I sit quietly, taking slow sips of the bitter liquid, doing my best to keep a neutral expression. The taste is far worse than its faint, unpleasant smell, but as the lukewarm potion slides down my throat, a wave of calm washes over me. The queasiness that had been gnawing at my stomach begins to fade, reced by a surprising sense of ease. A soft sigh escapes my lips, and I''m certain the witches nearby catch it. Brianna is more discreet about her satisfaction, but Marietta wears a smug grin that''s impossible to miss. I can''t resist returning her smile-credit where it''s due. She was right; this concoction actually helps.


    “Alright, we''re drinking your mud soup mix,” I say with a half-joke, “so now you have to tell us what happened. The guys and I saw the three of you huddled around something we couldn''t even see. Then it glowed purple and exploded, and next thing I know, I''m waking up on my ass, getting smacked in the face, and hearing a witch call me a baby Beta." I raise my eyebrows, looking at each of them in turn. "When I mind-linked ra, she thought I was lounging by the SUV, but I was actually right behind her. How does something like that even happen?"


    Both witches inhale deeply, then exhale slowly, their eyes scanning the room. It''s not the kind of look that screams "save me" to any of their coven members. Instead, it''s the expression of someone searching for answers but resigned to the possibility that they won''t find them.


    Marietta fixes me with a steady, intense gaze. It''s not hostile-more like she''s studying me, trying to figure something out. I can''t tell exactly what she''s searching for, but I meet her stare and wait patiently, all the while reluctantly sipping the foul- tasting brew.


    "The term isn''t meant as an insult," she finally says, "but rather a recognition of your youth. Compared to us, you''re still a baby. You''ve only just stepped into your role and been mated. So much has happened to you in such a short span, and yet you''re managing to thrive. Your body and mind are still young enough to be influenced by the enchantments ced around this pack.”


    I nce at ra, the silent question lingering on my lips, but before I can speak, Marietta continues.


    "My knowledge of your lore is limited, and I understand even less, but I believe your age—somewhere past twenty or twenty-one-is significant here. That''s the key to the answers we need. Every victim we''ve heard about was neen or younger. The same goes for the wolves found with narcotics. You fall within the usual victim age range, so your body was affected by the magic we discovered."


    "That''s the only distinguishing factor we can identify for both of you," Brianna adds, her tone formal and stiff. "I''m sorry we don''t have more concrete answers right now. We''re consulting as many elder coven members as possible this evening to gather more information."


    ra speaks up next, her voice tired but steady. "You and your coven shoulde eat with us at the house. We can discuss everything over dinner. Now, can you exin to Ben what we found? I know you told me, but I don''t think I can retell it urately."


    Marietta is the first to respond. "The herbs we discovered are designed for memory suppression and control. They make it difficult for those affected to remember their actions or the reasons behind them. It''s the beginning of maniption. These herbs were ced on top of a symbol-one we won''t draw, show, or even describe. It''s dark magic that strips a person of their free will." Her face twists with disgust. "The ritual involved candle wax from a sacrifice. There were also stones and binding talismans. Again, we won''t provide further details. This kind of ritual should never be performed, and I refuse to share information that could allow it to be repeated."


    Her anger is palpable, breaking through her usual calm andposed demeanor. The magic she wields the kind that heals and protects has been twisted to harm, and it enrages her deeply.