78 - Ben


    "Why would she want us bonded? ra''s Elders wanted it because they think they have some kind of control over and im on her as my Luna. What they failed to realize is that she is not and never will be my Luna, she''s my Alpha. They have no im on her and I will kill any of them who try. What does...this rogue witch, want with our bond? How does it benefit her?"


    "It makes us stronger," ra whips her head to me. "Our bond makes us both stronger. What that does for her, I don''t know, but that is the only oue of our situation. We thought we were in there for two and a half days. She let us out only after we were fully bonded. Maybe she thinks she can gain control over the pack using our bond?" She questions, looking from me to Marrietta and Brianna.


    “There are so many possibilities. We know for sure she has fallen into the depths of dark magic. Realms neither of us would ever venture into, so it''s hard to say what her intention for the two of you is." Marietta says while pacing the clearing. Copyright 2025 Miss L Writes and Ember Mantel Productions


    "I''m worried about Junior too. Something just doesn''t feel right about his situation. Neither of us has been targeted the way he was. He needs one of our warriors with him at all times, I want immediate info if something else happens to him or any of his pack members. But I don''t want to send Jax or Dev, they need to stay near ra. And, his current warriors are too young to be helpful if the witch is employing the same tactic for controlling underage wolves. They''re all underage.”


    "I''ll go." Jason steps up next to me. "There''s something here, I can feel it. I want to keep walking the border."


    "You keep saying things like that. What do you feel or see that the rest of us don''t?"


    "No idea, man, but my wolf doesn''t want to leave this area. Even going home thest time was hard for him. We are drawn here, but there isn''t a single ce that I''m being pulled to, I can just feel it."


    "His mate is here somewhere." ra mindlinks me.


    “I was thinking the same thing, but wouldn''t he be able to follow her scent and find her? He''s been acting weird since the first time we came out to help you."


    "Who knows. Maybe she''s a wolf under control and her bond is suppressed or off somehow."


    "For his sake, I hope she isn''t a controlled rogue. I have a feeling some of the wolves working with her are doing it of their own ord and we need to interrogate any we can catch alive."


    "I''m more worried about him having to choose if there''s a fight."


    I nod at her then look at my friend, he''s not worried about us having a conversation about him while he stands there. Luna Beth and Alpha James did it all the time when we were little. "Okay, keep your phone on you. I should be able to mindlink you now that.......” I trail off, it sounds usatory. Like not being mated was holding me back. It kind of was, but she''s had sh*t to deal with, still does, and I understand a little better now. I inhale, nod again, and pat Jason on the shoulder. "Keep it with you so you can keep in touch with anything, no matter how insignificant. That seems to be this b*ch''s MO. The little random things that most people overlook."


    "You got it brother. Keep taking these marker things down, I feel lighter the more you get rid of, like my head is more clear."


    "Same. Will do. Let''s get everyone back to the packhouse to regroup." I say like a suggestion, but almost question, to the leadingdies in front of me. I''ll let them make the call to stay and work if they think we need to, but all of them need to rest and I want to move more of the coven members into the packhouse. The fullness makes ra smile more and everyone else seems to feel more safe and rxed.


    All three of them agree with me, which is a relief. I don''t know how much they got done while ra and I were trapped in the snow globe, but every single person here looks worn out and I have a feeling that is part of this veryplicated and borate n. Copyright 2025 Miss L Writes and Ember Mantel Productions


    "I have an idea." I say as we climb into the back of the SUV Jax and Dev have for


    us.


    "What kind of idea?" She leans away from me, looking wary, and we can''t have that. She needs to figure out that I will have contact with her pretty much at all times.


    I reach across the bench seat and grab her thigh to pull her close.


    "Hey! No s*x in the backseat. We cannot be distracted." I have no idea who is talking, I amzer focused on my mate and he mentioned s*x.


    "Stop!" Sheughs at me. "You said you had an idea."


    “He started it. I cannot be held responsible for my actions around my newly marked mate." I growl into her shoulder taking in her scent. She sighs, then pushes my chest away.


    "Idea first..." She looks me in the eyes and loses her own focus so I lean in to her ear and whisper.