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“Nope haven’t heard of such a thing since I’ve been here,” I agree, solidifying my tone and shaking my head. Hoping I sound more assured than I think.

“Oh, okay. Well, if you hear anything, let me know. I’ll be around for a while.”

Tess straightens from her casual leaning position and anxiously taps her fingers on the counter. Looking at us with unmasked suspicion.

Shit, was that not convincing enough? How do I deal with this situation?

Thankfully, I don’t have to figure it out because Tess excuses herself with a quiet muttered thanks and briskly walks away.

“What was that all about?”

Calliope shrugs, eyes wide and just as baffled as me.

Not a moment later, Hunter steps up behind me, pressing his body close to mine. His heat pressing into my back, a comforting presence I’m starting to grow used to.

“Did you place your order?” he asks, placing a tender possessive hand on my hip.

“Yeah, but I haven’t paid yet.”

“Good.”

Pulling his wallet out of his back pocket, he starts to count out bills. I start to protest, but his commanding voice cuts me off.

“Add a cinnamon roll and coffee, please.”

Calliope taps on her screen, adding the items to the order. When she announces the price, Hunter holds out the cash to pay.

“I have money; I can pay for my own,” I protest.

“I know, but I’d like to pay for you if that’s alright.”

His tone garners no argument, no matter how much I want to point out that I have millions of dollars sitting in my secret bank account doing nothing and serving no purpose. The least I can do is buy my own food. After all, I have been contributing to the local economy nearly every day by eating out and buying coffee from the Ugly Mug. At this rate, I could probably sustain the entire town with my meal purchases alone.

I bite my tongue, not wanting to start an argument over who has more money. It would only be embarrassing and announce to everyone my financial status, which is not necessary. So, I lethim pay for my pastries and follow him to sit at a table toward the back of the shop. From here, we can see the entirety of the bakery and everyone in it, including Tess, the rather strange and forward redhead.

Scooting closer to Hunter, I lean into whisper because I don’t know who in here knows about non-humans and who doesn’t.

“That girl was asking about werewolves.”

Hunter grunts and purses his lips as if this isn’t news to him.

“You know who she is?” I ask, furrowing my brow up at him.

“Yeah. Ryder’s been dealing with her ever since she came into town the day after you did. She’s a paranormal blogger on the hunt for werewolves. Which are wolf shifters. He’s handling it. That’s why he’s outside pacing like a caged wolf right now.”

I look through the large front window and spot Ryder across the street, frowning towards the bakery as he paces back and forth like a prowling beast. He doesn’t look happy. Taking only three large steps before pivoting one hundred and eighty degrees and repeating the movement in rapid succession.

Eyeing Tess, I see her actually sticking her tongue out at Ryder and waving at him with her fingers. Ryder stops still, and I can see his muscles flex and grow from all the way across the street. There is definitely something going on there.

“You sure he can handle her? Kinda looks like she’s getting under his skin.”

“Yeah, he’s fine. Ginger is keeping an eye on her blog and posts to ensure she doesn’t mention anything about Snowberry or the blood moon next week.”

Again, the mention of the blood moon. What the hell is it? Obviously, I assume it’s a moon phase, but why blood?

“What is a blood moon?” I ask, hoping we’re not around too many people for him to tell me.

“It’s a lunar eclipse that happens twice a year, but every three to four years, there’s a special eclipse called a blood moonwhere the full moon turns blood red. It has something to do with the earth’s atmosphere and the sun’s rays, but I don’t really understand it. You’d have to ask Fynn about all that.”