Page 13

By Monday morning, I was out of excuses.

I'd spent the entire weekend holed up in Scott's guest room after the wedding, trying not to spiral.

The spell, the kiss at the altar, it all played on loops in my head until I wasn't sure if I wanted to cry, scream, set something on fire, or all three.

I came out long enough to touch Scott and let the bond settle down when it became unbearable, often just awkwardly resting my hand on his bare arm until my skin stopped itching.

But I couldn't hide forever, not when I still had a job to do. I was still technically Samson's assistant, even if I'd accidentally spell-bonded myself to another Alpha. I'd taken some time off, but my time was running out.

Plus, I was supposed to be ingratiating myself with Scott's pack, which I had been totally avoiding. I still considered myself a Saltfang, but after the wedding, the rest of the world thought I was the mate of the Shadowbay Alpha, making me part of the Shadowbay pack too.

That morning, I'd promised Scott I'd make an appearance at the early morning pack run.

It was a bonding experience for the pack members, and I knew that Scott liked to lead them on a trail around the edge of the territory before they headed off to work for the day.

The more I avoided them, the more I looked like an outsider, which would hurt Scott's reputation.

It wasn't like I wanted to avoid his pack. I wanted to get to know them and have friends in this new area. I was lonely enough as it was without isolating myself from the other pack members. I was just too awkward to approach people on my own.

I stared into the mirror, wondering if I looked different now that I was married to Scott.

If there was something about me that showed everyone I'd been claimed by someone else.

I didn't see anything, but despite looking the same, everything about me was changed now.

I was someone else in the eyes of the other pack members. An Alpha's wife.

I sighed. I guess I had to play the part, whether I wanted to or not.

I dressed comfortably and headed outside to the dunes bordering the beach, where the rest of the pack had gathered for the run.

Some were already in wolf form, most of them stretching out as they prepared for the run.

I caught a few whispers as I approached, but ignored them.

I wasn't sure if it was because I was new to the pack, or because of my marriage to Scott, but I got the sense that not everyone was happy with the change.

I didn't blame them. Not really. I was the weird Saltfang girl who didn't know when to shut up. I was an outrageous choice for the polished, sophisticated Shadowbay Alpha.

I walked to the edge of the crowd, searching for Scott in the mass of people. He was usually easy to spot, his wolf black as night and tall, but I didn't see him in either form. So I tried to make conversation with some of the wolves around me.

"Nice morning," I offered one woman who was unlacing her boots before shifting. She glanced up and gave me a blank look before refocusing on her shoes.

Okay. Cool.

I glanced around for Scott again but came up empty-handed.

He was the only one I was comfortable with in this entire group, and I was desperate to have someone next to me to ease the awkwardness.

Of course, he didn't pop up, and before I knew it, the Beta of the pack was calling everyone to attention and calling for them to move out.

Closing my eyes, I gave in to the shift, resigned to having a run with people who didn't really like me. All I could hope was that it would be over quickly, and I wouldn't do anything too weird in wolf form.

I didn't shift as often as other wolves, and it took a few extra seconds for my bones to find the right shape.

Once done, I stood, shook out my honey-colored coat, and stretched.

I hadn't shifted in a couple of months, and the shift felt good.

The magic hummed under my skin, as if content now that I'd done something I should have done more often.

I looked around, spotting some of the others already running and following behind. The Shadowbay wolves spread out over the coastline, and it was a beautiful scene in front of the rising sun.

But then I had an idea to ease the aching loneliness I was feeling, and while the rest of the pack headed down the waterline, I turned and ran inland. I barely even thought about it, paws hitting the dirt and fur whipping in the wind. Instinct took over, and I pointed my nose towards home.

It was quite the run back to Saltfang territory, and I was out of breath by the time I made it to the treeline outside of Samson's house.

I shifted back and straightened my clothes.

I had barely registered what I'd been doing, but now that I was in front of the house, a wave of relief hit me. Finally, something familiar.

It was early, and when I approached the front door, Kiera opened it instead of Samson. Her smile was easy, full of affection, and it loosened something in my chest to see her.

"Kit just left for school," she told me, "And Samson's out on pack business. I was about to have my coffee on the back porch, did you want to join me?"

I nodded, relieved. "That would be great, actually. I could use some coffee."

She led me to the kitchen, where she poured two cups. The house was quiet, and the early morning sun streamed through the windows. It was warm inside, and the smell of brewing coffee made me feel safe. It felt like coming home.

I took the mug she offered, and we both sat outside. We didn't say much while drinking our coffee, but it was comfortable. Just what I needed.

"How are things going with Scott?" she asked after a while.

The question was casual, but I knew what she meant. I sighed, staring into my cup. "About as well as expected. He's not happy about this, but I don't know...we've managed to coexist."

She nodded, and when I glanced up, I could see her lips pressed together in a thin line. "And your magic?"

My grip on the cup tightened. I knew that, deep down, she was hurt I hadn't shared the fact I had magic with her, but Kiera was so forgiving that I knew she hadn't held on to any anger.

"It's fine," I said finally, staring into my coffee. "It's...getting there."

Kiera reached for me, grabbing my hand in hers and squeezing it tightly. "I know how you feel about the magic you have," she said quietly. "But you can share this with me."

