Brendon's POV:
I felt my heart launch out of my chest when I found Niall. I still can't get the sound of his father's yells. Begging for Niall to tell us what happened. Slapping his son awake. The blood on the hunter's trap was enough to tell us what happened. How Niall was left behind meant only one thing. They were after Malakai for a reason.
Niall sat in a seat across from me in my study. I called him in so I could have a quiet conversation with him- without peering eyes. I didn't want anyone distracting straight answers out of him. He held an ice back on his bruised neck. He looked like a mountain lion had got him. There was scratches still healing on his body.
"What the fuck happened?" I asked angrily.
"Mal got kidna-"
"No, I want to know why he was alone and why the fuck we thought he was in the opposite direction of where he truly was. DO you have any answers?" I growled out. Steele smelled the air in anger as well. We were furious because this man was clearly slipping out lies.
"I- I," his eyes swelled as tears dropped down his cheeks. I slammed my hands down on the desk. He was handcuffed to his chair. And- Fang was carefully listening in- just outside the door.
"DID I NOT MAKE IT CLEAR?" I asked him. "Because of you, one of your brothers are missing. I made you beta to help protect this pack," I growled through my teeth.
'He's a liar! I can smell him! He's about to tell you lies! HE'S A FRAUD! He's trying to kill us all.'
'Don't you think that's a little too much, Steele? Calm down.'
'NO!'
Niall hung his head as he cried in front of me. He shook his head and looked up into my eyes. "I- I swear I didn't- I wasn't aware he was alone out there!" He begged me to listen to him. "He's my little brother," he teared up. "I will always protect him. You have to listen to me!"
"Then explain what happened," I growled out. I leaned back as I untensed my muscles. We must listen to him, Steele. SO, not a word until he's done speaking. Niall trembled as he looked at me with respectful eyes.
"Yes, thank you alpha for hearing me out." I held out a box of tissues to him and watched him damp out his tears. "The moment I heard his voice- I knew something was wrong. I had been reading my phone's messages when I saw my orders I sent out for the patrols had been changed. Mal was put on a shift alone. But- if you look at my work on my desk you will see another scheduel. Because the one I sent out was edited. I sent out my copy to my father and my father in law. They distrubuted copies to take the load off my shoulders. But, Father had the copies for the newbies only. My father in law-"
"Are you suggesting-"
"My father in law," he said quickly. "Gave Mal his orders for the morning run."
"Fang!" I yelled.
"Find Donovan and lets put him on triall."
I stared down Niall as I heard Fang walk away. Steele was fumming with anger, but he was willing to listen to Niall.
"Tell me what happened when you reached, Malakai."
"I tried to fight them off, but they took him away. There was two of them. I think they're working for Lamia."
"Do you think he's alive?"
"I- I don't know. I really want him to be alive."
I nodded in agreement as I watched Niall's face full of regret. It must be eating him alive. He couldn't save his brother- another one has fell into the clutches of that- I sighed. I felt his anger and want for revenge. I can only hope my mate is alive. That my baby will still be okay when I get there. I want to hold them in my arms. I want to kiss the top of her head and protect her.
"Niall," I whispered. "I'm sorry this is happening."
"It's not anyones fault," he muttered. He sat the box of tissues down on the desk. But, it's all connected to Lamia. Why is she doing this to my pack?
'He knows its her fault right?' Steele asked lamly. 'I wish he'd at least be up and ready to raid that bitch's castle with us. How are we not fighting to hold him back right now? His old man is out there trying to track them down as we speak.'
Yes, I let him go after his child. It was all I could allow.
Donovan was shoved head first in as the door slammed open. Fang clapped his hands together to remove mud off his palms. He kicked the door shut as he stepped in. He growled happily as he showed his K-9s at Donovan. I stood up and growled as I stared down Donovan.
"DO you confess to betraying the pack?" I asked quickly. "Do you confess to playing apart of Malakai's kidnapping?"
"What?" Donovan asked in confusion. "You think I did it?"
