CAN'T FIGHT THE MOONLIGHT

CHAPTER TWELVE-NO CLUE

GABRIELLE.

The pack and I carefully scanned and sniffed every possible inch of the wooded area. I got Phil's scent, but no Phil and there was no place to hide him here. It was really odd.

"Where could he be?" I wondered aloud nervously.

"Miss? What about if he was dragged through here?" the beta female of my pack asked. Her name was Shelly Larsen.

"That could be," I mused nodding. "But then wouldn't the scent go on?"

"Unless they dragged him into a vehicle of some sort?" asked the beta male and Shelly's husband, Erik.

"I'm betting that's what happened," I said nodding. "Let's head back to Keely."

We headed back to Keely and Mrs. Diffy.

"Anything?" Mrs. Diffy asked tearfully.

"We got a scent," I said. "But then it disappears. I believe he was dragged through the wooded area and then put into a car or something."

"So what do we do now?" Keely asked swallowing. "We can't just sit around and let something bad happen to Phil!"

"I'm afraid that's all we can do," Shelly said softly. "There's not much to go on really."

We headed back to the Diffy's and Mrs. Diffy relayed to Mr. Diffy what happened with the search.

There was really nothing we could do yet.

PHIL.

I was gagged, blindfolded and tied up somewhere. The smell was horrible and it smelled like an animals den.

"So this is the famous Phil," a male's voice drawled. "We've heard so much about you."

"What do you want?" I demanded.

"She will come once she knows we have you prisoner," the voice continued smugly. "The alpha female of the Landrol pack."

Gabrielle? She came back! I thought relieved and happy.

"Once she comes here to save you, that's when we will kill her," the voice cackled.

"Leave her alone," I growled.

"I'm afraid I can't do that," the voice continued as the cackle died down. "You see, she is my daughter."

I froze.

Didn't Gabrielle's father die in the battle a few months ago? I wondered curiously.

"I'm sure my messenger told her that I died in the battle a few months ago am I correct?"

"Yeah," I said now uncertain. "Why?"

"Because she turned from us," the male's voice rushed on. "She is really a Tyrix but chose not to run with us. The Landrol's are all dead. She's been lying to you all along and your friends."

I swallowed.

I can't believe I actually started having feelings for her! And she was lying! I thought as angry tears formed in my eyes, moistening the black cloth covering my eyes.

"The Landrol's have been dead for 200 years," the voice snickered. "She told you she was one because she was hiding from us."

"The battle…" I began.

"The Battle was between Tyrix's…the ones that follow Gabrielle are renegades…they've betrayed us as well. They left after we defeated the Landrols because they didn't like our methods of belief. They felt that humans and werewolves should live together in harmony…we however, despise humans and kill for food and fun."

I let this all sink in.

"So sit back my friend and wait," the voice continued.

The next thing I knew, the blindfold was taken off and Mr. Morris' face appeared in front of mine, along with several others that I didn't recognize.

I realized then that I was in some sort of abandoned house just outside Pickford.

GABRIELLE.

I nervously paced the Diffy's living room.

I had to tell them the truth. It was eating me up inside.

Curtis, Pim, Keely, and Mr. and Mrs. Diffy were sitting in the living room. Pim and Keely were sitting on the couch while Mr. and Mr. Diffy were sitting on the chairs. Curtis was curled up on the floor. The rest of my pack was in the kitchen playing a game of cards.

"Gabrielle? Is everything okay?" Pim asked looking up.

Curtis looked up also.

"Gabrielle seems upset," he said worriedly.

"I am," I said as I stopped pacing and faced them. "There's something I should tell you all."

They all watched expectantly and curiously. They were giving me rapt attention.

"You see," I said slowly. "The Landrols have been dead for 200 years."

"But you're…" Keely began.

"A Tyrix, yes," I said sighing. "I left the Tyrix pack because I didn't believe in their beliefs. They're Tyrix's as well."

I gestured to the rest of my pack.