I shook my head. "I know it sounds silly, but I've been doing this for myself. Not because I think it's wrong or anything, but because I've only ever been an outsider. With my magic, it's the one thing that's only mine. And I like that."

She nodded. "I get it. It's a big part of who you are, and no one can take that away from you."

"I hope you're right," I whispered.

Kiera exhaled softly. "It's weird, isn't it?"

I glanced over at her. "What is?"

"The shift in roles. I was the outcast in the Saltfang pack not too long ago, and you were my safe space, my first friend here..." she trailed off. "Now I'm married to Samson and you're the one stranded in a pack that doesn't get you."

That hit too close to the truth, and I took a drink of my coffee to hide how sad it all made me. I'd barely fit in within the Saltfang pack, and now I had to start all over again with Scott's wolves. "Yeah. It's surreal. I sort of hate it."

Kiera laughed. "You're still our Nayeli. Pack lines don't change that."

"It's only temporary," I pointed out, but Kiera just hummed, like she wasn't so sure.

We drank our coffee and listened to the bird song for a while, and then Kiera bumped her knee into mine. "Do you ever think about just quitting?"

I blinked at her. "Quitting what?"

"Being Samson's assistant," she clarified. "At least for now. It would give you some extra time to settle into your new pack without having any tethers still attaching you here."

I chewed my lip in thought. I'd definitely considered taking an extended leave of absence, but what if Samson needed me? "I'm not sure, Kiera. If I do that, it feels like cutting the last string."

"That might be a good thing. Maybe it's time for a clean break." Her voice was gentle. "You're already going through so much, Nayeli."

My next words were so hard to say that I had to force them out past a lump in my throat. "I don't know who I am without my job, this pack. You. Kit. Everything here."

Kiera placed her hand over mine. "This is your chance to find out. Who is Nayeli away from Samson and his pack? I bet she's brilliant."

I reached over and hugged her, trying not to cry. "Thank you, Kiera. For everything."

She rubbed my back and smiled. "Always. We're family."

After a few more tearful seconds, I sat back in my chair and wiped my eyes. "So... who’s going to take on all of Samson's chaos once I'm gone?"

Kiera sighed, shoulders sagging. "I guess that would be me, huh?"

"He's going to drive you insane."

She laughed. "That's okay. He already does. And what are you going to do with all your extra time?"

I scowled. "I have no idea. Maybe a part-time job?"

"A new coffee shop is opening on the other side of town. I bet they're hiring."

"A barista?" I considered it, looking at the tree line. "It would be...different."

"You need something low-key. Something you can do part-time until you figure out what you want to do," Kiera pointed out. "Besides, it would give you a chance to meet people outside the pack."

I opened my mouth to protest but then...stopped. She wasn't wrong. The idea of the simple job, without the pressure of the pack finances on my back, was oddly appealing.

"Okay. I'll do it."

"I knew you would," she said, standing up and holding out her hand. "I'm a witch, you remember? We know things."

Both of us laughed, and I reached over to take her hand again, squeezing tight. This was definitely the right call. Being with Kiera was a million times more healing than running with Scott's pack, and now I had an idea of what to do besides hide away in the guest room.

By mid-morning, I'd helped Kiera clean up in the kitchen, and the bond between Scott and I was starting to burn.

I needed some fresh air before I went to find my mate and ease the ache inside of me.

I hugged Kiera goodbye and headed for the treeline, where I shifted and took off on a much more relaxed run than earlier.

The tug of the bond was growing more powerful by the minute, but there was something else I wanted to do before I returned to Scotts.

My paws tore across the land as I veered towards the edge of town, ignoring the ache just behind my ribs.

There was still that underlying darkness to the bond and the pain it caused me, but I just didn't know enough about the spell to be able to pinpoint what that meant.

I was still having trouble admitting to myself how catastrophic that spell had been, and how inexperienced I was with magic. I was going to be paying for that dumb mistake for a while.

I shifted back behind a row of trees near town, stepping onto the sidewalk and following Kiera's directions to the new coffee shop. I had a spring in my step after talking to her, and I wanted to take advantage of the motivation while I still had it.

The building was nestled between a bookstore and an organic grocery, the windows bright and clean.

A sign hung outside that read 'Howler's Coffee,' and below that, "Grand Opening Soon!

'. I peeked through the glass to see pale wood floors and counters with a plethora of seating.

It was a cozy little shop, and I imagined how nice it would be to spend a lazy afternoon here, reading and sipping on a hot drink.

I spotted the front desk near the entrance, so I stepped inside, the bell above the door jingling cheerily. The door was unlocked, but once I was inside, I saw that it was totally empty, and started to worry that I was trespassing.

"Hello?" I called, before hearing footsteps from the back. I turned to greet the person, but when he pushed through the kitchen doors, my face fell immediately.

"You're early," Scott said, wiping his hands on a towel. He was dressed for physical labor in old jeans and a worn white t-shirt, and the contrast from his usual expensively tailored clothes had my heart pounding in my chest. "I haven't even put the hiring sign out yet."

"I—" I swallowed, everything starting to come together in my mind.

I didn't know how I didn't consider the possibility, but of course this place belonged to Scott, just like the other coffee shop in town.

I'd come to get away from my Scott-related problems, and ran right into the man himself. "You own this place, don't you?"

My voice was resigned, but Scott just laughed, tossing his towel onto the counter. "I just bought it. So, want an application, Omega?"