Eric was, forcibly and unknowingly, able to clear up any confusion I had over the days' events and things to do with Helda. I had, much to Hannes' displeasure, decided to join him, Elijah and the Elders in going to the prison in which Eric was kept.

There had been a small conversation between Elijah and Hannes about whether or not they'd walk Eric to an interrogation room instead of speaking to him in his cell, but it was decided soon after Eric decided to fling himself at the bars in fury that that proposal was dismissed.

Instead, Hannes, Declan and Elijah entered his cell, whilst Athena, Helmitch and myself sat outside of it, perched on a fairly stable wooden bench. The prison had a strange, almost overwhelming odour, but I was determined to stay and listen to Eric.

My hand still held the ice packet tightly to my head as I sat, which looked a bit comical according to Helmitch, who too disapproved of me being in the prison, but I ignored his comments and gave most of my attention to Eric's words when Hannes eventually got him to talk.

Helda had, as I'd suspected, been in contact with the council of Corozal and had relayed information to them, particularly about when Hannes had left the pack and when he'd be returning. This had led to them attacking when he wasn't present and when everything had seemed mostly peaceful in the pack. The cellphone in which Helda used was given to her by Elijah, who clearly hadn't known what Helda truly had intended to use it for.

The Alberrechians and the Corozal people had indeed been working with each other, and had been planning to attack the Wildeland pack even before Hannes' warriors had killed several commanders.

However, once I'd been taken back to Wildeland, Eric and Helda had discussed briefly about what her role would be since she knew that the chances of her coming to the pack was high, and it was then that they'd planned to have Helda murder me.

According to Eric, Helda had been able to speak with Bronwyn and figure out that she wanted me dead. Helda then had conspired with Bronwyn, who had her own reasons for wanting to kill me; those reasons didn't particularly matter to Helda. The end goal was to have me gone, and they both strongly shared this objective.

Bronwyn had made the potion, Helda had bought the cake mix, and the toxic cake had been made with both of those ingredients and several others.

That plan hadn't happened evidently, because I had not died, but if it had worked, Eric had assumed that the Alpha and the pack members would have been mourning the loss of the luna, which would thus leave them vulnerable. It was then that the Alberrechians' and the Corozal's armies were supposed to attack Wildeland, and wipe out each lycan in the pack, as they had with Woodsworth.

When I didn't die, another plan had to be created and set out, which led to what had happened recently. The council had decided that it would be best that Helda assist in having me kidnapped after the pack was invaded, and they would then make it seem like I would not be given back to Hannes unless money was exchanged.

The money would have been used to buy weapons or other deadly machinery. The Alberrechians and the Corozal people had also assumed that they would have won the battle.

Sadness could be heard in Eric's voice when at one point he derailed from the topic that Hannes had asked him about. Eric spoke of Helda, and how she'd been caught roaming a village after becoming intoxicated and leaving Corozal. The village had then been attacked and the Klawmoon pack had taken her and several others to their prison, where she'd been held for several years.

We all watched with blank expressions as Eric grieved her death, saying that she deserved better; it was clear from his ramblings and behavior that Helda had been close to him.

Eric's eyes skipped to my own when Elijah disrupted him and asked about whether or not the Corozal people and Alberrechians would have truly kept their word and given me over if the situation had been different. Eric uttered a quiet 'no' in response, and I straightened, feeling water somehow trickle from the ice packet and slide down my hand.

Hannes' eyes averted to my own as I shifted on the bench, lowering the ice packet. He gestured with his head towards the exit of the prison, once again urging me to leave, but I shook my head, pressing my lips firmly together.

Our attention turned to Eric when he abruptly began to weep, spitting through tears that the Corozal community was no more, something which Hannes already suspected.

It was while we were leaving the prison that Hannes explained, based on the information he'd received from the few persons in the Corozal army who'd been captured, that some of the persons who were once in the community still lived, but there were no longer any leader or leaders, and those few who lived now were certainly not a threat to others.

The Alberrechians however, was a different story. According to Hannes, they were still powerful and many still lived. Measures were currently being established to ensure that the pack and pack members could be safe if they chose to attack once again.

I looked around us as we walked to our home. Some of the houses were badly damaged, whilst others appeared to only need a few repairs.

Hannes explained when I voiced my concern regarding where some of the pack members would have to sleep until the houses were repaired, that beds were being set up in a building nearby for those to sleep in, and the repairs would be starting the next day.

