#Chapter 98: Beyond Reason

The house arrest began immediately, with guards posted outside my quarters ostensibly for my protection but actually to ensure I couldn't continue my investigation or contact potential allies. My room became a prison, comfortable but confining. Raymond arrived within hours to formally explain my new situation, his expression a mixture of righteous anger and cold determination. The magical conditioning had transformed him into someone I barely recognized—authoritarian, paranoid, completely convinced of his own righteousness. "This is for your own good," he said, though his tone suggested he was trying to convince himself as much as me. "The psychiatric evaluation will help us understand what's driven you to these paranoid delusions." "I'm not delusional," I said quietly, maintaining what dignity I could despite my circumstances. "Giana is exactly what I've been telling you she is—a traitor working with rogues to destroy this pack from within." Raymond's face hardened, his jaw cl