Page 25 of The Purrfect Rival

“You did! You absolutely did!” Lucella’s hands clasped together beneath her chin. “Was it everything? Did your fox try to take over? Did his eyes go all golden and possessive? Did he make that rumbling sound lions make when they?—”

“We were investigating stolen artifacts and missing funds,” Kalyna interrupted, retrieving the fallen book with as much dignity as she could muster. “It wasn’t exactly the romantic scenario you’re painting.”

“Yet somehow you managed to create enough magical tension that compass needles spun wildly within twenty feet. That’seven moreromantic.” Lucella pressed a hand dramatically to her heart.

Kalyna traced the embossed leather binding, unable to stop her mind from replaying the evening—the closeness, the heat of his gaze, the magnetic pull that had drawn them toward each other.

“Nothing actually happened,” she said, though her tone lacked conviction.

“But something wasaboutto develop,” Lucella pointed out, eyes gleaming with triumph.

Kalyna’s cheeks burned hotter. “Can we please change the subject?”

“Fine, fine.” Lucella mimed zipping her lips, though her eyes still danced with mischief. “But you should know Aurelia ordered three specialty tea blends from Enchanted Brews—traditional lion pride courtship gifts for a potential daughter-in-law.”

Kalyna’s fox surged forward so suddenly, she nearly shifted right there, an unprecedented reaction that left her breathless.Why did the idea of Rust’s mother approving their connection affect her so deeply? She’d always imagined herself with another fox—someone who understood illusory magic, who shared her love of subtlety and misdirection, whose personality complemented her own.

Not someone whose entire being represented the opposite of fox nature—direct rather than subtle, commanding rather than persuasive, physical strength over magical finesse.

Yet her fox recognized something in Rust that transcended these surface differences. Something that called to her on an elemental level she couldn’t rationalize away.

The library door creaked open as the first patrons arrived—a group of teenage wolf shifters working on a school project. Kalyna welcomed the distraction, guiding them toward the reference section while trying to ignore how her fox kept turning her attention toward the door as if expecting—hoping—a certain lion shifter might walk through it at any moment.

TWENTY-TWO

By 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.

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