Page 1 of Paws for a Minute

ONE

MRS. FRANCIS

Mrs. Francis, the eldest and most beloved citizen of Half Moon Key, walked down Main Street, a strut still very much present in her walk. The small town had been her home for all of her long life, except for a few years right after she lost her husband way too soon.

In her grief, Mrs. Francis had left Half Moon Key in search of peace from all her memories. Every little part of their adored small town reminded Mrs. Francis of her beloved. From Moonie’s diner, where they had breakfast, to The Spaghetti Bowl, where they had dinner dates, to the beach, where they built sandcastles and swam off the effects of the summer heat.

She hadn’t been able to stay away for long. This was her home.

Besides, the big wide world was even more full of heartbreak than Darla Francis was able to take. She returned to Half Moon Key to keep the memories of her sweet love alive.

Mrs. Francis made sure Half Moon Key was a safe place for everyone who chose to make the small town their home. It was her duty to protect them because she was the eldest ... and technicallyreigning... elder.

There was another reason, too, but Mrs. Francis kept that tucked away close in her heart, right next to her husband’s memory.

“Are you going to come in?” a beautiful redhead wearing a flowing blue sundress asked.

Alana Wixx leaned against the door frame of her shop, the cleverly named Wixx. It wasn’t only the owner’s name, but it also represented part of the store’s wares. There were many candles in Wixx.

Some were run-of-the-mill candles meant to make a room smell just so.

Others ... the ones Alana kept behind the counter, behind that emerald-jewel-toned velvet curtain ... had other uses.

Mrs. Francis and the council allowed Alana to practice her magic in town like they had done for her mother and grandmother before her for one reason alone.

It protected the town. The magic was meant to keep intruders and danger out of Half Moon Key. Mrs. Francis and the other elders were growing steadily more concerned that the town had seen its fair share of unwanted action lately.

People were starting to ask questions, and not the good kind that Mrs. Francis could shrug off. In the last year alone, there had beenthreedifferent battles in Half Moon Key. Had the threats not been taken care of by the able and keen Sheriff Cohen Pierce, those conflicts could have escalated into all-out wars.

“Of course, I’m coming in,” Mrs. Francis said, leading Alana into her own store. “We need to talk.”

Alana flipped the lock on her shop door and jutted her chin to the thick curtain. Ms. Francis knew the drill, of course. She had done this many times before with Alana’s mother, Lina, and grandmother, Helena.

What lay behind the velvet curtain was probably exactly what folks imagined when they pictured a witch’s personal living room. Old books lined one of the walls, whereas the others were full of shelves, nooks, and crannies where all kinds ofthingssat waiting to be used. Candles, vials, herbs, and plants, and then the less savory stuff Mrs. Francis didn’t need to know about. Witches had their business, and shifters had theirs.

“Before you start on me,” Alana sat in one of the chairs, crossing her legs elegantly. “Let me at least get comfortable.”

Mrs. Francis had always found the young woman to be wise and mature beyond her years, but it struck her again. Alana Wixx was a woman ... a witch ... with the weight of the world on her shoulders. Mrs. Francis wanted to hug the child she had once known and promise everything would be okay. She couldn’t make those assurances. Not with how things were going in Half Moon Key lately.

“Alana,” Mrs. Francis interrupted. “I am here for two reasons. One is partly due to the elders while the other is more personal.”

The witch winced. “Might as well start with the elders’ latest threat. Are they going to kick me out of town? Find a better witch?” Alana shook her head, making her long hair whirl around her like a manifestation of her known and cliched redheaded temper. “You won’t find a better witch out there. Besides, you already know what I am going to say. I warned you. I warned all of you that letting that … that …” She closed her eyes, her nostrils flaring. When she gazed back up to meet Mrs. Francis’ questioning face, Alana calmed. “Thatman.”

Mrs. Francis barely contained her smile and interrupted again. “That man is the sheriff of Half Moon Key. He deserves your respect as a member of the council.”

“I told you all that it was a bad idea to hire Cohen Pierce. He is an alpha without a pack, and hewilltake over the town. He’ll make Half Moon Key into his own playground. All this trouble?” Alana snorted and shook her head again in disbelief. “I can’t even believe that I have to explain this to you, but all of the trouble in town ishisfault.”

Mrs. Francis arched a brow at this, amused. “Oh? Tell me what you know.”

Alana narrowed her eyes, but she said, “Mason came to town for one reason, and that was to see his brother. He brought trouble here, and then there was Parker. He also brought trouble.”

“Jack isn’t here because of Cohen. You can’t blame that one, Cohen.Ibrought Jack to town, as you well know.”

Alana pursed her lips. “Fine. Two out of threesituationswe faced were because ofhim. You and the others can’t blamemefor the magic slipping when we have a shifter sheriff running this town like his own personal schoolyard.”

Mrs. Francis laughed. “No one has ever accused Cohen of having a playground. I don’t think that man played when he was a boy. He’s far too serious.”

“You’re blinded by him. You can’t see that he is trouble.”

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