"I have informed the Alpha about our change of route." Henri's stern voice travelled from where he walked behind me, and I glanced over my shoulder towards the lycan. He was not looking at me however. His eyes were roaming the woods around us and his jaw was set firmly.

"Okay," I called back to him, whilst facing forward once more. Willow too looked quite stern, especially as she watched me advance towards the prison in the distance.

I had no intentions of entering it, although I was admittedly curious as to how Quinn was faring in her cell. I would be quite satisfied knowing that she was living in horrible conditions; it was one of the many things she deserved after what she'd allowed to happen to the lycans in Woodsworth.

I exhaled slowly as I felt the cold wind drift over me continuously as I walked, halting any further possible trickles of sweat down my body. I smelt horrible, and I would enjoy a bath or shower in due time.

We neared the back of the prison, and my eyes ran over the large grey building. My stomach twisted as I recalled the way Anabelle's claws had pierced my stomach, and the memories of my blood soaking my clothes surfaced.

Because we were approaching the prison from the back, I could see several barred windows, and I found myself looking out for the green eyed woman.

As we neared the prison further, I noticed the quick way the warriors moved to walk closer towards me, and I exchanged a confused look with Elle before she gestured up ahead with a tilt of her head.

"She is one of the council members you spoke of, yes?"

My pace slowed until I eventually paused to stare at a barred window. Because of how the window was designed, and the wide, metal bars, it was difficult for me to see the woman Elle was referring to. But when I eventually did, I struggled to hide my surprise.

Quinn's face was gauntly and thin, and the sharpness that was usually in her green eyes seemed to have disappeared. A dark frown was etched onto her face, and it deepened as I met her gaze.

Her lips barely moved, and it appeared as if she was stiffly speaking to someone. Perhaps she shared a cell with another?

"Yes." I responded to Elle. My eyes flitted around the warriors and then landed back on Elle. "How did you know?"

Elle tapped the side of her head. "Willow just explained, or mind-liked, this to Henri, Frederick and myself."

I looked to the female lycan ahead of us, and as if noticing my stare, Willow began speaking, "Hannes had told Jeremiah and I, shortly after you'd returned back to Wildeland, about who Quinn was and that she would be kept in the prison."

Willow's eyes skirted past me and went towards the window. A disgruntled expression crossed her face. "Will we carry on walking now, Olivia?"

I nodded, but strengthened my walk as we circled the prison, and began to pass by what would be the entrance of it. And just as we strode by, Declan, one of the elders who looked far younger than the age I suspected him to be, emerged from the prison.

He looked pleasantly surprised and greeted us all enthusiastically. The last time I'd seen him was after Anabelle's body had been discovered, and he'd stated that he would be able to confirm what had been in her mouth after taking a swab from it.

I had forgotten about asking him what the results were, so after he decided that he'd join us in walking back to my home, since he needed to speak to Hannes anyway, I asked him about it.

Skylar had said that the concoction she'd given Bronwyn had been fairly useless, and what Declan revealed to me matched her words; alcohol and lingerings of an acidic liquid was what he'd been able to determine to be in Anabelle's mouth. I grimaced at the image of Bronwyn prying open the dead woman's lips and pouring the 'potion' into her mouth.

"Bronwyn had been desperate." Declan muttered dryly, noticing the expression on my face. I nodded in agreement, my pace quickening as my longing for warmth strengthened.

Jeremiah and Declan made small talk until we reached the house, and I said my goodbyes to Elle, Henri and Frederick before eagerly barging inside the house, and almost colliding into Hannes as I went on my way to the kitchen.

"Sorry." I murmured absent-mindedly, briefly noticing the amused look in his honey-colored eyes as I stalked to the fridge. I could hear Delcan's voice behind me as I searched through it desperately. I'd just get a light snack and then take a long, hot shower.

I'd managed to gather a handful of grapes and placed them in a bowl.

Standing by the kitchen counter, I ate them slowly, savouring their taste whilst listening to Declan speak to Hannes. Immediately I heard Quinn's name being mentioned, and the slow actions of me consuming the grapes quickened significantly.

