Page 25 of BeWolfed

"You think we were manipulated into it?" The possibility had been nagging at me since our encounter with Mr. Cash.

"I think forces are moving that want both of you compromised or controlled." Lola's directness was refreshing after days of cryptic half-truths. "But I also think they miscalculated. It's become your greatest asset. Your magic is steadier. Rudy's instincts are sharper."

The observation aligned with my own assessment, but hearing it from someone who knew Rudy before me—who understood wolf dynamics better than I could—carried weight.

"Why tell me this?" I asked.

Lola's smile held surprising warmth. "Because tonight will test that balance. When you face the alpha, when you see what the blood magic has made him, maintaining your connection—your choice to be partners rather than protector and protected—will matter more than any spell or strategy."

She left me with that enigmatic warning, rejoining the others outside. When I returned to the maps, Rudy didn't press for details about our conversation, respecting my space to process.

The day passed in careful preparation. I packed a bag with magical supplies—breaking charms, protection amulets, the restorative potion Oscar had provided for the captive witches. Every item selected with Rose in mind, my determination to free her growing stronger with each passing minute.

As sunset approached, Daisy appeared in my living room without warning, her form more solid than usual.

"The fate threads tighten," she announced, her opal eyes swirling with colors I'd never seen before. "The romance novels wish you to know they're quite invested in your safe return. As am I."

The statement, delivered in her typically whimsical manner, carried unexpected emotional weight. "We'll be back, Daisy," I promised. "With Rose."

"Of course you will." She smiled serenely. "The mystery section has already reshelved itself to make room for her return. But the threads show multiple paths forward from tonight. Some brighter than others."

"Any advice on how to ensure we take the brighter path?" Rudy asked, his tone revealing more acceptance of Daisy's strangeness than I'd expected.

"Remember that corruption feeds on fear and isolation." Daisy's form flickered slightly.

With that cryptic statement, she vanished as suddenly as she'd appeared, leaving behind only a faint scent of starlight and old books.

"Well, that was helpful in the usual unhelpful Daisy way," I muttered.

Rudy moved behind me, his arms encircling my waist as he rested his chin on my shoulder. "She's not wrong. Whatever they intended with Cash's interference, the mate bond has made us stronger together."

I leaned back against him, drawing comfort from his solid presence. "Partners," I repeated our earlier affirmation.

"Partners," he agreed, moving her shirt to press a kiss to my mate mark that sent warmth spiraling through our bond.

The moment of connection steadied something inside me. Whatever corrupted entities waited beyond reality's boundaries, whatever the alpha had become under their influence, we would meet it together—not as protector and protected, but as equals with complementary strengths.

As we prepared to leave, I paused at Rose's desk, running my fingers over her research notes one last time. The aunt who had never given up on me even when I'd pushed her away—I would bring her home tonight.Whatever it took.

"She'd be proud of you," Rudy said quietly, reading my emotions through our bond. "How you've handled everything."

The simple observation nearly broke my composure. I blinked back tears, nodding without trusting myself to speak.

We drove toward the meeting point in silence, each lost in preparation for what lay ahead. The forests surrounding Midnight Creek grew darker as we moved away from town, the perpetual twilight of Shadow Valley's influence touching even here, miles from its borders.

Lola and her wolves waited at the forest's edge, their forms half-hidden among the trees. To my surprise, Charlotte stood with them, a bag of magical supplies slung over her shoulder.

"Before you object," she said as we approached, raising a hand to forestall my protest, "I'm not going into the quarry. I'll stay at the backup position, maintaining the protection circle while you do the extraction. But if anything goes wrong—if any of the witches need immediate magical stabilization—I've prepared everything necessary."

I wanted to argue, to insist she return to the safety of campus, but the determination in her eyes stopped me. Charlotte had been studying magic despite her human limitations, working with Oscar on protective countermeasures. She had earned her place in this operation, even if only at its edges.

"The backup position only," I agreed reluctantly. "At the first sign of trouble, you retreat without waiting for us."

She nodded, relief evident in her expression. "Of course. I'm not stupid, just stubborn."

"Like someone else I know," Rudy murmured through our bond, his amusement warming me despite the tension of the moment.

We reviewed the plan one final time as darkness deepened around us. Lola's wolves would create a diversion at the northern perimeter. While the enforcers were distracted, Rudy and I would approach from the east, using the cover of bouldersand abandoned mining equipment to reach the outbuilding where the witches were held.

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