"Charlotte," something whispered.

I stirred in my sleep and rolled into my pillow, avoiding the thing that wanted to wake me.

"Charlotte," a female whispered again.

Groaning, I blinked my eyes open. The room was dark, it was dark outside. Ethan wasn't there, his place next to me was still cold. He must have gotten caught up at the pack house.

"Charlotte," the voice called again.

Turning I blinked my eyes hard again and looked to see the figure of a woman leaning against the windows. She cocked her head and eyed me with stormy blue eyes that almost glowed.

"Eve?"

She shook her head. "I'm no Eve."

I stilled. Something was off. My blood felt like it was turning cold and my beast shook out her fur.

"Who the hell are you?"

"You need to see Charlotte," she answered before she took a step towards me.

My wolf snarled. "You need to get out of my house!" I bit out.

"It's time to really see Charlotte," she replied, still walking to me. I snapped my canines at her, warning her to back away. She cocked her head again, her face still a mystery as it was covered in from the safety that the darkness of the room gave her. She lifted her hand then pointed her palm. "See Charlotte!"

Something burned in my hand. I let out a sharp yelp then looked down.

The brand.

The rebel brand was burned into my flesh, but instead of a circle around the 'x,' it was a snake.

Screaming.

Screaming and clawing out towards the woman while something held me down. Something was holding my shoulders down and shaking me.

Growling out loudly and thrashing around, I clawed out and felt my hands meet flesh while my beast snapped out wildly. Something groaned as the sheets felt like the were closing in on my sweaty body; something groaned before I was flipped over onto my stomach and pinned down.

"Let me go! Stop it!" I yelled out desperately.

"Charlotte!"

"Stop!"

"Charlotte dammit!" the voice bit back before something moved my head to the side. "Wake up!" it called out before I felt my mark light up like a firework.

Gasping for air I blinked my eyes open but my hair was stuck to my face. My heart was pounding in my chest and something heavy was on top of me. Something was holding my hands behind my back while another hand was snaked in my hair.

"Charlotte?" Ethan said, his voice firm but cautious. "Baby?"

I let out a sharp breath and turned my head as much as I could. He was eyeing me, eyes that scared me. They scared me because they were afraid.

He slowly started to release my hands then pushed the hair out of my face with his other hand. "Sunshine?"

Another sharp breath came out of my mouth as he moved off of me. I snatched my hand forward, the one that had burned and looked the palm to find nothing but smooth skin.

My heart felt like it was going to stop. "She was here, it was here," I murmured to myself.

"Baby, what was here? What's going on?" he asked, his hands on my shoulders.

I shook my head and bit back a shaky breath. "My hand, it–she was–" my voice broke off as my lungs felt like the air had left them.

Ethan quickly sat up then pulled me up with him. He moved to sit in front of me and held my face in his hands. "Look at me," he told me with a firm gentleness in his voice. I flickered my eyes to his that were still looking me over. "Baby just breathe," he said. "Just breathe sunshine. You're alright, it's just us here."

I took a few deep breaths then looked around. "It was like she was here."

"Show me." He nodded to me while he pushed some more hair back.

I laid back against the head board and let the images of the woman and my hand flood over the bond. Ethan's eyes were staring a few inches in front of him before he snapped them up to me, his beast shaking his fur out before he jumped out of bed.

He smelled the air then bent over the mattress and smelled it. "What are you doing?"

"Looking for Mare's Weed," he replied as he started to do a slow circle in our room.

"You can smell it?" I asked.

"Bernard taught me how." He did a small circle then looked back at me. "But there's none here."

"It felt so real," I said more to myself than to him.

He walked to the bathroom while I curled my knees into my chest. My beast was still on alert; we looked around the dark room while the crescent room hung in the sky outside. Ethan walked back with a glass of water in his hand and extended it to me.

I gladly drank it. The cool water made me feel slightly better, but I couldn't help but stare at my hand.

Ethan slid back into his side of the bed then gently took my hand from me. He looked it over then let out a long breath. "You wouldn't wake up. You started to lash out and I had to pin you down."

