Hannes entered the dining room just as I was leaving, and he said nothing as I walked by. The weight of his stare remained on me despite his silence and only when I walked out of, I assume, his line of sight, did I feel the weight drift away.

An angry looking Elijah stood in the doorway of the living room, and his eyes narrowed down upon me.

"Have you seen Hannes with my mints?" He demanded. It was almost comical, the way this largely muscled and at times intimidating lycan whined over the loss of his mints and I couldn't help the grin that briefly grew on my lips.

My mind flashed to the conversation that had occured between Helda and myself, and how she'd explained that Helmitch had given a packet to her.

"No. I haven't seen Hannes with them." I told him, taking several steps forward, intending to enter the living room, but Elijah refused to move. Heat seemed to flush my back, and my skin prickled with awareness as I felt Hannes' presence.

"You didn't take my word for it, Beta?" His low voice was rough, but speckled with amusement. Elijah grunted, narrowed eyes darting between us before he left, declaring over his shoulder that he would see that the warriors were carrying out their assignments.

Warmth skirted up my back until I moved forward once again, entering the living room and making a beeline towards the sofa, the book which I'd been reading resting amongst cushions.

I plucked it up and began flipping through pages, but my attention was more so focused on Hannes as he too sat on the sofa, leaving little to no space between us.

The scent of soup was strong in the air, and my eyes flashed to the bowl he'd carried with him into the livingroom and had placed on the table.

"I'd like to speak with you." Hannes was holding my wrist when he said this, making me lower the book so that I had no choice but to meet his gaze. I allowed the book to rest on my lap, and adjusted my body so I faced him, my fingers interlacing as I waited.

"Anabelle is not alive. I can assure you that," Hannes told me, eyes missing nothing as he saw me stiffen. He had yet to remove his hold on my wrist, and his touch seemed to sear my skin pleasantly. "However, I should tell you that it has been suspected that Yanneek or Helda could have the knowledge to create potions, and attempted to bring Anabelle back to life."

My eyes widened. "Why would they do that?"

Hannes shrugged his shoulder. "I am not sure. However, none of the lycans in this pack, to my understanding, know how to make potions or aware that they can make them. We, the Elders, Beta and myself do not discuss such things with pack members."

"Why?"

"The Elders have encouraged only for particular lycans in packs to be aware of potions and the with-holding of information regarding their existence to pack members. It's one of the few undisputable rules which was established decades ago. This rule is still followed and I don't intend on breaking it."

I bit on the inside of my cheek, removing my wrist from his hand. A flash of displeasure crept across Hannes' expression at that, but I attempted to ignore it.

"And you think either Helda or Yanneek knows how to make the potions?" I inquired, straightening backwards on the sofa, which effectively placed more distance between us. The look of displeasure intensified, and I watched the way his long fingers curled into fists before unclenching.

"It's been suspected by the Elders that they may know," Hannes spoke through gritted teeth. "It is possible that they could be one of the few humans who are capable of creating potions, but are unaware that a potion can't bring the dead back to life."

I gave him a doubtful look. "I don't believe Helda or Yanneek have any reasons to want to bring Anabelle back to life anyway." I said, fingers trailing over the book's cover on my lap, eyes following their movements as I thought of the likelihood of Helda or Yanneek being able to make potions, or digging up a grave.

"It was simply suspected." Hannes said. "The Elders and myself will investigate any other possibilities as to why Anabelle's coffin was removed."

I nodded, and watched as Hannes lifted his bowl of soup and began eating. I turned back to my book, attempting to read, but the words I could not comprehend.

My thoughts were slowly becoming consumed on Anabelle, and how her actions had brought much pain into my life for twelve years. The scar on my cheek and the ones on my back seemed to sting as memories flooded, and I distinctly heard the sound of my fingers accidentally ripping the page from a book before I released my grip.

I stared at the blurred words in the book despite my mind being elsewhere. Many thoughts and memories which I'd attempted to repress surged forth and the faces of the guards of the Klawmoon Pack surfaced between some of the cruel acts I recalled.

My tongue ran over my teeth as I remembered the taste of blood in my mouth after being pummelled by guards when I'd refused to 'settle and accept', and my eyes lowered to my knuckles as I thought of the skin there which had once been broken after punching at the bars of my cell when I was a child, frustration getting the best of me after I'd seen Clyde being beaten, the sound of his choked cries and pleads heart wrenching.

A strangled, choking noise emitted from my throat before I could swallow it and I snapped the book closed, leaving it on the sofa and stood. To my surprise, so did Hannes.

His hand gripped my waist, and his fingers grazed my cheek, just as I realized I'd been crying. His body became a blur as I swallowed, feeling the quickening pace of my heart and the onslaught of emotions take ahold of me. I internally cursed myself at crying before him, somewhat embarrassed, and attempted to side-step Hannes, but the tightening of his hand on my waist made me halt.

