Leo's POV
I ran through the crowded streets, pushing past people until I reached the edge of the village where the border inn stood. My lungs burned—not from the run, but from the weight of a hope I was too terrified to name.
I burst through the heavy wooden doors of the inn, my Alpha presence making the room go silent. I didn't care about being polite. I scanned the room until I saw a man packing a leather bag in a corner.
"Mat?" I growled.
The man jumped, dropping a bundle of furs. "Yes, Alpha? How can I help you?"
I didn't waste time. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the thread bangle I had taken from the market stall, holding it right in front of his face. "Where did you get this? And don't tell me 'Nigeria.' I want to know exactly who made it."
Mat swallowed hard, his eyes darting to my raw, bloodied knuckles. "It was... it was from a small village in the mountains of Nigeria, Alpha. A local market. I bought a whole batch of them because they were so unique."
