Zoe knew she had a small window of opportunity to get downstairs and talk to Derek. The guards would change at noon. Everyone had lunch together before the new guards went down. She estimated she had 30 minutes to talk, then get back upstairs unnoticed. She finished helping prepare lunch, slipped out of the kitchen, hiding near the stairs. What seemed like hours but was only 10 minutes, the guards came upstairs. She waited a couple more minutes to make sure there were no stragglers and slipped downstairs. Derek was being held in the high security wing. When she looked into his cell, he was laying on the bed. Sweating, cussing and pulling at the collar around his neck. The collar was platinum, contrary to lore and popular books, silver could not harm them. However platinum made them weak and they could not shift, even a small contact was enough to immobilize you for a few minutes. Derek looked up at her, "Don't touch the bars they're platinum. What are you doing here?"

"We need to come up with a plan to get rid of her." Zoe scowled.

"Are you stupid?! Exactly how am I suppose to do anything locked in here?!" Derek yelled.

"I'm going to get you out."

********

I started down the stairs to the prison and stopped. I sniffed the air, Zoe? Why would Zoe be down here? When I tried to link her, she had the mate bond blocked. I continued down the stairs, promising myself to talk to her later. I needed to talk to Adrian.

I went down the hall to the vampire cells and slid my card in the security door, it beeped green and opened. Adrian was in the first cell. He was pacing when I walked up. "Finally! I have been down here forever! I want to speak to the council! Immediately!"

Daniel frowned at him. "First you need to answer some questions. The council may not be needed if we determine you should be put to death."

"I won't answer anything until I get some blood! It is against council law not to provide it to me!" Adrian yelled.

Daniel turned and went across the hall and opened a door. He took 2 blood bags,walked back across the hall and threw them into the cell. "Drink up. I have other business to attend to."

"You could of handed it to me mutt!" He retrieved the bags from the floor. It took him less than a minute to drain the bags. Adrian smiled and threw the bags back through the bars at Daniel. They landed at his feet. "Pity, I was aiming for your face."

Daniel looked at him with clenched teeth. "Alright leech, why did you drink from our Luna?"

"First, I did not know she was Luna. Second, when I first met her I could smell something sweet in her blood. I thought she could be my beloved. The only way to be sure was to taste her. I enthralled her in case she wasn't so she wouldn't remember the encounter." Adrian sighed. "There is something else you need to know." Daniel gave a slight nod and crossed his arms. "She smelled human but tasted like a wolf."

Daniel was stunned but he couldn't show it in front of him. "Why was Derek at your house and what plans did you have with him?"

"I did not invite him. He just showed up. Believe me, I did not want him there. I tried to get rid of him. He said that I should taste her and if she wasn't my beloved he would take her with him. Again, I did not know she was Luna, so I agreed."

"I will present your testimony to the Alpha and he will decide your fate." Daniel started to walk away.

"I formally request the council!" Adrian yelled, before he could leave.

Daniel looked back nodded and went out. Now he needed to talk to Derek.

Daniel turned down the hallway to the high security wing. When he went past the stairs, he again caught Zoe's scent. It was faint as if she had not been here in a while. As he proceeded down the hall the scent disappeared. He turned back picked up her faint scent and then went back down the hall. It disappeared as if she vanished from the spot. He would have to talk to her, right now he had to find out what Derek was up to.

Daniel stood in front of his cell and watched Derek. He was in the same state as before. Daniel had been down here but as yet, had no conversations with him.

Derek sniffed the air and turned around."Ah...My dear nephew have you come for another visit? Are you going to talk this time?"

"What were you doing at Adrian's house the night the Luna was attacked?"

"Just stopped by for a friendly visit." He smirked.

"Cut the crap Derek, I've already spoken to Adrian. Why were you there with 20 wolves?" Daniel had his jaw clenched, glaring at him.

"Well you never know what is going to happen when you visit a vampire, so I decided I needed protection." Still with the smirk on his face.

"Then why did they attack the enforcers? All wolves, other than rogues, know to stop when they see a pack enforcer."

"Well my dear nephew, they saw you attack me and were only coming to my defense."

"Why did you visit the bloodsucker?"

"A little birdie told me he had an interesting human, I thought she would make a nice pet. As far as her being 'Luna', you know and I know, a human can not be Alpha female. She had not been marked, so I assumed no one laid claim to her." He smiled, "I did not attack anyone, you attacked me. I have committed no crime and demand to be released." The smirk was back.

"I will give the Alpha your testimony and he will decided your fate. I think we should bring in the council to investigate." Derek blanched and Daniel walked away.

********

Daniel come to my office, there are things we need to discuss.

I'll be there in a couple minutes, I'm in the prison.

