by CY Jones
Farther in the back, a whole wall was dedicated to spell books, placed in rows of beautifully carved bookcases, and in the corner was another beautifully carved bookcase housing different colored candles and gems. This place was beyond cared for, even the violet walls which looked freshly painted, only serve to confuse me even more. I just don’t understand. I was expecting dust, molded supplies, and a spider here and there. Not a place ready to go. Who’s been here keeping it up? I know it wasn’t my family, unless they kept it going in hopes I never come back, so they can claim it as their own.
Yawning, I take one last glance around before taking the polished stairs up to the second floor. Why the shop is so clean is a problem for the morning. Right now, I’m so tired I can sleep for a week. Just like downstairs, it is clean up here. To the right of the stairs was a small sitting area. Because of the triangled shaped roof, the ceiling up here was uneven, but it didn’t take away from the coziness of the room, and the furniture was so me. A dark purple sectional sat on top of an oriental rug in colorful designs. Along the side of the wall was a beautiful fireplace with grey stone dry stacked in slits all the way to the low ceiling. From here, I could smell the pine from the logs as well as the herbs that were sprinkled inside to bring on a sense of calm. A violet crystal lamp sat on the side table, and arched to go with the angle of the wall, was another one of those beautifully carved bookcases like the one downstairs with a built-in reading bench. I could see myself in here reading while I relax with a glass of wine.
Leaving the room, I check out the next space, which was a very small kitchen. The space was only big enough for what I’m going to call a half fridge. It’s too small to be a full size fridge, and bigger than any mini fridge I’ve seen. A sink area with a few cabinets, and shelves stacked in an artlike design, showcasing the white china plates and sparkling glasses. The stove was actually one of those old fashion wood burning stoves, and in front of that was a small round table with four seats. Like the theme of this place, it was perfect for me since I don’t cook. Brewing up spells is fine, but actual edible food is way past my skill set. The local diner and I will be best friends, they might as well get my own personal booth ready.
Walking forward, I pass the washer and dryer stacked on top of each other to make room, as well as a pull out shelf to fold my laundry on. A little further down was the bedroom. Right in the center of the open space was a beautifully carved four poster queen size bed covered in lilac linings and a plush dark purple comforter. Too tired to continue the tour, I throw my bag down in front of the bed, pull off my jeans, and toe my shoes off. Once I slide into the bed and the cool sheets wrap around my skin, the stress of me leaving hits me all at once. Today has been quite the day. Hopefully, leaving was taking a step in the right direction. With that thought, I close my eyes and soon, I’m fast asleep.
Hottie from my past
Amethyst
I wake from the light streaming in the oval window. For a second, I forgot where I was until the events from yesterday come back to me like a bad dream. I left New Orleans and my ex. I turned his dick into a specimen worthy of being showcased in Ripley’s Believe It or Not, I’m on the run, and if he knew where I was, he would probably strangle me himself. I’m in Silver Springs, the last place I ever thought I’d run back to. Listing everything in my head doesn’t make anything better, but what’s done is done and I need to make the best of it.
Stretching, I wander into the bathroom I was too tired to look at last night. It’s a nice space designed to look like a high end spa with one of those porcelain clawfoot tub. Once the water runs long enough to fill the tub, I pour in one of the oils placed next to the handmade scented soaps and sink into the tub. This is pure heaven. It’s been a while since I’ve been so relaxed. I never knew how living in New Orleans stressed me out, all due to that dickwad ex of mine.
Fucking Abraxious. I hope his dick falls off.
Once the water cools, I hurry to dress and get ready for the day. I have a lot to do today and I am starving. With the local diner calling my name, I’m not paying attention after I close and lock my door, so I turn and run straight into a hard wall. Wait, walls don’t laugh or steady you with firm hands. Looking up, my eyes meet a golden gaze heated with desire. Attached to those eyes is golden tan skin of a man who spends most of his time outdoors, a lean muscled body, a perfect chiseled face, and dark blonde hair with golden highlights. A man so beautiful, he’ll make any red-blooded woman drop her panties on a dime, but he isn’t a man at all. He’s a wolf shifter and my old tormenter, Aiden.
