"What did you do to me?

" August snarled, but Penelope quickly sprang onto her feet and shoved the girl back into the infirmary, looking behind her down the hall to see if there was any evidence of the lurking vampire.

When she didn't see him, she closed the door shut behind her and turned to face the girl whose rage was palpable on the air.

"I had to,

" she said simply, hissing as she realized that her clothes were covered in the hot stew she had been carrying. She took off the white lab coat, the wet sleeve scorching her skin.

"And what is this? Some kind of poison you were going to give me next? What's the real reason I'm here Penelope?

" August took another step closer to the petite Winter, towering over her in height. She could sense the power Penelope had, but right now—with all of the anger and outrage she felt—she was certain she could take her in a fight.

"No, you're pregnant. I wanted to make sure you're fed,

" Penelope said in an urgent whisper. Any moment Zagan could materialize, so she had to have this conversation quickly.

"Come away from the door. I need to talk to you before he comes back.

"

August stood, frozen in place while Penelope started to walk toward the bed.

"This is serious. Come with me,

" Penelope hissed, gesturing with her arm that August should quickly follow.

"I don't trust you,

" August growled.

Penelope was surprised at just how lycan August sounded. In fact, if she didn't know better, she would assume August was lycan. It must have something to do with her mate bond.

"I understand that,

" Penelope said quickly.

"But I wanted you to break the enchantment, okay? That's why I gave you the talisman back.

"

"The talisman?

" August repeated and then looked down at the necklace, reaching up to grasp it in her hand. Penelope had given it to her.

"This is why the enchantment broke?

"

"It was taken from you sometime after you arrived, but of course they don't know what it is,

" Penelope mumbled.

"I wore it to see if you would recognize it. You were already fighting against the enchantment, so I imagine it just helped you along… much more quickly than I would have thought though. But you are strong. It amplifies your own power.

"

"How? How do you know all of this?

" August asked, eyes squinted in suspicion.

"I recognized it immediately among your things. Derek Hallowell used to wear it as a talisman, because Magnolia made it for him to ward off enchantments from other alyko. If he had any unknown alyko abilities, they would have strengthened those as well,

" Penelope explained, still ushering August back toward the center of the infirmary and away from the door.

"If you wanted me to remember everything, then why did you do this to me in the first place?

" August scowled.

"He insisted on it. He has his own way of doing things, because he's thousands of years old and extremely stubborn,

" she replied, gritting her teeth with the truth of it.

"So you were helping him all along? And you persuaded me to leave my mate to lure me into whatever the hell this is?!

" August exclaimed, throwing her arms wide.

"No!

" Penelope scoffed.

"He caught me after I spoke to you. I am a prisoner here just like everyone else.

"

"And yet you are wearing a lab coat and taking my blood and performing memory altering enchantments? That doesn't add up,

" August replied, beginning to follow Penelope now, but she wasn't simply obeying the wish to move away from the door. She was stalking her like a predator.

Penelope recognized the way August's chin tucked and her eyes took on a fierce glint.

"August…

" she started, backing away with her palms out in surrender,

"I'm telling you the truth. I was not helping him.

"

August's fingers began tingling with the need to throw Penelope up against the wall. As soon as the very thought of that action registered in her brain, the Winter alyko was launched through the air and slammed against the glass panes lining the infirmary. She gasped for air, trying to catch her breath as shards of tinkling glass rained down around her. Bracing herself against the floor with glass cutting into her palms, Penelope unsteadily pushed herself back up, bloody hands raised in front of her.

"He's going to see, August. Stop!

" she yelled desperately.

"You might hurt yourself or your baby!

"

Penelope had never felt power like that. Her hands were shaking from the sudden pain of the glass intruding into her flesh. She looked down and realized there was glass sticking into her knees as well.

August's eyes had gone wide in horror at the sudden violence she caused without even putting any effort into it. She stared helplessly at Penelope who was bleeding everywhere.

"Goddess, I didn't mean for that to happen,

" she said tremulously, approaching the trembling Penelope.

"Let me help you.

"

"I'll take care of it,

" Penelope replied, still holding her palms out as if she was worried August would strike again.

After the two continued staring at each other for several moments without anything else happening, Penelope turned up her palms to look at the damage.

"Sit down on the bed. I'll find some bandages,

" August instructed her.

"I said I'll take care of it,

" Penelope refused, walking unsteadily to a nearby sink and gingerly removing the glass pieces before dropping them onto the counter.

As soon as she would remove a shard, more blood would spill out, and soon the sink and her hands were a bloody mess. She turned on the water, letting it wash away the splashes of red before allowing the water to run over her hands. She winced. The water made the pain worse, and she still had glass in her knees to remove.

"It's important that you listen to me,

" she spoke while rinsing her hands.

"You may not trust me yet, but we are in this together now. And I don't want him to hurt you or your baby.

"

Penelope turned to look at August, hoping the deep sincerity of her words would show in her expression.

"Why do you seem less like a prisoner?

" August asked softly, trying to control her thoughts. She didn't want to hurt Penelope more than she already had.

"He discovered that we have the same goal in mind,

" Penelope replied, grabbing a towel to pat her hands dry. She sat on the bed nearby and began removing the glass from her knees.

"And what goal is that?

" August scoffed.

"Well, lucky for us, he claims to want to die.

"