Page 42 of Bewitched by the Werewolf (The Bewitching Hour #5)

Spending every night with Tess is better than I could have hoped.

We stay at my cabin, since her trailer isn’t exactly roomy and is filled with reminders of why she ended up in Snowberry in the first place.

I don’t mind her being in my space, it just makes it smell more like her every day.

Coating her apple scent over every surface and soaking it into the fibers.

If she were to leave, I imagine it would linger for months.

The idea is to keep her here, but that’s up to her.

Once she sees everything tonight at the blood moon, there’ll be nothing more to convince her to stay or to keep our secret.

Between showing Tess non-humans, keeping an eye on all the new shifters in town, and my nightly activities learning every erogenous zone on Tess’s body, I’ve been busy.

I’ll be glad when the eclipse has passed and everyone goes home.

Everyone except Tess, that is. Her trailer is her home so there’s still a possibility of her staying.

She has no apartment to get back to or day job she’s missing.

And from what she’s told me of her family and social life, not many people that would care if she disappeared into a secret Montana town.

It disgusts me that her family was so dismissive and unsupportive of her beliefs.

Sure, believing in werewolves isn’t a widespread normal thing, but it wasn’t hurting anyone.

How is it any different than her believing in a different religion?

They should have accepted and supported her even if they didn’t believe.

Now she has plenty of people who support her, here in Snowberry.

Like Lottie, Tess has managed to befriend quite a few people in town in such a short amount of time.

Her intentions may have been less than noble, but we all live in secret and lie about who we are constantly, it seems like that’s a common trait amongst us all.

Even Lottie is lying about who she is to everyone.

The only ones who know her real identity are Hunter, Ginger, Tess, and me.

The rest of the town are just as unaware of Lottie as they are Tess. As the world is of us.

I’ve never been more anxious about an eclipse than I am about tonight’s.

I’ve only ever had to be concerned about staying far away from others.

Now not only will I be in the middle of a shifting pack but will have Tess at my side to worry about.

I don’t fear for her safety from the others, only from myself.

Sure, I managed to control myself enough the other night and not attack her, but what if I can’t tonight?

With the effects of the eclipse sharpening my senses and overpowering my rational thought, I don’t know what could happen.

I’ll just have to be extra vigilant, extra focused.

It’s unlikely I will be able to shift at all.

Though I’m unsure how I’ll control it. I’ve never been able to suppress the shift on an eclipse, let alone a blood moon.

Theoretically it can be done. Rarely have I heard of anyone successfully resisting it.

Looks like tonight I’m going to find out exactly how strong my will is.

Because I’ve managed to monopolize so much of Tess’s time, she told me she would meet me at our house tonight.

The day flies by in a blur and all I can think about is tonight.

My head is a mass of jumbled emotions and tangled thoughts.

Some good, some bad, some X-rated. Okay a lot of them are X-rated.

Even if I don’t shift, the possibility of chasing Tess through the woods and having my way with her under the full moon is still high.

And I am very much looking forward to that portion of the evening.

I leave the office early, leaving Logan in charge for the evening. Since he’s a human he has no problems with working tonight. Things like lunar positions and astrological anomalies ineffective to his mood.

“I’ll have my phone on me for emergencies. So don’t hesitate to call if there’s an issue,” I tell my deputy.

“There won’t be any issues Ryder. This year is going far smoother than the last. I have everything in hand. Enjoy your night and don’t worry about anything. Maybe once all the visitors leave you can introduce me to this girl I keep hearing about from Edith. Tess, I believe her name was?”

I grumble, knowing this was coming eventually.

Although we don’t make-out in public, I’ve stopped complaining about her to my staff and may have had a few lunches with her at Dottie’s.

It’s obvious to anyone watching us that we’re on a more than friendly basis.

I’m sure our mingled scents don’t help either.

Until now, no one’s said anything about it, other than Larken.

