Page 41 of Enchanting the Alpha (Mystic Hollow #1)

FORTY-ONE

R omi couldn’t stop smiling, her heart too full for words. “We should probably eat before dinner gets cold.”

“Probably.” He stole another kiss before releasing her. “Though I’m finding myself less interested in food by the minute.”

They managed to focus on dinner, sharing stories between bites. Xabir told her about his childhood in Mystic Hollow, including misadventures with Arlo that had her laughing until tears streamed down her face.

“I can’t believe you tried to sneak into the Mystic Archives dressed as garden gnomes,” she gasped, wiping her eyes.

“In our defense, we were twelve. And convinced there was a secret spellbook that would let us turn into dragons.” His smile held equal parts nostalgia and mischief. “Otis caught us immediately, of course. Made us reorganize the entire Magical Creatures section as punishment.”

“Is that why you have such strong opinions about proper filing systems?”

“Traumatic experiences leave lasting impressions.” His eyes sparkled. “Though I seem to recall someone reorganizing their entire spice rack by magical potency rather than alphabetically.”

“That’s different. It’s more efficient for potion-making.”

“Of course, it is, little witch.” The endearment rolled off his tongue like honey, making her shiver.

They moved to the living room with their wine, settling onto the couch. The enchanted lanterns dimmed automatically, creating a cozy atmosphere.

“Speaking of being myself,” Romi said, summoning her enchanted notebook from the kitchen counter, “we should probably do some actual work on game night plans. Before Whiskers starts planning our honeymoon.”

The animal huffed, creating a sparkly beach scene complete with palm trees.

“Bali is a good option,” Xabir commented with a smirk. He scooted closer on the couch, peering at her notes. “Though maybe we should focus on surviving game night first.”

“Right. So I was thinking we could set up different stations.” Romi flipped through her ideas. “Magical charades in one corner, enchanted board games in another. Maybe some traditional shifter games adapted with magical elements?”

“That could work.” Xabir’s hand settled naturally at her waist as he looked over her shoulder. “The bear sleuth suggested something called ‘Capture the Territory’ – it’s like magical tag but with team strategy involved.”

“Perfect for mixing witch and shifter players.” She scribbled notes, her magic making the ink shimmer. “We’ll need to set clear rules about magic use though. No hexing other players.”

“Spoilsport.” His breath tickled her ear. “Though maybe we should ban Arlo from starting betting pools on who wins.”

“Too late.” She laughed, showing him a message on her phone. “He’s already taking odds on which team combination will dominate magical charades. Apparently, the smart money’s on a witch-bear shifter alliance.”

“Traitor. He’s supposed to back his own pack.” But Xabir’s eyes danced with amusement. “What about refreshments?”

“I’m planning specialty drinks for each species. Something that plays to different magical affinities.” She summoned her recipe book. “Like this one – Moonbeam Mist. It sparkles for witches but turns smoky for shifters. Completely changes the flavor profile too.”

“Clever. What about security measures? We don’t want any magical accidents ruining the fun.”

“Already handled. Neve and Madame Zephyrine offered to set up protective wards, and Bella’s contributing some specialty crystals to help balance different magical energies.” She turned to face him. “The tiger pride alpha even volunteered his security team to help monitor things.”

“Oakes Meyer volunteered?” Xabir’s eyebrows rose. “He must be impressed with what we’re building here.”

“What you’re building,” she corrected softly. “You’re the one who opened pack events to everyone, who showed other shifters it was possible to change.”

His expression turned tender. “We’re building it together.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Though I have to admit, watching you charm every supernatural being in town is pretty impressive.”

“Not every supernatural being.” She poked his chest playfully. “The Griffin pride still thinks I’m too unconventional.”

“The Griffin pride thinks everyone is too unconventional.” He caught her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm. “But they agreed to send representatives to game night, didn’t they?”

“Only because you convinced them it would be politically advantageous.”

“See? We make an excellent team.” His smile turned wicked. “Though perhaps we should take a break from planning. All this talk of politics is giving me a headache.”

“Poor, Alpha.” She set aside her notebook, magic sparking as his hands drew her closer. “Need me to kiss it better?”

His growl of approval vibrated through her. “That seems like an excellent solution.”