I washed the bowl once I was finished before moving to stand by the opened kitchen door, where I could easily hear what was being said by Declan,

"...she adamantly refused to confirm whether or not her people and the Alberrechians had ever planned to interact with each other for strategic gains over lycans. She spoke little throughout my time there, but her expressions, allusive behavior and vague responses are beginning to lead me to think that the Alberrechians have been involved with Corozal before."

"Her stubbornness regarding with-holding information is strong," Hannes told him. "Threats do little to persuade her to speak."

There was a pause, and then Declan spoke again, "If she continues to be this way, then we must find another alternative to gather information about the Corozal people. Quinn is beginning to be useless and keeping her around does little to benefit us."

I was walking out of the kitchen and moving towards the stairs when Hannes responded to Declan's suggestion;

"I'll speak to Quinn myself and from there I'll make a decision."

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

I shrugged on the rather heavy, but comfortable thick bathrobe, hands working to tie the belt around my waist as I left the bathroom. My skin was still a bit damp from the shower, and I felt utterly relaxed after scrubbing my skin with soap and being soaked from the hot powerful streams of water.

After tying the belt, I walked to the windows and began drawing back the curtains since they were blocking the penetration of light, and it was only after I turned around that I noticed that Hannes was in the room as well.

"Jesus!" I hissed, almost stumbling backwards into a lamp resting on a table. Hannes' smirked from where he stood beside the bed, watching me as I glowered at him, my hands tugging continuously at the tied bathrobe belt.

His eyes lowered to my fingers, back to my face and then towards the closet.

"So I see that you've moved your clothes in." Hannes shifted on his feet, and I noticed the way his gaze dipped back to my hands still pulling at the belt, but not loosening it at all.

Or so I thought.

I looked beyond him and nodded, arched a brow when he said nothing but simply carried on watching me, smiling what seemed to be a secret smile. I brushed by him as I walked to the closet and began taking out the clothes I planned to wear for the evening. I turned with them in my hands.

I could feel Hannes' eyes on me as I waddled to the bed, almost tripping because my foot somehow got caught up in the long bathrobe.

Just as I leaned down to place the clothes on the bed, and to ask Hannes if he was going to the prison to speak to Quinn, the belt slackened as I bent over and I immediately tossed the clothes on the bed, gasping softly and grasping the belt as the slit in the middle of the bathrobe parted.

Heat travelled up my face and I didn't look at Hannes, who's chosen to remain silent as I began to tie the belt once more, turning so I didn't entirely face him.

"Sorry about that." I muttered, still attempting to securely fix the robe. It was then that I finally heard Hannes. His chuckle was strained, and when I glanced at him, I saw that his fingers were curled tightly into fists.

"There is no need to apologize." Hannes began to walk towards me, and my fingers paused against the belt as I saw the predatorial gleam in his eyes. When he smiled, I saw a glimpse of his fangs. "You can flash me anytime you like."

I shook my head, face still burning as I casted my eyes to the clothes I'd strewn across the large bed. "I heard you speaking to Declan about Quinn. Will you be going to her cell this evening?"

Hannes' hands gently pushed away my fingers that had been resting against the belt, and I blinked in surprise when he pulled me to him with the belt and released it to hold me in his arms.

The heat that seemed to be in my face travelled low to my gut and I tilted my head upwards, unable to pull my gaze away from his lips. My fingers curled around his shirt, and I could feel my body leaning further into his own.

"I could think of other things to do this evening." The sound of Hannes' husky, lust filled voice made me smile. I bit my lip when he pressed an open-mouthed kiss against my neck. I sighed, eyes drifting shut momentarily as he pressed more kisses up my neck.

My body shuddered with pleasure when his fangs grazed the skin there, and when his lips settled against my own, I felt his hands rest and then grip my waist as he pushed me backwards until the back of my knees grazed his bed.

Hannes' hands went to pull at my belt, but he paused, raising his head and his eyes skirted up and down my face in question. When he lifted his hand to place it against my cheek, the act was so gentle that I felt my eyes begin to burn.

"Are you sure, Olivia?"

I glanced beyond him to the bed, my hands moving from his chest and resting them over one of his own, which was unmoving against the belt. His eyes were searching mine, and they darkened when I replied,

"Yes."