"What?" I asked, my mind still spinning before my eyes looked up to see him. He had a claw mark on his shoulder and cheek that were angrily staring back at me. "Oh my God Ethan, I'm so sorry. I didn't–"

"Baby," he cut me off. "It's fine, you didn't know."

"It's not," I said. "It's not at all."

Arms were wrapping themselves around me, pulling me close to a warm chest. I laid my head against him, his heart still beating quickly while he kissed my crown. "It was just a bad dream baby," he murmured to me.

"It wasn't just a dream Ethan," I replied, fear tugging hard at my voice.

Ethan sighed and nuzzled my hair. "We can ask Bernard in the morning. It could be what's left over of the drugs still messing with your brain."

"I hope so," I breathed out. I looked up at his shoulder; wincing slightly as my fingers reached out to the wound. "I'm sorry."

Ethan sighed and turned so he could lean against the headboard with me in his arms. "Charlotte, it's fine. You were scared–I tried to wake you up but you were out hard."

My thumb rubbed over the good skin above the clawed skin before I lifted my head to kiss right above it. "It felt so real."

"Do you still have those bags Daphne gave you?" he asked before I kissed the good skin again.

I nodded then nudged my chin to the bathroom. "I was going to put them under the mattress like she said, but I fell asleep before."

Leaning down, I started to lick away at the wound that tasted like a sweet coppery salty mix; it was strange how good Ethan's blood actually tasted. My beast didn't mind, she kept nudging me on, she felt more than guilty about hurting him. I did as well, I hated that I let another dream like that get the best of me.

Ethan didn't say anything. His hand found its way into my hair that was pulled into a loose bun, massaging my scalp, while I licked at the other claw mark until my beast was satisfied. We pulled away and gently turned his chin so we could see his cheek.

"You ruined my beard," he teased.

"I thought you wanted to grow your hair out?" I asked with a raised brow.

He shook his head. "You said you liked the beard better."

"I do like the beard better," I replied with a tiny smile before I leaned forward and kissed his cheek right above where my claws had gotten it; the stubble tickling my cheek as I moved over to licked at the long claw mark.

Ethan's chest vibrated while I licked at it again, finishing with a tiny kiss on the smooth skin where the claw mark stopped. I sat back and eyed his cheek, my wolf and I were both satisfied with our work.

"Finished already?" he asked, a slight pout in his voice.

"I think the beard is going to be fine," I replied.

He shook his head. "Not thorough at all sunshine."

"Really?"

He nodded. "Really."

I rolled my eyes and sat up some more then leaned back to his cheek. His stubbled tickled my lips when I kissed it, and his arms were slowly moving under my shirt and over the skin of my naked back.

My skin slightly shivered before I licked up the gash again, my hands trailing up his chest as he pulled me closer to him; his arms lifting me slightly up as I licked him again so I could straddle him.

I licked at his cheek again, drawing another vibration that made me shiver before I trailed my lips down his jaw and over to his lips. His lips that slowly kissed me; it was like he was drinking me in and savoring every drop–I was savoring every drop.

I felt my chest vibrate as he started to suck on my bottom lip, bitting playfully and drawing a soft moan from me. He was tugging the shirt off and I was snaking my hands through his hair; he was growing harder and I was growing more wanting.

My lips found his neck as the cool air found my naked skin; his mark tasted like he smelled to me–smokey, sweet, and spicy like a chipotle honey that I couldn't get enough of. I lapped at it like it was the only drop of water in the desert, drawing vibrations from his chest while he let my hair out of the pony tail that had kept it up.

Ethan groaned as I ground against him; his hands taking handfuls of my breasts while he ground himself back against me–against the wetness that was already starting to probably stain his shorts. I felt so needy for him in that moment, but in that moment I also so badly wanted to take care of him–of the male who was constantly putting me before himself. He always put others before himself.

A low growl vibrated over him–a growl of impatience. He pulled me back to him and crushed his lips against me while he kicked his way out of his boxers. I rolled myself forward over his length while his tongue dipped into my mouth, then I sat back on him–taking him fully in me while a mix of a groan and a growl tore out of his mouth.