"What will become of Eric?" I asked Hannes as we made our way back to the house. Athena walked ahead of us, strides fast as she sought to get out of the cold air.

Hannes' hand tightened in my own when I mentioned Eric's name, but he responded, "His fate will be decided by the families of those he murdered in Woodsworth."

I glanced up at his face, and found him already watching me. "So, do you think he will be killed?"

Hannes' smile was brief and unhumourous as he held open the front door, allowing me to pass by him to enter the house.

"Yes," Hannes responded. "More than likely, he will be killed. Their families intend to have him murdered."

"Good." It was Athena who chirped this. I hadn't realized she was listening. She shrugged off the coat she was wearing and hung it up. Her gaze went to Hannes and myself as she said slyly, "He deserves it."

******

Later that evening, Yanneek stirred his spoon in the bowl of soup prepared by Hannes, eyes lowered to the steam that rose from it.

"I hadn't told her that," Yanneek finally spoke up after a long moment of silence. I could hear the wooden floor creaking behind us, and glanced behind me to the doorway of the dining room, spotting Henri and Jeremiah standing in it, simply observing us.

They both looked tired, and I planned to urge them to go home when Hannes returned from the kitchen.

"You hadn't?" I asked Yanneek, wanting to be certain. I had just told him about the conversation I had with Helda a few days ago, particularly regarding why he hadn't chosen to leave the Wildeland pack initially and come to Corozal.

I explained to Yanneek that Helda had said that he had told her that it was necessary that he stayed, and that she wouldn't have understood why.

"I had told her I had suspicions of her family and didn't want to travel with them," Yanneek said. "Their behaviors were a bit odd, especially her aunt's and uncle's. They seemed a bit...not all the way there, if you know what I mean. Helda didn't hold back in telling me she thought me to be extremely paranoid, but I trusted my gut and stayed here."

I glanced down at some of the brown liquid in my spoon. "You hadn't thought about sharing your feelings regarding your suspicions about Helda's family to me?"

Yanneek shrugged. "You seemed determined to go to Corozal. And I feared that you would believe me to be paranoid as well."

I shook my head, sighing as I settled my spoon softly back into my almost empty bowl, watching as Yanneek sipped at his soup. It was interesting how quickly he'd picked up on Helda's family's behaviors so quickly; I doubted he had spent much time with them. He rubbed at his jaw, but straightened when he saw Hannes entering the dining room.

"Enjoying the food?" Hannes asked, resting his hand on my shoulder as he stood behind me. Yanneek nodded, mouth full until he swallowed. He quietly spoke his gratitude for the meal then, whilst I encouraged Jeremiah and Henri to return to their home. They did without hesitance, more than likely eager to sleep.

"You are always welcome to visit my home." Hannes told him when Yanneek pushed away his now empty bowl and stood. I did as well, and I could feel Hannes' eyes on the back of my head as I followed my friend to the front door.

"I'm going to think about making an appointment with that therapist you suggested," Yanneek almost begrudgingly said. I had told him about Alan, the one Alec was visiting and the one I planned to go to soon enough. Yanneek went on speaking, pulling on his coat as he did so, "I've been having trouble sleeping, as usual, and it's due to a lot of thoughts and memories I've had, and I'd like to talk to the therapist."

I nodded, smiling gently. "That's great, Yanneek."

He grunted, and nodded his head at me. "Goodnight Olivia. Rest well."

I bid him goodnight as well, and it was only when he left that a wave of tiredness slowly began to consume me even more. I'd been struggling to stay awake throughout the dinner Hannes had insisted I eat.

I rubbed absent-mindedly at the side of my head, which thankfully wasn't as swollen as it had been before and trudged up the stairs that would lead to the bedroom.

I had settled under the thick sheets of the bed when Hannes entered the room as well. I watched him with sleepy eyes as he looked me over before turning off the light.

Moments later he too joined me in the bed, and I rolled to face him. Warm lips pressed against my forehead when Hannes pulled me to him and I burrowed close to his body, head lowering to rest against his chest and my arm moved to rest against his stomach. I inhaled his scent, enjoying his nearness.

The wind gently blew through the opened windows, and I could hear the soft sounds of the curtains hitting the walls as each breeze came through. The noises only made me more relaxed than I already was, and my eyes closed shut as I listened to Hannes' slow heartbeat.

With my head resting against his chest, and with me perhaps seconds away from drifting to sleep, I heard Hannes' voice as I felt his lips graze against the top of my head, "I love you, Olivia."

