Page 27 of Furever Bound (Hollow Oak Mates #7)
SERA
T he sight of Elena standing in Maddox's destroyed study, surrounded by scattered papers and broken protective crystals, sent cold fury racing through Sera's system as she realized the federal investigator had returned with reinforcements and obviously hostile intentions.
"Dr. Vasquez," Maddox said with controlled politeness that didn't disguise the alpha authority radiating from his posture. "I don't recall extending an invitation for morning visits."
"Invitations aren't required for federal investigations," Elena replied smoothly, her professional smile sharp enough to cut glass. "Particularly when those investigations involve potential terrorist threats and supernatural weapons development."
"Terrorist threats?" Sera stepped into the study despite Maddox's protective gesture, her journalist instincts demanding she understand exactly what Elena was accusing them of. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about documented evidence of an individual with psychic abilities deliberately manifesting dangerous supernatural entities in proximity to civilian populations," Elena said with clinical precision that made every word sound like formal charges.
"Evidence that suggests coordinated effort to weaponize folklore manifestation for unknown purposes. "
The accusation was so far from reality that Sera almost laughed, except Elena's presence with what appeared to be federal backup suggested this wasn't academic posturing but active law enforcement intervention.
"You think I'm a terrorist," she said, processing implications that felt both absurd and terrifying. "Because my social media posts accidentally triggered a folklore manifestation?"
"I think you're an untrained psychic individual whose abilities pose clear and present danger to national security," Elena corrected with bureaucratic language that reduced complex supernatural dynamics to federal threat assessment.
"I think this community has been concealing and potentially weaponizing those abilities rather than reporting them to appropriate authorities. "
Through the broken window, Sera could see black SUVs parked throughout Hollow Oak's main street and federal agents questioning residents who maintained the kind of careful politeness that suggested they'd dealt with government overreach before.
"How many agents?" Maddox asked quietly, his enhanced senses obviously tracking threats Sera couldn't perceive.
"Enough to conduct thorough interviews with every resident," Elena replied. "Enough to establish federal oversight of supernatural activity in this region."
"Federal oversight of a community that's never posed any threat to national security," Sera said, anger overriding caution as she processed what Elena's investigation could mean for people who'd welcomed her despite the danger she'd brought to their sanctuary.
"A community that's been harboring supernatural entities and concealing psychic weapons from federal monitoring," Elena countered. "A community whose secrecy ends today."
The casual way she discussed destroying Hollow Oak's carefully maintained anonymity made Sera's protective instincts spike that surprised her with its intensity.
These people had become her people, this place had become her home, and Elena's federal authority felt like invasion rather than investigation.
"What do you want?" Maddox asked, buying time while assessing tactical options.
"Cooperation," Elena said simply. "Complete documentation of supernatural residents and their abilities, full access to manifestation research materials, and supervised relocation of the psychic catalyst to a secure facility where her abilities can be properly studied and contained."
"Supervised relocation," Sera repeated, the euphemistic language not disguising what sounded suspiciously like imprisonment.
"Protective custody," Elena clarified with false sympathy. "For your safety and the safety of others who might be affected by uncontrolled psychic manifestation."
"And if I refuse?"
"Then federal agents will be forced to treat supernatural concealment as potential domestic terrorism," Elena replied with bureaucratic ruthlessness that made the threat crystal clear. "This community's secrecy becomes evidence of conspiracy rather than privacy."
The ultimatum hung heavily, and Sera realized that Elena had engineered a scenario where cooperation meant personal imprisonment but refusal meant community destruction.
"How long do we have to consider your generous offer?" Maddox asked with sarcasm sharp enough to draw blood.
"Twenty-four hours," Elena said, checking her watch with professional efficiency. "Tomorrow evening, Halloween night, federal oversight begins whether you cooperate willingly or require enforcement action."
"Halloween night," Sera said. "You're timing this to coincide with peak supernatural activity."
"When manifestation phenomena will be most visible to federal documentation equipment," Elena confirmed with academic satisfaction. "When your abilities will be most pronounced and therefore most valuable for research purposes."
The clinical way she discussed using Halloween's supernatural energy fluctuations to enhance federal documentation of Sera's abilities proved Elena understood far more about supernatural community dynamics than any human researcher should.
"What organization do you really work for?" Maddox asked with the sharp attention of someone recognizing deception beneath bureaucratic authority.
"Organizations that understand the national security implications of weaponized folklore manifestation," Elena replied vaguely. "Organizations that take a very active interest in individuals whose abilities could reshape modern warfare."
"Modern warfare," Sera repeated with growing horror as implications crystallized. "You want to use psychic manifestation abilities to create supernatural weapons."
"I want to prevent psychic manifestation abilities from being used by hostile entities," Elena corrected with diplomatic language that didn't disguise military applications. "Foreign governments, terrorist organizations, individuals whose loyalties haven't been properly vetted."
"Individuals like me," Sera said flatly.
"Individuals like you," Elena confirmed without apology.
As federal agents continued their systematic documentation of Hollow Oak's residents and supernatural protections, Sera realized that her viral content hadn't just manifested Grimjaw—it had exposed an entire community to exactly the kind of government scrutiny they'd spent generations avoiding.
"Twenty-four hours," Elena said, heading toward the broken window with obvious intention to leave. "Make the right choice, Ms. Quinn. For everyone's sake."
After she left, Sera sank into the leather chair that had become her favorite reading spot, surrounded by the wreckage of Maddox's carefully organized research materials.
"This is my fault," she said quietly, guilt making her voice raw with self-recrimination. "Every bit of this. The manifestation, the federal attention, the threat to your community. All of it."
"None of this is your fault," Maddox said firmly, moving to kneel beside her chair. "Elena's agenda extends far beyond your abilities or our crisis. She's been looking for excuses to establish federal oversight of supernatural communities."
"But my viral content gave her that excuse," Sera pointed out with bitter honesty. "My documentation provided evidence of psychic abilities and manifestation phenomena."
"Your documentation also brought you to us," he replied, taking her hands in his with gentle strength. "And tomorrow night, when we face whatever Elena's planning, we face it together. As mates, as partners, as people who've chosen to build something worth protecting."
Through the broken window, Sera could see Hollow Oak's residents maintaining their daily routines despite federal presence, their quiet determination proving that sanctuary was something worth fighting for even when the odds seemed impossible.
"Tomorrow night," she said, decision crystallizing with surprising clarity. "Halloween, when the barriers are thinnest and manifestation energy peaks. Perfect timing for direct communication with Grimjaw."
"Sera," Maddox began with protective concern.
"Perfect timing to show Elena and her federal colleagues that supernatural abilities don't have to be weapons," she continued, meeting his worried gaze with determined resolve. "That psychic gifts can be tools for peace rather than instruments of war."