They got very little planning done for the next several minutes, but neither of them seemed to mind. When they finally returned to their notes, Romi’s cheeks were flushed and Xabir’s eyes held a distinctly wolfish gleam.

“Right,” she said, trying to sound professional despite her racing pulse. “Where were we?”

“Game night,” he murmured, still playing with her hair. “Though I’m finding myself much more interested in private entertainment at the moment.”

Romi found herself curled into Xabir’s side, his arm warm around her shoulders as she shared her own childhood memories—summer afternoons spent learning magic from her grandmother, the first time her powers manifested, the day she realized she could infuse emotions into her baking.

“I miss her,” she admitted softly. “My grandmother. She would have loved seeing the café. Seeing me find my place here.”

Xabir pressed a kiss to her temple. “She would be proud of you. What you’ve built here and how you’re helping unite the community... it’s remarkable.”

“I couldn’t have done it without you.” She turned to face him fully. “Your support has made me feel like I have a partner and I’m not doing all of this alone. Especially with my magic still being so unpredictable.”

“Have you thought of any ways to help your magic?”

“Actually, I have. I spoke to Neve and Madame Zephyrine about teaching a class.”

“Teaching?”

“Yeah.”

“You have a gift for helping others understand magic. The way you’ve worked with my staff at the hotel, showing them how to interact with enchanted items... you’re a natural teacher.”

A spark of excitement flickered through her. “I’ve been thinking about starting some basic magic classes at the café. Nothing too formal, but a way to share knowledge and bring people together.”

“That’s perfect.” His eyes lit up with that intensity that never failed to take her breath away. “We could set up a dedicated space, maybe partner with some of the other magical businesses in town. Bella might be willing to contribute some books from her shop.”

They spent the next hour brainstorming ideas for the classes, their excitement building. Romi couldn’t help but marvel at how perfectly they worked together—the way he built on her ideas, anticipated her concerns, supported her vision while adding his own insights.

“We could start with simple enhancement spells,” she mused, playing with his fingers where they rested on her shoulder. “Basic protection charms, mood-lifting enchantments. Things that would be useful for everyone.”

“Practical magic,” he agreed, bringing their joined hands to his lips. “Though I hope you’ll save some of your special enchantments just for me.”

She tilted her head to look up at him, breath catching at the heat in his gaze. “Like what?”

“Like the way you infuse joy into my morning coffee.” His voice dropped lower, rougher. “The protection charms you weave into my coat when you think I’m not looking. The little bits of magic that show you care.”

Her heart thundered in her chest. “You noticed those?”

“I notice everything about you, Romi.” His free hand came up to cup her cheek, thumb brushing across her lower lip. “Every spell, every smile, every moment you let me see the real you. You’re extraordinary.”

The air between them crackled with possibility. Her magic rose to meet his alpha energy, creating a soft golden glow around them. Whiskers had mysteriously disappeared, though a trail of silver hearts sparkled.

“Xabir...” She couldn’t look away from his eyes, now flickering between hazel and wolf-gold. “I’m not very good at this. At opening up, at being vulnerable. But with you...”

“With me?”

“With you, I want to try. You make me feel safe enough to be myself. To trust that you’ll catch me if I fall.”

His growl of approval sent shivers down her. “Always.” He pulled her closer until she straddled his lap. “I’ll always catch you, little witch.”

Their kiss started soft but quickly blazed into something more intense. Romi lost herself in the feeling of his hands in her hair, the way his alpha energy wrapped around her like a blanket of starlight. Her magic sang through her veins, reaching for him with desperate need.

A clock chimed midnight, startling them both.

“It’s late,” she murmured against his lips, making no move to pull away. “We should probably...”

“Probably.” His hands tightened on her hips. “Though I’m finding it hard to care about the time.”

She laughed softly, resting her forehead against his. “We have plans tomorrow. Early plans.”

“Cruel woman.” But he smiled, pressing one last kiss to her lips before helping her stand. “Thank you for tonight, Romi. For sharing your stories, your dreams... your magic.”

“Thank you for listening. For understanding.” She walked him to the door, their fingers intertwined. “For making me feel like anything is possible.”

He pulled her close for a final kiss that left her dizzy. “Everything is possible with you.”