KNOX

Dad's study feels different when we arrive—charged with an energy that makes my skin crawl. The familiar scent of blackberry tea and old books is overpowered by something else, something that tastes like copper and shadows. Candles flicker despite the absence of any breeze, casting dancing shadows across the walls lined with ancient tomes.

But it's not just Dad waiting for us. A woman I vaguely recognize sits in one of the leather chairs facing his desk, her silver hair braided with small bones and feathers. She's elderly but moves with the fluid grace of someone far younger, her dark eyes sharp with intelligence.

Elder Lina. I've seen her at various ceremonies over the years, always hovering at the edges, speaking in whispers to other pack elders. But I've never known much about her background beyond her role in castle rituals.

"Knox, Noah, Astor," Dad greets us with unusual formality. His face looks more haggard than when we last spoke about the white wolf. "Thank you for coming quickly. Please, sit."

We settle into the remaining chairs, and I notice Dad's hands shake slightly as he pours himself another cup of tea. Whatever Elder Lina has discovered has shaken him badly.

"After Elder Silas's initial assessment suggested we were dealing with an omen," Dad begins, his voice carefully controlled, "I asked Elder Lina to conduct a more specialized examination. Having once served as apprentice to a witch before we rescued her, she recognizes magical threats that would escape our others.

Lina inclines her head gracefully. "Elder Silas was correct in his assessment that this was no natural death. However, my deeper investigation has revealed something far more sinister than a simple warning."

My stomach clenches. Elder Silas had been disturbed enough by what he found. If Lina's discoveries are worse...

"What did you uncover that Silas missed?" I ask, though part of me doesn't want to know.

Lina's dark eyes meet mine, and I see centuries of knowledge burning there—along with something that looks like fear. "The white wolf isn't just preserved by magic, Your Highness. It's actively being tortured by it."

"Tortured?" Noah leans forward, his glasses catching the candlelight. "But it's dead."

"Its body is dead," Lina corrects, rising from her chair with fluid grace. She moves to a small table where she's arranged various herbs and crystals. In the center sits a silver bowl filled with what looks like ordinary water, but something about it makes my wolf recoil. "But its soul remains trapped, subjected to what we call the Curse of Agony."

The words hit the room like a physical blow. Noah sucks in a sharp breath while Astor's hands curl into fists. Even Dad pales further, if that's possible.

"Elder Silas mentioned he'd never seen anything like the blood tears," Dad says slowly. "But he didn't realize..."

"That they were the physical manifestation of ongoing spiritual torment," Lina finishes grimly. "This is why my specialized knowledge was necessary. The Curse of Agony is a forbidden spell that should have died out centuries ago." She gestures toward the bowl, and the water begins to swirl without any visible cause. "It preserves the victim's physical body while subjecting their soul to unending suffering."

My stomach churns as the full implications hit me. "The wolf is still being tortured? Right now?"

"Every moment of every day since the curse was cast," Lina confirms. "The agony could continue for years, decades even, until the caster chooses to lift it or dies."

The cruelty of it makes bile rise in my throat. What kind of monster would subject another living being to such torture?

"Elder Silas suspected we were dealing with rogue magic," Dad says, his voice tight. "But this level of sophistication..."

"Requires a witch of considerable power," Lina answers. "This is far beyond what ordinary sorcerers could achieve. We're dealing with someone who has studied the forbidden arts extensively."

The implications crash over me like ice water. A powerful dark witch, operating in our territory, capable of unspeakable cruelty. And they've moved beyond simple omens to active demonstrations of their abilities.

"The placement in the Ancient Heart was deliberate," I say, the pieces clicking together. "This isn't just a warning anymore."

Lina nods gravely. "Your instincts serve you well, Prince Knox. While Elder Silas correctly identified this as a message, my examination revealed the true scope of the threat." She pauses, her ancient eyes troubled. "I believe they're planning to sabotage the Awakening Ceremony."

My blood turns cold. The ceremony is crucial—not just for my binding with Aubrey, but for the entire kingdom's spiritual wellbeing.

"Elder Silas mentioned the ceremony's importance," Dad says slowly, "but if you're right about their intentions..."

"The consequences could be catastrophic," Lina finishes. "The spiritual protections that shield our kingdom would weaken. Our enemies would sense the vulnerability."

The weight of that possibility settles on my shoulders like lead. Everything we've worked for, everything our people depend on, could crumble if we can't complete the ritual properly.

"What do you recommend beyond what we've already implemented?" I ask, knowing Dad has already increased security based on Silas's initial warnings.

