Page 2 of Bewitchingly Hers (Witches of Pleasant Grove #3)

CHAPTER ONE

eryne

A wolf’s howl distracted me from my peaceful contentment of watching as the sun drifted lower in the sky.

It painted Pleasant Grove in the most beautiful orange and yellow hues, making it hard to look away.

I’d always loved fall here—the nip in the air, the leaves crunching under foot—but our sunsets were something else entirely in New England.

It made me wish I could curl up on my porch swing with a blanket and a cup of hot apple cider as I watched the explosion of color in the sky.

Maybe one day. I sighed, turning back to the empty storefront.

It was the end of the day at the Witches’ Brew, the coffee shop and bakery I managed.

We’d already closed for the night, and there were only a few things I had left to do before I could head home.

There was a box of apple turnovers I’d stashed away earlier—they were my favorite—sitting in a box on the counter, waiting to go home with me.

My broom sat in the corner, since I’d already finished sweeping the floor, and the trash was emptied, the large black bag sitting by the door to take outside to the dumpster.

Most of the employees didn’t want to close, though I didn’t mind the busy work, since it left me a lot of time alone with my thoughts.

As an only child, I was used to that. I’d grown up having to entertain myself, and I’d never even joined a coven. Despite all the invitations from my best friends, I was happy alone.

At least, that was what I told myself.

Most of the time, it was true.

No matter what Wendy and Rina liked to tell me.

These days, between books and making earrings, I kept busy.

My job here paid the bills, and the owners—a pair of sisters, Willow and Luna Clarke—had promoted me to manager last year after they’d both fallen in love, so I couldn’t complain too much.

Plus, I had my familiar, my little hedgehog Nutmeg, to keep me company.

My eyes drifted outside the shop, to the main street of Pleasant Grove. Our quaint little town was cozy, already illuminated with lights, preparations for Halloween in full swing. Decorations were going up everywhere, and everywhere I looked, it felt like couples were walking hand in hand.

Sometimes, I felt a pang in my heart when I saw them cozied up next to each other at the annual pumpkin festival. It was hard not to watch them from the windows of the shop. Everyone was just so happy here.

“What’s wrong with you?” I scolded myself, sighing as I finished dusting the outside of the display case. I worried my lower lip in between my teeth, glad no one else was around to listen to me talk to myself.

Maybe I could blame my melancholy on my breakup with my boyfriend last year. Sure, we’d been together since high school, but the relationship had gone stale. Much like the day old pastries that I needed to throw out.

At a certain point, it felt like we were just going through the motions.

There was no passion, no fire. No spark.

Maybe at one point I loved him—or I thought I did—but he wasn’t my person .

My soulmate. Though I knew better than to wish for what I couldn’t have.

I was only twenty-five… what was the rush?

“Soulmates aren’t that common,” I tried to remind myself. “Just because Willow and Luna somehow found theirs, doesn’t mean?—”

A strange scratching sound distracted me from my train of thought, and I looked up from the counter I was wiping down. I froze. A few seconds later, there it was again. Was someone outside?

Pleasant Grove didn’t have much crime, something I’d always been thankful for. Which meant it was probably some kid playing a harmless prank. I sucked in a breath.

Or maybe it was some thing.

“It was probably just the wind,” I mumbled to myself.

If I told myself that enough, maybe I’d believe it. I’d never loved being alone at night—probably why my house had a deadbolt and spells cast on it. It was also the reason I refused to watch horror movies. I wasn’t taking any chances.

Not moving from the counter, I strained my ear, listening for it again. When I didn’t hear anything, I figured it must have been my mind playing tricks on me.

“Just have to take the trash out and then I can go home to a hot bath and a book,” I reminded myself, dropping the dirty towel in the basket. Maybe I’d even make a hot cup of cider to relax.

Grabbing the black bag, I slipped out the door, thankful that it wasn’t completely dark outside yet as I trudged over to the dumpster.

It was my least favorite task, which was why I always saved it for last, then hurried to lock up and head to my car.

Tonight was no different. Only now, I regretted it.

