Page 18 of Unbearable Attraction (Hollow Oak Mates #4)
LUKA
T he summons came just after noon, delivered by the same nervous young wolf shifter who'd brought the previous Council message. This time, though, the boy's anxiety was palpable, his hands shaking slightly as he recited the formal words.
"Elder Varric requests your immediate presence at the Council Glade for an emergency session regarding the ongoing spiritual disturbances," he said, the practiced formality not quite hiding his obvious relief at completing the message. "He says to tell you it's urgent."
Luka set down his carving tools and wiped the oak dust from his hands, his bear already stirring restlessly at the formal tone.
"Tell him I'll be there in fifteen minutes," he replied, reaching for his heaviest jacket. November afternoons in the mountains carried a bite that would make standing around in the sacred glade thoroughly unpleasant, but something told him this wasn't going to be a brief conversation.
The walk to the Council Glade felt longer than usual, every step carrying him deeper into the ancient forest where Hollow Oak's governing body conducted their most serious business.
By the time he reached the hidden entrance to the sacred clearing, his bear was pacing behind his ribs with agitated energy.
All five Council members were present, their expressions ranging from Miriam Caldwell's concerned sympathy to Elder Bram's cold disapproval.
"Luka," Varric said as he approached. "Thank you for coming so quickly. We need to discuss the current situation with Miss Carrow and the escalating spiritual activity throughout town."
"What's there to discuss?" Luka asked, settling into his usual spot at the edge of the circle. "She's making progress. Yesterday we located the original ceremony grounds, and she's been communicating directly with the spirits involved in the founding pact."
"Yes, we heard about that," Elder Bram said, his voice carrying the kind of cold authority that made most people take a step back.
"We also heard that these communications have resulted in even more supernatural disturbances.
Three more businesses reported incidents this morning, and Mrs. Henderson's poodle has been barking at invisible threats for twelve hours straight. "
"The spirits are agitated because the renewal ceremony hasn't been performed," Luka replied, keeping his tone level despite his bear's growing irritation. "Once we figure out the specifics of what's required, the disturbances will stop."
"Will they?" Bram's pale eyes fixed on Luka with uncomfortable intensity. "Or will Miss Carrow's continued meddling with forces beyond her understanding make the situation worse?"
The casual dismissal of Leenah's abilities made his bear snarl. The idea that anyone would suggest she was making things worse when she was risking her own safety to help the town made his vision blur with protective rage.
"She's not meddling," he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous rumble. "She's the only person in Hollow Oak with the necromantic abilities necessary to communicate with these spirits. Without her, we'd still be stumbling around wondering why supernatural activity was increasing."
"And with her, we have spirits manifesting in broad daylight and magical disturbances affecting innocent residents," Bram countered. "Perhaps the solution is to remove the catalyst rather than feed more energy into an already unstable situation."
The suggestion that they should get rid of Leenah made Luka's bear roar to the surface with enough force that he felt his canine teeth lengthen and his fingernails begin to sharpen into claws.
Only years of practiced control kept him from shifting completely, but the threat display was unmistakable to every supernatural being in the clearing.
"You want to run her out of town?" The words came out as more growl than human speech. "Because she's trying to help?"
"Easy, Luka," Varric said mildly, but his rain-cloud eyes held a warning about losing control in the sacred space. "No one is suggesting we force Miss Carrow to leave. Elder Bram is simply exploring all possible solutions to our current crisis."
"There's only one solution," Luka replied, forcing his bear back beneath his skin through sheer willpower. "Help her perform the renewal ceremony and restore the original protections. Everything else is just avoiding the real problem."
"And if performing this ceremony kills her?
" Miriam Caldwell's gentle voice carried genuine concern.
"From what you've reported, the original ritual required significant sacrifice from the Cherokee medicine woman who served as the bridge.
Are we prepared to ask Miss Carrow to risk her life for agreements made by people who died centuries ago? "
The question hit him harder than any of Bram's accusations because it forced him to confront the reality he'd been trying to avoid.