Dad leans forward, his expression hardening with royal determination. "We triple the guard rotations immediately. Post additional sentries at every entrance to the Ancient Heart. No one enters or leaves the castle grounds without explicit permission and escort."

"And the ceremony preparations?" Noah asks.

"Continue as planned," Dad decides. "We can't let fear dictate our actions. But Elder Lina will remain here to help us prepare additional magical protections."

Lina rises from her chair, gathering her herbs and crystals with practiced efficiency. "I'll ward the ceremony site personally, Your Majesty. My knowledge of defensive magic may prove crucial if our enemy attempts to strike during the ritual itself."

"Thank you, Elder," Dad says with genuine gratitude. "Your deeper investigation has given us what we need to properly defend against this threat."

As she moves toward the door, Lina pauses, her ancient gaze finding mine. "Prince Knox, Elder Silas shared his concerns about trust during uncertain times. I must echo his warning—whoever wields this level of dark magic likely has allies among us. Watch those closest to you most carefully."

The cryptic warning sends chills down my spine, but before I can ask what she means, she's gone, leaving only the lingering scent of herbs and something darker.

"We keep this between us," Dad says once we're alone. "The increased security measures can be explained as ceremony precautions. No one else needs to know about the curse's true nature or our suspicions about sabotage."

"What about our families?" Astor asks. "Iris, Aubrey—"

"Especially not them," Dad cuts him off. "They'll be safer if they remain unaware of the specific threat."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I'd promised Aubrey transparency, sworn to include her in all major family decisions. But how can I tell her about this? How can I explain that some unknown enemy is torturing innocent creatures and planning to sabotage our most sacred ceremony?

She deserves to know, my conscience argues. She's going to be your Luna. These decisions affect her too.

But Dad's right about the danger. If Aubrey knows about the threat, she might insist on helping, on putting herself at risk. The thought of her anywhere near whatever monster cast that curse makes my blood run cold.

"Knox?" Noah's voice pulls me from my spiraling thoughts. "You understand the importance of discretion here?"

I nod reluctantly. "I understand."

I just hope Aubrey will forgive me for it.

***

Hours later, I make my way back toward my chambers, my mind churning with everything we've learned. The corridors feel different now—every shadow could hide a threat, every servant could be more than they seem. Both Elder Silas's and Elder Lina's warnings about trust echo in my thoughts like funeral bells.

Watch those closest to you most carefully.

What did they mean by that? Surely they can't suspect Aubrey or Iris or Mom of being involved in this madness. They're family, people I've known and loved for years. The idea that any of them could be connected to such evil is absurd.

But doubt, once planted, grows like poison.

I reach my chambers and push open the door, already planning how to approach the subject of increased security with Aubrey without revealing the full truth. She'll have questions—she always does—but maybe I can frame it as enhanced ceremony precautions.

The sitting room is empty.

"Aubrey?" I call, moving toward the bedroom. Maybe she's napping—the nightmares have been stealing her sleep, leaving her exhausted during the day.

But the bedroom is empty too, the massive bed perfectly made with no sign she's been there recently. Her scent lingers in the air, but it's faint, hours old.

Unease prickles along my spine as I check the adjoining bathroom, then the small sitting alcove by the windows. Nothing. No sign of where she might have gone.

"Something's wrong," Liam growls immediately. "Our mate wouldn't just disappear without telling us."

I try to push down the panic rising in my chest. She's probably just somewhere in the castle—maybe training, or spending time with Iris, or working on ceremony preparations with Mom. There are dozens of perfectly innocent explanations.

Then why does this feel so wrong?

I reach out through the mind-link, connecting first with Noah. "Have you seen Aubrey today?"

"Not since this morning," comes his immediate reply. "Is everything alright?"

"She's not in our chambers. I'm trying to locate her."

I expand the search, reaching out to Astor, then Iris, then Mom. Each response is the same—no one has seen Aubrey since early afternoon. She's simply vanished.

The panic I've been fighting breaks free, flooding my system with ice-cold terror. After everything we just learned about dark witches and curses, after both elders' warnings about watching those closest to us, my mate is missing.

"Find her," Liam snarls. "Now. Something's happened to our mate."

I'm already moving, racing through the corridors with my heart hammering against my ribs. Every worst-case scenario floods my mind—Aubrey taken by whoever cast that curse, hurt, tortured, subjected to the same agony as that white wolf.

No. I won't let that happen. Whatever it takes, whoever I have to destroy, I'll find her.