Chapter 3 Pt2
2230 Words
By the time Leandra and Viktor made it downstairs, Ellie was already waiting for them.
She sat at the dining table with a cup of coffee cradled between both hands, looking far too amused for Leandra’s liking.
“You’re late.”
Leandra continued walking.
“Good morning to you too.”
Ellie looked past her towards Viktor.
“Meeting started fifteen minutes ago.”
Viktor stopped.
Slowly, he turned towards his wife.
Leandra pointed at Ellie.
“She’s lying.”
Ellie took another sip of coffee.
“Am I?”
“You are.”
“Prove it.”
Viktor muttered something in Russian.
Leandra narrowed her eyes. “I heard that.”
“You were supposed to.”
Ellie laughed.
Leandra dropped into the chair opposite her. “And remind me why you’re here?”
“Because unlike you, I remembered we have a meeting.”
“No. I mean generally.”
“Charming.”
Viktor’s hand landed on Leandra’s shoulder.
“Children.”
Both women looked at him.
His mouth twitched.
“Come. Before our fathers decide to solve this without us.”
“That might actually be easier,” Ellie muttered.
Leandra stood.
“No chance. If those men are left alone for too long, they’ll have half the Russian packs married to witches before lunch.”
Ellie snorted.
“Exactly why I’m here.”
The humour followed them from the room, but Leandra felt it fading the closer they came to Viktor’s study.
This wasn’t simply another family meeting.
They were there on behalf of her father.
The Southern Alpha King.
Which meant whatever was decided inside that room wouldn’t remain inside it.
If this worked, covens would begin entering Russian pack territories.
If it failed—
Well.
Leandra preferred not to think about that part.
Viktor opened the study doors.
Their fathers were already inside.
Leandra looked at Ellie.
Ellie looked back.
Neither said a word.
They were, in fact, late.
Papers covered one end of the long table.
Maps covered the other.
Viktor’s father sat nearest the window, while Leandra’s father occupied the chair opposite him.
Not the head.
Never the head.
Leandra smiled slightly.
Her father might be the Southern Alpha King, but even he understood better than to walk into another Alpha’s territory and claim his seat.
“Nice of you to join us,” her father said.
Leandra kissed his cheek.
“Nice of you to wait.”
“We didn’t.”
“Even better.”
“Leandra.”
She smiled sweetly and took her seat.
Ellie greeted her father-in-law before settling beside her, while Viktor moved to the opposite side of the table beside his own father.
The teasing disappeared almost immediately.
Her father slid several sheets towards them.
“We have the first numbers.”
Leandra picked them up.
“How many?”
“More than expected.”
Viktor leaned across the table.
“Covens?”
“And individuals.”
That caught Leandra’s attention.
“How many individuals?”
“We’re still counting.”
Ellie leaned closer, reading over Leandra’s shoulder.
“Witches without covens?”
“Some,” her father replied. “Others belong to covens that have chosen not to apply as a whole.”
Viktor frowned.
“And they can apply without them?”
“Of course they can,” Leandra replied.
His eyes moved to hers.
“I am asking how the process works, Luna. Not suggesting they cannot.”
“Oh.”
Ellie covered a laugh with a cough.
Leandra ignored her.
“Then yes. Any witch can apply. Large coven, small coven or no coven at all.”
Viktor’s father folded his arms.
“And if they have no coven?”
“If the connections are there, one can be formed.”
His brow furrowed.
“Just like that?”
“No.” Leandra laughed. “Not just like that.”
Ellie reached for one of the sheets.
“The individual witches would still have to be compatible with each other, wouldn’t they?”
“Exactly.”
Leandra tapped the papers against the table.
“We’re not throwing random witches together and calling them a coven. The magic has to work.”
Viktor leaned back in his chair.
“Explain.”
Leandra glanced at him.
“You’ve lived with a witch for how many years?”
“One.”
She stared.
His father laughed.
Viktor’s expression didn’t change.
