Chapter 7 #2
The words twisted something in his chest. Because wasn’t that what he’d been trying to do these past few years? Honor Ash’s memory by throwing himself into work, into duty, into anything that didn’t involve living for his own happiness.
And hadn’t he just suggested Lily do the same thing. Live half a life?
“Is that what you’re doing here?” he asked quietly. “Honoring someone?”
Her smile flickered. “Maybe. My grandmother always said magic—” She stopped, then seemed to decide something. “My grandmother always said talent shouldn’t be wasted hiding. That power is a gift, not a curse.”
The slip was deliberate this time. A test, maybe. Or an offering.
“Your grandmother sounds wise,” he said carefully.
“She was. She’s the only one who ever...” Lily trailed off, seeming to search for words. “The only one who thought I was fine the way I was. That I didn’t need fixing.”
The words were a subtle accusation, and that made them cut deeper.
“I wish she could have seen me find a place where I might fit,” Lily continued, looking around the festival grounds at families enjoying chili samples, couples sharing beer flights, the easy community of people celebrating together. “I’ve never had that before.”
The longing in her voice made his chest ache. She’d been alone, rootless, carrying secrets that made her check locks three times and carry bags of herbs in her pockets against nightmares. She’d found something here that might be worth staying for.
And he’d made her question whether she could.
“The island has a way of calling to people who need sanctuary,” he said.
“Is that what this is?”
“Depends on what you’re seeking sanctuary from.”
Her hand moved unconsciously to her left wrist, rubbing the small scar. “Sometimes running away is the only choice that makes sense.”
“And sometimes staying is braver.” He took a careful step closer. “Even when someone’s been an ass and said exactly the wrong thing.”
She looked up at him, surprise flickering across her face.
“I fucked up,” he said, the words rough but necessary. “The other night. What I said… I stupidly thought I was helping. It felt like I needed to help solve a problem.” His jaw clenched. “But I wasn’t listening. Not really. And I didn’t even realize it until it was too late.”
“Gray—”
“But you’re not a problem to solve.” He held her gaze. “And your magic isn’t something broken that needs fixing. I get that now.
Her throat worked as she swallowed.
“My wolf’s been losing his mind since you walked away. Not because you left. Because I made you feel like you had to.” He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated with himself.
“I’m an idiot,” he continued. “My wolf knows it. He’s been snarling at me nonstop for hurting you.”
“You and your inner wolf have a weird relationship.”
“Tell me about it.”
He took another step closer, close enough now to catch her scent, still lavender and magic, but tinged with the hurt he’d caused.
“Watching you today, seeing your kindness with a stranger, with the customers—I finally understand. The magic and the kindness aren’t separate.
The power and the person aren’t two different things.
It’s all you, woven together so tight you can’t separate them without destroying what makes you who you are. Like me and my wolf.”
Her eyes were bright now, suspiciously so.
“Can we start over? I can’t promise I’ll always say the right things.
In fact, I know I won’t,” he admitted. “I’m a wolf, not a witch.
But I can promise I’ll never again suggest you’d be better off as half of yourself.
” His voice dropped lower. “You’re not too much.
You’re not too powerful. And anyone who thinks you need to be smaller to be acceptable can fuck right off. ”
A sound escaped her, half laugh, half sob. “That’s the apology you’re going with?”
“Is it working?”
“Maybe.” Her smile was watery but real. “You’re still an idiot.”
“Agreed.” Relief flooded through him, his wolf settling more. “But I’m an idiot who’s trying to learn.”
She studied him for a long moment, and he let her look. Let her see whatever she needed to see. The exhaustion from not sleeping, the regret, and the determination to get to know her better.
“The coven wanted to bind my magic because they thought I was dangerous,” she said finally, her voice soft.
“Too powerful. Too wild. That’s what they said on repeat as they spent years trying to convince me I needed to be controlled.
” She met his eyes. “I ran to get away from people who want to change me. I won’t stay somewhere that makes me feel the same way. ”
“I don’t think you need to change.” The words came out fierce and fast. “I think what I said was stupid and thoughtless, and I’m asking for another chance to not fuck it up...”