“What the fuck?” I shout.
“Morning to you too, sweetheart. I see the big city hasn’t changed that potty mouth of yours,” he replies in his panty dropping voice. Why do I keep on thinking about panties dropping around him? Wait, maybe because mine did once upon a time ago, even though he tormented me all through school. Way worse than any of the kids we went to school with. He’s the reason why I learned to hex first and ask questions later, so why the fuck is he here now? I’m way too big to be bullied.
“Why are you here Lassie?” I growl.
“Lassie,” he frowns. “Wrong story, Maleficent. More like the big bad wolf.”
Maleficent, that fucking nickname. I have him to thank for that. “In your dreams,” I retort just to have something to say, because he’s right. That’s exactly what he is, as well as an overgrown bully. As my eyes roam over his body, I hate the fact the years have been good to him. He’s even more gorgeous now than he was then.
“I’m sure I have been in your dreams many times. I know you’ve been a frequent visitor in mine.”
“What?” I choke. On what I don’t know, because my mouth is as dry as the Sierra. I couldn’t have possibly heard him right, so I decide to try again.
“What do you want Aiden?”
“Julian told me you were back in town. I knew you would show up here sooner or later, so I wanted to make sure everything was ready for you.”
I take it back. Julian isn’t a good guy if he’s blabbing around town, especially to this asswipe in front of me. I’m mentally plotting Julian’s death until what he said hits me and I put two and two together.
“You’re the one that’s been keeping the store up in my absence, but why?” I frown. I must still be sleeping, dreaming of impossible shit because there's no way in hell Aiden Wolf would ever do anything nice for me.
“Were you on your way to the diner?” He asks.
“Yeah, why? I answer wearly.
“I’ll go with you. We have a lot to discuss,” is all he says before taking my hand in his and pulling us away. What the fuck do we have to discuss besides him staying away from me? Why is he coming off like he’s interested? It’s official, I’ve entered the Twilight Zone or Abraxious found me on that bus and I’m really dead.
They say curiosity killed the cat. That is the only logical conclusion I could come up with of why I’m letting my archnemesis pull me through town like a dog on a leash, and with that analogy shouldn’t the roles be reversed? Also, I can’t help staring at his ass in those jeans. What? Don’t judge me. It’s a very nice ass. Why do the assholes have to be so fucking hot? Taking another peek, Aiden catches me ogling his ass, and he gives me a smug smile. Figures, the bastard has always been a cocky shit.
When we get to the diner, Aiden holds the door open for me. All eyes turn to us like we have dildos glued on our forehead or something. As soon as we take a seat in a booth in the back, the whispers start and they’re not at all trying to be subtle about it. In the next hour, the supernaturals of our fair town will know I’m back and had breakfast with Aiden, Alpha of the Howling Wolf pack. Not to mention all the rumors that will start of why I had breakfast with him in the first place.
By the time the waitress takes our order I’ve had enough, and I turn to Aiden and cock my eyebrow, prompting him to spit out the reason why he’s here. When he sees the look on my face, he sighs and actually rolls his pretty golden eyes at me.
&n
bsp; “I see the big city didn’t teach you a lick of patience either,” he comments as he twirls his fork between his fingers.
“I think I’ve been very patient while I let you lead me here, as well as being treated like a sideshow exhibit, and don’t get me started on the rumors that will be spread later about this little impromptu breakfast.”
“You’re my mate. They’ll get over it.”
“Your what now?” I screech.
“My mate. I know you do know what that is, Maleficent? I’m sure the meaning is the same in the witch community,” he says nonchalantly, like he didn’t just drop a bomb on my doorstep and sprint away before the blast.
“One, what kind of drugs are they putting in your kibble, Fido? And two, there is no way in hell I’m your mate.” Of course as soon as I say the last part, the waitress picks that time to return with our food, and practically drops our plates on the table in shock, making a loud clattering sound which catches everyone in the diner's attention, and they all turn their heads our way.
“I’m sorry,” she sputters before hightailing it back to the kitchen. I bet she’s spilling the beans as we speak.
