Wind chimes hung by the window and I listened distractedly to the soft ringing from them each time wind drifted through.

I frowned deeply as I identified Hannes' bloodlust. His eyes were not looking towards me, but I knew that they were more than likely dark, as they usually would be whenever he was infuriated.

The weight of his hand lifted from my head, and I was silent as he sat further up on the bed, until his back pressed against the black headboard. His body was rigid as he watched me settle further under the sheets of the bed, and his hand returned once again to rest against my hair, almost in an unconscious manner. My eyes closed shut.

The chimings abruptly stopped, and my eyes flew open at the sound of fast, hurried footsteps coming our way. Hannes straightened further, waiting, and a bemused look crossed his face when he saw who opened it,

"I forgot my purse."

Skylar walked across the bedroom, eyes skirting around her and a hand drifted over a desk before she finally snatched up a small, circular black purse.

Hannes was silent as she shoved it into her bag, and just as I thought she was going to leave, since she'd turned and began walking to the door, she abruptly whipped around, finger pointed towards the Alpha.

"You need to keep a closer eye on one of your lycans, Hannes." Her voice was quiet, and there was no malice in her words. Hannes stood from the bed slowly, and, like he did with most other persons, towered over the half-witch.

Skylar's face was completely composed as she continued to look up at Hannes and his expression was unreadable, but his face was tense. She went on,

"And I say this because one of your pack members visited my home, and asked that I create a potion that would allow for a dead individual to live once more." Skylar pulled her bag further up her shoulder. "I can not yet make those types of potions, but I have had some advancements regarding creating them. However, I gave the person a particular, fairly useless potion, one which obviously wouldn't work for what they wanted. I could sense that they had very ill intentions."

"Do you plan on saying who this person is?" Hannes' voice was a snarl, and I pressed closer into the bed, chest twinging as I fought sleeping, eager to hear Skylar's words.

"An Elder of your pack." Skylar's grey eyes drifted to the window and she tilted her head towards it. Slowly, I sat up on the bed, to look through the window properly, and Hannes marched to the opened window as well.

Bronwyn.

She stood outside, staff in hand whilst she spoke to Lilith, who appeared to have been passing by the house. I watched as Hannes' fingers curled around the windowsill, his large body shifting so that I could no longer see outside.

When I looked to where Skylar once stood, she was no longer there.

"I will be speaking with Stewart tonight." Hannes told me when he finally faced me, not seeming at all surprised to notice Skylar's absence.

My eyes fluttered and I nodded, too tired to say anything else. Hannes' anger ridden face was the last thing I saw before I slept.

And when I awoke once more, it was because of his voice and several others. Some time had, obviously, passed since I'd last seen him, and darkness had crept into the room.

The once opened window was now shut, and a small candle situated on the bedside table did little to brighten the mostly dark room.

I stood carefully, almost regretting it when I felt bile rise in my throat. Seconds moved by as the room seemed to sway and I swallowed loudly as I waited for my stomach and head to settle.

When I began moving again, I used the wall and the railings of the stairs to help me remain upright as I walked. The voices strengthened significantly.

"Olivia, shouldn't you be resting?" Jeremiah asked, startling me at first; it seemed as if he had been following me. I didn't respond, as I suddenly and easily recognized Stewart's voice which came from the kitchen, as well as Elijah's and Hannes'.

I picked up my pace, stumbling once because of eagerness and tiredness, wanting to hear Stewart's words if he was being confronted. Jeremiah released a low sigh, one of quiet frustration and he held out his arm for me to hold when I stumbled again.

I hesitated briefly before taking it, murmuring my thanks.

When we reached the kitchen, Jeremiah and I chose to linger in the doorway, but even from where we stood, we could easily hear and see what was happening. A dark blue hat was on Stewart's head, and he had a coat on as well.

His gloved, threaded fingers rested against his stomach, and his nervous eyes seemed to shimmer. It appeared as if he'd recently arrived at the house.

"I would never put her in danger, Alpha." Stewart said, his voice cracking as he stared up at the lycan. "I was given that cake by Bronwyn. She asked me to give it to Olivia."

"Why didn't you say that it was from Bronwyn when giving it to Olivia?" Elijah asked. Hannes must have told him what I'd said when I'd awoken.

Elijah looked tired, but his voice was not accusatory. Just confused. In fact, now that I looked at Hannes and Elijah once again, none of them appeared to be defensive or showed signs that they were suspicious of Stewart, but instead concerned about getting information regarding the cake.