Fang pulled out papers from his back pocket. He held them up as he seperated them. He showed them to us.
"This," he said as he pointed to the scheduels. "Shows otherwise."
I looked at the slight change in schedueling. Mal's shift being changed on both.
"Printed off his computer. This was sent to Mal after being edited on his computer. Donovan is guilty," he said as he dropped them and kicked them straight into the old man's face. I heard Niall stiffen a laugh but when I looked at him he was on the verge of a mental break down. Tears were streaming down his face- like he was struggling with his wolf.
"I didn't do it!" Donovan shouted. "I swear! Anyone can do that on a computer. It doesn't prove I done it!"
"You have a password on your computer," Fang reminded him. "I had to pratically break your fingers to get you to open that screen to me."
Donovan trembled.
"I'm being set up! Please Alpha, listen to me," he begged. "The culprit is trying to throw you off his trail!"
"You will not be banished from my pack- for a fear I will see you in Lamia's aiding her in war. No- instead I shall kill you now," I growled towards him.
"Kill him," Fang growled out as he looked blood thirsty.
"Niall," Donovan begged. "Please- if you love Lilith! Believe I wouldn't do anything to destroy her bright future! I am not this monster I am being printed out to be," he begged. Our eyes landed on Niall. He looked ready to pull the trigger himself.
"You're guilty in my eyes," Niall muttered.
'Alpha Fang!' I heard Destery- Donovan's oldest child yell through the pack link.
'D-Destery?' I asked in shock. Oh, is he going to object for his father's sake?
'I have bad news,' he told me weakly.
'What's the report?'
'You know the men Fang sent out?' He asked awkwardly.
'Alpha Brendon I have something to report,' I heard Calix's voice ring in my head. Like he had just crossed back into the distance to talk to me. 'There's fifteen of our men dead just outside of the boarders. I've been sent back with a message from Lamia...'
'What did she want to say?'
'Surrender.'
'What about you, Destery? What did you want to report?'
'The same report, sir.'
I looked down at Donovan before looking at Fang in the eyes. I nodded my head and placed a hand on my hips. 'Shit. Pack meeting, wolfs. I have to report something myself.' I stood up as I walked over to Donovan and leaned down to get a better look at him.
So, did he really do this? Or is he being framed? I'll have to kill an innocent man to find the real culprit if he's not the real one. I'll loose a damn good boarder chief. I cleared my throat as I looked at my two trusted advisors. "Take him to a cell. He'll remain there until his name is either cleared- or filthy enough to execute." Niall jumped on the edge of his seat as he looked at me.
"THIS man is the reason my brother was kidnapped. Kill him! I want his death to be a warning," he growled to me as he looked at Donovan.
"This man is your father in law," Fang warned. "Aren't you worried for your mate's sake?"
Niall's eyes softened as he listened to Fang. "Even still," he whispered. "I want justice."
"We'll get it," I promised. "But this won't be how."
He balled up his fist before pointing a finger at Donovan.
"Don't you see? This is what he wants! For you to think he's being framed. Just long enough to distract you so he can escape," he breathed out.
"No- NO!" Donovan shook his head. "Alpha, I could never! I love this pack too much to betray it."
"The evidence points at you," I growled out and felt aggrivated in my core. I don't know whats the truth or a lie here. Is he really telling the truth to me? No- there is too much evidence here. He's not being set up- its what he wants me to think. I held the bridge of my nose as I walked around the desk and held onto Niall's chest. I looked him in the eyes. "Are you really fine executing family?"
"He's no longer family in my eyes," Niall nodded towards me.
"Lilith will never forgive you-"
"She won't forgive him," Niall shot as he looked Donovan in the eyes. "She will only see me as protecting her."
"We will unleash him to the moon goddess and see what she thinks," I decided. "We trial and execute him at the pack meeting."
"What do we do about the ones we lost," Fang asked me softly. "Lamia killed the ones we sent to gather heavier troops for the invasion."
"Fang, I might have to send you," I told him. "Can you gather enough to make it on time?"
"I can try," he whispered to me.