Knight's Tempus [16+]

Chapter 13

Red's Point of View*

It is true.

You really can't just trust someone else's appearance, smile, and even the way they talk because that alone could put you in deep trouble, one that you won't be able to escape like you thought you could.

"Hey pale-dude, where exactly is Ava right now?" I asked extremely curios, we have been walking for quite some time now and it looked like we are in a deeper part of the forest, I can't help but wonder why Ava would meet me here? Does her weirdness attack again? Maybe because she's pregnant that's why she's being this silly and mysterious? Gah, I really can't understand her sometimes, she is blessed that Nico is her mate, he can get kind of weird too sometimes so they're a perfect match.

Wait, why did that cross my mind all of a sudden? Pfft, I almost laugh. Really Red, thinking that way about your best friend and her mate?

"Here you are!" I almost jumped when someone appeared in front of us out of freaking nowhere. What the— "Layla?" I ask surprised. She smiled at me sweetly and then glance at the pale man beside me.

"Hey there Derek. You did a great job." She tells him. Oh so his name is Derek, wow, all this time I didn't even bother asking the man what his name is. How rude can I get?

"Red, it's nice to finally have you here with us." She said staring at me with her usual sweet smile. I had to look away because gosh, she's glowing. Her smile is too radiant that I can't seem to handle it, she is obviously very happy, I wonder what made her that way though? "Here Red, come here..." She ushered me to the only wooden bench located at one of the trees. I politely smiled and glance around, there is still no sign of Ava around, I wonder where she is?

"So, is Ava on her way or something?" I ask again but this time looking at Ava rather than Derek's. I glance at Derek but he is not even looking at us, he's blankly staring at nowhere in particular looking lost and...detached. Yeah I mean, he's been emotionless this whole time I'm with him but man, this one's deader than before, like he just got his sanity taken away from him or something. He looks empty.

"Oh yeah she is, Lord Knight was talking to her." Knight? Really? I think that's great, I just saw him like a moment ago before coming here, Knight must be warming up again to her and I bet Ava loved that very much. I smile at that. "You know, they have to deal with something on the border." She added. Border? I kept my confusion hidden, I managed a simple smile while my thoughts are in chaos. What border is she talking about? Knight was... wait, is this...

"So are they talking before you left or are they still there? Are you talking about the Western border? I heard something is wrong with the patrols there." I informed her looking around, the place is eerily quiet like there are no living beings aside from the three of us.

"Yep," she answered popping the letter 'p', I just noticed she have a bag with her of something. It's closed so I don't know what's inside.

"They are still talking before you left?" I repeated. She nodded her head. I silently gulped and looked at Derek beside me, unmoving. I took a close look and even squinted my eyes to see him and his body physically, I almost gasp when the realization hit me like tons of block.

He's... he's not breathing.

Wide-eyed, I tried to keep my breathing slow and normal. Something is not right, he was just talking to me a few minutes ago then now, why isn't he breathing? Why is he standing there completely still like a mannequin?! s**t oh, a double sheet of pad paper!! What the heck is happening?!

"Hey Red..." called Layla, I turn to her quickly but what greeted me is something I did not expect.

My already wide eyes turned wider than I thought it could be as she harshly plunged her big syringe on my neck. I gasp.

"Lay...la— ahhh!!!" She plunged another syringe on the left side of my neck, her face extremely close to mine. Her eyes are wide, there is no trace of that sweetness in her eyes and smile like it wasn't hers. It has not turned into a wild, sinister and malicious one. She tilted her head on her side watching me amusingly as I grasp both syringes, I can feel the warm blood from neck, my body started to feel weak. "What...are you—"

"—doing?" she cut me off, I started to gasp and groaned when she hastily pulled both syringes off me, I fell on the forest floor gasping, blinking my eyes multiple times.

I feel out of breath and extremely weak, my chest heaving up and down puffing air trying to catch my breath.

"I really, really despise you Red." She started talking walking around me like a predator. "What is so special about you that Lord, I mean my beloved Knight isn't as cold as he usually is with you?" she asks, she then grabbed my chin to lift my face up. I can no longer see her facial expression clearly, my mind has become a hazy mess. I can hear her clearly but there is a faint buzzing sound. "I can accept that Gemini Shaw as a competitor, she is nothing but a two-faced b***h anyway—"like you're not. I wanted to say but I couldn't because of how she gripped my chin. "but you? I can't. You're a threat, a threat I can afford to keep walking around my territory. My Knight."

I wanted to claw her face, break that proud smirk off her face that I know plastered on her lips despite not seeing clearly. Along with having a hard time breathing because of whatever she injected on me, I am also having a hard time breathing because my blood is pumping like crazy, madness. I can feel that extreme intent for blood... moon goddess I wanted her blood!

"Trai...tor." I managed to hiss weakly.

"Heh," she chuckles and harshly let my chin go, my entire body falling off the ground once again. "You are exactly what I've been told, feisty. That's why you beat that stupid Gemini huh. How admirable." She complimented tauntingly. "You are a half-wolf and half-human aren't you? That's why I had to prepare extra vitamins for you, Red. Especially for you." She slaps my face lightly and laughs out loud, like the psychotic two-faced b***h that she is, her way of laughing is even worse than Maggie.

