Agnes

The sterile, clinical scent of the pack doctor’s office filled my senses as I sat in the examination room, the hum of fluorescent lights overhead doing little to calm my nerves. The polished white walls seemed to close in on me, cold and indifferent. It had been hours since the tests started—bloodwork, scans, and even mystical evaluations meant to unearth whatever had been wrong with me for the past five years.

I was beyond exhausted, but more than that, I felt numb.

Elijah sat across from me, his broad frame tense, his dark eyes locked on me as if he could shield me from whatever news was coming with sheer will alone. That was just like him—silent, stoic, protective. But there was nothing either of us could do now.

We were at the mercy of the doctors.

Dr. Monroe, the lead pack physician, finally entered the room, a folder tucked under his arm. His expression was calm, professional, but not encouraging. He set the folder down and glanced between me and Elijah.

“We’ve reviewed all of the data,” he began, his voice steady. “After thorough evaluations, we’ve ruled out any physical reason for your wolf’s disappearance. There’s no sign of injury, disease, or physiological suppression.”

I swallowed hard, feeling Elijah shift beside me, his muscles tightening. This was no surprise—it was what I had expected. The loss of my wolf hadn’t felt like something physical. Still, hearing it confirmed did nothing to ease the tight knot of anxiety that had settled in my chest.

Dr. Monroe continued, his tone careful but factual.

“What we did find is that your wolf’s absence appears to be magical in nature. There’s no natural reason your wolf would be gone for this long. Even intense grief, like the kind you experienced after your child’s death, wouldn’t cause this kind of complete disappearance.”

I blinked, the doctor’s words washing over me in slow motion. Magical? I hadn’t even considered that possibility.

“Magical?” I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. I glanced at Elijah, but he remained still, though I could sense the anger building inside him. “What does that even mean?”

Dr. Monroe gave a small nod. “We believe your wolf has been sealed—most likely by a witch.”

My breath caught in my throat.

“A witch?” The very idea seemed absurd. “That doesn’t make any sense. Witches are… they’re not real. Not anymore.”

“They’re extremely rare,” Dr. Monroe acknowledged. “Most packs haven’t had contact with witches in centuries. But based on our consultations with external experts, this is the most plausible explanation for your wolf’s prolonged absence.”

I sat in silence, the weight of the revelation settling over me. A witch’s spell. Of all the things I had imagined, this was not one of them. And yet, there was a strange sort of relief in having an answer, even one as far-fetched as this. It was better than not knowing. Better than the endless void of uncertainty I had been living in for the past five years.

Elijah, on the other hand, was far less composed. His jaw clenched, and a low growl rumbled in his chest.

“So what do we do now?” he asked, his voice cold and demanding. “How do we find this witch?”

Dr. Monroe hesitated, glancing down at the folder as if searching for the right words.

“That’s where the challenge lies. We don’t have any known connections to the witching community, and finding a witch who cast a spell five years ago will be extremely difficult.”

Elijah let out a sharp breath, his frustration palpable.

“That’s not good enough. We need more than that.”

I reached over, placing a hand on Elijah’s arm, trying to calm him.

“We’ll figure it out,” I said softly. “Rushing won’t help.”

Elijah didn’t respond, but his gaze remained hard, fixed on Dr. Monroe as if daring him to offer a better solution. The doctor cleared his throat.

“We’ll continue our search for leads, but in the meantime, I would advise caution. The magical community is unpredictable, and contacting witches isn’t something to take lightly.”

I nodded, though my thoughts were elsewhere. The idea of finding a witch felt impossible, like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands. But it was something, at least.

As we left the office, I noticed the tension in Elijah’s posture, the barely concealed anger simmering beneath the surface. This news had struck a chord with him, but I wasn’t sure if it was because of my wolf or something else. I debated asking him, but I had more pressing matters on my mind.

Once we were outside, I stopped, turning to face him.

“Elijah,” I began, hesitating slightly. “There’s something else I need to talk to you about.”

He glanced down at me, his expression softening just a fraction.

“What is it?”

I took a deep breath, steadying myself.

“It’s about Olivia and Thea.”

Elijah’s body stiffened at the mention of his ex-wife and daughter.

“What about them?” he asked, his voice guarded.

I chose my words carefully. “I’ve been thinking about Thea and how she reacts whenever Olivia is mentioned. She’s scared, Elijah. I know Olivia is dealing with depression, but I don’t think it’s safe for Thea to be around her. Not yet.”

He frowned, his eyes narrowing. “You think I don’t know that?”

“I’m not accusing you of anything,” I said quickly. “But we can’t ignore it. If Olivia pushes to see Thea again, it could undo everything we’ve done to make Thea feel safe.”

Elijah let out a low sigh, running a hand through his hair.

“What do you suggest? Ban Olivia from seeing her daughter? You know what that could mean for her.”

I nodded, understanding the unspoken implications. In the pack, refusing contact with a mentally ill pack member—especially a parent—could lead to severe consequences. But allowing Olivia to see Thea when the child clearly feared her seemed just as damaging.

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “But Thea’s well-being has to come first.”

Elijah looked away, his jaw tight. “And Olivia?”

“I sympathize with her,” I said softly. “But Thea’s a child. She’s more vulnerable. We need to protect her.”

He didn’t respond for a long time, his gaze fixed on the ground. Finally, he spoke, his voice low.

“You love her, don’t you?”

I blinked, caught off guard. “Of course I do. I love her like she’s my own.”

Elijah looked at me then, something unreadable in his eyes.

“Then what do you think I should do?”

His question hung in the air, and for a moment, I wasn’t sure how to answer. There was a weight to his words, as though he was testing me, seeing how far I would go to protect Thea. Or maybe he was looking for an excuse, a reason to make the hard decision.

“I don’t know, Elijah,” I said, my voice tinged with frustration. “She’s your daughter. This is your decision.”

Silence stretched between us, thick and uncomfortable. No matter how much I wanted to protect Thea, the final choice wasn’t mine to make.

We drove back to the estate in silence, the tension between us heavy, unresolved. There was no easy answer to this, no clear path forward. But one thing was certain—the road ahead was only going to get more complicated.