Page 30 of Frost and Felines (Saltwater Grove #5)

Mallory swayed gently as she checked the reservation log at the front desk. Ethan's warm weight was against her chest providing a comfort she never would have imagined possible two years ago. Her and Kieran's one-year-old was miraculously asleep despite the bustling activity in the lobby of The Hearthstone Inn, his little hand curled against her collarbone.

"Mommy's little helper," she whispered, planting a kiss on his downy head.

The Autumn Enchantment Fair had transformed Saltwater Grove into a supernatural hotspot, and The Hearthstone was booked solid. Mallory glanced up to see Kieran effortlessly managing a group of elvish tourists, his auburn hair shining in the golden light streaming through the glass windows. The sight of her husband – confident, commanding, yet utterly charming – still made her heart skip after all this time.

"Sheriff Blackmane's room is ready," Amy whispered, sliding a key across the counter. "And Mrs. Striker, your son is officially the cutest baby at the fair."

Mallory laughed. "Don't let Fiona hear you say that. She thinks little Rowan hung the moon."

As if summoned by the mention of her name, Fiona, Luna of the Eclipsed Moon pack, swept into the lobby, her husband Caleb at her side. The fire witch's red hair was braided elaborately with autumn leaves woven through it, and her eyes lit up when she spotted Mallory.

"There's my favorite storm witch!" Fiona called, hurrying over. "And the most adorable little cloud maker in existence!" She cooed at Ethan who chose that moment to wake, blinking sleepily.

"Careful," Mallory warned with a smile. "Last time you got him too excited, it rained in the kitchen for an hour."

"So worth it," Fiona declared, tickling Ethan's chin. The baby giggled, and a tiny puff of cloud appeared above his head, drizzling gentle raindrops that evaporated before they hit the ground. "He's got his mama's gift."

"And his father's stubborn streak," Mallory added, watching as Kieran finished with the elves and strode toward them.

Her husband's blue eyes locked with hers across the room, possessive and proud. Two years together and that look still made her stomach flutter. When he reached them, he slid an arm around her waist, pulling her against his side with Ethan nestled between them.

"Hey, Kieran." Caleb nodded respectfully to Kieran.

"Caleb," Kieran returned, his voice rumbling in that way that always sent shivers through her. "Room to your liking? Anything else you need?"

"It's perfect," Fiona answered for them both. "The room, the inn, everything. No wonder you've won all those awards."

Mallory felt a surge of pride. They had built this together – taken The Hearthstone from an average inn to a five-star destination. The "Most Feels Like Home" award hung prominently behind the front desk, a testament to how far they had come.

"Speaking of perfect," Sheriff Blackmane approached with his artist wife Tabitha. "That new east wing addition is impressive, Kieran. You've outdone yourself."

"I just provided the vision," Kieran said, squeezing Mallory closer. "My brilliant wife designed every inch of it."

"And modest as ever," Mallory retorted, but leaned into him, savoring the heat of his body against hers.

She gazed around the lobby filled with supernatural guests from across Saltwater Grove and the world – Archer and Daphne chatting with Logan and Serena near the fireplace, a group of merfolk admiring the water feature she had designed last spring, and a family of fox shifters checking in at the desk.

Two years ago, she had believed herself cursed to eternal isolation. Now her life overflowed with love, laughter, and connection. The storm that had raged inside her for so long had finally found its peace.

Ethan cooed and reached up to touch her cheek, a tiny spark of lightning dancing between his fingers.

"Someone's getting hungry," Kieran murmured, his lips brushing her ear. "Let me take him while you finish up here."

"Are you sure? The Moonlight Suite still needs?—"

"I've got it covered. You've been on your feet all morning." He carefully extracted Ethan from the carrier, settling the baby against his broad chest with practiced ease. "Come find us when you're done here."

A few hours later, Mallory was back at the front desk updating the reservation ledger when the scent hit her—earthen spices and starlit mist swirling through the air before its source even entered the lobby. She glanced up to see Nina breezing through the front entrance of The Hearthstone, her constellation-speckled apron twinkling under the ambient lighting. The powerful witch balanced two floating cups that trailed spirals of steam while her hands remained free to wave at several guests.

"Someone looks like she could use a pick-me-up," Nina called, directing one of the cups to hover just above the front desk.

Mallory reached for the cup gratefully, inhaling the rich aroma of her favorite Storm Chaser Brew—a concoction Nina had perfected just for her that smelled like thunderclouds and tasted like liquid courage.

"You're an actual lifesaver," Mallory sighed as the first sip warmed her from the inside out, tiny sparks of energy dancing through her fingertips. "How'd you know?"

Nina's laugh lines deepened. "The weather forecast called for clear skies, yet there's been a tiny rain cloud hovering exclusively over The Hearthstone for the past hour."