This is not freaking good, even my sense of hearing is starting to fade, I can hear voices of people I haven't even known. My ability to temporarily stop time, I can't even use it. I'm as good as dead if this keeps up. In the hands of an obsessed and psychotic all Knight-er. Serious-freaking-ly.

"I gave you a wolf's-bane, poison for you your wolf side, and Ozeosin for your human side. Aren't I the most considerate one Red, hmm?" Ah, there, that sweetness is finally back but this time I already know the truth behind it. Sick. Twisted. Malicious

She stood up and watch me suffer, her face painted with happiness.

I tried to do something, think of something to stop her, and whatever plan she is up to, I have to stop her for Ava, for this pack's sake... yet I couldn't. I blink to stop my hazy vision but it started to worsen, my vision turned black, my chest tightened, panting I searched for Layla but all I can see is darkness, eternal darkness and cries of voices I'm unfamiliar with grew louder and louder until...

A growl. Someone... someone is here...

Save me... Voices, cries, whispers of terror, they keep coming at me, they won't leave me alone. Save me... Ava... Maggie? Old Man? Someone!!!!

Something pulled my leg, I look down but all there is a pit of darkness, someone... something keeps on whispering at me. I can't understand, I don't understand.

"...vrijeme za odlazak... onda... napustanje!!!!"

... what?

Save me...

Maggie's Point of View*

I shifted from my wolf behind the trees and changed into the clothes placed, after doing so I walk towards Charles in his wolf beside her is Claudia, Owen is with them, we are at a safe distance from where Knight's wolf is covering Red's body. His midnight blue wolf is pacing back and forth around Red, acting more like protecting Red's body than its predator.

"What do you think Claudia?" Charles ask.

"Knight is surely unconscious and, he seems to have encountered Layla, I can see a dark aura around his wolf."

"What should we do then?"

"I will try to calm his wolf down, let's first see what got his wolf so agitated. If that won't work then we'll have to force him to shift back in his human form. And knock him out, of course."

We nodded our head, Claudia then walks towards Knight's wolf while we hid behind the trees waiting for Claudia's signal. When Knight's wolf noticed Claudia, he growled loudly, so loud that the gust of wind from his growl sent some leaves and fallen branch flying, it even turns Claudia's hair into a mess from the pressure.

"Knight, are you in there?" She asks but only got another growl as a response. Knight's wolf is positioned in front of Red's body, I'm worried about her especially the scent of her blood lingering around the place and... f**k, wolfs-bane?

Why did I just notice that now?

"Can you smell the faint scent of wolfs-bane? One of them must be injected with it!" I mind-linked everyone including Claudia through her telepathy spell since she can't use mind-link as she's a witch. Good thing knows about that telepathy spell even though it can only be used by a few people.

"On it."

We watched as Claudia walks closer to Knight's wolf and the latter kept snarling, ready to pounce on her anytime now, suddenly, a yellow glowing magic circle appeared beneath Knight's wolf. His wolf howled as the blinding light enveloped Knight and Red, I had to close my eyes since its too blinding, when I opened it Knight is laying beside Red's unconscious body completely naked.

We quickly run towards them while Charles mind-linked Emily about the situation. Claudia and Owen took care of Knight while I and Charles are on Red.

That evil witch, what has she done to Red?

Red's complexion is paler than a vampire, her neck has turned purple, and dried blood is covering her neck as well.

I gritted my teeth, I didn't notice I got so lost in my own hatred that I couldn't move until Charles tap my shoulder.

"Snap out of it. We have to take care of them." He ordered seriously, I nodded my head at him and heaved a deep sigh calming myself down. He's right, more than anything else their safety is what matters most right now.

"I'll shift, place Red on my back then you take Knight's body." I nodded my head. Once again, Charles shifted back in his wolf.

I closed my eyes and carefully grab Red but...

My heart thundered.

"Claudia!!!" I yelled. Oh my god, oh my god! My eyes cloud in tears as I lightly tap Red's pale cheek.

"What happen—"

"No... pulse... Claudia, she's— " I look up to her from cradling Red's body sobbing.

Ava...

Claudia's eyes are wide too when she heard that.

"Tell Emily to prepare, Charles will take—"

"No," Claudia cut me off. She heaved a deep sigh. I look at her, confused. "I will teleport them."

"But—"

"I'll be fine, I'll be okay. The two of them are in critical condition, this is urgent." She said with finality.

But... Claudia just used an obviously powerful spell on Knight just now, using another powerful spell as teleportation which is not her mastery won't do us any good and... I glance at Knight. He doesn't look good too.

I shake my head at her. "Knight will need your spell later. Red, she," I look at Red's face, she looks peaceful and beautiful. I closed my eyes, "Charles will take her. She is not dead. I'm sure she's not. She can't be."

"But that—"

"Trust me. She will be fine." She has to be. That evil witch must have done something.

Without wasting further time, I placed Red's on Charles back, I nodded at him, Claudia also used a spell on Red to be safe in Charles back despite being alone. As soon as it's done, Charles is quick to dash towards the pack infirmary. I too shifted on my brown wolf while they place Knight on my back.

"Take him to his house, Mag. I will treat him there." Claudia tells me. I nodded in my wolf form and run towards his house near the lake. The only residence in the northern part of the pack.

I prayed to the moon goddess of both their safety and the pack as well. Alpha Nico has already known of Claudia and I's discovery, anytime soon we will catch that evil witch who started this entire mess.