What sounded like a mix of a moan and a gasp came out of my lips before he kissed me again. I was trying to let myself adjust–let the euphoric waves start to settle before he nipped at my bottom lip. "You need to move baby."

"Demanding," I replied back, kissing him and bitting a little harder on his bottom lip.

He groaned and moved his hands to my hips. "Only for you Charlotte."

My chest vibrated as I started to move–started to rock. It felt like a fire licking at my skin that I only wanted to keep fanning. Ethan growled again then dipped forward and took a nipple in his mouth, causing me to hiss as I sucked in a breath while the fire lapped some more at me.

He sucked and nibbled and tugged while moved back and forth, slowly trying to savor the moment that seemed to send my blood into a fire of ecstasy. Ecstasy that I soon wanted more of–him, that I wanted more of.

He released my nippled then moved back to my mouth while my pace began to quicken. Sloppy wet kisses, hands in each other's hair while one of my hands held onto the headboard. He leaned back and nipped at my skin, eyes watching me that make my skin light up before his head tilted back while a string of words tumbled out of his mouth that didn't sound like words at all. Watching him come undone under me was by far one of the most erotic things I had ever seen.

Soon his hand was moving between us, to a place on me where his thumb rubbed in circles that sent my mind into a place where I felt like I was going to be drunk with bliss. I let out a sharp moan then felt my body wrack over so I was biting against his shoulder; his hands kept the pace, moving me back and forth while I felt my insides start to clench in anticipation.

His name came out of my lips while my body felt like it was suspended in a cloud for a few moments while he continued to move me–the movements prolonging my high as they quickened until I felt him start to stiffen before his chest started to violently vibrate.

Sticky sweaty chest pressed together as hot labored breathes poured out of our lips. Ethan pushed some hair out of my face then kissed me again, letting out another hot breath as he pulled away.

I nuzzled his neck and kissed his mark while my heartbeat started to settle. He let his nails teasingly drag over my back before he kissed my shoulder. "Are you tired?"

I shook my head. "Not really."

He growled lowly and before I knew it, I was on my back with him looking down at me, a hungry glint in his eyes and a slight smile tugging at his lips. "Me either."

He dipped down and kissed me again, his arm snaking under my leg so it was draped over it. "Ethan?"

"Mmm?" he murmured as he kissed me again. I could feel him start to stiffen again inside me; a feeling that stirred butterflies in my stomach. He pulled away from my lips then nipped at my earlobe. "I'm just being thorough sunshine," he murmured against my skin before he started to move again–thrust.

At some point later that night before I passed out again, Ethan slid out of bed to fetch the little bags daphne had sent me home with. He placed them under our mattress then crawled in bed behind me, pulling me close to his chest where I started to doze back to sleep. A dreamless sleep.

A sleep that went undisturbed until the smell of coffee started to wake me. Slowly opening my eyes, I woke up to see Ethan carefully walking in the room with a coffee cup in his hands and sweatpants hanging low on his hips.

I sat up with a sleepy smile as he extended his hand with the coffee in it to me. "Thank you," I yawned out while I took it from him.

Ethan slid onto the bed to sit on the edge next to me. "How are you feeling?" he asked, pushing some hair back while I took another sip of coffee.

"Good," I replied. "Whatever she put in those bundles must have worked, I didn't dream at all," I said as I set the coffee on the nightstand.

Ethan leaned in and kissed the corner of my mouth. "Good, because the witches are coming over for breakfast as well as Evan and Lyanna. We need to Skype in Levi, Ajax, and Deryl–the vampires should be over soon."

"We're having a meeting at our house?" I asked.

Ethan sighed then nodded. "I guess it's turned out that way."

"What about Jake?" I asked.

"He won't leave Cora," Ethan replied.

"I want to see her." I held Ethan's wary gaze for a moment. "I want to see her Ethan."

"Alright, we can after the meeting," he replied

"What are we having for breakfast?"

He smiled. "Derek is here already with Elliot. They're making some casserole. I tried to help but they kicked me out of the kitchen."

"So the coffee was part of your escape?" I asked with a teasing smile.