All heads turned toward the kitchen.

"They left as well. Basically, we're renegades. We didn't like the way the Tyrix's lived. So we left the pack and told you all we were Landrols' because we wanted you to trust us to finish off the Tyrix's in hopes that humans and werewolves can live together in harmony."

There was a stunned silence that followed.

"So you really enjoy killing humans and eating them?" Pim asked her voice squeaky.

"No! Of course not!" I said. "We follow the Landrol beliefs. We want the rest of the Tyrix's finished off."

"You could've killed me!" Pim exploded. "That day in the kitchen!"

"Yes but I protected you right?" I said calmly. "If I wanted to kill any of you, I would've done so! But I regard all of you as my friends! I never hurt my friends or the people I care about!"

"I don't believe this," Mrs. Diffy said slowly.

"I understand if you hate me," I said quietly. "But I want to see Phil alive and well and will do everything I can to protect him and you all."

"We're supposed to believe you?" Pim demanded. "After you lied to us?"

I was silent.

"Yes,"

There was that dead silence again. This time, it was Curtis who replied.

"For one, Curtis believe Gabrielle," he said firmly. "If Gabrielle wanted to hurt Diffy's and Curtis, she would have done so. But she did not."

Curtis came over and stood beside me.

I gave him a grateful smile. I put a hand on his arm. He immediately began blushing.

Mr. and Mrs. Diffy looked at each other uncertainly.

"Well," Mr. Diffy said slowly. "She certainly has protected our family and never one showed any gesture of hurting us."

"Dad, she tried to attack me in the kitchen!" Pim cried.

"I was trying to get to the Tyrix behind you!" I said as tears formed. "If I wanted to kill you I would've killed you! I would've helped it! But I didn't!"

At this point, the tears began sliding down my cheeks.

"Alright," Mrs. Diffy said. "We all want Phil alive and well right? So I say let's band together and find him. Tyrix help and all."

She glared at Pim.

Finally Pim sighed.

"You're right Mom," she agreed. "I'm sorry Gabrielle."

She rushed forward and threw her arms around me.

I hugged her tightly.

"I really care about all of you," I whispered as I released her.

I gave Curtis a big hug and kiss. He immediately began blushing after that as well.

"But the problem is where do we start?" Mr. Diffy mused.

"Unfortunately, I've got a plan," I said slowly.

"Unfortunately?" Keely asked looking alarmed. "Why did you say 'unfortunately'?"

Keely was quiet through the whole 'I'm really a Tyrix' fiasco. She hadn't said a word about it.

"How do you feel about me really being a Tyrix?" I asked her.

I wasn't about to reveal my plan unless I knew everyone was okay with it…or somewhat okay.

Keely shrugged.

"It's cool," she said. "I admit I was a bit nervous and shocked, but you're right. If you wanted to hurt any of us, you would've done so and you never did. So that means you're really on the good side. And you want to see Phil okay."

I smiled.

"So why did you say 'unfortunately'?" Keely continued.

"I'm going to have to play the bad guy to find out where he is," I said slowly. "Which means I'm going to have to pretend to be on the 'evil' Tyrix side to get to Phil. I might act like I want to kill you or harm you, but remember…it's just an act okay? Unless anyone has any other suggestions?"

They all shook their heads.

"How will you get in contact with them?" Keely asked.

"Remember," I said smiling. "I'm a werewolf. Follow me."

We headed outside.

Once outside, I howled loud, long and clear.

Shortly, I got answers.

"They're at an abandoned house just outside Pickford," I said turning to the Diffy's, Keely and Curtis and the rest of my pack.

"You guys stay here," I said to the rest of my pack. "Protect them."

Shelly nodded.

"Good luck, Miss," she said softly.

I nodded and took off.

PHIL.

"She's coming!" Mr. Morris said eagerly. "She sent a signal!"

Mr. Morris turned to me.

"Now young future boy," he smirked. "You will be killed once Gabrielle gets here."