“One very long year.”
“You arse.”
“Leandra,” her father warned.
“What? He is.”
Viktor winked.
She resisted the urge to kick him beneath the table.
Barely.
“The spell assesses compatibility,” she continued. “Not whether everyone will become best friends. Whether there’s a connection strong enough between the witches and the leadership of the pack for the arrangement to work.”
Viktor’s father frowned.
“Leadership meaning the Alpha?”
“And those closest to him,” Leandra said. “A coven won’t exist separately from the pack. Not if we’re doing this properly. There needs to be a connection between both leadership structures.”
“How many witches lead a coven?” he asked.
“Three.”
He looked surprised.
“Three?”
“Three High Priestesses,” Leandra said. “Always.”
Her father leaned back, allowing her to take the explanation.
Leandra knew why.
This part belonged to her.
“The Triple Goddess is represented in the coven’s leadership. Three High Priestesses rule together.”
“And below them?” Viktor’s father asked.
“That depends on the coven.”
Ellie set down the sheet she’d been reading.
“Some are small.”
“Leadership plus six,” Leandra said. “Others might be leadership plus ten. Coven size varies. The three at its head don’t.”
Viktor considered that.
“So we are not selecting one witch for one Alpha.”
“No.”
“One coven for one pack?”
“Potentially.”
His father grunted.
Leandra tilted her head.
“You don’t like that.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You made the face.”
“What face?”
“The old Russian man face.”
Viktor choked on his coffee.
His father slowly turned towards him.
Viktor became very interested in the maps.
Ellie bit her lip.
Leandra’s father sighed.
“This,” he muttered, “is who I sent to represent the Southern Royal family.”
“You could have sent one of your sons.”
“I considered it.”
“Rude.”
His expression softened despite himself.
“The point,” he said, “is that Leandra and Viktor understand both sides of what we’re trying to accomplish.”
Leandra’s amusement faded.
There it was.
The reason they were sitting here.
Her father continued.
“Russian packs cannot be expected to accept covens they have no connection with simply because we tell them it’s beneficial.”
“And witches won’t enter packs simply because an Alpha wants access to their magic,” Leandra added.
Viktor nodded.
“Agreed.”
His father was quieter.
“And if the spell produces a connection neither side wants?”
Nobody answered immediately.
Ellie broke the silence.
“Then they say no.”
Viktor’s father looked at her.
Ellie held his gaze.
“A magical connection doesn’t remove their right to choose.”
Leandra smiled.
Exactly.
“The spell isn’t a mating bond,” she said. “It doesn’t make the decision for them. It tells us where there’s potential.”
“And if the connection is rejected?”
“We test the next suitable pairing.”
Viktor rubbed his thumb along his jaw.
“How many packs are taking part?”
His father pushed another sheet across the table.
“Initially?”
Viktor picked it up.
His eyebrows rose.
“That many?”
“Interested,” his father corrected. “Not committed.”
Leandra leaned across to look.
Russian pack names ran down the page.
Some she recognised.
Others she didn’t.
“That changes things.”
“How?” Ellie asked.
“We can’t bring everyone together at once.”
Her father nodded.
“Which is why we need a selection process before the spellwork begins.”
Leandra studied the list.
Applications from covens.
Applications from individual witches.
Russian packs.
Their leadership.
Compatibility.
Choice.
And somewhere between all of it, politics.
Wonderful.
“The applications need to be reviewed first,” she said. “Not judged on power.”
Viktor’s father frowned.
“What else would we judge them on?”
“Everything.”
He looked unconvinced.
Leandra leaned forward.
“A powerful coven that can’t function within pack territory is useless to you. So is one that views wolves as animals they’re being gracious enough to help.”
Viktor’s jaw tightened.
“And a pack that sees witches as weapons doesn’t get one.”
Silence.
Leandra looked at her husband.
His light brown eyes met hers.
There was her Alpha.
“Exactly.”
