Page 34 of Growl Me, Maybe

Milo tilted his head. “You ever think maybe it’s not about you?”

She arched a brow. “You defending him now?”

“No. I’m saying maybe it’s about the mate bond. About what it means. About how big it feels when you don’t think you deserve it.”

Lyra’s chest tightened. “That would be easier to believe if he hadn’t bolted like the sheets were on fire.”

“He’s a fool.”

She smiled faintly. “Yeah. But he’smyfool. Or... I thought he might be. Plus, who knows if it even is the mate bond. You and Calla could be full of it. He may just want me, but not enough to reallywantme.”

The doorbell above the shop jingled, and Milo perked up, his ears flattening.

She looked up as the door creaked open andEzrastepped inside.

He didn’t belong in sunlight. Lyra knew that instinctively. Too smooth. Too composed. His smile was sharp and his charm came wrapped in silk—but silk could smother.

Still, she didn’t move.

He paused, hands tucked casually in his coat pockets, and offered her a slow, practiced smile.

“Didn’t mean to intrude,” he said. “Just checking on the stock my pack was supposed to drop off for Calla.”

“She’s upstairs,” Lyra said evenly.

Ezra glanced at Milo, then back to her. “Mind if I wait?”

She hesitated. Milo made a disgruntled noise deep in his throat.

“It’s a free shop,” she said finally.

Ezra stepped inside, the door closing softly behind him. “One of my members saw you at karaoke,” he said conversationally. “They said you lit up the room.”

Her stomach clenched. “Thanks.”

“You’ve got presence,” he said, inching closer, still respectful—almost. “Not just magic. Something more... magnetic.”

She snorted. “Is this your new tactic? Compliments and flowers?”

He smiled, unfazed. “Only when they’re true.”

She looked away.

“I’m not Jace,” he said after a pause. “I don’t pretend I don’t want what’s in front of me.”

Lyra’s breath caught hating at how accurate he seemed to be reading her.

Ezra took one more step, close now—but not touching. “You deserve to be wanted, Lyra. Openly. Without shame.”

And gods help her, part of her wanted to believe it.

Wanted something simple. Something that didn’t come with mixed signals and pain in its wake.

But this?

Ezra?

He didn’t feelright.

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