"Is that a pistol?" Helda asked, widening eyes lowering to the weapon in my hand after I stepped outside with her. Her arms were wrapped around her stomach, almost as if she was comforting herself as she continued to stare at the gun.

Her face, which had looked distressed even before we had stepped outside, grew even more bleak at the sight of the dark pistol in my right hand.

"Yes. It is," I licked my lips after the cold weather made them dry and glanced behind Helda to see Elijah walking by. His head lowered in a nod as he caught me watching and I returned it before he walked out of sight, warriors trailing after him.

Throughout the week that had passed after I'd had dinner at Sophie's home, Elijah and I had begun talking amicably for long periods of time. There was no tension between us, and I at times either found myself being amused by him or impressed by his work-ethic.

I looked at Helda. "What did you want to speak to me about?" I asked, knowing that the seconds were ticking by, and my training would need to resume soon. Helda swallowed, stepping closer to me, the hands around her stomach dropping away.

"I just want you to understand why Yanneek and myself may have been acting a bit distant," Helda grimaced as she said this, but maintained eye-contact with me. "There has been an increase in news of lycans taking over towns, and it has stressed and saddened Yanneek and myself. Especially Yaneek. He doesn't understand why you have so recently become open to being around lycans, since they have been the ones wreaking havoc in the past and still to this day."

I furrowed my eyebrows, shaking my head. "I'm open to becoming closer to the lycans here, in Wildeland. Not the ones who are destroying lives and forcing others from their homes," I frowned. "Besides, months ago, when we had left this pack, Yanneek had chosen to stay and live amongst these same lycans who he is currently upset about me being around."

Helda shrugged her shoulders. "I pointed this out to him, but he said that it was a necessity that he stay in this pack and that I wouldn't understand why."

"Is your reasoning for not speaking to me similar to Yanneek's? Why have you been distant from me? I haven't said anything to you that could have driven you away from me, have I?"

Helda sighed, lifting a hand and pinching the bridge of her nose, appearing extremely confused for several seconds whilst I looked at her expectantly. She finally dropped her hand away to rub at her neck as she spoke, expression sheepish,

"I think I allowed myself to be influenced and almost convinced by Yanneek's words. He spoke to me about you spending a lot of time with lycans, especially Hannes and Athena, and had made it up in his mind that you wanted little to do with us now. You seemed closer with the lycans and it appeared as if you had little intentions of spending time with us," Helda paused, chest raising and lowering as she heaved out a breath. "I suppose he and I were a bit jealous?"

I stared at her for a long while before pointing out slowly, "Yanneek and yourself could always come by my house. Also, I'd wanted to spend time with you all recently, but Yanneek rejected me coming by his home because of Willow or Jeremiah needing to be there, for my protection."

"We wouldn't harm you, Olivia." There was sort of a bite in Helda's voice, and I arched my eyebrows, understanding dawning.

She was upset, because I suppose it'd been made to seem that I had insinuated that she could not be trusted, and I'd need the warriors' protection in case she chose to do something harmful towards me. I opened my mouth to speak, to perhaps reassure her, but I hesitated. Did I really trust Helda? Or Yanneek?

I heard the doors behind me open, and knew that either Willow or Jeremiah were behind me, waiting.

"I hurt you didn't I, Helda?" My voice was soft as I addressed the woman before me, my eyes watchful. Helda swallowed, eyes lowering to the ground.

"I've known you for many years, Olivia. I mean, I had no choice but to, since we were in the same prison and all," Helda looked up at me once again, a small smile on her lips. "Have I ever given you a reason not to trust me?"

"Ten minutes is up, Liv." Jeremiah's voice came from behind me, but I didn't look away from Helda.

"Is it possible that we, including Yanneek, could talk about this entire thing?" I asked, switching the pistol in my hand to the other and lifting my free one to rest it on her arm momentarily. "Hopefully we could solve any worries or confusion between us through a thorough conversation."

"I'll speak to Yanneek and get back to you." Helda murmured. She opened her mouth, closed it and then opened it once more, "Would it be alright if I pass by your home later today to tell you when we could talk?"

I nodded. "Sure."

Helda's eyes went to Jeremiah, who stood only a feet away. She then turned and left, going in the direction of Yanneek's home.

"You look perplexed." Jeremiah muttered, his hand on my back as we walked into the gun range, the doors slamming closed behind us.

"I am. A bit," I chewed on my lower lip as I thought; I didn't entirely believe Yanneek's coldness towards me was driven solely because I may have been spending more time with Hannes, Athena or any other lycans, but perhaps after conversing with him I'll be able to understand why his attitude was like that towards me.

***********

I saw Helda when I was approaching my home, which was later in the evening after training, and we spoke briefly. Yanneek had begrudgingly agreed that we talk in his home, and he'd stated that if Willow and Jeremiah needed to be there throughout it, then so be it.

So, Thursday morning next week, the day in which I wouldn't be training, was when we'd be meeting.

