Chapter 35: Secrets and Spells

Leo's POV 

But then, it clicked. Something is not right.

A faint scent lingered in the air—one I hadn't noticed before because it was almost too faint, as if cloaked in magic. It wasn’t Ivy’s usual vanilla and lavender fragrance. No, this was something darker, metallic, and foreign. My wolf, Theo, immediately went on high alert. Someone had been near her. No, inside the house. Recently.

My heart pounded as I scanned the room, my senses sharpening. Every inch of me wanted to bolt out the door and find Ivy, but reason held me back. I needed more information before I acted. I moved quickly, retracing my steps through the connecting door, pausing outside her room again. The scent was stronger in her room, almost suffocating.

Apart from Zane and Isabella, there is someone else that knows my true identity. The sorceress, Lena. She had fortified this wing, so how did this happen?

“Zane,” I growled into my phone as soon as he picked up. “We have a breach.”

“What? A breach? How the hell—?”

“I don’t know yet, but I need you here now. And bring Lena. If there’s magic involved, she’ll sense it.”

“I’m on my way.”

I ended the call and leaned against the wall, my mind racing. Ivy’s sudden coldness, her restlessness, the way she bolted out this morning—none of it felt random anymore. Someone or something had gotten to her. The question was, who, what and why?

An hour later, Zane arrived, his usual easy demeanor replaced by grim determination. Beside him was Lena, the kingdom's top enchantress. Her silver hair glinted in the dim light, and her eyes shimmered with an unnatural glow as she began her work without needing instruction.

“It’s faint,” Lena murmured, her fingers tracing the air where I’d sensed the disturbance. “Whoever did this was skilled. They masked their presence well, but they left a trace.” She paused, then frowned deeply. “It’s a binding spell. Subtle, but strong. Someone wanted to manipulate her emotions—keep her distant from you.”

Theo snarled in fury, and I clenched my fists to keep him from taking over. “Can you break it?”

“I can't, but there's something else I can do. More importantly, we need to find out who did this. There’s a faint disturbing scent in the air, but it’s not from anyone I recognize. Or, it could be someone I know but it was masked thoroughly,” she said.

Could it be her? No. She can't get in here. Lena made sure of that.

“Work fast,” I commanded. “I don’t care what it takes. I need this handled as soon as possible.”

Lena nodded, already preparing her tools. Zane stepped closer, his expression tight with concern. “You think this has something to do with the Keeper you talked about?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted, my voice low. “But whoever is behind this isn’t just after my mate. They’re targeting me as well.”

“And if they’re bold enough to come into your territory, they won’t stop here,” Zane said darkly. “We need to move quickly.”

I turned back toward the window, my eyes narrowing as I watched the empty road where Ivy had disappeared earlier. The warning I’d felt in my chest earlier now made perfect sense. This wasn’t just a power play. This was personal.

Minutes later, I leaned against the massive oak table in the center of the study, my fingers tapping restlessly against the wood. The mansion was eerily quiet, the tension thick enough to cut through. 

Lena stood before the circle she had drawn on the floor, whispering chants in a language that made my wolf, Theo, stir uneasily. Zane stood at my side, arms crossed, watching her intently.  

This wasn’t how I imagined my morning going. Ivy had barely left the house when I summoned Zane and Lena. Now, as I watched her perform another ritual, I struggled to contain my frustration.  

“How much longer, Lena?” I snapped, the impatience in my voice evident.  

Without pausing her ritual, she muttered, “Almost done, your majesty.”  

I resumed pacing, my thoughts spiraling. Ivy’s behavior had been weighing on me, and now Lena has confirmed that Ivy could be under a binding spell. That alone was enough to set me on edge.  

Somehow, I have a feeling that this has something to do with the nightmare she had last night. Her coldness towards me earlier this morning rubbed off in a way that made my heart clench in agitation.

I can't have my own mate avoiding me. No.

Finally, Lena finished, wiping her brow before turning to face me. “I’ve strengthened the ward, but that’s not going to do much anyway.”  

I stopped pacing and gave her a pointed look. “What is that supposed to mean? Get to the point.”  

She smiled wryly, the kind of smile that told me I wasn’t going to like what she had to say. “I found out how the barrier I built was broken.”  

My jaw clenched. “Broken? It could be broken? You said it was impenetrable unless someone with authority allowed entry.”  

“Exactly,” she said, folding her arms across her chest. “There was no forced entry, Leo. Whoever entered was permitted by you.”  

Her words hung in the air like a death sentence. Zane glanced at me, confusion etched on his face. “What’s she talking about, Leo? You haven’t allowed anyone near this place—except…”  

“My mate,” I finished for him, my voice low and taut. 

Lena gave a slow, knowing nod. “Yes. Your mate.”  

Zane frowned, clearly unconvinced. “That makes no sense. The King's mate is harmless. She’s human.”  

That was what I told Zane during our conversation and it wasn't entirely a lie. Ivy is practically a human now, as she doesn't have a wolf and has stayed among humans for so long.

Lena chuckled, a dark, humorless sound. “You think this is about her? No. Something is latching onto her, something dark. And when you allowed your mate to enter the Light Wing, you unknowingly granted that dark force permission too.”  

A cold chill ran down my spine. Theo growled uneasily in the back of my mind, and I forced myself to stay calm. “Are you saying something is possessing her?”  

“Not exactly,” Lena replied, moving to her work table and picking up a small silver talisman. “It hasn’t taken over her, but it’s tethered to her—like a parasite, feeding off her essence. I don’t know what it wants, but whatever it is, it’s powerful enough to slip past my wards.”  

I took a step closer, tension rippling through me. “Can you banish it?”  

Lena shook her head, her expression grave. “No. It’s like trying to strip away your own darkness, Alpha. You and I both know that’s impossible. The most I can do is create this.” She held up a talisman, a delicate object etched with intricate runes. “As long as your mate keeps this close, she’ll be shielded from the entity’s influence.”  

I stared at the talisman, my mind racing. “How did this happen?” I demanded, my voice sharp. “When did it latch onto her? And why?”