I doze in and out of sleep for god knows how long, but eventually I feel the car roll to a stop. Basil is stiff beside me and I can tell he's still awake, too, but I pray he doesn't try anything else stupid.

My body breaks out into a cold sweat as I hear their doors start to open. There are several other voices in the mix now, speaking in muffled tones and I wonder with trepidation if Aiden is amongst them.

I had only met him once, very briefly in the hallway to Maddox's office. Would I even been able to recognize him when I saw him again? His face had been so contorted in anger, his words consumed with hatred as he spit them at me.

I just want this to be over with, whether my magic is ready for it or not. The trunk door pops open slowly and I can hear our audience step forward to get a better look at us and a few of them even have the audacity to chuckle at our current bound-up state.

"Bryant and I will grab the big guy here," Donovan instructs. "Clover, I trust you and your... friends will handle the witch."

"And where are we supposed to take her?" Clover asks.

I can tell by the strain in her voice that she's biting back far more scathing comments, which only raises my curiosity about her role in all of this.

"Alpha Aiden wants her in the main cabin. Get her cleaned and dressed as soon as she wakes up."

"The main cabin? That's for wolves only, why-" An unfamiliar female voice begins to complain, but a harsh sound of someone's hand connecting with flesh silences her immediately.

"Are you questioning your Alpha's command? You know he likes to play with his food before he eats. I suggest you do as he says and make sure she's up to his standards."

"Yes, sir," the female's shaky voice responds.

I can feel several of them lifting me up and out of the van so I try to stay as limp as possible so as not to raise any suspicion. I'm sure clover knows I'm awake, although I'm still quite not sure how, but I don't trust the other witches to keep my awakened state a secret from Bryant and Donovan.

It's only a short walk to wherever this cabin is Aiden has prepared for me and I have to stop myself from grunting when they plop me down on a bed, the box strings squeaking under my weight.

"Let's let her sleep it off. How much of that sleep powder did you give her, Clover?"

"Enough," Clover responded curtly.

"Whatever. Come get us when she's awake."

Several pairs of feet shuffle out of the room and then I'm left in silence.

"They're gone," Clover says quietly. "You can cut the act now."

I open my eyes slightly to scan the room and see her sitting in an old wooden rocking chair in the corner. I stretch my limbs out across the bed, suppressing a moan as my stiff muscles finally relax.

It's not comfy by any stretch of the imagination. The sheets are a basic cotton and there's no duvet on top. The mattress is hard, but at least it's clean and more roomy than the trunk I was just in. Still, if this room was meant for wolves only, I'd hate to see their witches quarters.

The thought reminds me that Basil isn't here with me and worry creeps in that he might not be getting as good of treatment as me, all things considering.

"He's okay," Clover says, reading my thoughts.

"How do you do that?" I question her.

My frustration continues to grow despite the fact that she seems to be helping me. The least she could do is give me some answers after she drugged me and all. Her lips quirk at the corners for a brief moment, the first hint of any emotion other than fear that I've seen from her.

"I'm a spirit witch. I don't need pack bonds to hear thoughts."

"So I'm assuming that's why I can't contact my mate?"

Her silence confirms it for me.

"Why are you doing all of this? Why are you helping wolves that obviously hate you? Don't you have a mate you'd rather be with?"

Clover scoffs and gets up from her seat, pacing the floor with long strides for having such short legs before approaching the end of the bed.

"Don't pretend like you know what I'd rather be doing. You don't know me. Just because I did you a favor by not ratting you out doesn't mean we're bff's now. Don't mistake my kindness for a change of heart."

The look on her face tells me that's the end of the conversation but all I want to know is when I can see my brother.

"Basil... Can I- Can I go see him?"

She scoffs and rolls her eyes at me.

"Are you crazy? You know why you're here. They're not going to let you two see each other, lest you manage to plan an elaborate escape. Trust me, Basil is fine right where he is. Aiden knows you'll cooperate much better if your brother is still alive as a bargaining chip."

"Bargaining chip? What exactly does Aiden have planned? He's been playing cat and mouse with me for months, if he wants to kill me, why hasn't he just done it already?"

I sit up in bed and throw my legs over the side, feeling a desperate urge to move around.

"Trust me, Aiden has much bigger plans for you than to simply kill you. Aiden wants his brother to suffer for getting everything he wanted but couldn't have. You're the key to all of that."

I let out a heavy sigh, defeated and tired.

"So... what now?"

"Now, you get ready. The ceremony is tonight."