Mallory glanced out the window and noticed the miniature cloud that had indeed formed outside. She hadn't even realized her exhaustion had manifested through her magic.

"Busy day?" Nina asked, perching on the edge of the desk.

"We are booked solid through the weekend with The Autumn Enchantment Fair in town." Mallory took another long sip. "Amazing how 'isolated storm witch' wasn't exactly preparation for 'hospitality co-owner.'"

Nina's dark eyes sparkled with something that looked suspiciously like maternal pride. "Yet here you are, running this place like you were born for it."

"Here I am," Mallory agreed, her gaze drifting to where Kieran was helping a family of rabbit shifters with Ethan nestled snugly against his chest. Her heart swelled at the sight of her husband's powerful frame so gentle with their son. "Sometimes I still can't believe it."

"You're happy." It wasn't a question.

Mallory touched the tiny cloud ring on her right index finger—Kieran's wedding gift to her. "Happier than I ever thought possible." The little rain cloud outside had transformed into a perfect, sunny day. "Two years ago, I was convinced I was destined to be alone forever. Now I can't imagine life without all of this—without them."

"Some storms are worth weathering," Nina said, her fingers sparking with purple energy as she gestured toward Kieran and Ethan. "You found your shelter."

"And an entire community that doesn't run when the forecast gets a bit rough." The lump in Mallory's throat surprised her. "Thank you for being a part of that. For believing I could have this."

Nina squeezed her hand. "You always deserved this, dear. You just needed to believe it too."

Later that evening, Mallory sank into the plush sofa, watching as Kieran juggled their son—quite literally—into the air. Ethan's delighted giggles filled their private suite, his tiny hands sending small puffs of cloud dancing through the air with each laugh. The soft evening light filtered through the curtains, casting silver shadows across their cozy living space.

"If he starts a rainstorm inside again, you're cleaning it up and calming him down all by yourself this time," Mallory warned, though she couldn't keep the smile from her voice. The memory of last week's indoor shower—when Ethan had gotten overexcited during bathtime—was still fresh. Books had needed drying, cushions airing out, and Kieran had spent an hour blow-drying every surface while she'd worked to soothe their little storm-maker.

Kieran caught Ethan against his broad chest, his auburn hair falling across his forehead as he gave her that intense gaze that never failed to make her breath catch. "I handle all the indoor precipitation in this family," he declared, the absolute certainty in his voice making it sound like a royal decree. "Don't I, little man?"

Ethan responded by patting his father's face and producing a tiny lightning bolt that crackled harmlessly between his fingers.

"Takes after his mother," Kieran said proudly, crossing the room to settle beside her, their son nestled between them.

Mallory traced a finger down Ethan's chubby cheek. "Poor child. Cursed with my weather and your stubbornness."

"Blessed," Kieran corrected, his arm coming around her shoulders with possessive ease. "And it's called determination. Something our son will thank me for someday."

She leaned into his warmth, marveling at how comfortable this had become—this closeness and this family they had built. Two years ago, she'd been convinced she was meant to live alone forever, too dangerous to be loved. Now she had a husband who challenged thunderclouds without flinching and a son who made rainbows appear when he was happy.

"What are you thinking about?" Kieran asked, his voice a deep rumble against her ear.

"That bridge," she said softly, watching as Ethan's eyelids grew heavy. "That ridiculous collapsed bridge that forced me to stay here for a month."

Kieran's laugh was low and intimate. "Best structural failure in the history of Saltwater Grove." He shifted, laying Ethan carefully on the soft play mat between them and the fireplace. "Without it, I'd still be chasing meaningless relationships, and you'd be holed up in that isolated house."

"Instead, I'm chasing a one-year-old who can make it rain indoors." Mallory pulled her legs underneath her, watching as Kieran built a small fortress of pillows around their dozing son. "And somehow, it's everything I never knew I wanted."

She felt a profound gratitude wash over her as she looked around their suite. The space reflected their shared life— Kieran's collection of adventure novels mixed with her design books, Ethan's toys scattered across handwoven rugs she'd selected, and the family photos proudly displayed on every surface. This was home—not isolation, not loneliness—but warmth and belonging.

"You know what I was thinking earlier?" Kieran settled back beside her, pulling her legs across his lap. "That we should celebrate the anniversary of that blizzard."

"Celebrate a weather disaster?" Mallory asked skeptically. "That's very on-brand for us, I suppose."

"Every year," he insisted, his fingers tracing patterns on her calf that made her skin tingle. "We'll call it our Fate Day."

"You're impossible." She laughed, but the thought of celebrating the event that had changed everything warmed her. That fateful day that had brought her out of isolation and into this unexpected life filled with warmth, acceptance, and love. "Though I suppose if anyone should commemorate a blizzard, it's a storm witch."