Before I could wrangle out a word from my burning throat, I was pulled to his body, his strong arms wrapping around me as I was embraced. I stiffened almost immediately, the flow of my tears momentarily ceasing in shock at the act.

My heart clenched painfully, and I pressed my head against his chest, eyes drifting shut as I barely heard Hannes' soft, low words of what I suspected that he thought to be comforting. Warm lips grazed my forehead and I could feel my body slowly relaxing in his hold.

He refused to release me until I was breathing steadily once more, and even then, his fingers bit almost painfully into my hips.

And when I did manage to pull my head away, I grimaced at the wet spots from my tears that remained on his shirt. Hannes noticed the direction of my stare, but he sent me a sharp look, as if daring for me to apologize. I swallowed and stepped out of his embrace, wiping my eyes with my fingers.

"Thanks," I spoke, or rather, croaked. I gestured to his arms and body. "For that."

Hannes studied me, honey-colored eyes concerned. "Why did you cry, Olivia?"

I glanced away from him. "I was reminiscing about good times." My sarcasm and voice was bitter, but I wasn't angry at him. "And Anabelle."

I shook my head, stepping backwards when Hannes moved forward and muttered, "I'm going to take a nap. Or try to."

I left before he could say anything else.

*************

"It's delicious." Athena was picking at the meat pie we had recently made with a fork, and her mouth was full as she spoke. "I'm impressed."

I glanced behind me, to where Lilith and Hannes stood, him languidly leaning against the kitchen counter and Lilith beside him, looking on.

"Would you like some, Lilith dear?" Athena called, beginning to grab a plate, but the woman shook her head.

"No. No thank you. I went hunting today and had a good meal." Lilith's smile was clearly strained, and her forehead showed stress. She had came over to the house whilst I'd been sliding out the meat pie from the oven, and had asked to talk to Hannes privately, who at the time, had been in the kitchen as well, but on his laptop. They'd stepped out the room to speak and had only recently returned.

My eyes moved to Hannes in question, wondering if he had noticed his friend's behavior, but he was looking at the pie, silently appraising it. I lifted a forkful of it and ate, listening as Lilith eventually took her leave after refusing a slice of pie once again from Athena.

"What was it that she spoke to you about?" Athena innocently asked Hannes, wiping her fingers against a paper towel.

"Quinn, one of the council members of Corozal." Hannes' eyes went to me, searching my face before he continued. "She's been disrupting the guards of the prison, and one of them had spoken to Lilith about it."

Athena frowned. "I thought you'd executed her."

I lifted my head at that, eyes darting between Athena and Hannes in surprise. I was by no means intending to object to Quinn's execution, but I knew that she'd probably know of places in which the people of Corozal had gone.

And Hannes explained this to his mother as well, stating that he'd want her to divulge this before killing her.

"Oh," Athena sliced some more pie for herself whilst Hannes turned to his electronic device.

"So Olivia," Athena looked at me. "I've been told that you are going to be training soon. Are you looking forward to that?"

I shrugged. "I suppose. I need to know how to defend myself."

"Agreed." Athena nodded, leaning forward, her voice lowering. "My father made me train as early as ten years old. Hannes was nine years old when he'd begun being taught."

My eyes went to Hannes, but he was staring at the laptop's screen, his eyebrows furrowed with concentration. A dark cup of tea was near his hand, and steam slowly arose from it. "Oh." I said.

"I hadn't wanted him to start so early," Athena said, easily finishing off her slice of meat pie as. "But his father did and eventually I relented."

Her usually bright expression saddened as she mentioned Hannes' father, but she cleared her throat and moved to the kitchen sink. "Willow and Jeremiah are good warriors. They will teach you well, so there wouldn't be need for any worries."

She finished up washing her plate and then took my hand, leading me out of the kitchen. "Have you ever watched television before, Olivia?" She asked.

"Once or twice," I murmured. "When I was a child."

Athena smiled, and we entered the living room. "There's a few movies that are supposed to be showing today. The genres are mainly comedy and I think we could all do with some laughter." She locked eyes with me for several seconds before she turned to the large screen situated on the wall.

I watched as the television became alive after Athena fiddled with a remote and the harsh brightness from the screen stung my eyes as she began searching through the channels. Eventually I sat on one of the sofas, pressing a cushion to my stomach as I rested comfortably on my side. Athena soon found what she'd been searching for.

I watched what showed in near silence, becoming a bit amused when Athena asked questions at the screen, the actors and then, at myself. More than once I had to point out that I had no idea what was about to happen in the movie whenever she'd ask me questions, but she paid little attention to my words.

However, just as I too began to become interested in the movie, a knock came from the front door. I heard Hannes leave the kitchen and walk to it. Despite the loud voices from the television and the distance, I easily heard Elijah's words,

"We've found Anabelle's body."

*