"Bronwyn asked that I not say." Stewart rubbed at his forehead. "I didn't think it to be suspicious at the time, but now that I understand Olivia was ill because of the cake I can now definitely see that her words were strange."

Stewart adjusted the hat on his head, and his fingers threaded together and came to rest on his stomach once again as he looked between the two men standing before him, waiting for someone to speak.

However, Elijah and Hannes were evidently both communicating silently, it seemed.

I was shocked, to say the least, that Bronwyn was the one who had made that cake, that she had tried to kill me. I had some inklings as to why she might have wanted me dead though, and I believed it had something to do with me murdering Anabelle.

The communication between Elijah and Hannes lasted barely twenty seconds before Hannes straightened, resting a hand against Stewart's shoulder in reassurance.

"I believe you, Stewart." Hannes told his long-time cook. A smile broke across Stewart's face, and he nodded. And then his eyes found mine and his face brightened in surprise.

"Goodnight Luna. I didn't see you there." He called. Eyes swung my way and I lifted my head at Hannes when his own eyes narrowed in displeasure. They skipped down to my hand which was still holding Jeremiah's.

"You should be resting," Hannes said, striding my way. Jeremiah stepped backwards and Hannes took ahold of my forearm gently.

His gaze on me was stern, and I didn't bother to argue with him. I'd heard what I wanted. I gave both Stewart and Elijah a soft smile before leaving and walking by Hannes' side up the stairs.

"Bronwyn left the pack this evening, to visit a relative. Two of my warriors, who I deeply trust, were accompanying her. She should be returning tomorrow morning."

Hannes revealed to me after I went into the bedroom, not the one I'd been in just a few minutes ago but the one which I'd at times stay in before the entire toxic potion ordeal.

Hannes watched me settle into bed, whilst he languidly rested against the doorframe. One of his dark eyebrows lifted high as the bond stirred between us, but I attempted to ignore it.

"Don't you think it would save you the hassle from walking back and forth every night between beds if you simply decided to move into my bedroom?" Hannes asked, his voice slightly teasing, but I didn't miss the undertone of the genuine curiosity. I glanced at him, and then up towards the ceiling.

"Perhaps." I muttered after yawning loudly. Truly, I was too tired to get up and walk again, and I silently wished that the, at times, strange bond would allow me to sleep alone tonight. And to my surprise, it did.

*******

"Good morning. Would you like a glass of water, Luna?" Stewart was by my door shortly after I'd awoken, and I watched him for several seconds, eyes still sleep-laden until I finally understood what he asked.

I'd awoken because of his knocking on the bedroom door. I nodded, mumbling a 'good morning' to him as he slipped through the door, holding a tray which had an empty glass, a plate with buttered toasts and a bowl of porridge on it.

He set it down on the bedside table and I watched as Willow entered the room, jug of water in hand.

She handed it to him and watched as he poured it into a glass whilst her eyes carefully studied his actions. Stewart must have noticed, as his hands began to tremble and a bit of water sloshed over the rim.

"Ah, my apologies." Stewart said. He straightened and smiled down politely towards me. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"I should be fine, thank you."

He nodded, and purposely without looking at Willow, left the room.

"The breakfast should be fine," Willow said as she watched me drink my water. "I watched him make it."

I choked and placed the glass down. "What?"

Willow shrugged. "I was told by Elijah to make sure that no odd ingredients were added into your breakfast. So I watched Stewart make your meal."

She crossed the room and pushed apart the curtains. Light poured through and I grimaced, lifting a hand to cover my eyes from the glare momentarily as brightness gleamed through the window.

She then watched as I began to eat, and after a quick appraisal of the room, she left and stood outside. I carried on eating slowly, still tired, but not as strongly as I had been yesterday. I ate faster than I perhaps should have, and then showered.

Relief had seeped over me when the hot water fell over my skin, and by the time I was finished showering, I felt a bit more awake.

After pulling on clothes, I slowly walked back to the bed, lifting the tray to carry it downstairs. But then, I paused as several people outside caught my eyes.

I walked closer to the window and looked out; some warriors, including Jeremiah and Lilith stood beside Hannes.

I frowned in confusion, but then understanding grew as I abruptly saw Bronwyn's slow approach, and I witnessed her shock as she realized that the Alpha had been evidently waiting for her to return.