Page 69 of The Wolf Queen’s Curse

“Thank you. I am married.” I reach to squeeze Bishop’s hand as he stands silently beside me. “Happily, regardless of the circumstances. But we’re in Scotland securing the help of the Caledonian Pack. Hamish has set Bishop on a task, and we are—That part is unimportant.”

She’s leaning forward, avidly listening, disappointed when I stop.

I continue, “What I need, being a new bride, is several ingredients that will ensure I do not get with child at a very inconvenient time.”

“Of course, my dear.” She pats my hand. “I have a potion mixed, but I know you and your aunt prefer to make your own.”

I wrinkle my nose. “Which is no offense to you, and I’m sorry if it ever seemed that way. You know how Lenora could be.”

“Very sure of herself.”

“Indeed. But both my aunt and mother believed that if we are using a potion on ourselves, it will be more effective if we make it ourselves.”

“Very wise.”

She opens a locked door into the smaller area where she keeps her stock.

“I can gather what you need,” she offers.

I smile. “I’ll do it. If you have time to talk, I’d rather we did that. First, though, I will take a draught of that batch you have ready.”

Her eyes dance as she glances over to where Bishop patiently waits. She lowers her voice. “In a hurry for your wedding night? He is a fine-looking young man. And a werewolf?” She sighs. “I know Lenora had her prejudices, but I will admit, whenever I have a chance at a werewolf for a night, I always take it.”

I laugh under my breath. “I don’t blame you.”

She opens a cupboard and takes out a small bottle. It’s properly marked, and I make sure of that. I also sniff it. My acute sense of smell has always helped with this. As a potion-maker, Beatrice isn’t as gifted as Lenora had been—she rushes the process—but this is a simple recipe, and the dose smells fine. It will activate within a few hours, one advantage of magical medicines.

I drink the draught and then begin to talk as I choose ingredients to make my own. “You knew about my father.”

“I did.”

“And what did Lenora say? About why she wouldn’t tell me I’m half werewolf?”

She waves a hand. “Oh, this and that. You know her.”

In other words, Beatrice doesn’t know. I can guess at Lenora’s motives, but there’s still the little girl inside me who wants to be able to talk to her mother and aunt and hear them explain in their own words.

“Did you also know about her family? The Levines? That they have a cabal?”

Beatrice settles onto a stool just inside the stockroom door, while Bishop stays in the outer area, remaining in sight.

“Everyone knows about the Levines, luv,” she says.

“Except me.”

She leans to pat my arm as I gather ingredients. “I mean that within the spell-casting community of London, most knew where your mother and aunt came from. Lenora hated that. They’d hoped that using the name Carter would help, and it did, but only among those on the fringes. I told Lenora it was good that the most powerful supernaturals knew who she was. It was added protection. Lenora and your mother might have been estranged from the cabal, but they were still Beryl Levine’s daughters. Beryl would avenge any wrong to them, as you’ve seen.”

“Why did they leave the cabal?”

She shrugs. “The usual reason. Children grow up and decide they don’t like the family business. Or they don’t agree with the family philosophy. Your mother and your aunt Flora left when your mother turned eighteen.” A fond smile. “Lenora snuck along. She was furious at being left behind. Your great-aunt and mother planned to return for her later. She was only twelve, and they thought her too young to make that choice.”

“She made it anyway.”

“Your aunt was always more of a Levine. Your mother was fearsome when she wanted to be, but she didn’t particularly want to be fearsome. Lenora did. Fearsome and feared.”

“Yet she never went back to the cabal. To the power they had.”

“That path was always open to her, but she didn’t want it, and once you entered Lenora’s life, the die was cast. She never would have taken you back to Beryl. Mixing supernatural blood usually increases power, particularly if the types are complementary.”