Chapter 27: Trickery

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Something was niggling at me as I stood guard by the window. I spun the hilt of my sword around, uncaring that the shape edge was scratching up the floor. Owen was by the door, listening out for any sign of footsteps that signalled his sister was returning with his Aunt. Aileen had been gone a while and it was making us both nervous.

I watched for any movement in the courtyard below while I replayed the fight in the woods. The wolves had attacked with such ferocity so how had I come back with barely a scratch? The more I thought about it, the more I came to realise the wolf that had attacked, while definitely the enemy, had not intended to kill me.

"I don't think they want me dead," I murmured, spinning around to face Owen, repeating it louder for him to hear.

"That had crossed my mind but I don't think it's because Malcolm doesn't want you dead," Owen replied grimly, continuing when I only gave him a confused look. "I think he wants the honour of killing you himself."

"But I don't understand why!"

He gave me a sympathetic look. "Because you would have been a glorious tool to widen his territory and make strong ties with other Alphas had you fallen in to his clutches. Half-breed or not, you come from a line of healers, they're very well respected. Not to mention you're very beautiful. Many an Alpha or heir would have been happy to have you on their arm in return for offering a little land or females for Malcolm's dwindling pack."

That sent a chill through me. He'd have used me as a pawn just as he was trying to now. But now I was more use to him dead to unhinge Torian. Malcolm was mad, he had to have been. Mad and on the edge. But his pack still followed him, did that mean they too were mad? The few I'd met had definitely at least been cruel.

Despite the chaos that had ensued, I was glad the pack females had never left and Torian had shown us Malcolm's true colours.

"You didn't think I was good enough for Torian, to be on his arm. I believed that was the view of most wolves," I said quietly.

"That was before I saw your strength. Our pack prides itself on that. Another pack might prefer their females to be more concerned with fine dresses and jewellery like I thought you would be having been brought up as you were." He bowed his head, an apology for those old beliefs in his eyes.

I nodded my understanding. Malcolm would have gotten quite the shock when he found me not to be as submissive as most human women. That made me smirk. If he stumbled into this room, he'd be in for another surprise when he was met with the metal of a sword.

There were more things I wanted to ask too, like what Owen had promised Torian. It must have been important and I knew it somehow pertained to me, my husband's last wishes should he die. I swallowed the lump in my throat. I refused to allow myself to even think such a thing.

"What deal have you made with my husband?" I asked, stepping closer to him.

The question made Owen freeze and he looked away from me towards the door again. "I do not think that is something we should discuss unless the time arises."

"Till what time arises," I questioned, stalking towards him.

As if knowing I wasn't going to let go, he sighed. Turning to face me, he put a little more space between us. With that, I knew well that I would not be pleased by whatever he had to say. Then again, most of what Owen said to me was displeasing.

"He made me give him my word the day Malcolm left that if anything happened to him, I would make sure you still became Alpha Female to keep you safe from any who thought to harm you for what you are," he explained gruffly.

So there were others who thought I was nothing more than a mutt. Putting me in a place of power was also a way of securing my safety with the loyalty of an entire pack. Bile rose to burn my throat at the idea of losing Torian. How had I gone from hating him to almost screaming at the mere thought of something bad happening to him. Was I in love with him? I frowned. Did he love me?

Shaking my head of such romantic notions for now, I narrowed my eyes at him. If I Torian died, Owen would become heir. My husband meant for me to marry his cousin if he died. "You think I would take your hand so easily? Does he think I would allow myself to be sold to another man again?"

"Believe me," Owen drawled as his eyes raked up the length of me. "The idea is horrendous even to me."

I scoffed and spun away from him. I was furious with my husband for making such a deal and I'd make sure he released his cousin from such a vow. I'd make sure he could never think to do such a thing to me.

"Torian will come back unharmed. His father has taught him well, you've nothing to fear."

His words were of little comfort. While Torian could feel all I felt, I got very little from him. Again I wished I'd marked him so I could sense him at this moment, so I could know he was safe and not hurt.

"We need to worry about Aileen right now. She's been gone too long," I said, dismissing the earlier topic.

Owen nodded and then we both stilled. A clash echoed from downstairs. Owen made his way carefully back to the door, avoiding creaky floorboards.

"It could be Aileen," I whispered.

It had gone so quiet that I could hear the blood rushing past my ears. Even my heart thundered in my chest. I'd seen nobody come into the manor, whoever it was had to have already been inside. But there were many other doors surely, I hadn't gotten the chance to explore the rest of the house. There would be servant doors, one round the back as well to access the gardens. . .

