Alpha Alec's Redemption by Kathy M

"We reached out to other packs," added Elder Thorn, his tone clipped with frustration. "We thought perhaps they'd have some forgotten text buried in their vaults. But even with access granted, we came up empty."

"There's no record of Kaden," said Elder Mira, her silver braid falling over her shoulder. "Nothing about demigods. Nothing about what's keeping him locked. Nothing about how to undo it."

Each elder took a turn, each report a variation of the same grim truth: nothing. Not even breadcrumbs.

The silence after their words felt louder than before. I turned my gaze toward Raven.

She leaned forward slowly, resting her forearms on the table. Her dark hair was pulled into a low bun, strands loose around her temples. Even in stillness, she looked exhausted-more so than any of us. Her eyes were ringed with sleeplessness, her voice barely above a whisper when she spoke.

"I haven't found anything either,” she admitted. "I've followed every lead I could think of. I even reached out to some of my mother's old contacts."

She paused, pressing her fingers to the bridge of her nose for a second before continuing.

"As for the spell itself... I still haven't figured out a way around it. It's layered, ancient, and laced with magic I have no clue about. To unravel it safely would take more time than we have. And even then, I don't know if it's possible."

A cold hush fell over the room as her words settled in.

"Are you saying," I began slowly, "that the only way to break the spell is to release him?"

eyes flicked up to meet mine, haunted. "At

escaped me. So that was it. All this time we'd been trying to find a way to weaken the

the coven. Try and

nodded and remained quiet, trying to decide if I should let them in on my discovery or not. Finally, I decided on

resting my hands flat on the table.

sharply. Alec went still. Jason tilted his head, alert. Even Micah, who rarely betrayed anything, leaned forward slightly. The elders, in contrast, looked mildly curious-but only

a conversation with Nyx yesterday," I

A pause.

right, Alec. The veiled woman is Nyx's sister and her

a slow, quiet curse.

widening slightly. Only the elders remained still, their brows beginning to furrow in

not all," I continued, because I couldn't stop now.

I didn't want to bring it

locked onto

breath, the words heavy in my throat. "They're somehow connected. Nyx didn't reveal anything, but it was there. She knows him somehow and so

silence that followed was

Micah sat back in his chair, exhaling a sharp breath. Jason swore under

And the elders?