Her breath caught.
“And I’m not them.” He took one more step, close enough now that he could see the flecks of gold in her green eyes. “Stay.”
The air between them snapped, electric and hot.
“One more chance,” she said finally. “But Gray? The next time you suggest I’d be better off powerless, I’m gone. No warning, no explanation. Just gone.”
“That’s fair.” More than fair. “It won’t happen again.”
She held his gaze a moment longer, then nodded.
Some of the ice melted from her expression, though caution remained.
The matter wasn’t fully settled, but the pressure from his wolf eased enough it no longer felt like he was trying to shred his organs in retaliation.
If that was as good as it got for now, he’d take it.
“We should head back. We have a busy evening ahead.”
But as they packed up the booth, everything had shifted. She didn’t flinch away when he moved close. When their fingers brushed reaching for the same crate, heat again sparked between them.
Ryker emerged from the brewhouse as they returned. “Boss, we’ve got—” He stopped, nostrils flaring as he scented the air between them. “Never mind. I’ll handle it.”
Gray clenched his jaw. “Ryker, what is it?”
“Seriously. I got it.” he grinned. “You two figure your shit out. The rest of us will give you some space.”
As Ryker disappeared back inside, Lily shook her head. “Does everyone know our business?”
“We’re wolves. We can smell everything, including emotions.” He caught her hand, relief flooding through him when she didn’t pull away. “This morning you smelled like hurt and anger. Now you smell like... hope?”
“Maybe,” she admitted. “Cautious hope.”
“I’ll take it.” He raised her hand to his mouth, pressed a kiss to her knuckles. Felt her pulse jump under his lips.
Her cheeks flushed. “Seriously though, we should probably get back to work.”
“Probably.” But neither of them moved.
The moment stretched, heavy with possibility.
Then Tom walked past with his ribbon, still beaming, and Gray's wolf stirred, restless. Possessive. The human had gotten close to her today, and his reaction to it bothered him more than he wanted to admit. He wanted her trust the way he wanted everything else about her—completely. But even now, with things settling between them, a layer of unease he couldn’t explain hovered at the edge of his mind.
She'd forgiven him, had opened up about her magic, and still he felt certain there was more. Something she carried alone.
Like it or not, his little witch was still keeping secrets. And one way or another he had to get to the truth of them.
“Tonight,” Gray said as they headed inside. Not a demand this time. An offering. “If you want to talk more. About anything. I’m here.”
“Okay.” Her smile was small but genuine. “Okay,” she repeated
He had no idea if she’d share anything more, but it was better than nothing.
They worked through the evening shift, and Gray felt the difference immediately. The walls between them were gone, replaced by the intoxicating scent of her skin that made his wolf stir every time she moved past him. When she laughed at something a customer said, warmth spread through his chest.
And when Tom leaned too close while asking about beer recommendations, Gray had to physically stop himself from stepping between them.
Lily noticed. Of course she did.
“You okay?” she asked after Tom walked away with his flight. “You’re doing that thing again.”
“What thing?”
“That growly, territorial thing where you look like you want to remove someone’s throat.” She said it lightly, but her eyes were curious. Assessing.
Gray forced his shoulders to relax. “Mating season.”
“So you and everyone keep saying.” She arranged bottles, not quite meeting his eyes. “What does that actually mean?”
He watched a group of unmated wolves at the bar—three males who kept glancing in her direction, scenting the air. His wolf snarled. “Means every unmated wolf on the island is looking for a partner. Tourists, locals, anyone compatible. Instincts run hot. Territorial behavior gets... intense.”
“And that’s why everyone’s been fighting?”
“Partly.” He moved closer, lowering his voice so only she could hear. “But it’s worse for me.”
“Why?”
“Because my wolf has decided you’re his mate.”
She went completely still, bottle halfway to the shelf. “You were really serious about that?”
“Deadly.” He gestured at the restless wolves around them. "And it’s making everyone's ability to control their wolf side damned near impossible."
