Page 22 of The Purrfect Rival (Enchanted Falls #1)

TWENTY-TWO

B y evening, Kalyna had changed from her work clothes into dark jeans and a chocolate blouse. She pushed open the door to Sunrise Diner, the familiar bell chiming above her head as she spotted Lucella and Akari Westbridge already settled in their usual booth by the window.

“There she is!” Akari called, waving. “The fox who tamed Enchanted Falls’s most eligible lion.”

Kalyna slid into the booth opposite them, snatching up a menu to hide her face. “I expected better from Mo Westbridge’s daughter.”

“Dad might be level-headed, but Mom thrives on romance,” Akari said, tucking a strand of caramel-colored hair behind her ear. “The entire diner’s been buzzing all day. The static electricity burst you two caused even overshadowed Mrs. Plumthorn’s leak about Councilman Draven’s alleged second tail.”

Heat prickled along Kalyna’s skin. She’d spent the entire day dodging knowing glances and poorly disguised whispers, patrons suddenly finding reasons to visit the historical archives where she’d been inventorying ancient scrolls.

A young waitress—one of the Westbridge cubs—arrived to take their orders, her eyes darting curiously between the three of them. When she departed, Lucella leaned across the table.

“So, are we discussing what actually happened, or should we pretend the entire supernatural community isn’t placing bets on your love life?”

Kalyna lifted her water glass, desperate for something stronger. “There’s nothing to discuss. We talked strategy and brainstormed ideas. End of story.”

“Mm-hmm.” Akari tilted her head, amber eyes assessing. “And the entire Westbridge clan felt a pulse of magical energy that made all our bear-shifter fur stand on end for a solid minute because...”

“Mom says that’s classic mate-bond manifestation,” she added with a knowing smile.

Kalyna choked on her water, coughing violently as Lucella thumped her back with unnecessary enthusiasm.

“We’re investigating thefts,” Kalyna rasped when she could speak again. “Not... whatever you’re implying.”

“Sweetie,” Lucella countered, “investigating doesn’t make clocks run backward for three seconds.”

The waitress returned with their orders—a towering burger for Kalyna, Caesar salad for Lucella, and sweet potato fries for Akari to share. The momentary interruption gave Kalyna precious seconds to compose herself, though her fox practically vibrated beneath her skin with excitement at the mention of “mate-bond.”

“My parents are cross-species too,” Akari said after the waitress departed, her voice gentler. “Mom always says sometimes magic knows better than tradition.”

Kalyna stared at her untouched burger despite her stomach’s protests. “It’s complicated. Fox elders have expectations. The Foxworthy lineage has its place in the community hierarchy.”

“And your heart has its own wisdom,” Akari finished with unexpected perception.

Kalyna’s fox whined agreement, urging her to admit the truth—how Rust’s presence awakened something primal within her, how his scent made her dizzy with want, how their magics had synchronized in ways she’d only read about in ancient, forbidden texts.

How utterly terrifying it was to contemplate the possibility that her perfect match might be someone so fundamentally different from everything she’d expected.

Her phone buzzed, cutting through her spiraling thoughts. The screen illuminated with a text message:

Warehouse tip from Hezron. Suspicious activity at abandoned Silverwood Shipping. Meet me there at 8? —Rust

Her fox leaped to attention, every sense heightening instantly. She looked up to find both friends watching her with matching expressions of knowing amusement.

“Let me guess,” Lucella drawled. “His Mayoral Magnificence requires your assistance?”

Kalyna nodded, stuffing several fries into her mouth to avoid elaborating.

“Go,” Akari encouraged. “The burger will keep. Adventure waits for no fox.”

“Adventure or romance?” Lucella quipped.

“I’ll take a rain check on girls’ night,” Kalyna said, sliding from the booth. She dropped enough cash to cover her meal plus tip. “Duty calls.”

“Duty,” Lucella repeated with exaggerated air quotes. “Is that what the kids are calling it these days?”

Kalyna flashed a rude gesture that made both friends dissolve into laughter. Despite her outward irritation, she couldn’t deny the anticipation coiling through her body as she headed for the door. Her fox surged forward, practically prancing with eagerness at the prospect of seeing Rust again—a reaction so powerful, it alarmed the human part of her.

Had she ever responded this way to another? Even her past relationships—brief connections over her long lifespan—had never triggered such visceral reactions. The thought both thrilled and terrified her as she stepped into the cool evening air.