I’m glad they haven’t, because I wouldn’t have known what to say.

Tess and I haven’t talked about her staying after the eclipse.

I guess I was too afraid of what she would say.

If she said no, I might become even more surly than I already am.

If she said yes, I may have found my mate.

Then there’s the whole possibility she isn’t my mate making me afraid of her staying, just to have my hopes crushed by wishful thinking.

How is Hunter so sure Lottie is his mate? She’s a human, possibly a descendent of a non-human, but we don’t know that for sure. How can he be so certain? Like me, I know he’s never felt a mate pull before. How can he know without a doubt or question that is what he’s feeling?

If I were a better brother and just told him what I was going through and asked, I might know the answers to some of these questions. Perhaps I’ve only done harm distancing myself for all these years.

“Maybe. I don’t know if she’ll be staying past the eclipse,” I finally answer. It’s the truth and I don’t know what else to say.

“From what I heard of her, she seems to be settling in here in town. Perhaps she will stay.” Logan claps me on my back in a supportive friendly gesture I don’t think I’ve ever reciprocated to him.

Reaching up I mirror his position, placing a hand on his shoulder in appreciation. Not just for his optimistic outlook on my future with Tess, but for everything he’s done for this town that I haven’t thanked him for.

“Thanks. If she does, I will definitely introduce you to her.”

Logan smiles and drops his arm, I do the same. “Good. You deserve a good woman in your life, Ryder. I don’t know if she’s a shifter or not but either way, from what I’m hearing, she’s a good person. My mom always said to never let a good woman slip through your fingers.”

“I’ll take that into consideration.”

Logan nods and heads back to his desk where he’ll be stationed for most of the night just in case a call comes in.

I leave the office and notice Hunter’s office is already dark and locked up.

He wasn’t in much today, spending most of it preparing at home for the bombardment of shifters and non-humans who will be showing up at our house tonight.

It’s become a bit of an unofficial gathering and party at our place for events like this.

Before heading to the main house, I stop in at the cabin that’s become my new default home. I kind of like having my own place and space away from Hunter. Not that living with him was bad, it’s just now that he has Lottie and—for the time—I have Tess, it’s been nice to have a space of my own.

By the time I arrive at the house there’s already others there filling the tables with food and the yard with animated chatter and laughter. For everyone else tonight is a night to celebrate, to have fun. To relax and let go and enjoy. I so badly wish I could do the same.

I linger along the edges of the crowd, grabbing food here and there while I anxiously await Tess’s arrival.

I keep checking towards the gravel driveway and my watch.

She should be arriving soon. I was more specific with the time tonight since she admitted how early she was before when I told her sunset.

While I’m distancing myself and avoiding conversations with others, I spot my brother smiling and enjoying his female with ease. He notices me too. I must look extra grumpy since his smile falls and he leans in to whisper to Lottie before heading my way.

Inhaling a deep steadying breath, I prepare myself for the inevitable. I hadn’t warned Hunter that I invited Tess tonight. Part of why I am keeping a sharp eye out for her, so he doesn’t freak at her arrival. I guess now’s as good a time as any to tell him.

“Your face is looking more morose than usual,” is his way of greeting me. I guess I deserve that.

“Good evening to you too, brother,” I say back with little enthusiasm.

“What is it with you lately? I’ve barely seen you, and you always seem to be in a foul mood. Is it because of Lottie and the mate bond?”

I rear back in surprise. Why the hell would he think that?

I glare at his in disbelief and stunned confusion.

I’ve done nothing but support him and Lottie and their possible mate bond.

I may have been a little skeptical about it, but I never denied his claim on her.

I never would. The mate pull is sacred and personal, who am I to tell him what he feels?

If Fynn said it’s possible than I believe him.

Hunter has no idea how much I want to believe him.

“Of course not. I’m happy for you and Lottie. She’s a great girl, and Mom and Ginger already love her. Pretty sure everyone in town already does too.”