Page 111 of The Alpha and the Baker
Oh right, the McCallisters and the Ramirezes had been watching, completely silent. Somehow, I’d forgotten that they were there.
“You did it!” Cas cried, rushing forward and sweeping me up in a hug. But as much as I would have loved to melt into his embrace and stay there forever, I had some fairies to cure.
“I did,” I answered before handing him the tray. “Would you hand these out please? I’m going to go grab more.”
He nodded, but before we could fully disentangle, he kissed me hard on the mouth. “You are the single most incredible person I’ve ever met.”
And just as quickly as he’d snatched me up, he hurried to the next fairy, handing them the antidote.
When I reached my kitchenette, I put a little more hurry into my movements, no longer having to appear so incredibly calm and collected. Part of me was still in shock that my plan had actually worked out. I’d known from the beginning I could be risking my life off secondhand information, but even if it had been a long shot, it was worth it.
In the back of my mind, though, I had never expected to truly succeed. And yet, I had.
So what now?
Well, I supposed first we needed to save the fairies. Once that was done, maybe the full reality that both the McCallisters and Ramirezes were finally free would fully hit me. Because at the moment, it still felt too abstract. Like I’d been working toward the goal for so long that it wasn’t possible it was completed yet.
“You really did that, didn’t you?”
I nearly jumped as I pulled my second and third trays of charcoal macarons out of my mini fridge. I was surprised to see Abuelita Ramirez there, giving me a look that was somewhere between reproachful and admiration.
“I just did what I had to do.”
And that was truly how I felt about it. I hoped that the shifters didn’t judge me, or even worse, fear me because of the lengths I’d gone to, but I figured it was necessary. The fairies had made it clear they didn’t care about what was right or wrong, just their damn contracts.
“Mija, you did what no one in either of our packs has been able to do in centuries. You beat the fairies at their own game.” Relief flooded through me as I realized that her reaction waspositive, not fearful. Thank God. While I would have understood if some of the shifters were wigged out by watching me ruthlessly poison people, it would have broken my heart.
“I guess sometimes it takes an outsider to see the cracks in the system.”
She enveloped me in a warm hug. Shifters really were an affectionate people, and I had long since realized I was as well. “Oh,cariño,you are no outsider. You are pack. Through and through.”
“But I’m already a part of the McCallister pack,” I hedged cautiously. Although it would be a shame if the pack still chose to be enemies after I had risked so much, I understood that I couldn’t force them to make peace. They had to decide on that themselves. I’d led them to water, so to speak, but the rest was up to them.
“Don’t matter. Shifters are shifters, and as far as I’m concerned, you’re a shifter.” She gave me a little nudge. “But if things ever don’t work out with that tall fella, my grandson Sal is?—”
“Thank you, Abuelita,” I cut her off quickly. “We should get these to the fairies.”
“Ah, let them suffer a little. It’s been a long time coming.”
“You’re ruthless, Abuelita,”I said, already hurrying around her.
“Says the girl who poisoned fairies with cupcakes.”
“I’m never gonna live that down, am I?”
“Are you kidding? It’s going to be a legend,mija.Goodness knows I’m going to tell all my great-grandbabies about this.”
“Oh, jeez…”
Thankfully, she let me go, and I tried not to think about future generations of shifters talking around the campfire about how I’d committed a literal crime.
“Do you think you need another?” I asked Slicked-back as I knelt next to him once again. “I also got you some cool water.”
He took it from me with a furious movement that told me he had to be feeling a bit better, and I did a circuit of all the rest of the fairies before I returned to him. He was sitting up, using the kerchief I’d given him to dab at the corners of his mouth.
“I can’t believe you tricked us,” he said. Strangely, he sounded almost pleased. “We’ve gotten complacent in our old age.”
“Or you’ve gotten complacent after centuries of exploiting others. Maybe it would do y’all well to rethink the way you do things. Friends in truth are much more helpful than contracted help.”