Trevor was not sure how to broach the subject about Alex. He had to know why she no longer smelt like a human.

Daniel entered the office. "Trevor I've talked to Derek and Adrian."

"What did they say?"

"Adrian says he thought she was his beloved and had to taste her to be sure."

Trevor was flabbergasted. "Did he say why Derek was there?"

"According to him, Derek just showed up and wanted to take Alex with him if she was not his beloved."

"Do you believe him?"

"Yes. He has formally requested the council."

Trevor was shocked! He would only request the council if he was truly innocent. Trevor couldn't have the council snooping around! With a sigh he made his decision. "Release Adrian."

"Are you sure? What if he is working with Derek?"

"He would not request the council if he was guilty. How did Derek react?"

"He seemed upset when I mentioned a council investigation. But denied he did anything wrong."

Trevor thought it over. "We will continue to hold him, for now."

"Yes Alpha."

"Now there is something else I need to discuss with you. What I say does not leave this room."

"Of course."

"When I was with Alex today, She no longer smells human."

Daniel raised his eyebrows. "Alpha, Adrian said she tasted like a wolf."

"I think we need to call John and see if he can explain this." John could you come to my office?

Of course Alpha, I will be there in 5 minutes.

"He will be here shortly. Did Derek say why the wolves were with him?"

"He claims for protection, since he was visiting a vampire."

There was a knock at the door. "Come in." Trevor and Daniel were surprised to see Zoe. Trevor frowned, "How can I help you?"

"I'm sorry to bother you, but dinner is ready" She smiled.

"How considerate of you Zoe. Please have Mary prepare a tray for us and bring it in here, we have work to do." He smiled.

"You're welcome Alpha, Daniel." She nodded to them and left with a smile.

"Daniel you have a good mate there."

Daniel frowned. Before he could ask why, there was another knock at the door and John popped in. "John, Thank you so much for coming. Please take a seat. I'll make this as quick as possible. First, I need to tell you that what we discuss is confidential."

"Of course Alpha."

"You treated Alex so you know she is human. Today when I was with her, she no longer smells human." John was about to speak and Trevor held up his hand. "Daniel spoke with Adrian and he said when he tasted her, she tasted like a wolf."

John seemed lost in thought. "Alpha may I go to the library? I'll be right back."

"John what is going on? Do you know something?"

"Alpha I just need to check on something to be sure."

Trevor gave him a nod, "Be quick. We have a lot to talk about." John bowed and left the room.

Before he could speak there was another knock at the door. "What now." he mumbled. "Come in!" Trevor growled.

"Sorry to bother you Alpha, I have your dinner." Mary tentatively brought in a tray for Trevor and Daniel.

"We may as well eat while we wait for John." Daniel said.

"Thank you Mary. I apologize for being so gruff." He smiled.

"It's fine Alpha. I know you, as Alpha, have many things weighing on your mind." She bowed her head, then went quietly out the door.

They had just finished eating when John came back in. "Alpha I think you should read this." He seemed excited. John was holding a small leather bound book, that looked very old. He opened the book and handed it to Trevor.

Sins of the past have been redeemed

One will come with a hidden wolf to find her mate

During the time of darkness the waya and adanvdo will become one again

In her resides the power of the new breed

What once was will be again

"I don't understand, what does this have to do with Alex?" Trevor frowned.

"Alpha this is a prophecy, from a Cherokee shaman. It was given to the elders over a hundred years ago. I believe Alex is the one spoken of in the prophecy. That would explain why she no longer smells human. Do you see the the words in the third line?" Trevor nodded. "They are Cherokee. Waya means wolf and adanvdo means spirit. The Cherokee believed that Lycans started with them. There is a story that the Lycans started killing humans. So the great spirit separated the wolf from the spirit, until the worthy one was born."

Trevor furrowed his brows, looking back at the book. "What does it mean, the time of darkness?"

"I don't know. I can do some research."

"Thank you John for your help." Trevor sat down at his desk and started running his hands through his hair.

"Is there anything else? I have a patient in the infirmary I need to check on"

"That's all, you may go." Once John left he turned to Daniel. "You've been quiet. What do you think of all this?"

Daniel shrugged. "I think we just have to wait until we have more information."

********

It was after midnight. She had to make sure Daniel was asleep before she slipped out. Zoe walked down the hall to Marcus' room and quietly slid inside. Being a wolf she didn't need the light on for her search. She checked the nightstand and all his drawers. "Where can they be? I know he wouldn't of taken them out of the pack house." Zoe went to the closet again to see if she missed anything. "Ah ha!" down in the corner behind the shoe-rack was a small lockbox. It was a combination lock. "let's see if he is as stupid as I think he is." She put in his birth date and the box opened. Zoe smiled at his stupidity. There sat her goal, the pack keys.