“Isla barely speaks to anyone outside formal ceremonies. She’s older than dirt and twice as stubborn. Getting her to share oral histories with an outsider would be impossible.”
“Which is why you’d have to be the one to ask her.” His green eyes lock onto mine. “She’s your elder. Your pack’s keeper. If you approach her with genuine questions about Llewelyn’s past, she might be willing to share.”
The idea of going back to Llewelyn, even briefly, makes my heart race with excitement. It’s exactly what I wanted. But facing Isla with questions about curses and magical bindings? That’s not something I’m thrilled about.
“What’s the other option?”
“The Hysopp Coven’s restricted archives.” Reeyan taps another location on the map. “They documented the magical working. If we can access those records, we might find details about who commissioned it and why. The specific nature of the binding, and potentially, how to break it.”
“Coven archives aren’t exactly open to the public.”
“No, but they maintain relationships with all the packs in the region because of the inter-regional agreements. As someone investigating a potential supernatural threat under treaty authority, I could request access. Especially if I’m accompanied by a Llewelyn pack member who has direct knowledge of the situation.”
I turn away from the map and pace to the window. Outside, the desert landscape stretches in all directions, so different from the tundra I grew up in. “You researched all of this overnight?”
“I don’t need much sleep when I’m focused on a problem.” His voice comes from directly behind me now, close enough that I can feel his body heat seeping into my back. “And this is a problem worth losing sleep over.”
“Why?” I spin to face him and immediately regret it because he’s standing much closer than I expected. “Why do you care so much about a curse affecting my pack? About what happens to Llewelyn women you’ve never met?”
He doesn’t step back. Doesn’t create distance even though we’re standing close enough that I have to tilt my head to meet his eyes.
“Because you care about it. You had a vision that terrified you enough to leave your territory alone and without backup, and Thornridge targeted you, and I need to understand why. Because—”
He cuts himself off, working his jaw like he’s biting back words.
“Because what?” I prompt.
“Because keeping you safe matters to me.” His hand comes up like he’s going to touch my face, then drops back to his side.
My wolf practically purrs at those words, and I shove her down into submission. This is ridiculous. I barely know this man. Yesterday, I was ready to walk out of here, no matter the consequences, and now I’m standing in his house letting him look at me like this.
“We should focus on the research.” I sidestep around him, putting the table between us. “The sooner we understand what’s happening, the sooner I can go home.”
Something flickers across his face—disappointment, maybe, or resignation—but he nods and returns to his books.
We work in silence for a while. He pulls out more volumes from the stacks scattered around his house, cross-referencing dates and events while I read through passages he’s marked. My own knowledge of Llewelyn archives helps fill in gaps, and gradually, a picture starts to form.
1721.A commission for magical binding. Emotional suppression affecting an entire pack.
1722.Historical observations noting the dramatic change in Llewelyn women’s behavior.
And throughout the centuries since, references to Llewelyn’s characteristic reserve and independence. The cold distance that defines us.
“Here.” I tap a passage in one of the older texts. “This mentions that Llewelyn had just gone through a succession crisis. The previous matriarch died without naming an heir, and three different women claimed the right to lead.”
Reeyan leans over to read, his shoulder brushing mine. “Succession crisis could have fractured the pack. Made them vulnerable.”
“Or desperate enough to try something drastic.” I flip through more pages, searching for additional context. “What if the emotional binding was commissioned as a way to prevent future conflicts? To create unity through suppression?”
“That’s dark, but it tracks with what we’re seeing.” He adds a note to his journal. “Emotional suppression would eliminate passion-driven conflicts and create a population focused on logic and duty rather than feelings and desires.”
“Would make us easier to control.”
“The Hysopp Coven’s archives.” Reeyan closes the book he’s been studying. “That’s our next step. We need to see the original commission documents, understand the exact nature of the binding, and figure out who requested it. Without that information, we’re just guessing.”
“When would we go?”
“Tomorrow, if I can arrange it.” He pulls out his phone and starts typing. “I’ll contact their leadership today and request access under inter-regional treaty authority. Mention that we’re investigating a potential supernatural threat that may affect multiple territories.”
