Page 27 of Unbearable Attraction
His bear might be confident in their ability to protect their mate, but his human side was starting to wonder if love and determination would be enough to overcome centuries of magical obligations and political maneuvering.
Only one way to find out.
19
LEENAH
Luka arrived at her cottage just as the afternoon light was beginning to fade, his expression grim enough to make Leenah's stomach clench with anxiety before he'd said a single word. She'd been expecting him to stop by after spending the morning immersed in her grandmother's advanced necromantic texts, but the weight in his amber eyes suggested this wasn't a social visit.
"Council meeting?" she asked, opening the door wider to let him in from the November chill.
"Yeah." He stepped inside, bringing the scent of cedar and winter air with him. "They wanted a report on the spiritual activity. And on you."
Something in his tone made her pause in the act of hanging up his jacket. "What kind of report on me?"
"The kind where Elder Bram suggested you might be causing more problems than you're solving," Luka said bluntly. "The kind where they gave us one week to find a solution before they vote on 'alternative measures' to protect the town."
Leenah felt the blood drain from her face. "Alternative measures like what?"
"Evacuation. Abandoning Hollow Oak entirely rather than risk lives on a renewal ceremony that might not work." His jaw tightened as he spoke. "Or possibly removing you from the equation altogether."
The casual mention of being forced out of the only place she'd ever truly belonged almost stole her breath. "They want to exile me because I'm trying to help?"
"Bram does. The others are just scared and looking for someone to blame." Luka moved closer, his presence both comforting and frustrating. "Varric's still on our side, but his hands are tied by Council politics."
"One week," she repeated, her mind already racing through possibilities. "That's not enough time to research all the potential modifications to the renewal ceremony. Not if we want to do this safely."
"Maybe safe isn't an option," Luka said quietly. "Maybe we need to focus on what's possible rather than what's ideal."
The resignation in his voice sparked something fierce and defiant in her chest. He was already preparing himself for her to fail, already accepting that they might have to choose between her life and the town's survival. The protective instinct was sweet, but it was also exactly the kind of thinking that would guarantee failure.
"No," she said firmly. "There has to be another way."
"Leenah—"
"There has to be." She turned away from him, pacing toward the window where her grandmother's journals lay scattered across the side table. "I just need to dig deeper, find techniques my grandmother might not have considered."
"And if those techniques are more dangerous than the standard ceremony?"
"Then I'll deal with that when I find them." The words came out sharper than she'd intended, but she couldn't seem tosoften her tone. "I'm not giving up because the Council's getting nervous."
Luka was quiet for a long moment, and when she turned back to face him, his expression held the kind of understanding that made her feel transparent in uncomfortable ways. "This isn't about the Council, is it? This is about proving something to yourself."
The observation was too accurate for comfort. "I don't know what you mean."
"I think you do." His voice held gentle certainty that somehow made her feel more exposed than any accusation could have. "I think you're planning something dangerous, and you're planning to do it alone."
Damn him for knowing her so well after such a short time. "I work better alone. You know that."
"I know you think you do." Luka stepped closer, his amber eyes holding hers with uncomfortable intensity. "But maybe that's because you've never had a real partner before."
The suggestion that her preference for independence might be based on inexperience rather than strength stung more than it should have. "I've had partners."
"Professional collaborators, maybe. People you worked with temporarily for mutual benefit." His voice remained gentle, but his words cut straight to the heart of her defenses. "Not someone who cares more about your wellbeing than the outcome of the mission."
The accuracy of his assessment made her throat tight with emotions. "I need to get back to my research."
"Leenah—"