I peeked open one eye. "You waited until I'm about to fall asleep to say that?" I murmured teasingly. Hannes' deep laughter cut short when I arched my head up to kiss him softly on his lips before resting back on his chest, making sure to tell him before slipping into sleep,

"I love you too, Hannes."

***********

After eating a filling breakfast the next morning, one which I helped Hannes make, and thankfully didn't burn, he and I left the house. I had been awake before sunrise, and had heard the chatter of voices and sounds of tools being used. I was interested in seeing the repairments being made to homes, and Hannes followed me when I walked through the pack.

"I wasn't expecting you to be out of the house so soon." Sophie commented, smiling wide as she watched me approach those working on her badly damaged home. I furrowed my eyebrows at her in confusion.

"Why? I wasn't hurt," I murmured. Sophie's eyes darted behind me, widened before she turned around and faced her house once again. I noticed the blush on her cheeks and knew that Jeremiah had joined us.

I felt Hannes come up behind me, his chest brushing my back as he spoke to Jeremiah and Athena, who he'd obviously met as we walked out here. Their conversation was quiet, so I continued observing the repairs being made not only to Sophie's home, but to others.

It was only after I began to hear the murmurs of voices that I realized that many pack members had also came to watch, whilst others volunteered to help where needed.

Soon enough, a close circle was formed around Hannes, Jeremiah, Athena, Sophie and myself. The feelings of comfort and protection was what I experienced as I glanced amongst some of them.

Conversations were swiftly made, and different topics were spoken of; they inquired about where I had been taken and estimations of how soon the houses would be repaired were thrown in the air. I also noticed the presence of many lycans walking up and down the pack, patrolling.

One of those warriors who happened to walk by was Willow. I straightened, eyes following her body.

I had some questions I'd wanted to ask her, and so after excusing myself from a conversation that had arisen between several pack members and myself, I jogged to Willow, all the while aware that Hannes, Athena and Jeremiah followed me as well, walking at a close distance.

**********

Willow's folded arms rested against her chest as we walked side by side through the pack, her voice unusually quiet as she told me,

"Skylar, the half-witch healed me," She revealed. "She'd been passing through the pack just as the battle had started and had ran to hide in the house I had been shot in. It was then that she'd seen me." Willow's expression became harsh and she rubbed at her neck, one of the places in which she had been shot. "I wasn't entirely dead. Not yet anyway. Skylar took out the bullets, which fucking hurt, and managed to heal me. My lycan genes helped with the process as well, but without Skylar's assistance I would have certainly died."

"After she healed me, I was instructed to stay on the floor for at least an hour. I was very weak, so I had no choice but to anyway. Skylar left just as I regained my strength, and I was able to find Jeremiah and explain what had happened."

We slowed to a stop near a path that would lead deeper into the woods. I could hear Hannes' voice behind us, and when I glanced behind me, I saw that he was speaking with Jeremiah and Athena.

They continued walking until they reached us, and I leaned into Hannes, alarmed at the concern I saw on his face.

"What's happened?" I asked quietly, absently hearing a hushed conversation develop between Athena and Willow.

Hannes exhaled slowly, arm moving to wrap around my waist, keeping me close to his side as I continued to study his worried and slightly angered expression.

"Nicholas was captured by some Alberrechians whilst being transported back to his pack last night. He'd been badly injured, and needed medical assistance. He wouldn't have been able to fight against them taking him."

Nicholas and Hannes evidently have a friendship, once which seemed a bit confusing to me, but they definitely had one. Hannes looked almost distraught by the news of Nicholas' kidnapping.

I stared wide-eyed up at Hannes as he went on, "His beta has sent many of their warriors to search for him and I will be sending some of my own as well."

"What would the Alberrechians want with him?" I asked.

"I'm not entirely sure." Hannes admitted. "I don't believe that they will murder him, not immediately anyway. Perhaps he has something they'd like to gain."

Athena's voice broke into our conversation, and Hannes and I both turned to look at her as she told Willow,

"It's a pity that Nicholas has been taken. I was hoping to convince Skylar to visit his pack and heal him as much as she could. I can only hope that he is found soon and returned safely."

"And maybe then Skylar would be willing to help him if he's still injured." Willow said. When I looked at Athena, she wasn't looking at any of us.

Instead, her gaze was on the entrance of the pack, and when I looked in that direction as well, I swore I saw a flash of something black darting between trees. Athena's voice sounded almost amused as she told Willow,

"Maybe."

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

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