"I thought you were going to kill her," I said shocked, and terrified.

"Oh yes she will die too," Mr. Morris replied. "But see, you're going to die by her…paws if you will."

He smirked and held up a dog collar with a black box attached to it.

"She will be controlled," he smiled as if pleased with himself.

He offered no more explanation.

There was a knock on the door.

I looked out the window.

Darkness began settling in and a full moon could be seen now.

I heard the door opening and Gabrielle's voice.

"Where is he?" she demanded.

I heard the footsteps and shortly she appeared standing over me.

"How could you lie?" I demanded as tears formed in my eyes.

"It's actually very easy," Gabrielle said coolly.

"I trusted you," I continued completely hurt and devastated.

"You really should be careful who you trust there, Phil boy," Gabrielle smirked.

For a moment, I saw the shocked expression on her face when she turned and saw Mr. Morris standing behind her, but she quickly recovered.

"What are you going to do with him?" she asked turning to Mr. Morris.

"I thought perhaps you would like to do the honors of killing him?" Mr. Morris asked.

"Love to," Gabrielle grinned as she dropped to her hands and knees.

I looked back out the window.

The night time had arrived and the full moon was clearly visible. She began changing into the gray wolf.

Gabrielle was gone and all that remained was the beautiful, but now deadly gray wolf.

I frantically squirmed against the ropes that were tied around my wrists behind my back, and the ropes around my ankles.

The gray wolf's back was to Mr. Morris, who leaned forward suddenly and snapped the collar around the gray wolf's neck.

The wolf was startled and tried to slide the collar off with her front paws when she 'bowed' down.

Mr. Morris pulled out a small black remote and hit a button. Immediately, the gray wolf stood frozen.

"Kill him," Mr. Morris grinned.

The gray wolf retracted her upper lip, exposing those white canines and incisors and she snarled.

She stood over my legs and put her face close to mine. Her ears were pinned flat out sideways.

The menace in her expression will most certainly stay with me for a long time.

"Gabrielle, please," I said in a pleading tone. "It's me, Phil…don't do this."

The wolf only continued to growl.

I suddenly felt those sharp teeth sink into my shoulder.

I cried out.

I felt spreading warmth on my shoulder, making my shirt stick to my skin.

When the wolf pulled released my shoulder from her jaws, I looked and saw blood pooling and spreading on my shirt.

"Gabby…please," I pleaded again, feeling a bit faint from the pain from the bite wound and the loss of blood.

I ended up slumping sideways.

I kept my eyes on the wolfs. I knew that was a bad thing to do, it meant a threat, but I didn't care. This wasn't the Gabrielle I knew and I didn't care what happened to me. As long as my family and Keely would be alive and okay.

"Gabby…please…don't do this," I whispered.

Suddenly, I saw the menace and aggression vanish from the wolfs face. The old wolf was back.

I felt immense relief rush over me. The wolf lowered her head and licked at my face.

"STUPID GIRL!" Mr. Morris yelled.

He picked up a long silver knife and took a swing at the wolf.

"No! Leave her alone!" I cried weakly.

The gray wolf turned and the aggression came back. It charged Mr. Morris head on.

The two of them began fighting.

The rest of the Tyrix's frantically left the room, but I heard voices outside the house.

"Phil!" Mom's voice cried.

I heard snarls and whelps coming from somewhere in the house. The next thing I knew, Keely, Mom, Dad, and Pim stood in the doorway. Behind them two sets of wolves were fighting.

Silence behind them shortly and the only two left fighting were Mr. Morris and Gabrielle in wolf form.

She had him pinned down and clamped her jaws around his throat, digging her wolf teeth into his neck.

Just before Mr. Morris stopped moving completely, he thrusted the silver knife into the gray wolf's rib cage.

"NOOOO!" I howled.

Mr. Morris went limp.

The gray wolf staggered over to me, collapsing next to me with her head resting on my thighs. She didn't move. Those amber eyes were still fixed on me.