Helda left to return back to her house, and after spending a few minutes with Jeremiah and Willow inside of my house, speaking of the training that would be taking place tomorrow morning, they left the home.

As I walked upstairs, I heard Hannes' voice coming from the office near the bedroom; he was on a phone call.

Pulling at my shirt, I slipped it off and changed clothes once I reached the bedroom, choosing some which were soft and comfortable, stopped by Hannes' drawer to retrieve something before returning to the office.

I opened the door, and leaned against the doorway, appraising Hannes and the way his light gray long-sleeved shirt perfectly hugged his muscled upper body. Hannes sat in a large black chair, one which didn't have any arms, and the desk before him held a few neatly stacked papers, some scattered ones and documents. A laptop was near the edge of the desk and was turned off.

A phone was pressed to Hannes' ear and his voice was low until I stepped inside. He paused from speaking, and his mischievous honey-colored eyes skipped up and down my body as I entered the room. He straightened, releasing the paper he'd been holding, allowing it to fall on the desk and sat back in the chair as I approached him, his head following me.

Hannes continued speaking to the person on the other end of the phone, but his eyes remained on me as I flashed a smile when I came to stand before him, dropping the wrapped condom I'd taken from his drawer onto the desk.

He paused from speaking once again, and lifted a dark eyebrow, a small and naughty smirk crossing his lips which grew when I abruptly pushed back his chair and sat on his lap, facing him, legs on either side of him.

His eyes which were rapidly becoming darkened with lust followed the movement of my tongue drifting across my lower lip, and I felt his hand rest on my back when I leaned forward, my lips pressing against his neck slowly. I felt the growing pace of the rise and fall of Hannes' chest as I trailed my lips over the smooth brown skin of his neck, heard him inhale sharply, stumbling over words when I ground into the growing bulge in his pants.

"Fuck." Hannes' cursed quietly, hand lowering to cup my ass, making me grind harder against him.

I could hear him attempting to refocus his attention on the caller, his deep voice hitching when I lowered my hands and slid them under his shirt, feeling the abdominal muscles under my palms. My teeth playfully nipped his neck and I felt him straighten further in the seat, the hand he rested on me ensuring that I remained close to him.

"My apologies, Callum. I'm afraid I will have to speak to you at a later date. Perhaps tomorrow aft-" Hannes' words cut off sharply when I leaned my body backwards slightly, my hand lowering to rest on the bulge in his pants, palm running up and down it as I grinned at Hannes.

Rushed words came from Hannes' mouth as he bid the caller farewell. I heard the phone clatter to the floor, and felt him hold the back of my neck, pulling me to him. His lips captured my own, kissing me long and hard, tongue tasting my own. I moaned into his mouth, feeling his fingers grip the back of my neck. I deepened the kiss, before breaking away, yanking his shirt off of his body before taking off my own and dropping them to the floor.

My fingers curled into his thick hair when he kissed my breasts, pleasure making me shudder. I felt his fingers working on my pajama shorts, and untying the strings that held them tight. They loosened and his fingers dipped into the shorts, a sly grin on his lips.

"No underwear, hmm?" Hannes' voice was husky and rough with lust, and I whimpered as I felt his fingers drift across my clit.

I jerked backwards, cupping his face, my forehead pressing against his own as I inhaled his scent, voice hoarse and needy as I told him, "Fuck me, Hannes."

Fangs flashed when he smiled, and I released a sharp breath when he lifted me with one hand, the other hand sweeping some of the neatly stacked papers and folders to the floor before lowering me down and allowing my back to rest on the cool wooden desk.

With a few tugs, our clothes were completely off, and I felt Hannes grip my hips, pulling me to him as he stood between my thighs. I faintly heard the noises of the wrapper and knew that Hannes was putting on the condom.

A soft sigh fell past my lips when I felt his cock slide into my vagina, and I moaned as he began thrusting. Pleasure captured my entire body at the growing speed of his thrusts, and my toes curled.

I straightened upwards slightly, eyes lowering to watch the way Hannes' throbbing cock thrust into me. An orgasm wracked my body when he continued to pump into my pussy deeply, and a short scream fell from my mouth as I came, slickening his penis further.

Hannes groaned throatily, thrust slowing until he ground hard into me, his fingers digging almost painfully into my hips as I rocked them desperately. I rested my palms against the desk, pausing to raise my upper body upwards and kiss him, sucking on his lower lip before pulling away, laying back on the desk when his pace resumed.

It didn't take long for me to reach an orgasm once more, and I placed my hands on his stomach, nails pinching his skin and rolling my hips as I came, trembling and moaning loudly, head pressing backwards further into the sturdy desk. I felt Hannes' hand move across my stomach, felt him push deep into me with a low growl and watch my squirming body as my pussy hugged his cock whilst I continued to come.

Hannes carried on thrusting into me, dark eyes running up and down me before he came with a snarl and groan, pushing deep into me as he erupted into his condom.

.'