Chapter 9 Magical Moments
Josh
Bane strolls through the aisles of Fern and Flower, eyeing the shelves like he’s a master of the mystical arts. He pauses to pick up a jar of dried sage, inspecting the contents with a critical eye. I bite back a laugh; this guy couldn’t tell a potion from a can of paint.
He acted like a dead man walking when the potion spilled on him, but he shows no signs of being a magical novice now.
“Hmm, this might work,” he mutters when he finds a deep purple amethyst stone.
“Oh, but it’s hard to beat clear quartz crystal for a ritual like this,” my mother adds next to him.
“Yeah, you’re right. Why mess with a classic?”
It’s almost like they’re two witches debating on the best approach. Except Bane picks the wrong clear gem twice and my mom keeps coughing pointedly until he finally lands on the right stone.
I should help. It’s my ritual they’re preparing for. I rest against the counter, still trying to process how we ended up here.
Bane’s certainty about my magical capabilities made me call my mother, and she met us at the store. Maybe she’s humoring us, but she quickly decided on a ritual to target power that’s been lying dormant.
I still can’t believe this. I might have magic. If there’s a chance, I need to try, right?
“We’re almost ready for you, pumpkin.” Mom’s lighting some incense at a display table she and Bane cleared off to set up the ritual.
“Pumpkin?” the wolf echoes. “Now I’m torn. Pumpkin or puppy?”
“Don’t even think about it,” I growl at him. He smiles, and I find myself smiling back.
The dark quiet of the store at night usually feels peaceful, but not even the freshly lit incense calms my nerves. This sandalwood and rosemary blend—good for unlocking hidden potential—always makes me sneeze.
The big moment arrives. It doesn’t feel real. An unlit candle waits for me. All I need to do is light it to start the ritual.
“Come on, Josh,” Bane says from behind me. “You can do this.”
I shift my weight, staring at the assortment of crystals spread out on the table. “Can I, though? How did you talk me into this? How do you even know?”
“Instinct,” he says. “Maybe it’s because I’ve lived here around magic all my life or my senses are sharper, who knows? Why does it matter? I’m sure about this.”
“Can you sense magic with everyone?”
“No.”
“Then why me? How sure are you? Do you really think…”
“I believe in you.” He steps closer, voice steady. “You just need to believe in yourself.”
The words hit me harder than I expect, making me feel like I can do anything. Maybe even magic. My mate believes in me. His presence next to me is surprisingly comforting, his steadiness helping my nerves settle. If Bane of all people can comfort me, then being a witch doesn’t seem so crazy.
Maybe anything is possible.
Maybe I need to start putting more faith in myself. With the right attitude and a little luck, who knows what I’m capable of?
My fingers tremble slightly as I strike the match. The tiny flame flickers to life. Here goes nothing.
~
Josh
A small sprig of chamomile hovers in midair, twirling lazily like a leaf caught in a gentle breeze.
“You see that, right?” I whisper. “You see it floating?”
“Dude, for the hundredth time, yes.”
Bane already suspected I had magic. Maybe this isn’t as earth-shattering for him as it is for me. I can’t tear my eyes away from the herb. I’m the one making it float. With magic!
My powers were hiding deep inside and have finally surfaced. It takes some getting used to.
I have magic. I’m a witch. With magic!
When I concentrate, a few gemstones join the chamomile in the air, floating in front of us.
“Do you see—”
“If you ask again, I’m going to punch you.”
I glance over at Bane and my heart stutters. He’s standing close, just a few feet away, his golden eyes wide with undisguised wonder despite his gruff tone, tracking the lazy dance of the floating objects. He’s beautiful and excited, and I put that expression on his face.
My mom has disappeared somewhere. It’s just the two of us in the quiet store.
“You were right,” I whisper.
But he doesn’t gloat. For once in his life, he’s not cocky. He only smiles at me. “You did it.”
“Thank you. If you hadn’t told me—”
“Come on, you did all the work. I just told you to try again.”
Wow, that’s even more shocking than my new powers. Bane declines the credit, not taking the opportunity to stroke his own ego.
I want to reach out, hug him, thank him, something. The objects floating fall down with a clatter as I stop focusing on them and start paying more attention to the man next to me. He made this possible. Bane brought magic back into my life. Suddenly, a hug or a thank you feels inadequate.
The space between us starts shrinking. Right now, he seems as drawn to me as I am to him. We’re close, but not close enough. I lean forward and so does he…
The door swings open as a flood of witches burst into the shop, laughter and excitement spilling in with them. Bane steps back and the moment between us ends. My mom floats in behind the coven, and even from a distance, I see the wide grin plastered on her face.
“Surprise!” she calls, clapping her hands together. “Look who finally unlocked his magic!”
