Page 14 of Spellbound & Speechless (Witches of Starbrook #2)

Mac

I pad across the pavement with my nose to the ground. My paws make soft thudding sounds with each step. I inhale, checking for any hint of rotten magic. While my senses are good in my human form, they’re fucking fantastic when I’m the wolf. If there’s any hint of the corrupt witch, I’ll know.

As far as I can see, we’re safe. That means the Hawthornes are, too.

For now. I won’t put it past the witch to show up again, even if her latest attack was the evening before.

The air changes, but it’s not with the scent of rot. I smell fear before I see who it’s coming from, and far before I hear a loud squeal.

Aspen .

I turn slowly to meet her petrified gaze. I guess not everyone in Starbrook is comfortable around wolves.

Most are. I’ve run into a few people who don’t think twice about my wolf form, and I’ve even seen a few other wolves prowling around. Now that news of the corrupt witch is out, I’m not the only one keeping a nose to the ground .

That’s one good thing about being in Starbrook. The magical population here is large enough for me to fit in. It’s not always easy in other towns, big or small.

Aspen stares at me with an ashen face. She’s trembling.

I chuckle to myself as I prowl closer.

“Shoo!” She waves me away. “Come back when you’re standing. We don’t serve animal forms here.” She hesitates. “Not because we, like… I mean, there’s nothing wrong with it; it’s more about the frustration of vacuuming up the fur. No offense. Your fur looks super clean and shiny.”

I sit, tilting my head to the side. Something seems to click into place, finally.

She crosses her arms, her eyes sharpening into a glare. “Mac! You little freak. You better get on two legs this instant!”

The bark I let out sounds closer to a laugh, and slowly, I shrink back into my human form. I straighten up, crack my neck, and turn my back to her.

The scream she lets out is louder this time.

Right. Because I’m ass naked. What did she expect when she asked me to change forms?

“Mac!” she shrieks my name again.

I’m forced to hold back more laughter. “What?” I step into my boxers and turn to face her, lifting a brow. “I’m doing what you asked.”

“I did not ask for this!” Her face is flushed, her feet shuffling as if she’s considering running away. “Well, I suppose I did—sort of—but why are you wolfing out right now? The dinner rush is about to start!”

“My wolf has better senses than me. I was doing my job.” I gesture vaguely.

“Since when does Juniper pay you to run around naked? ”

“She doesn’t.” I tilt my head to the side. “Actually, I’d expect a higher pay for that.”

“Where are your clothes?” she asks, exasperated.

“Right here.” I roll my eyes. “My job is sweeping the perimeter. I was making sure I didn’t smell the witch. They smell, you know—bad.”

“We… we smell ?” She frowns.

There’s no reason for me to reassure her, but I do. Aspen doesn’t smell bad. She doesn’t have any idea how fucking good she smells. Good enough to devour. She still doesn’t know what her scent does to me—that much is very fucking clear.

I fight off a smile. “No. The corrupt witches smell bad. The rotten magic lingers on them.”

“That’s—that’s, um… super good to know.” She clears her throat.

I turn around and slip on my shirt. For the first time, I wish I could read Aspen’s mind.

That only happened once, when she was in danger, and it’s better this way.

Everyone deserves to keep their secrets.

I definitely have some of my own. I can still read her body and feel what she feels, but it’s giving me mixed messages.

Her fear dissipates into arousal.

I swallow thickly and close my eyes, doing anything to block out the scent. It won’t work. She’s all I can focus on. The sweet aroma of her magic mingles with her arousal. It’s as if I know exactly how she tastes.

All I can think about is being with her—plunging my fingers in her sweet, wet cunt. I want to fuck her here, right on the ground, without a care in the world. Aspen doesn’t seem like she would be primal in bed, but she could surprise me .

Fuck. No. I’m a bad guy, and it gets worse whenever I see her.

My wolf claws at our shared mind, begging to please his mate… but she’s not… she can’t be… I won’t let her be my mate. She won’t accept our bond, either. Why would she? No one wants to be bound to someone as incomplete as me.

I put on my pants and turn around. “You all right?”

“Yes!” She tucks a piece of hair behind her ear. Her cheeks are as pink as can be. “Yes. I’m fine. Everything is fine.”

“Good.” I gesture vaguely to my form. “Sorry about that. My wolf isn’t exactly shy.”

“I can see that. I mean, I get it. You’re…” She shakes her head. “Well, like I said, I get it.”

I tilt my head to the side. “Is that a compliment?”

“No!”

“Sort of sounds like one.” Or at least closer than any she’s given me so far.

She steps closer, and any other retort I have gets lost. My mouth is practically watering.

“ You’re the one who said I smell good,” she says. “That’s a compliment.”

“I didn’t say that.” I lower my face, refusing to shy away, even though I know it’s best. We need to get far, far away from each other. “I said you don’t smell terrible . That’s not a compliment.”

Her lips part. “Oh, you’re so rude!”

I chuckle. “I’m sure you’re used to people bending over backward to compliment you, love witch, but I won’t be one of them.”

“And why not?”

She doesn’t deny my accusation; somehow, that makes her more endearing. She knows she’s beautiful. My stubborn side won’t acknowledge that I know, too, but she doesn’t need me to.

Aspen can have anyone she wants. I won’t forget that, even if the thought of someone else longing for her makes my wolf go ballistic.

“Because you don’t need any ego fluffing.” I lift a shoulder. “Don’t you have work to do?”

“I could say the same to you.”

“I was doing it.” I smile, all teeth. “Before you interrupted my investigation.”

We’re close enough for our chests to touch. She heaves in a heavy breath. The touch doesn’t come, but I’m close to begging for it. Any brush of her fingers, her chest pressed to mine, or even her hot breath on my skin…

I would combust from so little. From nothing. That’s how much I need her.

“I would apologize for the interruption, but I’m not sorry.” She steps away and tosses her hair over her shoulder. “See you inside—unless you’ll keep wolfing out.”

“No. No more wolfing out . You’ll be seeing me.” The words linger like a threat, but she doesn’t react as if it’s one.

Her arousal spikes again, stronger than ever. Does she… like me threatening her? Fuck.

Aspen leaves me alone with my hammering heart.