Why hadn’t I done this before the sun started to set?

Especially after Luna had been attacked by demons out there last Halloween.

I hadn’t even known they were real until the Clarke sisters both fell in love with a pair of demon brothers last year.

I’d always thought they were a legend, like werewolves and vampires.

Things that our elders spun tales about to scare us into obedience, not because they actually existed in the real world.

Though the ones that attacked Luna hadn’t been like their mates. They were blood-thirsty and dangerous .

What were the chances something like that would happen twice?

It was safe to say, us witches were living in the dark here in Pleasant Grove. Suddenly, that complacency felt terrifying. What was out there that we didn’t know about yet? I didn’t want to find out.

A full body shudder wracked through my body, and I tried to ignore the goosebumps on my arms. “There’s nothing out here,” I said the words out loud, more of a reminder to myself than anything else.

Goddess , when had I become such a scaredy cat?

I was a witch, and while I might not know powerful offensive magic, I could defend myself.

My affinity was healing, and though I could have pursued a different career—like nursing—I hadn’t wanted it to become my entire life.

When it had first manifested itself, I’d been slightly disappointing.

But overtime, I’d realized how special it was that I could heal with just my touch. That I had this gift of life.

Slamming the lid shut after I dumped the bag in the dumpster, I turned back towards the door. Just a few steps, and then I’d be safe. Maybe I’d call my mom as I walked back to my car. She might laugh at me, but she’d appease me.

Looking up, I found the moon already high in the sky. It was huge, and it felt like an omen. Maybe if Luna was here, I could have gotten her to tell me what it meant. Unfortunately, she was living in the demon realm now.

A whimper distracted me, and chills ran down my back.

Because that noise definitely wasn’t human.

I frowned, knowing I couldn’t ignore the sounds of distress coming from any living thing.

It just wasn’t how I was wired. I’d spent my childhood healing dozens of injured animals—and friends.

Broken arms or scabbed knees were just the beginning.

“Hello?” I asked, looking for the source of the noise, poking around the side of the dumpster. “Are you… okay?” I cursed internally, reminding myself that an animal wasn’t going to answer me.

There was a trail of red down the alley, and a pool of blood underneath the furry creature that gave another cry of pain. I blinked as I realized what exactly I was looking at. It was a large red wolf, lying there and whimpering.

“Oh my goddess.” Had it dragged itself from the street?

I probably should have been scared, but the unsettling feeling from earlier was completely gone.

The beast was in no position to harm me, and I was pretty sure it wouldn’t, even though I couldn’t explain why.

“Oh, you poor thing,” I cooed, crouching down to check its wound.

“Who did this to you?” He had a large slash in his abdomen, the cut still bleeding, and what looked like sharp teeth marks in his hind legs.

What could have made those bites? I didn’t want to find out.

The wolf turned his head slowly, his eyes meeting mine.

They were amber, and I had the faintest sense that I was looking at a pair of human eyes, ones that blinked at me as I ran my hand over the animal’s muzzle.

It was a large creature—the biggest wolf I’d ever seen, almost as big as me—so I assumed it was a he.

Not that I was going to verify that by poking around down there.

I might not have felt uneasy, but that didn’t mean I trusted him not to snap his extremely sharp canine teeth at me.

“Can you walk?” I asked him. A groan was my only response. “Hmm.” I looked around, not finding anything that would help me get him inside, and worried my lip into my mouth. “Wait here.”

The wolf gave a little snort, like he was rolling his eyes.

“Sorry,” I offered. “I guess it’s not like you can go anywhere else.” The wolf’s paws twitched as I did one more glance over before standing up. I couldn’t explain why I had this feeling that he understood me.

Goddess , I was losing my mind, sitting here and talking to a wolf.

I hurried back into the bakery, grabbing my phone and a handful of clean raggedy towels we used for spills.

They weren’t much, but maybe I could stop the bleeding, and fasten some sort of sling that would help me get him inside to help him.

Though I hadn’t really figured out what I was going to do after that.

Only that I needed to help this poor creature that was in pain.