He rolled his eyes then dipped down to kiss me. "No, the coffee is because I love you."

"I love you too Ethan," I replied, leaning my forehead against his. "Can I borrow some socks?"

He chuckled then nipped at my neck. "Damn sock thief."

I also stole a sweatshirt of Ethan's that I pulled on with some soft cotton shorts along with his socks before headed downstairs. Evan was bickering with Derek about the proper way to make hash browns before he turned to me with a mock pout. "Tell him they all need to be crispy. Tell him that he's not doing it right little sister."

I shook my head. "The kitchen is Derek's domain, you know that."

Derek laughed out a sharp laugh then winked at me. "And Charlotte gets extra hash browns."

Elliot smiled then zipped to me; he crushed me into his chest and let out a relieved breath. "I'm so glad you're ok."

"I'm glad you didn't turn into a popsicle."

He laughed then shrugged. "Well, it was bloody freezing even in the summer, but it wasn't bad."

"Ethan!" Lyanna called.

"Ya?" he replied while Evan walked over to me.

"What's your wifi password?"

"Uh," Ethan breathed out. He chewed on his bottom lip then looked up at her. "Just use my laptop. I have it written down somewhere."

"It's 'EvanStillOwesMeTenBucks,'" I called out.

Evan groaned and turned to Ethan. "Really?"

"Really, you do still owe me," Ethan replied before he walked over to me and kissed my cheek. "Want some more coffee?"

"Please," I replied.

Evan groaned then closed the space to hug me. "Feeling better?"

I nodded. "Much, thank you."

He kissed my cheek then looked back at Ethan. "Lyanna and I changed our wifi password."

"Why?" Ethan asked.

"'EthanBlowMe'" was much more amusing than 'EvangelineItsYourTurnToDoTheLaundry,'" Evan said with a sly smile.

"I thought you changed it to 'WheresMyGreenThong?'" Lyanna asked as she set the laptop on the counter. Evan dropped his mouth while Lyanna shrugged innocently. "What? You love green?"

Ethan almost spat out his coffee and winked at Lyanna. "So that's why he's been doing more squats."

I barked out a laugh while Evan growled lowly to Ethan. Elliot just waved him off. "Come on Ev, it's not so bad. I think everyone here can appreciate the beauty that is a nice ass in a thong."

Derek almost spat out his coffee then shook his head deviously at Elliot while Evan muttered a string of curses into his mug. I laughed then walked to Lyanna, rubbing my cheek against her before she returned to the laptop.

Bernard, Caleb, Dagny, and Daphne were waking up. Daphne had the bunny in her hair again; the little thing had made a nest in all her pink blonde curls that seemed to completely unamused Bernard. I waved them in then walked back over to Ethan and leaned against his chest.

"Morning," Ethan said. "Coffee?"

"Please," Caleb answered. I moved to get it but Caleb waved me off. "I can get it, just show me where it is."

Smiling, I pointed to a cabinet while the sound of a phone ringing played over the laptop. "It's calling everyone," Lyanna said while Caleb fetched a few mugs.

He greeted Derek and poured a glass then turned to Daphne. "Cream love?"

"Yes please," she answered while Dagny fluttered to Lyanna.

Lyanna eyed her hair then looked back to her. "You have a rabbit in your hair."

"Yes, that's Alice," she said with a smile. "May I have a cup as well Caleb?"

"Sure," he breathed out as he opened the refrigerator.

Bernard walked over to Ethan and I, dressed in all black per usual. He eyed Ethan up and down then flickered his eyes back to Ethan's. "Are you people always unclothed?"

Ethan rolled his eyes. "I can take the rest off if you like?"

"Ethan," I hissed out. I gave him a small scowl and shook my head. "Behave."

Ethan nipped at my neck. "I don't think so sunshine."

"Black coffee please," Bernard called out.

Lyanna rolled her eyes. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of their broom."

"Someone is more incessant than usual this morning," Bernard replied back dryly.

Evan eyed him then walked over to Lyanna. "More coffee babe?"

She nodded then kissed his cheek. "Please."

Caleb dished out coffee then nodded to Elliot. "Glad to see you're not frozen."

