Chapter 3 - Kira
Two days later, Kira was in town running some errands.
She had the evening shift at the diner and was using the morning to do her grocery shopping.
As she was comparing the pricing on two bags of rice, wondering how much she actually needed now that she lived alone, she overheard two of her packmates talking.
“I heard that they were attacked,” one of them said.
Kira lifted her head, the word ‘attacked’ instantly capturing her attention. The two were at the end of the aisle, blocking it with their carts as they stopped to chat. Kira lowered her head again, pretending to still be studying the rice while she listened.
“I don’t think they were attacked, but they certainly saw evidence of more demon activity,” the other one replied.
Shit. Kira swallowed hard as she tossed both bags into her cart.
After so many months of nothing, the thought of more demons made her blood run cold.
She hoped that they hadn’t noticed her yet.
Even though all her research into the past indicated that the witches were the ones who initially stopped the demon attacks, the common view was that witches had brought them back.
But it might not even be real. Kira wheeled her cart toward the other end of the aisle, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself.
There were always going to be rumors that the demons were back.
This might be one of those rumors. Until she could talk to Gwen and confirm it, she would take it with a grain of salt.
The special ops had trained to fight the demons. They had done a good job of protecting the town, and Gwen had repaired the damage to the barrier around the town. Even if the demons were back, they couldn’t attack the town.
“Maybe we should ask her,” a familiar voice ran out from behind her.
Dread slipped into her stomach as she turned. Jenny Carps carried an empty basket tucked onto her elbow as she marched down the aisle toward Kira. Kira instinctively turned herself so the cart was between them.
“Hello, Jenny,” she said, trying to sound calm. Jenny had been one of the major bullies in high school, always attacking her, Gwen, and Chelsey. It never got physical with her, thank the Goddess, but sometimes it felt as though it was getting too damn close.
Jenny put her basket onto the corner of Kira’s cart and propped her fists on her hips.
Behind her, the other two women who had been talking about the demon attack looked on with uncertain expressions.
They seemed as though they wanted to get out of here, but were too curious to see how this was going to go to actually do anything.
“Are you happy with yourself?” Jenny asked harshly.
“About what exactly?” Kira kept her voice calm.
Jenny scoffed and wagged a finger in her face, as though she was (gleefully) scolding her. “All this demon activity! It’s the fault of your kind. Did you summon them yourself, or are they just drawn to you?”
Kira clenched her jaw but fought to stay calm. “You heard the Elders tell the pack that it’s not our fault.”
“Huh. We’d be better off without the likes of you around. Thank the Goddess your annoying little sister took off. You should go with her,” Jenny said with a nasty smile.
Kira’s hand curled around the handle of her cart. “You do realize—” she started, but suddenly Jenny gasped and stepped back.
Kira felt the heat on her back before Joshua’s scent hit her.
He was so close that the hairs on her body stood on end.
She could feel his presence swirling behind her, a physical presence.
Her heart started racing, and her stomach dropped.
Quickly, she tried to hide her reaction, but every nerve in her was alive and focused on the sound of his breathing.
“Mrs. Carps,” he rumbled, and Kira’s knees went weak. “That is enough. We do not tolerate that sort of behavior in this pack anymore.”
“I was only—”
“Do not lie to me.” Joshua’s voice was flat, like he was seconds from losing his temper. Kira hated how damn sexy that sound was.
Jenny ducked her head and grabbed her basket again. “Of course. I’m sorry, Mr. Woods.”
Joshua moved forward. “Am I the one you were insulting?”
Kira could almost hear Jenny’s teeth clench. “I’m sorry, Kira.”
“Thank you,” Kira said quickly, before Joshua could point out how very unapologetic Jenny actually sounded.
She turned her cart and headed away as Jenny retreated.
Joshua walked with Kira, staying far too close.
It made her worn nerves ignite even hotter.
This wasn’t how she was supposed to react to him!
She was supposed to hear his grumpy, dangerous voice and tell herself that was exactly the sort of red flag she should be running from.
Just because he was trying to defend her didn’t mean that it was any better.
