Page 4 of Thankful for You

I shrugged, playing it casual even though my heart was hammering in my chest. “Just passing through.”

Her eyes narrowed, and I could tell she wasn’t buying it. Iyonna had always been good at seeing through bullshit. But before she could press further, the door swung open behind me, letting in a gust of cold wind—and three people I never wanted to see again.

They were standing too close together, wearing thick jackets that couldn’t hide the way they moved. Silent, fluid. Predators. I recognized the tallest one right away—Logan. He’d been one of my packmates, one of the few I’d thought would stick by me.

Until he didn’t.

I tensed, my wolf growling inside me. They hadn’t noticed me yet, but they would soon enough.

Iyonna’s gaze flicked to them, then back to me, her frown deepening. She could feel the tension in the air, even if she didn’t know why.

“I have to go,” I muttered, already backing toward the door.

“Griff, wait—” she started, but I didn’t let her finish.

I pushed out of the bakery. The cold air hit me like a slap in the face. I didn’t look back. I couldn’t. My pulse was racing, adrenaline kicking in.

They were here. They’d found me.

And now, I had to make sure they didn’t find her.

Chapter Three

Iyonna

It was just another day at Moonlit Bakery, or at least, it should have been. The aroma of cinnamon, clove, and baked pumpkins filled the air as I pulled the latest batch of pumpkin tarts from the oven. Thanksgiving was around the corner, and the orders had been non-stop. Every witch in our coven knew how busy this time of year got, but when you owned a magical bakery like mine, the chaos was a different kind of wild.

I wiped a stray smear of flour from my cheek, barely noticing the small sparks of magic that fizzled in the air as I moved. I was too focused on getting everything ready for the customers already forming a line outside. Delilah was up front, charming them with her easy smile, and handling the register like a pro. I’d join her soon, once the pies cooled down.

Just as I set the tray on the counter, a strange tingle ran up my spine, sharp and sudden. My fingers twitched, and the spoon I was using to stir the filling for the next batch shot out of the pot, slamming into the wall. I froze, heart skipping a beat. My magic had been a little off lately, but this was new. I stared at the spoon, still quivering against the wall, and my pulse picked up.

“What the hell?” I muttered, shaking out my hands. “Get it together, Iyonna.”

I tried to calm myself, focusing on the rhythm of the kitchen. I reached for the next bowl of dough, but just as my fingers brushed the edge, the door to the bakery swung open with a loud creak.

That same electric buzz shot through me again, but this time, it felt like a live wire had been yanked through my chest. The air in the room shifted, the usual hum of magic turning wild, unpredictable. My heart thudded in my chest as I glanced toward the front of the store, my eyes narrowing.

Then I saw him.

Griff.

I would have recognized that face anywhere, even after all these years. He looked… different. Rougher around the edges, older in a way that had nothing to do with age. His dark hair, once messy and unkempt, was now shorter, framing a jawline sharper than I remembered. His eyes, though—those same stormy gray eyes I remembered from school—pierced through the room like they could see every secret I had.

The air between us crackled, literally. I glanced down in shock as tiny sparks of blue magic flickered from my fingers, buzzing like angry fireflies. Shit. Not now. My magic had been acting up all week, but this? This was something else. I hadn’t seen Griff in what felt like a lifetime, and the first thing my magic did when I saw him again was throw sparks?

Great.

I quickly tucked my hands behind my back, trying to hide the magic going haywire, but I could feel it in the air. The pull between us was undeniable, like a magnet yanking at my core. I wasn’t the same girl from high school who used to pretend I didn’t notice him when he passed me in the hall. No, I was different now—stronger, more in control.

At least, I thought I was.

Griff’s eyes locked onto mine, and I felt the full force of his gaze. He hesitated for a moment, then started walking toward the counter, his movements slow, deliberate. My heart pounded faster with every step. The last time I’d seen him, he was just a cocky shifter who liked to smirk his way through life. But now… now there was something darker, more dangerous, clinging to him.

My stomach flipped as I forced a smile, my voice coming out a little more breathless than I’d intended. “Griff. Long time no see.”

He raised an eyebrow, his lips curving into that same half-smile I remembered all too well. “Iyonna. Didn’t expect to see you here.”

His voice was rough, like gravel, but underneath, I caught a note of surprise. Or maybe something else, something he wasn’t willing to say out loud.