"Stay here, Màili," Owen ordered as he slowly opened the door.

"What? No-"

"You will stay here. Lock the door behind me, do not let anyone in unless you know it's me. I will announce myself, I won't just knock, okay? If there's just a knock, run to the bedchambers and bar that door too." His voice was firm and there was a pleading look in his eyes.

He couldn't leave me if he thought I would put myself in danger. For his sake, and for Torian's, I resigned myself to obeying. The inner beast didn't like that I backed down but I had little choice. I nodded slowly and put my sword to one side.

Owen relaxed and quietly slipped out and I moved swiftly to lock the door. I stood there for a while, straining to hear anything. There was nothing. Left alone in the quiet, my mind worked overtime when neither Owen nor Aileen returned within the hour. I began to pace, looking out of each window in search of any sign that Torian was coming back or that Owen was safe.

The more time that passed, the more restless I became. I could hear nothing in the manor. Not the slightest creak of a door or tap of feet. My hands began to shake with worry, dread forming a pit in my stomach.

Where was everyone?

Something akin to a whine echoed from downstairs and I froze. Grabbing my sword, I kept my eyes glued to the door. There was definitely the light tap of boots on the stairs. My breathing came quicker now, heart beat fluttering nervously. That sounded like more than one set of feet. At least two.

A knock on the door and I couldn't breathe at all. When Owen didn't announce himself, I knew it couldn't have been him. I remembered what he'd had said and began to run for the bedchambers to bar myself inside. A voice stopped me in my tracks.

"Màili? It's me, Aileen."

There was something off about her voice. It was strained, breathless. But she had been scouring the huge manor for her mother while we were being attacked, of course she was going to sound afraid.

"Màili?"

Creeping slowly towards the door, I kept my sword in hand. "Is Owen with you?"

"He isn't with you?" she called back in question, her tone even more broken now.

Everything went in slow motion. I reached out and twisted the lock but before I could grab the handle, it swung open itself. The edge caught my face, my body falling to one side as stars appeared in my vision. My wolf pushed forth, giving me the strength I needed to straighten up and spin around.

Aileen stood at the entrance, skin pale and eyes wide with fear. An arm was wrapped around her middle and there was a knife at her throat. Alpha Malcolm smirked from behind her, his eyes glinting in triumph. I lifted my sword, trying to stop my vision from swimming.

"Let her go," I hissed.

The Alpha chuckled, pressing his nose against the crook of her neck. Aileen whimpered, trying to get away from him but he only pressed his knife more firmly to her throat.

"I don't think so, my lady. Another of my wolves has your Alpha Female downstairs, your protector is unconscious, you're all alone and you will do as I say," he stated, eyeing the weapon I held. "First you're going to put your sword down and then back up."

Aileen shook her head fiercely, wriggling to try and escape. Malcolm snarled and tightened his hold on her. Blood beaded across her neck and I cried out in horror.

"Stop! Stop, I'll do what you want. Don't hurt her," I pleaded, setting my sword on the floor.

Malcolm smirked again. "Kick it away."

The last of my hope drifted away as I did as he ordered and kicked my sword. It clattered across the floor to his feet.

"Now let her go." I held my hands up, displaying that I held no other weapon.

"I don't believe I said I'd do that," he drawled. "I'm no fool. I know Alpha Alsander trains even his females. If I let her go, the two of you might be foolish enough to try something and I needed you both unharmed. For now."

Aileen growled furiously but remained still. "Do you call what you've done to my neck unharmed?"

"A small scratch or bruise is forgivable," he muttered.

We needed to keep him talking, I knew that. I backed away a little, knowing he would follow. If we kept up our game of words, I could perhaps make my way to where Torian kept his sword. I could see it out of the corner of my eye, metal catching and reflecting the light of the sun. It would begin to get dark soon.

"How did you get in here?" I asked, watching as Malcolm guided Aileen into the room and locked the door behind him.

"I sent my warriors to the Western border and had them come in that way. It drew out your husband and his petty Alpha and made it easy for me to slip in here with a couple of my most trusted. I was counting on you being here but you weren't. I was worried I'd have to make do with the Alpha Female but then you walked right inside and even trapped yourself in these rooms all for me. The gods must be smiling upon my plans," he spoke, excitement and pride filling him.

