Chapter 10
TEN
S abine retreated to the back room, her face aflame. She attempted to focus on paperwork, but her thoughts kept straying into dangerous territory. Like wondering if Ren’s hair felt as silky as it looked, if his lips carried the taste of his morning coffee, if those strong hands might?—
The potted plant on her desk suddenly sprouted three new buds.
“Everything okay back there?” Ylan called innocently. “Those plants giving you trouble?”
“You’re fired!”
“Love you too, sweetie!”
By the time she needed to leave for Witch’s Brew, every plant in her office had flourished with unprecedented vigor. Her essence hummed beneath her skin like a live current, anticipation building at the thought of seeing Ren again.
It’s just biology, she told herself during the walk to the café. Being unmarked and unmated, her feline side naturally responded to a powerful, available male. Pure instinct. Nothing to do with how his rare smiles made her pulse skip, or how his voice resonated through her bones, or how she longed to wrap herself around him and soothe away centuries of pain?—
She stumbled on air, caught in that mental image.
The café buzzed with mid-morning activity when she arrived. She chose a table near the window, immediately spotting Clover and Romi at a nearby booth. They weren’t even pretending to be subtle, phones raised like wildlife photographers documenting a rare species.
“Everything okay over there?” Romi called sweetly. “You seem a bit flushed.”
“Don’t you both have shops to run?”
“Nope!” Clover beamed. “Taking a very important coffee break. For... research purposes.”
“What kind of research could possibly?—”
“The scientific investigation of magical mate bonds, obviously.” Romi’s grin turned wicked. “Specifically, the effects of certain tigers’ presence on the local flora.”
“I’m disowning you both.”
“No, you’re not. You love us.” Clover’s expression gentled. “And we love you, which is why we’re here. You deserve this, Sabine. Whatever’s growing between you two... don’t resist it just because it’s unexpected.”
The bell above the door chimed before she could respond. Her pulse stuttered, then quickened.
Ren commanded the doorway like he was born to it, morning light casting blue highlights in his black hair. Today’s charcoal suit accentuated the strength of his shoulders, the lean cut of his waist. Each time she saw him, he seemed more striking than before.
Their gazes locked. Something molten flickered in his expression as his eyes dropped briefly to her midsection where her mark kindled. His brow furrowed slightly, nostrils flaring as though catching the shift in her essence.
“Miss Katz.” He inclined his head, claiming the chair across from her. Even that simple motion radiated contained power. “Thank you for meeting with me.”
“Sabine,” she corrected, forcing her attention away from his mouth. “Please.”
The corner of his lips quirked, revealing that damned dimple her fingers ached to trace. “Sabine.”
His voice sent warmth pooling low in her belly. She gripped her coffee cup to steady her hands. “So... magical disturbances?”
“Yes.” He studied her with an intensity that quickened her breath. “But first—your father. He was a full shifter?”
The abrupt question caught her off guard. “Yes. Tiger, like me. Though I never knew him. He died when I was a baby.”
“And your mother’s side?”
“She’s a tiger shifter, too, like the rest of our family.” She tilted her head. “Why?”
“Your essence is... unique.” His eyes darkened, pupils expanding. “Powerful. Much more than I would expect from just a shifter.”
Magic crackled between them, making them both start. The small potted plant on their table suddenly unfurled a single, perfect bloom.
“Sorry!” She wrapped her hands tighter around her cup, face warming. “That keeps happening lately. Things have been a bit... unpredictable.”
“Since when?”
“Since...” Since you walked in and upended my world. She swallowed the words. “Recently.”
His expression softened. “I lost someone, many years ago,” he said quietly. “Sometimes I think I see echoes of her in—” He broke off as the flower opened further, responding to the raw emotion in his voice.
Her chest tightened at the pain in his eyes. Without thinking, she reached across the table, fingertips brushing his wrist. Even that slight contact sent electricity racing up her arm. His skin radiated heat, his pulse thundering against her touch.
“I’ve been having dreams,” she admitted. “About?—”
A magical alarm pierced the café’s calm, cutting her off. The building shuddered, cups rattling in their saucers. Ren surged to his feet, every line of his body coiled for action. The fluid grace of his movement drew an appreciative purr from her feline nature.
“Stay here,” he ordered, striding toward the door.
Like hell. She was right behind him as they burst onto the street. A massive wooden sign—one of the heavy decorative ones adorning Mystic Hollow’s shops—had torn free of its moorings, threatening to crash onto the crowded sidewalk below. Several people stood frozen in its path.
Ren moved with preternatural speed, partially shifting as he launched forward. Scales shimmered across his forearms, eyes blazing gold as he positioned himself beneath the falling sign. Without conscious thought, Sabine channeled her strength to aid him, their powers merging seamlessly to halt the sign’s descent mere inches from disaster.
The surge of combined energy left them breathless. His scent—cedar and moonlight—enveloped her, making her dizzy. Her feline nature roared in triumph at their perfect synchronicity, pushing against her control. Mate, her inner cat declared. Perfect match.
In her distraction, her heel caught on uneven pavement. She pitched forward with an undignified yelp—directly into Ren’s embrace.
He caught her instinctively, one arm banding around her waist while his other hand steadied her elbow. The simple touch ignited every nerve ending. This close, she could distinguish the subtle rings of amber in his irises, trace the strong curve of his jaw, feel his heartbeat echoing her own where her palms pressed against his chest.
Time stretched like honey, sweet and infinite. Neither moved. His pupils dilated until only a thin ring of gold remained, his grip tightening fractionally. She watched, entranced, as his throat worked. She swayed closer, drawn by an irresistible gravity.
Around them, every flower box and hanging basket on the street erupted in a riot of color.
“Yes!” Clover’s cheer shattered the moment. “That’s the money shot!”
“Romi, tell me you got that on video,” Ylan called from the shop doorway. “I need it for the wedding slideshow!” She disappeared back inside, whooping with delight.
Even Eiji, who had materialized at some point, wore a knowing grin. “Well, well. Another sabotage attempt? How shocking. Though the aftermath seems... productive.”
Color stained Ren’s cheekbones as he carefully set Sabine back on her feet. His hands lingered at her waist, reluctant to break contact.
“It’s happening again,” Eiji murmured to Ren, his expression sobering. “Just like before.”
Tension rippled through Ren’s frame. His arm tightened around Sabine briefly before he stepped back. The loss of his warmth left her bereft, even as her mark pulsed with renewed intensity. She rubbed the spot absently, noting how his gaze tracked the movement.
“Nice photo series!” Clover called. “I call this one ‘Sexual Tension: A Romance in Five Acts.’ The smoldering looks really sell it.”
“If you’re quite finished,” Ren growled, though a hint of amusement softened his tone. He turned to Sabine, expression growing serious. “We need to investigate this properly. But I have one condition—no rushing into danger alone. These incidents are escalating, and I won’t—” His jaw clenched, words faltering.
Won’t lose you , her mind supplied, the certainty inexplicable yet absolute. Her feline nature rumbled in response, urging her to press against him, to mark him as theirs. The instinct grew stronger with each encounter.