Elliot scoffed out a laugh and zipped to Derek. "I wouldn't recommend vacationing to the ice caves."

"Morning!" Deryl called out from the laptop.

Ethan and I waved. "Morning Deryl, we're waiting on the others," Lyanna said with a sleepy smile.

"Sounds good, Angeline just took the kids to school so I got the whole house to myself."

"Must be nice," Bernard replied into his mug.

"Morning!" Ajax greeted. He had his baby on his lap dressed in a Hulk onesie with little abs stitched in it.

Dagny and Daphne practically melted. Daphne waved then eyed the baby. "How adorable! How old?"

"Adam is a little over a week," he replied with a smile.

"Liam get me some more coffee!" Levi's voice barked out.

"Me too!" Lander echoed.

"Morning," Levi gruffed out.

Ethan and I bit back laughs. "Only on cup number one?" I asked.

He nodded. "Yup," he replied, popping the 'p' at the end.

"Where are Evie and Barrett?" Lyanna asked.

"Sleeping in," Derek answered as the oven went off. "I'm linking as we go."

He pulled the oven open then pulled out a pan that smelled like vanilla and cinnamon. Elliot growled lowly with hungry eyes. "French toast casserole. I swear I would kill for this."

"Well, let's get started," Ethan said.

"I'll help babe," Elliot added as he zipped to pull some plates out while Derek started to cut proportioned squares.

"Dammit boy, I said black!" Levi bit out. He looked at me then shook his head. "You think he learn by now."

"They never do," Deryl replied before he sipped his coffee.

Levi nodded while Ethan took another sip of coffee. "Alright, Cora. Anything on her? Status?"

"Sam's been working with her. She said that her brain is in the weird flux," Lyanna said.

"Yes, when Evie tried to dream walk on her, she said it was like walking either in a coherent person's mind or complete mush," Derek said as he scooped some of the gooey french toast casserole onto a plate. It was cut into strips and all stuck together with what looked like cinnamon, sugar, and God only knows how much butter.

"What kinds of bits is she getting?" I asked.

"You don't want to know," Evan said. "It's–well, disturbing as hell to say the least."

"What about Jake?" I questioned.

Evan shook his head. "Won't leave her. He's been sleeping outside her door."

"We have samples of her blood," Bernard said. "She's not fully rogue."

"No," Daphne said. "It's like she's either going that way, or didn't have enough of the cursed blood to fully turn her."

"So it's cursed blood?" Ethan rushed out.

Caleb nodded. "Your pack doctor thinks so as well. I am positive myself it is."

"What can you do?" Lyanna asked.

Caleb shrugged. "Your doctor thinks we could try a form of dialysis that could maybe separate it from her blood. We also know a good therapist that I would highly recommend. We can try some spells as well, we're still trying to figure out what original spell could have been used."

"I have some things I can mix up for the girl," Daphne added. "It won't cure her, but it will help."

"Jake seems to be helping," Dagny said. "She is calmer around him. Sounds more lucid."

"Is there not a way to un-curse her?" Evan asked.

"No," Bernard replied. "Unfortunately there isn't, and even if there was then the person who cast the curse is the only one that can break it or the person who the curse was cast upon."

"Try the dialysis then," Ethan said. "You have my permission, do what you need to do. I don't want Jake to suffer anymore because of her."

Caleb nodded. "I'll call that therapist."

"What about the stones?" Levi asked as someone handed him coffee, Liam, who waved at us before Lander and Levi both gave him a long look.

"Bloodstones," Bernard answered. "Basically they have a way to harness blood and keep it alive for their blood magic spells. We don't know what for, but it seems that they have been draining a lot of wolves and vampires to get it."

"They took some of mine," I said.

Levi's eyes snapped to mine. "What was that?"

"I didn't know. They–magic I guess healed me. Bernard found the track marks."

Levi growled lowly, his hand shaking his 'Levi's Damn Mug,' mug. "Anyone know why the hell that happened?"

"No," Caleb answered as Derek started to dish out the plates full of casserole. "But, assuming that they thought she was just another warrior, we can hopefully assume that they just wanted her blood for the stones."

