“I don’t have a better plan.” I slump against the wall. “All I know is that Thornridge targeted her. They knew where she’d be and when. They had suppressors ready to cut her off from her wolf. Someone fed them information about her movements, and until we figure out who and why, sending her back to Llewelyn feels like handing her over to whoever wants her captured.”
“Tell me about the attack.” Wyn’s tone becomes more businesslike. “Everything. Start from when you first saw them.”
So I do. I walk him through spotting the black vehicle hidden behind the rocks, seeing Sera fighting off three trained operatives, watching them deploy the suppressor. Shifting and engaging them before they could get her into their vehicle. Killing all of them to keep her safe.
“Three Thornridge operatives.” Wyn gives me a nod of respect before he continues, “Working in coordinated teams to kidnap specific targets. That’s a deviation from their previous tactics.”
“Their suppressors were more advanced than the models we’ve seen before. This one cut Sera off from her wolf within seconds of activation. Previous versions took several minutes to reach full effect.”
He studies the images, tilting his head to the side. “We need to get this technology analyzed. If Thornridge can manufacture suppressors that work this quickly, they have an advantage that changes the battlefield completely.”
I put the phone away and reply, “First, they infiltrated Llewelyn through Bastian, gathered intelligence about pack structures and vulnerabilities. Now they’re targeting high-value wolves who might have information or abilities they want to exploit.”
“What makes Sera high-value? She’s an archivist. No special combat training or leadership role.”
“Her aunt is the matriarch. And…she has visions.” The words feel like a betrayal of Sera’s trust, but Wyn needs to know. “Started experiencing them a few days ago. Saw something about Llewelyn women being bound by dark magic, suppressed somehow. The vision warned her not to tell anyone in her pack, said someone there would stop her from finding the truth.”
Wyn goes very still. “Psychic abilities manifesting in a pack known for not having psychics. Targeting by an enemy force that specializes in supernatural exploitation. You think Thornridge knows about her visions?”
“I think they know something we don’t. About Llewelyn, about whatever curse or binding affects that pack, and aboutwhy Sera is important to their plans.” I move to the dining table and gesture at the books spread across its surface. “I’ve been researching all night. Found references to a magical working commissioned three hundred years ago that changed Llewelyn fundamentally. Emotional suppression on a massive scale, executed by the Hysopp Coven.”
“A curse affecting an entire pack and their descendants.” Wyn follows me to the table and scans the open volumes. “That’s dark magic. The kind that requires significant power and resources to maintain across generations.”
“Exactly. And if Thornridge has figured out how to exploit that curse, how to use it against Llewelyn or break it for their own purposes, then Sera becomes extremely valuable. She’s the first one in centuries to see what’s really happening. To recognize the binding for what it is.”
From the dining room, I hear Raegan’s voice murmuring comfort to Sera. My wolf wants to go to her, wants to verify she’s okay, but I force myself to stay here with Wyn and finish this conversation.
“You need to tell Oren,” Wyn declares. “About the attack, about the suppressors, about all of it. Keeping this secret makes you complicit if something goes wrong.”
“I know, but Sera’s terrified that telling Llewelyn leadership will trigger exactly what the vision warned against. Someone stopping her from finding the truth.”
Wyn pulls out his own phone. “I get that, but we have to do this through proper channels. With authorization and oversight. Not you playing lone wolf historian while keeping a scared omega in your house.”
He’s right. I hate it, but he’s right.
“Today,” Wyn insists. “We brief Oren today about the Thornridge attack and the suppressor technology at a minimum. The curse research can come after, but the immediate security threat needs to be addressed now.”
“Agreed. What about Matriarch Lydia? She needs to know one of her pack members was attacked.”
“I have a feeling Oren is going to want to have a council meeting. I’m sure she’ll be involved.”
The sound of footsteps makes us both turn. Raegan appears in the doorway with her arm around Sera’s shoulders, supporting her weight like she’s worried her friend might collapse.
“She needs proper medical attention.” Raegan’s psychic abilities probably showed her exactly how much pain Sera is actually in. “Those bruises need treatment, and someone should check her for internal injuries from the fight.”
“I’m fine,” Sera protests weakly.
“You’re not fine.” Raegan guides her to the couch and helps her sit. “You were kidnapped, cut off from your wolf, and fought trained operatives. That’s not fine by any definition.”
“I had help.” Sera glances at me, and something in her expression makes something behind my sternum ache. “Reeyan saved me. Killed all of them before they could get me into their vehicle.”
Raegan sits beside her and nods. “Which is the only reason you’re alive right now. But that doesn’t mean you’re not injured or traumatized or dealing with the aftereffects of that suppressor technology.”
Wyn moves to his wife’s side. “Tell us about the vision. Reeyan mentioned you saw something about Llewelyn women being bound.”
Sera looks at me, clearly wondering how much I’ve already shared. I nod to indicate she can speak freely.
“It started a few nights ago.” Her voice is steadier now, though exhaustion still colors every word. “I saw women standing in a circle with blank faces. Empty eyes. And wrapped around each of their hearts was this dark, coiling thing that looked like chains made from shadow and ice. Then the vision changed, and a voice warned me not to tell anyone in Llewelyn territory. Said someone there would stop me from finding the truth.”