Agitated, she took her cart through the self-checkout without talking to him.
And Joshua, damn him, kept close beside her.
What was he doing? Couldn’t he see that she was trying to get away from him?
But this was just like him. She avoided interactions with him, but she could see the sort of person he was.
Pushy. He always thought his way was best, no matter what anyone else might think.
“Kira, I need to tell you something,” he said. His voice was low, smooth. And reluctant.
Alarm bells started to ring in her head. She had a feeling that whatever he had to say, she didn’t want to hear. So she whirled on him, determined that she wasn’t going to let this turn into something more intimate than she could handle. If she fell for him, she’d fall hard.
And he would only break her heart again. A man like Joshua Woods couldn’t help himself.
“I can take care of myself, you know,” she snapped.
Joshua’s eyes widened slightly. “What?”
“I can take care of myself. I don’t need you butting into my business. I was handling the situation with Jenny just fine.”
“Just fine?” Joshua’s eyes narrowed as he followed her. She pushed the cart faster, but he didn’t seem to notice their pace. “You were practically running away from her.”
Maybe so, but couldn’t he see that she was actively trying to run away from him?
Kira entered the grocery line and paid for her two bags of rice, already knowing she would regret this.
She tried not to look at him as she put the cart away and marched toward her car.
And yet he kept dogging her steps. It was as though they were tethered together, and she didn’t know how to deal with his continued presence.
“Can you leave me alone?” she snapped, whirling on him in the middle of the parking lot.
Joshua’s jaw clenched. “So you just give way to the likes of Jenny Carps, but you’ll fight me?”
“Fighting Jenny is unnecessary. She’s annoying but doesn’t follow me around,” Kira answered sharply. “Besides, what were you expecting me to do? Punch her in the face and get arrested?”
“Studies have found that ignoring bullies only makes it worse,” Joshua replied, stiffly as though he was quoting something. Which he probably was.
Kira sucked in a deep breath. “I have lived here my whole life. That,” she nodded back toward the store, “was mild compared to what I used to go through. I know how to handle these situations. I don’t need you to barge in and start scolding me when you have no idea what it’s actually like.”
“I’m just trying to help.”
Kira bit her tongue.
Joshua frowned at her a moment longer, but when she didn’t say anything, he asked, “What was she talking about you being the problem with the demons?”
“Have there been more sightings?” Kira asked anxiously
Joshua hesitated, studying her intently, before he nodded once. “There’s been a couple of sightings from the other packs. No attacks have occurred yet, but we’re preparing for more. Right now, our priority is to work with the other packs to make sure that their defenses are stable.”
Anxiety ricocheted through her. It had to be a coincidence that she had just started being able to do magic, and there was a renewed demon threat. Right? It wasn’t because of her. But if anyone found out, they’d only accuse her more.
Especially the likes of Joshua. He was probably only defending her because he knew that these attitudes also fell back on Gwen.
He was standing up for his buddy’s wife and the order of the pack, not because he wanted to protect her personally.
And she wasn’t about to give him the ace up her sleeve.
She didn’t want anyone to know about her magic.
“Again, why was she blaming you?” Joshua asked.
“I don’t know. Everyone knows I’m a witch descendant,” Kira said, channeling the twist of her gut into anger. She threw back her head and glared at him. “So that’s why. People still want to blame us for everything.”
It had been that way her whole life. Her chest tightened as the memory of the schoolyard taunts, the cruel pranks, came rushing back to her.
Things had gotten better. So much better, in ways that once Kira wouldn’t have thought were possible.
And yet, some things didn’t change. Some people didn’t change.
As the tension tightened around her throat, she felt a familiar burning in her palm.
She clenched her fists and backed away slowly from Joshua until she bumped into the side of her car.
The energy hummed just under her skin, threatening to give way.
Not now, she begged. She’d spent so long trying to get her magic to activate, and now, she needed it to stay hidden.
She reached for the handle of her car, and a few golden sparks fell from her fingertips. She gasped lightly, angling her body to hide them.
“Kira, what aren’t you telling me?” Joshua’s voice grew quieter, but no less authoritative.