Page 56 of Wishing for a Werewolf
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Autumn
The other Witch Bitches are still chattering about seeing two of our high school teachers get it on when we return to I Touch My Shelf.
I head straight for the bathroom in the back where I left Babybelle, who was far too hyper on sugar to take near sprites or leave alone with all of Naomi’s books.
The door opens on a snow flurry. “What the hell?”
The black and white center of the storm stops spinning, and tiny pieces of shredded toilet paper float down to cover every surface, turning the bathroom into a recently shaken snow globe now settling.
Several white flakes dot Babybelle’s back, and one even lands on her nose, temporarily ruining her attempt to give me big, innocent eyes.
“Oh, don’t even.” I fling my arm wide to take in the mess. “What is all of this? Why didn’t you chew the treats I left?”
“I got bored.” She snorts and shakes like a dog coming out of the rain, sending bits of paper flying. “You tookages!”
“It was half an hour!”
“See.” She jabs a hoof toward me. “Ages!”
I grab a hand broom and dustpan and get to work cleaning up her mess, unearthing the dental treats, which don’t have a single effing bite mark on them. I mutter, “Figures.”
Actually, I’m kind of glad for the distraction. Everyone else is amused by what happened on the green and still talking happily about it, the distant hum of their conversation punctuated by bursts of laughter. I would have been the same only a week ago, horny Autumn laughing along with the rest of them.
But now…
Now I can’t help thinking about how magic can make someone do something they wouldn’t otherwise do. Seeing the Faerie Fruit turn those people on the green into mindless lust-bunnies hit really close to home.
Too close.
All the happiness of earlier today, all the hope that Rune might be falling for me…
What if the wish swap is projecting my heart wish for true love onto him? What if everything that’s happening isn’t what Rune really feels? He didn’t start drawing me until after the spell took effect.
Hell, the grumpy werewolf didn’t eventalkto me until after the spell.
And it’s not like we can have a conversation and get it allsorted out—if he’s caught up in my heart wish, anything he says will be the magic talking, not him.
I moan. God, this is such an effing mess!
“I’m sorry.” Babybelle presses her body against my thigh. Unlike her earlier fake-innocent act, real remorse colors her voice. “I didn’t mean to make such a mess.”
“Oh, sweetie.” I drop the hand broom and scoop her into my arms, cuddling her close and pressing my cheek to her soft forehead. “You’re right that I’m upset, but it’s not about you.”
She taps a hoof to my chest. “Promise?”
“Promise.”
Her tiny body relaxes, and she licks my chin in a little goat kiss.
“Hey,” Skye says softly behind me, “you okay? Everyone’s leaving.”
Babybelle squirms from my arms and goes racing into the front of the shop, demanding pets. “Me! Me! Me!”
I chuckle, sweep up the last bits of toilet paper, and go to say goodbye, asking Skye and Hannah to hang back for a bit.
Kayla gives me a long hug, which is kind of new for her, and keeps holding my shoulders as she pulls back to see my face. “If you need any help coming up with safe ways to practice your magic, shoot me a text.”
