About searching through the archives all day, looking for any reference to curses or magical bindings. About finding nothing and feeling more alone than I’ve ever felt in my life.
He listens without interrupting, his full attention on me as I speak. When I finish, I expect questions. Scholarly curiosity about the details or the symbolism.
What I don’t expect is the way his jaw sets, or the way his hands curl into fists, or the low growl that rumbles in his chest.
“You’re not going back there,” he declares.
“Excuse me?”
“To Llewelyn. You’re not going back until we understand what that vision means.” His eyes have gone dark, almost feral. “Something is wrong with your pack—you said it yourself. And Thornridge targeted you instead of going after your aunt or any of the other council members. Why? What makes you different?”
“I don’t—”
“You’re staying here.” He cuts me off. “With me. Where I can keep you safe while we figure this out.”
Oh, hell no.
Chapter 6 - Reeyan
She’s going to murder me.
I pace my living room while Sera glares at me from the armchair like she’s calculating exactly how to make my death look like an accident.
Can’t say I blame her.
“Let me make sure I understand.” Her voice is deadly calm as she adds, “You’re refusing to take me home because you think my pack might be cursed and Thornridge might try to kidnap me again?”
I stop pacing and turn to face her. “That’s an oversimplification, but yes. Given what you told me about the vision and the fact that Thornridge operatives knew exactly where to find you, returning to Llewelyn right now is dangerous.”
“What’s dangerous is keeping me here against my will.” She leans forward, and even exhausted and bruised, she looks ready to fight. “My matriarch needs to know about the attack. About the vision. About everything.”
“I understand that, but think about it logically. Thornridge targetedyou. A mid-level archivist who happened to be traveling alone on a road that sees minimal traffic. How did they know?”
“I don’t know.” She throws her hands up. “Maybe because I was alone? Because I was an easy target?”
“You weren’t easy,” I reply with a chuckle. “You fought them every step of the way. They had to use a suppressor just to control you, and even then, you bit one of them hard enough to draw blood. Twice.”
“Then maybe I was just convenient.”
“Or maybe there’s something about you specifically that makes you valuable to their plans.” I crouch down in front of her chair so we’re at eye level. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but visions aren’t common in Llewelyn. Your pack doesn’t have psychics that I’m aware of. But you saw something, felt something about a curse binding your people. What if you’re the key to understanding what’s wrong? What if that’s why they grabbed you?”
She shakes her head. “That’s speculation. You don’t know that for certain.”
“You’re right. I don’t know anything for certain. But I know enough about Thornridge’s tactics to recognize a coordinated operation when I see one. They’ve been infiltrating territories for months. Bastian wasn’t their only operative. We’ve identified at least four others across different packs, and those are just the ones we caught. They didn’t grab you randomly. This was planned and executed perfectly.”
I stand and start pacing again, because staying still feels impossible. “Someone was watching you. Whether that’s a Llewelyn wolf working with Thornridge, someone who hacked your communications, or just good surveillance, I don’t know. But the alternative—that they randomly stumbled across you on a deserted road at exactly the right moment—strains credibility.”
“All the more reason I need to warn my pack.” She stands abruptly, and I skid to a halt. “My aunt needs to increase security. The council needs to prepare for potential infiltration. Every minute I’m sitting here is another minute they’re unaware and unprotected.”
“And what happens when you walk back into Llewelyn territory?” I challenge. “What if whoever fed information toThornridge is still there? What if telling your matriarch about the vision and the attack puts a bigger target on your back?”
“That’s ridiculous. Nobody in my pack would work with Thornridge. Not after what happened with Bastian. Not after the betrayal we’ve already experienced.”
“Bastian fooled everyone for months.” I hate bringing it up again, but I have to drive the point home. “He participated in your exchange program, attended your ceremonies, earned the trust of your matriarch and council. If there’s one infiltrator, there could be others. Thornridge doesn’t put all their resources in one operative.”
“So your solution is to keep me prisoner here? To cut me off from my pack based on speculation and paranoia?”
“I’m trying to keep you alive. Those Thornridge operatives would have taken you. Would have used that suppressor to keep you docile while they transported you, gods know where. Would have done whatever they wanted with you because you couldn’t fight back, couldn’t shift, and couldn’t defend yourself. And I will not let that happen again.”