"And yours?"
"It's harder because my wolf is being stubborn." His jaw clenched watching another male glance in her direction. "Makes it hard to think about anything except..."
"Except what?"
"You. Naked. Under me. Marked so every wolf on this island knows you're mine." The words rasped from his throat. "Not exactly appropriate work conversation, huh?"
Her cheeks flushed deep red, but she didn't look away. "Oh."
"Yeah." He caught her hand before he could stop himself, and electricity sparked between their skin. She stared at their joined hands. "And how do you explain that?"
"Really good chemistry." His thumb stroked over her knuckles, making the sparks dance. "The kind that says maybe my wolf isn’t wrong. He’s certainly not changing his mind."
"I don't know... This is all happening so fast. I need to think."
"I know." He released her hand even though his wolf howled in protest. "Take all the time you need. I'm not going anywhere." Except to take the world’s longest cold fucking shower.
Customers approached, and they fell back into work mode. But the awareness between them had intensified, crackling through every glance and accidental touch.
By the time the last customer left, Gray's control was hanging by a thread.
He was about to tell her to go upstairs when movement near the back door caught his eye. His wolf surged to attention—
A silly little black cat strolled into the brewery.
Gray went still. The cat crossed the floor, wove between two barstools, and jumped onto the counter directly in front of Lily. She scratched behind its ears without missing a beat.
"What," Gray said, "is that?"
"A cat." Her voice was light. Almost challenging.
"I can see it's a cat." His wolf was losing its mind. A cat. In his territory. Being petted by his mate. "Why is there a cat in my brewery?"
"She showed up a couple nights ago." Lily kept scratching.
The cat's purr rumbled loud enough to hear across the room.
"I warned her she needed to leave. Told her this island was full of wolves who'd use her as a chew toy.
" She glanced up at him, defiance flickering in her eyes. "She didn't listen."
The cat turned to look at him. Green eyes met his. No fear. No respect. Just the calm certainty of a creature that knew it was untouchable.
Gray's jaw tightened. His wolf wanted to lunge. To chase. To remind this thing who the predator was here. But Lily's hand kept moving through that black fur, gentle and proprietary.
He could see the dare in her expression.
Go ahead. Tell me to get rid of her. See how that goes.
He thought about the bonfire. The thorns. The way she'd looked at him when he'd suggested she'd be better off without her magic. He thought about how she'd finally smiled at him today.
The cat yawned, showing needle-sharp teeth.
"Go upstairs," Gray said. The words scraped out of him. "Get some rest."
Lily's eyebrows rose. She'd expected a fight—he could see it in the set of her shoulders, the tension in her spine.
"That's it? No 'cats don't belong in wolf territory'? No 'get that thing out of here'?"
"Go upstairs, Lily and take that with you. I don’t want her down here.”
She studied him for a long moment. Then she scooped the cat into her arms, cradling it against her chest. The cat draped over her shoulder, still watching him with those knowing green eyes.
"Goodnight, Gray."
"Night, Lily."
He watched her climb the stairs, his wolf tracking every step. The cat's tail swished against her back. Just before they disappeared from view, it looked back at him.
Smug. The damn thing looked smug.
His wolf snarled, already planning. Corner it somewhere Lily couldn't see. Remind it what happened to prey animals who wandered into predator territory. One good chase and it would never come back—
But he knew he wouldn't do it. Couldn't. Not when getting rid of that cat might mean losing Lily for good.
The mate bond pulled at his chest, demanding he follow, claim, keep.
But he'd already screwed up big time. For now, he'd give her more time to process. Even if it killed him. And if that meant tolerating a cat that looked at him with contempt, a cat that had claimed his mate before he could—then fine.
Some battles weren't worth fighting. Yet.
As he finished closing the distillery, Gray’s wolf remained restless but no longer distressed. They’d made progress today. She knew what he was offering now. Knew without a doubt that his wolf had claimed her as mate.
For now, that was enough. She was staying.
And this time, he'd make damn sure she knew she was wanted exactly as she was.