the truth? They're here to help me. They did just save me from my brother? Right? No- No, Wait a minute... They just told me Niall doesn't want me harmed. AM I sure I should be even thinking about going with them?

I looked back at my brother. I couldn't help but to suck in a deep breath.

'Marquis didn't kill you,' Moro told me quietly. 'He does deserve some form of trust. Your brother on the other hand... Not so much. Let's go with them. Maybe we can find out who they really work for. Think of this as spying for the sake of Alpha Brendon and your sister's benifits.'

"Let's go," I mumbled. I felt defeated. I didn't want to leave the pack behind to find my brother like this. They'll figure I've been kidnapped. Whoever was behind this trap wanted me to suffer and maybe die. It would have had to be Lamia. Odds are she got wind I know about what Niall's been doing and wants to keep him safe. Probably for her own benefits of having a spy in the pack. So who is trying to stop her? Who sent these two brothers to save me?