The spirits had been clear about the cost of serving as the bridge between worlds, and despite her courage and competence, Leenah was still human.
Still vulnerable to the kind of magical forces that could tear apart someone trying to channel them.
"She's not going into this blind," he said finally. "She's researching everything, finding ways to make the ceremony safer. And she won't be facing it alone."
"Ah," Varric said, and something in his tone made Luka look up sharply. "And there we have the real issue."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means your objectivity regarding Miss Carrow's safety may be somewhat compromised," the elder replied with the kind of gentle understanding that was somehow worse than direct accusation. "Mate bonds have a way of affecting judgment, even in the most rational individuals."
Heat crept up Luka's neck as every Council member turned to stare at him with varying degrees of interest and concern.
"My feelings don't change the facts," he said defensively. "The renewal ceremony is still necessary, regardless of who performs it."
"Your feelings might change your willingness to find alternatives," Bram observed coldly. "A man protecting his mate isn't known for considering options that don't include her survival."
The casual mention of Leenah as his mate made Luka's bear rumble with possessive satisfaction, but his human side recognized the trap being laid.
If he admitted to the mate bond, everything he said about the situation would be dismissed as biased.
If he denied it, he'd be lying to the Council in a way that would probably be obvious to anyone with functioning supernatural senses.
"Leenah makes her own decisions," he said instead. "I can't protect her from choices she's determined to make."
"But you can influence those choices," Varric pointed out. "The question is whether you're encouraging her to take necessary risks or preventing her from considering safer alternatives."
"What safer alternatives?" Luka asked, genuine frustration bleeding into his voice. "The barriers are failing. The spirits are getting more agitated every day. Unless someone performs the renewal ceremony, Hollow Oak's protections will collapse entirely."
"There might be other options," Miriam said gently. "Evacuation, for instance. Relocating the town's residents to other supernatural communities until the situation stabilizes."
"And abandon three centuries of accumulated protections? Leave the sacred sites to be overrun by hostile forces?" Luka shook his head. "That's not a solution, it's surrender."
"It's survival," Bram replied sharply. "Which should be our primary concern, not preserving historical landmarks at the cost of lives."
The argument that followed revealed the deep divisions within the Council about how to handle the crisis.
Miriam favored caution and careful research.
Two of the other Council members supported evacuation as the safest option.
Bram clearly wanted to remove Leenah from the equation entirely, viewing her as a dangerous variable in an already volatile situation.
Only Varric seemed to understand that running away would solve nothing, that the supernatural threats gathering beyond Hollow Oak's weakening barriers would eventually follow them wherever they went.
"Enough," the elder said finally, his voice carrying the kind of authority that ended arguments immediately. "We'll continue to support Miss Carrow's research efforts, but with conditions."
Luka's bear stilled, sensing that whatever came next would determine Leenah's fate.
"You have one week," Varric continued, his eyes fixed on Luka with uncomfortable intensity.
"Seven days to find a way to perform the renewal ceremony safely, or to prove that it can't be done without unacceptable risk.
If no viable solution is found by then, the Council will vote on alternative measures to protect Hollow Oak's residents. "
"And if the Council votes for evacuation?"
"Then we'll respect their decision and help coordinate the relocation," Varric replied. "But I suspect you'll find a way to avoid that outcome. Motivated individuals often accomplish remarkable things when properly incentivized."
The meeting ended with formal courtesies that felt hollow after the ultimatum that had just been delivered. As the Council members dispersed, leaving him alone in the sacred glade, Luka realized that everything had just become infinitely more complicated.
One week to save Leenah, save Hollow Oak, and somehow convince a group of supernatural politicians that risking one life was better than abandoning everything their community had built.
His bear might be confident in their ability to protect their mate, but his human side was starting to wonder if love and determination would be enough to overcome centuries of magical obligations and political maneuvering.
Only one way to find out.