Page 20 of Wedded Witch
I can hear my family’s voice chastising me now:“A dog, Swyn? We’re witches. Witches are cat people. Cats and owls and toads and bats. Not dogs, child.”
“Aren’t you just the cutest?” I coo, scratching under his chin. He yips happily at me, making me smile. “I wonder what breed you are. Such a fluffy little floofball, yes you are.”
Kel’s expression darkens further as he watches the interaction between me and the four-legged cutie. “You know, that mutt isn’t exactly the cleanest. And it’s not supposed to be wandering around the lobby.”
The dog’s tail droops slightly as his harsh tone cuts through the air. I look up at him, my eyes narrowing. “You’re really going to be that way about a dog? He’s just looking for some affection. It’s not his fault he’s not a show dog.”
Kel sneers, his annoyance palpable. “Whatever. Just don’t get too attached. I don’t want to deal with any complaints about pets. He’s probably riddled with fleas. Shoo! Get!”
I’m about to give him a piece of my mind when the little dog suddenly bolts towards the exit, startled by the guy’s sharp tone. “Hey!” I call out, rushing after the dog, but the guy is quicker.
He darts out from behind the check in desk, grabs the dog by the scruff and shoves him out the door with an irritated huff before slamming it closed once more.
I’m left standing there, fuming, as the tobacco scent intensifies. “You can’t just chase him away like that! He was harmless and needed some love.”
He shrugs, his expression impassive. “We don’t need any more trouble around here. If you want to stay, you have to deal with the way things are.”
I’m livid, my hands clenched into fists.I can’tstandpeople who are cruel to animals.Ugh. What did I ever see in this guy? He seemed so nice last night and now it’s like he’s a completely different person!
“You can’t just be rude to animals, and you certainly can’t drive them away from a place they’re supposed to be safe. It’s unacceptable.”
His face remains stoic, though there’s a flicker of something—regret, maybe?—in his eyes.
“Look, princess,” he says, leaning in menacingly. My pulse skyrockets at his proximity, but it’s not in fear. “If you’re not happy here, you can always leave. This is the only motel in town. Unless you want to sleep in the woods.”
The thought of being out there, alone and exposed, makes my heart pound. I want to argue more, but I can’t deny the truth of his words. “Fine.” I sigh. “But I’m not happy about it. I’ll take my chances here for now.”
He doesn’t respond, his focus shifting back to the desk as if the conversation is already over. I turn on my heel and head back to my room, frustration simmering inside me, my footsteps heavy.
The little dog’s sad eyes flash in my mind, and I can’t shake the feeling that there’s something seriously wrong with this place.
As I close the door behind me, I sit down heavily on the edge of the bed, staring at the floral wallpaper and the slightly flickering light from the lamp. I’m exhausted and angry, but I know I need to regroup and think clearly. There’s a reason I came here, and no surly motel clerk or wayward dog is going to deter me from finding out what it is.
I just hope that the town’s secrets are worth all of this.
RI
The weightof the day hangs heavy on my shoulders as I sit behind the desk, the dim lighting casting long shadows across the lobby. I can’t shake the image of Swyn’s face, her irritation, and the way she looked at me when I chased that damned dog out.
What a dick. I’m still seething, but it’s not just from the confrontation. There’s something else gnawing at me—a disturbing realisation that hit me as I watched her walk away in a cloud of sweet vanilla perfume that made my dick hard.
She’s my fated mate.
I’ve been around long enough to know what that means, even if I never really thought it would happen to me. Fated mates among our kind are rare, and they’re supposed to be…well, everything you never knew you needed. And here she is, with her eyes flashing fire and a spirit that seems to challenge me at every turn.
Definitely not what I need. Fate has a strange sense of humour. I need someone…demure. Not that firecracker.
But there’s no denying the bond. I feel it as keenly as the one between my brothers and I.
Fuck. It’s a lot to take in. I’ve barely had time to process the fact that my life might be about to change forever. How do I even tell Kel and Sol about this?
They’re my brothers, and they’ve always been the first to know everything. But now? I don’t know how they’ll react, especially since I’m already feeling like a fool for how things went down.
The dog… The damn mutt is there again through the window, nose pressed against the glass, eyes full of that sad, pleading look. I growl under my breath and slam the palm of my hand against the desk.
What a fucking mess. First, I’m grumpy and rude to the girl, and then I scare off her only source of comfort. Brilliant.
The door chimes, and I look up to see Sol strolling in with that stupid grin of his. The light catches his hair, turning it into a dark halo of mischief. He knows I’m in a foul mood and, of course, he’s going to make it worse.