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“I don’t know yet.”

I search the dates printed in the corners.

Jessamine copied notes from earlier route records. Josephine rebuilt damaged records from Jessamine’s work, Rose’s account of the Everlasting Pack, and the green route ledger.

My pulse skips. The Everlasting Pack isn’t at the beginning of the oldest route entries.

“Ezra, print the keeper chronology,” I say.

“Already open.”

The printer wakes with an offended grind. A page slides out. I snatch it before it reaches the floor.

Protection points repaired in 1846. Release stones counted in 1859. Route florals replaced after the 1872 flood. Susannah’s failed ritual happened later.

“Oh,” I say.

Theo leans over the page. “What?”

“The paths didn’t start with the Everlasting Pack.”

Ezra turns his chair fully toward me.

I grab the printed keeper chronology. “The public story makes it sound like everything began with them. The road, the tooth, the love ritual. But the release route was already here.” I point at the dates. “People used it before Susannah was sick. Vines women were already maintaining it. The ritual already had rules because it had been done successfully.”

Theo looks toward the route map. “So, Susannah’s pack didn’t make the ritual, they used an old one?”

“Yes.”

Ezra looks at the chronology. “And something changed after they used it?”

“That’s what I’m trying to prove.” I reach for Rose’s account. “And we need to know exactly what happened so we don’t make a mistake.”

The printer spits out the enlarged copy while the house gives another impatient knock.

“I’m going as fast as I can,” I tell it.

Theo glances at the wall. “You’re arguing with the house now?”

“It started it.” I line up the accounts, my hands shaking as I put them in order. “Susannah is dying. Her heats are unstable. The bond carries her pain into her alpha and beta.” I tap the recipe copied into Josephine’s notebook. “She uses swamp lilies, bitter bark, ash, and water to make a bond-quieting compound.”

“GatorX?” Theo asks.

“No. Related idea, not the same thing.” I slow myself down so I can explain. “Susannah isn’t trying to damage the bond. She’s trying to ease their pain so they can survive her death.”

Ezra’s hand closes around the old bite scar at his shoulder. “She’s trying to protect them.”

“I think so.” I move to the carved-tooth account. “Her alpha carves the tooth with water lines and an open circle. He carries it for protection during the release.”

Theo’s gaze sharpens. “He was never trying to trap her.”

“No. He loved her and didn’t want to let her go.” None of this started with cruelty. That’s what makes the story so awful. They loved each other and were trying to do the right things with the tools they had. I follow the ritual account with my finger. “The Vines witness gives Susannah the release stone. Susannah walks. Her alpha stays at the first marker. Her beta stays behind and doesn’t call.”

Ezra leans close enough that his shoulder touches mine. “What goes wrong?”

“She reaches the second lilies and falters.”

Theo’s scent changes.