Page 19 of BeWolfed

"My magic is different now," I explained, still processing the change myself. "Steadier. More responsive."

"The mate bond," he said. "It's stabilizing your power somehow."

I nodded, examining my hands where magic still tingled beneath my skin. "Rose always said witch magic was about balance and connection. Maybe having the mate bond—a permanent magical anchor—helps focus what was scattered before."

"We need to get to the second quarry site," I said, refocusing on our mission. The clock was ticking for Rose. "If they're watching this one, they might be monitoring the others too."

Rudy checked his phone. "The southern quarry is closer, but more exposed. The eastern one is farther, but provides better cover."

"Eastern," I decided. "Better to avoid another confrontation until we know more about what we're facing."

As we hiked through the forest, I turned Rose's note over in my mind, examining her cryptic warning.

"What Rose wrote about a greater power behind the alpha," I said. "What do you think she meant?"

Rudy frowned thoughtfully. "Pack structures are hierarchical by nature. Alphas lead, but they're not infallible. Sometimes outside influences can corrupt an alpha's judgment."

"Like blood magic."

"Yes, but Rose seemed to suggest something beyond that." He ducked under a low-hanging branch. "Someone directing the blood magic itself."

The implication was troubling. We'd been assuming the alpha was the central corrupting force. But if someone else was pulling the strings, manipulating both alpha and blood magic for some greater purpose...

"Whatever's happening at the full moon ritual must be the culmination of something bigger," I reasoned. "Seven witches, nine wolves, one leader—it's a powerful magical combination. That many practitioners could generate enough corrupted energy to affect supernatural communities far beyond Midnight Creek."

"A supernatural power grab," Rudy said darkly. "Using blood magic to create forced loyalty on a massive scale."

"Which is why we need to talk to Katz." I touched Rose's amulet in my pocket. "If he knows what Rose discovered..."

The eastern quarry was smaller than the first, more overgrown with decades of neglect. But the signs of recent activity were unmistakable—broken branches, disturbed undergrowth, magical traces lingering in the air.

"More blood magic," I confirmed as we examined the site. "But different somehow. Not ritual preparation, but... experimentation?"

The quarry floor held scattered marking circles, smaller than the ritual formation we'd seen earlier. Each contained different sigil combinations, as if someone had been testing variations of the same spell.

"Look at this." Rudy crouched beside one of the circles, indicating scratch marks in the stone. "Someone was bound here. Struggling against restraints."

I swallowed hard, pushing down the image of Rose being used for magical experiments. Through our bond, Rudy sensed my fear, his presence offering wordless comfort.

"These are structured tests," I observed, examining the variations between circles. "Methodical. Scientific, almost."

"Not the alpha's style," Rudy agreed. "He's more direct. Brutal."

"So someone else is involved. Someone with a research approach to blood magic."

The implication hung between us. An academic, perhaps. Someone with access to magical knowledge and a scientific methodology.

"Ready for the last site?" Rudy asked after we'd documented everything.

I nodded, checking the time. "We're losing daylight. The southern quarry is at least an hour's hike from here."

"We could come back tomorrow," he suggested.

"We don't have the luxury of waiting." My voice hardened as I clutched Rose's amulet. "The full moon is in two days. Rose has already endured to long in captivity. I won't leave her there another night if I can help it."

He nodded, his priorities aligning with mine. "But we approach carefully. No unnecessary risks."

The trek to the southern quarry took longer than expected. By the time we reached the site, twilight was gathering, shadows lengthening across the landscape.

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