Page 30 of Lila

“You’re not getting away that easily, Bumblebee.” I smirk as I join her on the elevator. Where we have a nice little stare-down.

“Why don’t you just go see Luca? I’m busy. He’ll fill you in on everything,” she sighs.

Frowning, I cup her face, stroking my thumb over her cheek. “What’s wrong, Bumblebee?” I ask, searching her eyes.

I can see the indecision and determination waring in her gaze.

“I’m not leaving you until you tell me what’s bothering you,” I declare.

She searches my face before sighing. “Fine. You can come,” she grumbles as she leans forward and presses the button for her floor.

The elevator jerks to life and I grin. “Good choice, Bumblebee.”

“I’m busy for the same reason I went to Highway to Spells, and the reason I don’t want you to come home with me, and the reason I’m not currently with my other mates,” she grumbles. I arch a brow as I wait for her to continue. The elevator dings and she walks past me.

I follow my mate like a lost puppy until she stops in front of a door and pauses, steeling her spine.

“You wanted to meet my other mates? Let’s see what you think about this one… Or what he thinks ofyou,” she mumbles the last part, but I hear it with my shifter hearing.

So one of her mates is here? In her home? Lucky bastard.

When I don’t say anything, she grumbles and opens the door.

“Nice place,” I say as I follow her down a hall and into a bedroom. When I walk in, I have no doubt she’s a witch. There’s a full wall of books on one side, a mix of witchcraft and spell books and romance novels. An oversized chair sits next to a table by the window. There are empty hanging pots waiting to be filled with whatever plants and herbs her heart desires. You can tell she loves black but she also loves color as her room is full of both with paintings of life—plants, flowers, scenery—adorning the wall. Her closet is closed but I can just imagine her clothes. She’s very neat.

There's a gray fluff ball curled up on her queen four-poster bed. A head snaps up and zeroes in on Lila before taking me in behind her. If eyes could kill, this fluffy little demon would kill me on the spot. Lila sits down beside it either unaware or uncaring that there’s a dominance stare-down going on between us.

“Mateo, this is Jett. Jett, Mateo.”

Not sure why she’s introducing me to the evil furby, but I nod my head in greeting.

Lila scrubs her face before looking at me again. “Mateo is my mate. He was cursed into this form. I told the others I wanted to undo his curse alone. That’s why I didn’t want you to come home with me.”

That explains the death glare.

Chapter 22

Lila

“Areyouashifter?”Jett asks Mateo. When he whines in response, Jett frowns. “I’m sorry, man. I couldn’t imagine being stuck as a salamander when I finally met my mate. Sounds like pure torture.”

He’s a salamander shifter?

Mateo titters his agreement and I sense they’ve come to an understanding and that alpha male bullshit is over.Thank god.

“Right. Glad y’all made up. I’m going to find Lav’s workroom and make this potion. Behave.”

“I’m offended that you would think so little of me,” Jett gripes dramatically.

“I’m sure.” Rolling my eyes, I leave the room, only a little worried about what could happen without me in there. The faster I make this potion, the faster we can figure this whole mate thing out.

Walking down the hall, I pause at a door and open it. It’s just a linen closet, so I move on to the next. This one opens to reveal a dark room with built-in shelves along the wall and a granite island in the center. Books and bottles line the shelves and a mortar and pestle sit in the middle of the island as if waiting for me.

The door closes behind me and I lay out the herbs on the island. That done, I look around for a cauldron. It’s not hard to spot taking up an entire shelf. I pull the cast iron cauldron down and smile as I think of the last time I used it. Trent had just broken up with me and Lav decided the only logical thing to do when your fiance dumps you is make a potion to turn him impotent.

It felt satisfying in a way I’d never felt before. Knowing I could get vengeance and ruin his life. That I was powerful enough to take something important from him. Of course, after making the potion, I dumped it. I could never do something like that. But it sure was cathartic to go through the motions.

Now here I am, using Lav’s cauldron to make another potion for a man. This time though, I have pure intentions. I clear my mind, closing my eyes and thinking only of Mateo until I can see his chinchilla form as if he were right in front of me. He lifts his head and I swear he winks at me.

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