“What?” I swallow hard and step back from Bane. “What’s going on?”
“We’re having a party.” Mom pushes to the front of the crowd, outpacing witches struggling with grocery bags and a lopsided cake box. She sweeps me into a side-armed hug, still grinning. “If this isn’t a time to celebrate, I don’t know what is.”
A witch I only vaguely recognize sets down a stack of paper plates. Someone else juggles pints of vanilla ice cream and plastic spoons. There’s a store-bought chocolate cake with sticky white icing around the edges, my favorite. This celebration, whipped together on short notice, is perfect.
“Way to go, Josh!” someone calls from the back, and a chorus of cheers follows.
I stand there a bit stunned as they swarm me, surrounding me with hugs and congratulations. The whole coven, here to celebrate with me. It feels surreal.
Even the assistant manager Thalia gives me a hug. She pulls back quickly, a severe look on her face. “Don’t get too cocky. Being a member of the coven is a responsibility and a privilege. You can’t slack off.”
I nod dumbly, even though selecting a craft and joining a coven can wait for another day. Mom and the Fern coven specialize in potions, but I have no idea where my talents lie yet.
Bane’s with me the whole time, at the heart of the celebration.
Every single coven member introduces themselves and he can’t possibly remember all their names.
Yet every time, he rests a hand on their arm, using their name with a warm, “It was lovely to meet you,” and they all blush and swoon in response.
Even the eldest member, at a sprightly eighty-seven years old, giggles and calls him a charmer.
Even the lesbians seem impressed by him, casting approving glances my way.
One thing begins to sink in. I truly possess magic. And for tonight, I have Bane’s company too.
~
Josh
The night is a whirlwind of celebrating, but eventually it comes to an end. My mom calls it a night before I do and leaves without me. When I finally lock up the store and head home, Bane gives me a ride.
I fidget in the passenger seat as he pulls up to the edge of the Clover Pack territory. The engine idles softly, the only sound in the quiet night. My heart pounds in my chest as I gather my courage.
“Uh, Josh?” Bane waves a hand in my face. “I parked. What did you want to talk about?”
I nod to show I heard him, but I still have no idea what to say.
Bane believed in me tonight and helped me awaken my dormant magic. True, he didn’t see what I hoped he would. He didn’t Recognize me. Maybe he hasn’t caught me in the right moment. Maybe I haven’t opened up enough yet.
What he discovered is amazing in its own right. He hasn’t Recognized me, but he stumbled onto a part of me that even I couldn’t see.
That has to mean something, right?
Before I can overthink it, I lean in and press my lips against his.
He goes still, not moving a single muscle. For a heart-stopping moment, panic grips me, and I worry that I’ve somehow killed him—killed him with my lips. Or maybe he’s about to kill me and sock me across the jaw for daring to make a move on him.
But then he unfreezes and surges into me as he returns the kiss, better late than never, so much better. He cups the back of my neck with one hand and pulls me in closer. I go eagerly, our lips sliding together as he comes alive against me.
All those first dates of his have really paid off. He’s a fantastic kisser.
My hands grip the front of his brown bomber jacket, holding him to me. I never want this to end. Kissing my mate is everything I’ve dreamed of and so much more. Maybe fate knows what it’s doing after all.
Then he suddenly pulls away. My lips tingle from the heat of his kiss while I struggle to catch my breath.
“Hold on, we need to talk.” He clears his throat. “I need to be clear. I’m not looking for a serious relationship. Hooking up is fine, but I’m not interested in more.”
“That’s why you stopped? You needed to tell me that right now?”
“Yeah, before things go too far. In case we’re not compatible.” Not compatible? We’re freaking mates. “Casual doesn’t seem like your kind of thing.”
Oh. He doesn’t want to lead me on. And he isn’t wrong. I’m not really the no strings attached type.
However, casual isn’t the worst idea.
Recognizing him and seeing tantalizing glimpses of the man hiding underneath all his bravado has my mind skipping right to happy endings and fairy tales, but not too long ago, he was just Bane the jerk. Asshole Bane. The idiot who destroyed my bike when we were younger.
Seeing where this goes without any pressure sounds like the best option. There are no guarantees, even with fate, but just because something starts as casual doesn’t mean it has to stay that way forever.
I take a deep breath, steadying myself. “I can handle it. No strings attached.”
Before he can reply, I lean in again, capturing his lips with mine. Bane sucks in a sharp breath. His hands land on my sides, fingers tightening, like he’s tempted to pull me closer, before they gently push me back. “You sure about this?”
I nod, my heart racing. “Yeah. I want this.”
The night is silent around us. It seems to take forever before he speaks. I resist the urge to scream at him to make up his mind.
“Okay,” Bane says. “I’m in.”