"Or?" Lander asked as Derek handed Ethan and I a plate.

Bernard shook his head. "Seems that Dominic put her to sleep before they did it. There may be something there but we don't know–"

"And we don't need to make assumptions," Derek firmly added.

Something crackled around Bernard, stopping my fork from reaching my mouth. Daphne sighed then gave Bernard a small smile. "Let's just wait and see, alright?"

"Fine," he replied.

I took a bit of the french toast casserole and groaned. "Holy shit Derek," I said, my mouth full of the cinnamon vanilla goodness that felt like an explosion of flavors in my mouth.

Derek winked at me. "It's Elliot's favorite."

Elliot blushed while Levi seemed to be glaring at Caleb. "Any word on Dominic or his maker?"

Derek shook his head. "Alex and Leo have both been looking for him. He's gone. Evie and Barrett have some ideas. Dom always was closer to Barrett, Leo asked Vincent as well. He's out looking too."

"If he's not being held against his will, then we'll find him. Usually, Vincent or Barrett can find him," Elliot added.

"Probably time we had a chat with Leo again," Levi said while Lander nodded in agreement.

"With both of them," Lander said.

"I'll speak to him," Derek said. "He knows he's just tied up trying to find Dom right now."

"How were the caves?" Ajax asked.

"Signs of rogues but they were not there," Elliot said. "We found some frozen under the floor–they must have fallen through the ice, but that was it."

"Dammit," Deryl hissed out. "I think Frank and them are hitting the same luck."

"David linked me and said they haven't gotten anything yet," Lander added. "But that could always change."

"Well, any rogue movement?" Deryl asked.

Ethan shook his head. "No, Jaxon is out though on his borders looking this morning, hence his absence. They thought they saw some movement last night, but so far they have nothing. We haven't had anything since Cora, but we have the borders facing the mountains tight."

"Yes we helped tighten them up," Caleb added. "It will be much harder for them to break through."

"Good," Ajax breathed out, relief flooding his face. "What else?"

"We are going to Anchorage tomorrow," Ethan said. "With Bernard, Evie, and Barrett. Some texts are missing from the witches collection and apparently Charlotte saw a symbol on the wall where they kept the stone that refers back to a 'Forbidden' one."

"Forbidden?" Deryl asked.

"Magic that is forbidden to us," Dagny said.

"What did you see Charlie girl?"

"It said 'Blood of Life,'" Bernard answered. "I have a contact who has his hands in the underground market, specifically texts. I think he can help us track down where the missing ones are, or at least the ones that the Snake is looking for."

"We'll be coming around to your packs, as well as some of our coven members, to help tighten security up," Caleb said. "We don't want any more surprises."

"No shit," Levi said. "Anything else?"

"Oh, don't forget to go through your basement and look through Leland's stuff!" I rushed out.

Levi groaned. "Liam!"

Lander rolled his eyes. "That place is a dustbowl."

"Remember to keep looking through your records, anything will help at this point," Lyanna said.

"Will do," Deryl replied.

Baby Adam squealed and reached his hands out towards Ajax's beard. "Well, time to feed this one breakfast."

"Alright everyone, stay safe and we'll let you know when we hear from David," Lander said.

I waved as I took another large bite of my casserole while the Skype callers clicked off. Lyanna sighed then looked back at me. "Want to head out to see Cora?"

I nodded. "Yes, we should bring Jake some breakfast too."

"Agreed," Evan said with a mouth full of food.

Lyanna rolled her eyes while we all continued to eat the french toast casserole in relative quiet. The witches eventually left, but Bernard hung back. He was going to come with us to see how Cora was progressing.

The run to the packhouse was relaxing, oddly enough. I shifted for the first time since I had escaped–since I saw Eve and Margaret. My wolf was happy to be let out; Ethan promised me we could go for a run later, we both agreed we needed some time to ourselves.

She smelled odd. She didn't smell sick, but she didn't smell healthy either. There was an odd sadness about her smell, a sadness that made my wolf want to whine out.