“Will you stop referring to me as a dog? I’m a wolf. Do I need to shift to prove my point?”
“No, you need to keep your delusional thoughts to yourself, or seek help if it’s too much of a problem,” I say with just as much ire.
“I know hearing you’re my mate comes as a shock. Trust me. I’ve known since I was twelve, and it’s still a tough pill to swallow.”
“Wait. Twelve? Ok wolfman. You’re going to have to start explaining, because right now I feel like I’m lost in the Bermuda Triangle.”
“Fine,” he huffs, crossing his huge muscled arms across his chest. “Like I said before, I knew since I was twelve you were my mate. The first time I saw you, it hit me like an arrow to the chest. There was no mistaking that feeling. Wolves, especially Alpha wolves, have their mates chosen for them at birth. I was already promised to my father’s Beta’s daughter, but as soon as my wolf got its first whiff of you, I knew that would never happen. Understandably, I was pissed. You’re not a wolf, and Julbie and I had grown really close, knowing we would one day be mates.”
“Julbie. I should have known,” I mutter under my breath, interrupting him. I know he heard me, but he decides to ignore my comment and continues on.
“After that, I hated you. Because of you, I would have to give up everything. My mate, my pack, myself. Then everyone found out you were a curse worker and not a good witch. I convinced myself you did this to me on purpose. I thought you somehow put a spell on me and weren’t my mate at all.”
“Wait, is that the reason why you were such a dick to me all through school?” I shout, angry now.
“Will you keep your voice down?” He hissed.
“Fuck you, wolfie. You tormented the shit out of me, and for what? Because you made up some misguided assumption about my magic. I didn’t even know I was a curse worker at the time. I thought I was a malfunctioning good witch. Broken and fucking powerless, and you and your mate” I spit out, “taunted me and made my life hell. ” I can feel the wetness leave my eyelid, trailing down my cheek as the first tear begins to fall. Mortified, I wipe it away, and give the wolf in front of me my best death glare.
“I know that now, and I am sorry. Fuck, I’m sorry for everything. If I could go back in time and change it I would.”
I don’t want his apology. In fact, I don’t even want to continue this conversation. With that thought, I stand to leave, but he reaches out and grabs my hand.
“Please Amethyst. Let me get this out, and if you still want to leave I’ll let you go,” he says, pleading with his eyes, and I hate the sad look on his face is working. My resolve to leave breaks, and I sit back down with a huff. Once he sees I’m not going to leave, he continues on quickly.
“Years later, after I figured out this wasn’t your doing and we were really mates, I told my father about you, and he told me I had to make a choice.”
“What kind of choice?” I question.
“Basically you or Julbie, but not just that. The choice I had to make couldn’t be that simple. I couldn’t be Alpha if I were mated to a witch. If I chose you, I would be giving up my pack and handing it over to my sister, so I chose Julbie,” he says softly.
I don’t know why his words hurt. Didn’t I just want to leave? He may be gorgeous, but the fact remains, he still made my life hell. I should be happy he chose someone else.
“So why do you keep saying I’m your mate if you chose her?” I ask confused.
“I did choose her, but I quickly learned it was a mistake. As soon as you left town, I couldn’t function. It’s like you took my heart and soul right along with you. You can’t imagine the pain I felt over you being so far away. It was like I was being pulled in two directions. I didn’t need Julian to tell me you were back, because I felt it. I felt it here,” he says holding his hand over his heart. “Him telling me just confirmed it. The night of my mating ceremony, I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t bind myself to Julbie forever when you already owned me; heart, body, and soul, so I left my pack.”
I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Why would he do that? He’s given up his whole life for me. And for what? It’s not like we were friends.
“You were my tormentor, and I don’t know what feeling you’re talking about, because I never felt it. I was nothing but glad when I left here, and if it weren’t for a certain problem I’m having, I would have never came back.”
“Wolves feel our true mates stronger than anyone else. It’s rare that we find them, but it does happen from time to time. Giving you up would have been like giving up both my legs. I wouldn’t be able to function, hell I couldn’t function the whole time you were gone. The only thing that helped was keeping your mother’s store up, knowing you would one day return.”