Her father nodded.
“Then that’s the first condition.”
Ellie pulled a blank sheet towards her.
“Mutual suitability before magical compatibility.”
Leandra pointed at her.
“That.”
Ellie began writing.
Viktor looked between them.
“Are you two taking over?”
“Yes,” they answered together.
His father laughed.
Viktor muttered something else in Russian.
Leandra kicked him beneath the table.
This time she connected.
They spent the next hour tearing the process apart and putting it back together.
Applications first.
Then suitability.
Then the spell.
Then choice.
No coven would be forced into a pack.
No pack would be forced to accept a coven.
Individual witches could apply, but where the spell indicated the potential for a new coven, the witches themselves would have to agree to its formation.
Three High Priestesses would still be required to lead it.
The magic could reveal connection.
It could not manufacture trust.
By the time Ellie set down her pen, several pages of notes sat in front of her.
“That leaves one problem,” she said.
“Only one?” Leandra asked.
Ellie ignored her.
“Where do we bring everyone together?”
Viktor’s father looked towards Leandra.
“We could host here.”
“No.”
Every head turned towards Viktor.
He tapped the Russian pack list.
“Not yet.”
His father frowned. “Why?”
“Because asking witches who’ve never entered Russian territory to walk directly into a Russian Alpha’s stronghold before they know whether they want any part of this is a poor introduction.”
Leandra stared at him.
Viktor caught her expression.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You are looking at me strangely.”
“I’m impressed.”
He scowled.
She smiled.
Ellie suddenly sat back.
“What about the full moon feast?”
Leandra’s smile disappeared.
Her father looked at Ellie.
“Your father’s?”
“Yes.”
Viktor glanced between them.
“The one next full moon?”
Ellie nodded.
“Neutral territory,” she said. “At least as far as this process is concerned. My father’s pack isn’t one of the Russian applicants, and the feast already brings together wolves and witches who wouldn’t normally spend much time in the same territory.”
Leandra considered it.
It wasn’t a terrible idea.
Actually—
“That could work.”
Her father nodded slowly.
“We don’t perform the selection spell there.”
“No,” Leandra agreed immediately. “Too public.”
“But introductions?” Ellie asked.
“Yes.”
Viktor picked up the Russian list again.
“Pack representatives meet the covens before anyone is tested.”
“Exactly,” Ellie said.
Leandra leaned back.
“And anyone who decides this isn’t for them can withdraw before we ever involve magic.”
Her father smiled.
“Then we have our first gathering.”
Leandra looked towards Ellie.
“Your father is going to love you.”
Ellie groaned.
“I haven’t told him yet.”
Leandra grinned.
“Oh, I definitely want to be there for that conversation.”
“You’re coming with me.”
Her grin vanished.
“Absolutely not.”
“You’re representing the Southern Royal family.”
“So are you.”
“Yes, but he’s my father.”
“Exactly. He can’t kill you.”
Ellie stared at her.
“Leandra.”
“Fine.”
Viktor laughed.
Leandra turned towards him.
“You’re coming too.”
His amusement disappeared.
“My condolences,” his father said.
Viktor glared at him.
For the first time that morning, the weight in the room eased.
But as Leandra looked down at the names spread across the table, Drea shifted restlessly inside her.
Russian packs.
Witches.
New covens.
New connections.
Magic reaching across boundaries that had stood for generations.
It should have been the only thing occupying her thoughts.
Instead, another witch kept finding her way back in.
Inky blue eyes.
A song somewhere deep.
Pain.
Cold.
Frightened voices.
We should tell him.
Leandra glanced across the table.
Viktor was speaking quietly with his father, completely unaware of the secret sitting only feet away from him.
Her gaze moved to Ellie.
Elana’s mother.
No.
Not here.
Not until Melissa knew more.
Leandra pushed the thought aside and reached for the application list.
There would be time to worry about Elana later.
At least, she hoped there would.
- Writer