She was on the top floor of the packhouse, in the guestrooms that we had on the third floor. Jake was slumped in a chair half asleep when we got there, before Evan gently woke him up with a plate of food extended. He sighed and eyed the plate. "Thanks man."

"How is she?" Bernard asked.

Jake shrugged with eyes that were tired and red. "Better, but–" he paused and clenched his jaw. "Better, she'll be better."

"Sam thinks we can run a special dialysis on her," Lyanna said with a soft smile.

Jake's eyes lit up a little. "Would it help?"

"Maybe," Bernard said. "It's that cursed blood that's doing it. Flush it out, and she may be alright. Caleb has a therapist he thinks she should speak to as well."

"Can I see her?" I asked.

Jake looked at me for a long moment then nodded. He stood up with the plate in hand and quietly walked to the door, pausing to look over his shoulder at me. "She's been saying things, they are–just don't let it get to you."

Before I could respond, Jake pushed the door open and walked in. His nostrils flared and eyes clenched shut before he opened them to look at the dusty blonde female with short cropped hair sitting on a bed in a large gray t-shirt and linen shorts. She looked like she was asleep, all curled up in the covers before she started to stir.

Jake walked carefully to the bed and sat on the edge beside her, placing the plate on the nightstand while she started to wake. "Jake?"

Jake smiled as she slowly sat up. "Morning," he replied back. "Are you hungry?"

She nodded with sleepy hazel eyes and rubbed her face, the chain attached to her handcuffs that were attached to the bed clinking as she moved around. "You brought a friend?"

Ethan walked behind me while I stood carefully in my spot so I wouldn't spook the shewolf that currently staring at me with large slightly frightened doe eyes from over Jake's shoulder. He sighed while he pulled the foil off the plate. "Yes, that's Charlotte. She's our Luna. She wanted to talk to you. Can you do that?"

Cora looked at Jake then down at the plate. "What's that?"

"Uh–"

"It's french toast casserole," I answered softly.

Cora cocked her head then repeated the name slowly back to herself. "I've never had that before."

"Had what?" Jake asked.

"French toast casserole."

"Me either," he replied. "Do you want to try some?" She smelled the plate then looked back at him, her eyes were wide and her fingers trembling. Jake sighed then reached for the fork. He stabbed at a big piece and put it in his mouth, chewing slowly then swallowing it down before he offered the fork to Cora. "It's safe. It's actually really good, you should try it."

"French toast casserole," she mumbled to herself while she tried to hold the fork, but her fingers were shaking. Jake wrapped a hand around her's, steadying it so she could stab at a bite for herself. She placed the food cautiously in her mouth, chewing slowly almost exactly like Jake did before she swallowed it down.

"I'll get her some water," Lyanna said before she trotted into the bathroom.

"It's so sweet," Cora said.

Jake smiled. "I'm sure there's plenty of sugar in it. Do you want to try and eat while Charlotte and Ethan talk to you?"

She shrugged. "I guess."

Jake looked back at Ethan, his eyes were tired but there was still so much fight in them. I sucked in a deep breath and let it out before I walked over to Cora with Ethan close behind me. Ethan pulled up two chairs for us and sat them in front of the bed so we could face her while Jake helped her eat the food that was meant for him.

I sat down then crossed my legs while Bernard leaned on the doorframe to the room. "Hello Cora," I said with a soft smile as Ethan sat down next to me.

"Hi," she mumbled out after she swallowed down a bite.

"Ethan said you came from the mountains?"

She nodded. "High in the mountains."

"Is that where your pack is?" I asked.

"It's where they were," she replied before Jake fed her another bite.

"Can you tell us what happened?" Ethan asked, his voice gentle while the shewolf seemed to start squirming in her seat.

"They came," she breathed out, her eyes looking past Jake's hands before he fed her again. She chewed mindlessly then swallowed down a bite. "They came like locusts, destroy, destroy, destroy. My sister gone. My brother gone. My mother and father... I don't know... Kept me, he said he would keep me."

I felt my heart still while Jake let out a hot breath. "Who Cora? Who was he?"

"The one that set the mountains on fire," she replied. "He has their pelts as a blanket in his tent."

"What?" I stuttered out. "Pelts?"

