Page 26 of Howl You Doin'

"I wasn't-" Kyle started, but cut off as Caleb emerged from the trees.

"Nice work," Caleb said, eyeing the fire cage with appreciation. "Though you could have waited for backup before confronting him."

"Where's the fun in that?"Fiona smirked, though her arms were starting to tire from holding the flames steady. "Besides, I had it handled. Fire witch, remember?"

Caleb's nostrils flared as he turned to Kyle. "Want to tell me who you were just talking to?"

"My girlfriend," Kyle squeaked.

"Try again." Caleb's voice dropped to a dangerous growl. "I can smell the lie on you."

Kyle's shoulders slumped. "Victor's going to kill me."

"Victor's the least of your problems right now," Caleb said. "Wade!"

Wade materialized from the shadows, making Fiona jump. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough to enjoy the show." Wade grabbed Kyle's arm through a gap in the flames. "Should I take out the trash, boss?"

"Please do." Caleb nodded, and Wade dragged the protesting traitor away.

Fiona lowered her arms, letting the fire cage dissipate into wisps of smoke that curled through the autumn air. Her muscles ached from maintaining the flames, but the satisfaction of catching Kyle made it worth it. Dried leaves crunched under her boots as she turned to face Caleb.

"That fire cage was impressive," he said, his blue eyes reflecting the last glowing embers floating between them. "And the spy trap idea? Brilliant."

Her cheeks flushed, and for once it had nothing to do with her magic. "Just doing my job. You know, keeping the riffraff out of your community center."

"Our community center," he corrected, stepping closer. The woodsy scent of his cologne mixed with the smoky aftermath of her magic, making her head spin slightly. "And you did more than that. You protected the pack."

Her heart did a strange little flip at the word 'our.' Since when did his approval matter so much? Yet here she was, practically glowing from his praise like a teenager who'd just been noticed by her crush.

The last rays of sunlight filtered through the trees, catching the midnight blue highlights in his hair. Fiona found herself wanting to reach out and touch them, to see if they felt as soft as they looked. She quickly shoved that thought away. This was Caleb - grumpy, overprotective, surprisingly sweet when he wasn't being a pain in the neck Caleb. She absolutely was not developing feelings for him.

Was she?

11

CALEB

The community center buzzed with activity as pack members hung decorations and set up booths. Caleb watched Fiona direct traffic like a seasoned conductor, her red hair catching the sunlight streaming through the windows. She'd proven herself invaluable these past days, and he found himself admiring more than just her organizational skills.

"The art booth needs to go by the playground," Fiona called out. "We want the kids to have easy access."

"Since when are you an expert on wolf pup logistics?" Caleb asked.

"Since I organized three different wedding venues with kiddie corners." She flashed him a grin that made his chest tighten. "Trust me on this one, alpha."

"Don't call me that," he grumbled, but there was no heat behind it.

"Caleb!" A familiar voice rang out. His sister Sarah bounded over, her dark hair swinging. "Is this the famous Fiona I've been hearing about?"

Caleb suppressed a groan. Sarah had that look in her eye - the one that meant trouble.

"Famous?" Fiona raised an eyebrow.

"Oh yes," Sarah linked arms with her. "The witch who's whipped our community center into shape. And my brother into submission."

"I have not been whipped into-"

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