Night and Neera: A Rejected Mate Story

Chapter 9: Every Last Detail

"What have we discovered?" I asked Aymeric, forcing myself not to pace, even though my wolf was prowling restlessly. We need to find her. Why are we still here?

"Nothing substantial. When I went through the ancient archives, I found two references to magicks. One was part of an alpha scroll stating that they feared the magicks, especially the magie maléfique, were going to wipe out the wolves, and then the other one said only The magicks are no more."

"I don't believe that," I said, as sure of that as I was of anything else in my life. "Some must have survived. We need to find out more. Are you sure you looked in every text?"

"Three times, Alpha. I went over every last inch of the archives for secret hiding places, in both the books and the shelves and the walls. Every piece of furniture was also checked. In many books from about 400 years ago, many of the texts are missing chunks of pages, as if they were ripped out, purged. All references to magicks and magic were destroyed except for the two that I mentioned that were overlooked."

Slamming my hand on the table, I glared at Aymeric. "I don't believe that! There must be something! What about this Raevyn? There are rumors of a woman who has magic, who can help those suffering from the rejected mate pain."

"We have asked, Alpha," Aymeric said calmly. "No one knows anything beyond rumors, except possibly Owena and Echo. When we questioned them about the Raevyn, they played dumb."

That had me snarling, and Aymeric eyed me carefully, ready to bow his head if he thought I was about to lose my shit. "I think you should talk with them."

"Decree them, you mean."

"Yes, Alpha. If even a few magicks survived and were intent on destroying the wolves back then, we should assume no less now. We need every bit of information we can get."

"Bring them to me."

When the two women were in front of me half an hour later, trembling slightly but trying to be brave, I simply looked at them and then said, "You will share with me everything you know of the Raevyn. Leave nothing out. Tell me every last detail."

For an hour, Aymeric and I listened in stunned silence, asking questions when they had finished.

"And where did you find her?" I demanded.

They explained where, and then Echo said, "But, Alpha, she found us. Unless she wants you to find her, you will not."

"Do you think Neera left to seek her out, to go back to the Raevyn's home?"

This time, Owena answered. "No. Raevyn did something to cloak her location. So only minutes after we left, we had no idea where we were. Her home was lost to us. There was only forward, to pack lands."

"Is there anything left to tell me, anything I should know? Did Neera tell you she was taking off this time?"

"No, Alpha," Echo said, fear and sincerity in every word. Being under an Alpha decree was not the most comfortable feeling for a wolf. "We were as surprised as you that she was gone."

Owena continued, "She didn't leave a note, and since she left her phone behind, we have no way to contact her."

I dismissed them with an admonishment not to share what they had told me with anyone.

When they were gone, I looked at Aymeric.

"This Raevyn shares a body. She uses potions to allow the sharing of the body and to ease the pain of rejection."

"Yes, Alpha."

"So, it's not a stretch to think that somehow, Lindsay Morgan used potions to enchant me for the last three years."