"Eli, Lucas, Eve, Lydia, and Christopher. I know whose is whose. He made me remember," she replied simply.

My stomach churned while Ethan held onto the arms of his chair as his wolf moved closer to the surface. I moved a hand to his thigh, but it didn't do much to settle him.

"Do you know his name ,Cora?" Jake asked, his voice almost desperate.

She nodded. "Hayden."

"Hayden?" I repeated back.

She rolled her eyes. "Yes Charlotte, Hayden."

"Who is Hayden?" I asked. "An alpha? A witch? A vampire?"

"He said you were different Charlotte," she said as a shy smile twitched at her lips. She moved her shoulders forward, almost in a bashful hunch before she peered at me through thick lashes and shy doe eyes. "He said you were like him."

"What? What are you talking about?" My voice was trying to stay calm, but I couldn't help but rush the words out. "Was he a human before? Did he get bitten?"

"No," she laughed out. "But he liked to bite."

Jake suppressed a growl while Ethan sat forward in his seat. "What do you mean Cora? How was Charlotte like him?"

"Her blood of course, it's all in her blood." She paused and looked at me, the smiled growing on her lips. She twirled some hair in her fingers before she looked up at Jake. "Do you want me to bend over now?"

Jake sucked in a sharp breath and shook his head. "Cora we talked about that, we're not going to make you do that."

She pouted. "You're no fun."

Jake blinked hard while Ethan eyed her again. "What's in Charlotte's blood Cora?"

"Secrets," she said with a hiss before she started to hiss like an actual snake. My blood felt like it was running cold as Bernard walked in. He stopped by my chair while Cora snapped her eyes to him. "The man in black. He said that your heart turned black when they took your Susie."

Bernard's eyes widened before he let out long breath. He walked forward then knelt down in front of Cora. "Can you tell me what they took from Charlotte when they had her?"

"Her blood," she replied very matter of factly.

Bernard nodded. "Do you know why?"

She shrugged. "Nope, he wouldn't tell me. He just told me to open wide, wider, wider, wider, wider..."

Bernard looked down and muttered out a string of something while my hands were holding me to my seat. My wolf and I were horrified. Ethan was speechless. He could only stare at Cora with wide eyes while Jake was struggling to keep his beast down.

Bernard looked back up at her. "Can you tell me what they took from you?"

"Everything," she replied, her lip quivering a little. "They took everything."

"Can I show you a trick?" Bernard asked.

Cora eyed him the looked at Jake, who nodded to her with a sad smile. "He's fine Cora, he won't hurt you."

"Ok," she breathed out.

Bernard opened his palm and rubbed his forefingers together. A group of three small miniature blue tulips started to appear, much like my sunflower did in Caleb's palm earlier that day.

While Cora was transfixed on the flower, Bernard moved a hand to her wrist. He gently put two fingers over it and whispered out something before he snapped.

Cora was too focused on the little flowers in Bernard's palm to notice all the track marks, bruises, and cuts that were now illuminated over her skin. I felt my breakfast creep up my mouth as my eyes looked over her.

Jake was horrified. He looked her over then rubbed his face a few times while Ethan shook his head in disbelief.

Cora looked at her arms and shrugged. "Don't be sad Jake."

Jake shook his head. "Cora, I–"

"It didn't hurt. Only a little, sometimes more sometimes less. I like the flowers. Those are nice, can I have more? He always wanted more, he always wanted more, more, more. He told me to drink then I did, then I was dizzy. It was black, so black. Sticky. It was sticky all over my belly. I hated when he did that."

Jake was walking quickly to the bathroom. Lyanna was standing at the bathroom door with the glass shaking in her hand while Evan trotted after Jake. Cora whined out then looked to me. "Did I upset him? I told him I would be good."

I opened my mouth and closed it a few times before Bernard looked back at me with a pained expression painted on his face. "He's fine Cora. He just needed a moment."

"I don't want to hurt Jake," she murmured to herself as her hands fisted the sheets.

"It's not your fault Cora," I replied softly.

"No it's yours," she bit out. "Hayden was right, you should have stayed dead."