“Aiden, none of this makes any sense. Like how did you even get into the store without a key? Plus, how could you have known I would return? If I didn’t get myself into trouble in New Orleans, I would have never came back here.”
“Trouble,” he growls. "What kind of trouble?”
Shit maybe I should have kept that to myself. No need to get the angry wolf all riled up, jump starting his protective instincts. “It’s irrelevant right now. The point is, that I don’t feel the same way for you as you do me,” I tell him, lying my ass off. As much as I may want to hate him, I can’t. He’s hot, his ass looks good in a pair of jeans, and I bet my whole trust fund he’s good in bed. I may have been the school’s designated phariah, but that didn’t stop me from hearing rumors. I heard his member is quite large and he could do some things with it. Magic things. Putting thoughts of his magic dick aside, I also can’t hide the pull I feel to him. I felt it before, but now that the meaning behind it is blatantly clear, it’s hard to ignore.
“I don’t believe you,” he says, narrowing his eyes.
“Well that’s your problem. Look, Adien. I’m not trying to be a bitch, but you’ve done some horrific shit to me. Too much for me to just get over. I don’t know if I ever can, or if I could trust you. And my heart’s been mishandled recently, so for right now, I’m a proud member of She-ra man hater club.”
“I’m not a man, but I see your point, and I will give you the time to heal, but I warn you Amethyst, no matter what you say, you will be mine. Hell, you already are. Your body is mine, your soul belongs to me, your mishandled heart is mine as well, and in time, I will heal it. Your pussy is also mine, and when you’re ready, I’ll fuck the memories of anyone else away until you turn your membership card in and forget why you were mad at the male population in the first place,” he practically growls in a low sexy voice, and shit, my panties just got soaked. Sniffing the air, he gives me a smug smile, letting me know he can smell my arousal and I blush.
Stupid sexy wolf and his stupid shifter nose. “Well, this was fun,” I say jumping up. My long forgotten food is cold and I know I can’t c
ontinue to sit here and be able to ignore the sexy asshole with him right in front of me, so it’s best to cut my losses and run.
“Maleficent, don’t you know not to run from a wolf?” He says, laughing.
“I’m not running. I have things to do,” I lie as I step around him, ignoring the onlookers and book it out the door. I can still hear him laughing, but I don’t stop. I have Lady Luck on my side, and the odds of running away are highly in my favor.
The Perfect Fit
Amethyst
Leaving the diner, I’m tempted to go over to the cafe and give Julian a piece of my mind. How dare he tell Aiden I was here. Who cares about them being friends? Shouldn’t his loyalty be with me, a fellow witch? Knowing I’m channeling my anger on the wrong person, I take a deep breath, inhaling the cool air. Once I’m a little calmer, I’m able to think clearly. Maybe I should have eaten breakfast. I’m just not the same when I’m hangry. Where’s a Snickers bar when a girl needs one? FML, let me figure this shit out.
Aiden said even with Julian telling him I was here, he already knew, so I can’t keep holding misplaced anger over on poor Julian’s head. I’m just pissed about this whole situation. It hurt to hear the real reason behind why Aiden was such a dick to me in school. Aiden tormented me relentlessly, him and Julbie, his on again off again girlfriend. Julbie has always been a petty bitch, but she took possessive to a whole new level, and was vindictive to anyone with a vagina who looked in Aiden’s direction, even when they weren’t together at the time.
Now I know why she hated me so much, but it’s not like any of this is my fault. I didn’t steal her mate, or better yet, tell whomever it is who decides which person should be paired up with whom to match me to Aiden. I know one thing, whoever's job it is, their picker is broken, and they need to brush up on supernatural politics before they match another shifter, so a problem like this doesn’t happen again. Also, I’d like to know how Aiden got into the store in the first place. Clearly, he’s the reason behind why the place was so clean and well kept. Why the furniture looked new, because it was handpicked and bought by him. Why everything is so well suited for me. The colors he chose for fabrics and the walls he painted, everything was so me. I never knew he knew me well enough to know my likes and dislikes. I guess I can’t keep denying he’s my mate, but it doesn’t mean I have to be happy about it, or give in.