They had tracked down Vera from a strand of her hair they had taken off her hairbrush. The sun was already starting to rise as they came up to the clearing in the forest, fires now reduced to cinders and smoke. Hamish saw the altar first, looking up to it and spotting a figure laid out. "Vera?" Hamish ran up to the altar stopping short when he saw a body on the ground. It was charred to a crisp, the lips burned away revealing only a grizzly toothy smile. Eyes had been charred black. It was contorted in pain, arms bent in defense. Jack raced up behind Hamish stopping at the burned remains. "Whoa. What happened to him."

"Vera happened to him." He looked over at the altar then running closer and seeing Vera laid out over the top. "Oh my god." Hamish saw the dagger sticking out of her stomach stopping at the edge as he ran his hands through his hair. "Vera." Hamish reached out pulling the dagger out of her and clenching his jaw.

Jack came up behind him looking down at her. "Hamish, I'm so sorry."

Hamish dropped the dagger on the ground turning to Jack, his eyes flashing silver. "You aren't sorry yet." He grabbed Jack again, his claws ripping from his hands, teeth changing to fangs while he picked Jack up. In return Jack started transforming himself, ready to fight Hamish if it meant protecting his own life. The both started snarling at each other, moments away from a full on wolf butchery.

"Hey." Vera shouted from behind them. "Can you two boys stop fighting over there and help me down?" Vera moved her legs across the altar and sat up straight putting a hand over her wound. Looking down she watched it seal shut on it's own, without magic. "Well, that's new."

As soon as he'd heard Vera's voice Hamish dropped Jack to the ground and turned to look at her. "Vera?" Hamish rushed to her side and helped her off the altar. "You were dead."

"Not yet I wasn't, almost and it wasn't pleasant. I don't care to try that one again." She looked down at her shirt putting her finger through the hole the dagger had left. "Great, this was one of my good shirts too."

Hamish shook his head, she'd almost died and she was worried about a shirt? "Are you alright?" He stopped and looked down to where she had been stabbed. "The baby…"

"Is fine." Vera grabbed his hand. "She's fine Hamish, we both are." Vera took a deep breath. "Aside from the fact she might be a werewolf."

"What?" Hamish looked startled and more than a little frightened. "How?"

Vera looked around for the wolf pelt, "I think the hide chose it's champion, that's how. A life taken for the hide and given back. She was not happy with that at all. Luckily she's kind of tough like her mother."

"Vera, that's very concerning."

She smiled at him and kissed him on the lips, he was going to worry, she knew it. "I know but come what may we can get through it. We've been through worse Hamish." Hamish was about to pull her in for another kiss when Vera startled and put her hands on his chest, holding on to him but still pushing him back. "Oh my god."

"What? What's wrong?" Hamish sounded terrified again.

Vera smiled at him, "I think I just felt her move."

That fear and worry dissolve quickly as Hamish put a hand on her belly. "Really?" He waited a moment not able to feel their baby yet. It didn't surprise him, not like the kid was that big yet. It would be a long wait until he would be able to feel their kid kicking around too. "What did it feel like?"

"Like butterfly's fluttering."

Hamish smiled and looked down at her, "Butterflies. Little butterflies."

Jack got back up brushing himself off. "Guys I hate to break up this moment and everything but, I think you want to see this." He walked over to the burnt body grabbing something from his hands and showing them both.

"The Vade Maecum Infernal." Vera spoke up, taking a step back. "Mr. Mortonson, please keep that book far away from me." She looked over to Hamish. "In fact my offer still stands. I want you two to destroy that damn book. Rip it apart, get rid of it, someplace nobody will ever find it again."

"More than happy to Grand Magus." Hamish walked over to Jack before stopping. "But your powers Vera, this can bring them back. Shouldn't we…"

"No, no thank you, I'd rather live without them than have to deal with this book one more time so. Go at it, rip that thing apart."

Hamish nodded his head in agreement, he didn't want to do this, not if it was the only way to bring her powers back but he wouldn't disobey her either. Jack and Hamish opened the book and started to pull it apart. They didn't get far however before seeing Vera grab her chest and started doubling over. It had only been luck that Hamish saw her and yelled to Jack. "Stop." Hamish let the book go and rushed over to Vera again.

"What just happened?"

Vera took in a deep breath and looked back to Jack. "Looks like we know why I can't use my magic, it's bound to the book which means, so am I."