Another couple of slow, subtle steps, eyes never leaving the wild looking Alpha. Aileen was pleading with her eyes, but I wasn't sure what she wanted me to do. I wouldn't leave her in his clutches, I couldn't, and her mother was somewhere close by in need of our help. Hopefully Torian and the others would realise soon Malcolm wasn't amongst the attacking wolves and come here.

"What do you hope to accomplish, Malcolm? Bargain with is, and you'd be foolish to think they would honour anything you bartered for. Hurt either of us and you'll bring down the wrath of an entire pack and its allies," I announced, not sure if what I said was true. Would other packs see Malcolm's crimes and come to our aid? "You wouldn't win. Your pack is small and diminishing, everyone knows that. It's exactly the reason you've made such a desperate move."

Perhaps angering him hadn't been the best idea. He growled furiously and Aileen whimpered as the blade was pressed tight against her throat again. He followed my movements and finally I was stood in front of Torian's sword. But I couldn't attack him while he held my sister-in-law captive. I needed to get him to let her go.

"Challenges between Alphas are the way of our people. I'm simply fighting in the ways of the times. Your husband won't be able to think straight if I kill you, it will tear his soul in half. I imagine killing the Alpha's daughter and his mate will break that damned Lyall male even more than his son," he fumed, grabbing Aileen's hair to tug her head back. She winced, going deathly still.

"Fighting like a human you mean. There's no honour in what you're doing," I retorted, shaking my head. Even though I'd been brought up human, I'd learned enough about Wulvers to know challengers were meant to face eachother, not use lowhanded tactics like this.

Meeting Aileen's eyes, I tried to convey what I needed her to do while my fingers fumbled for the sword behind me. A hand wrapped around the hilt, the other grabbing the scabbard. Lifting it slightly to test its weight, I let out a slow breath. It was much heavier than mine, much longer too. I'd need to be quick, I wouldn't get the chance again if I made a mistake, I was sure.

I tilted my head up slightly and Aileen caught on. She couldn't nod but I knew she was willing to try anything. Fear had my heart pounding so hard in my chest, I was afraid it would give away to Malcolm that I was up to something. The male was too busy smirking at his captive, taking pleasure as he scented her fear.

Her eyes never left mine though, awaiting my signal. Lifting the sword, the scabbard slid slowly out of the scabbard and I cringed at the noise it made. Malcolm looked up as I gave a fierce nod. Aileen went on tiptoe and threw her head back, her head crunching against Malcolm's nose. He yowled, releasing his grip of her hair to grab at his bleeding nose. She dropped to the floor and rolled, scrambling to her feet a safe distance away.

Throwing myself forward, Malcolm tried to steady himself but his dagger was no match for me. Using the momentum to help me, I swung the sword forward, plunging it into his chest.

It wasn't like the stories I'd overheard from the soldiers. There was no glory, nor was it easy to penetrate a body. All my weight was used to force the blade through his ribs to pierce his lung or heart. The crunching, slurping sound wasn't something I'd ever forget.

Hot red sprayed across the room.

Wide, unbelieving eyes held mine. Blood dripped past Malcolm's lips and a panicked scream ripped from my chest as I tore the sword free again. Blood splattered over me once more, soaking my hands. The dying Alpha fell to his knees, clutching the hole in his chest as if he could hold the blood inside.

Aileen sobbed, bracing herself against the window while I stared at the dead body at my feet. The sword dropped from trembling hands to clatter to the floor. Each rasping breath was sucked in, my chest tight as my vision blurred.

An arm came around my waist, as unforgiving as Iron as it tugged me away from the mess. I screamed, kicking out at whoever it was until I saw Lord Lyall pull his daughter into his arms. Still struggling to free myself, the world stopped spinning when I looked up to see my husband's face. He was covered in blood too, bruises spreading out across his cheek.

A groan of relief tore from my lips and I twisted in his arms, reaching up to feel him beneath my hands and convince myself he was real. Without thought I kissed him, pouring every panicked emotion into that one action before pulling back and gasping, "Your mother, Owen, he has them somewhere."

The relieved expression turned to one of fury that I could smell like fire on his skin. He crouched down to pick up his sword, nudging Malcolm's body as if making sure he was dead. With a small smile, my own sword was pressed into my hand.

"Come, my fearsome warrior. Let's hunt the rest of these dogs down," he growled lowly, pride for me in his eyes.

I'd defended his sister and fought for the pack. We were both safe. Now it was time to make sure everyone else was too.