Wards and Warlocks (Star-Crossed Chronicles #2)

Before

Senior Year, High School

Felix glanced at his watch and blew out a breath, rocking back on his heels.

He eyed the parking lot and forced a smile as he looked away, nodding at a couple coming up the country club’s granite steps.

Peggy Sherman giggled and whispered something in Seth Bradstone’s ear.

He choked back a laugh, ducking his head after a quick glance in Felix’s direction as they hurried past.

Felix rolled his eyes. Whatever.

The music coming from inside cut off, and the DJ started making announcements. Crap. They were getting ready to serve dinner. Felix glanced at his watch again and ran a hand over his jaw, pretty sure if he ate anything he’d puke. Where the heck was Liam?

Felix’s pocket buzzed, and he fumbled for his phone, his heart sinking at the text.

he there yet?

Jena. He shot back a quick “nope,” wishing she was, but he got it, he did. After everything that happened last fall at the bonfire, aka the event, the Havers High prom was the last place she wanted to be seen, especially without a date.

Felix could relate. Magic prickled along the edges of his ears, and he fought the urge to disappear.

The plan had been for them to come together, but then Liam had asked, and, well…

Felix had never been able say no to Liam Montgomery.

Him wanting to take Felix to the prom had about scrambled his brain. Talk about a dream come true.

Especially since it would mean Liam was officially coming out.

Not that there weren’t rumors and one or two spectacular sightings that Felix may or may not have been involved in…but this was different. Felix smoothed a hand over his sapphire crushed velvet tux, his jaw tightening at another snickering couple.

Liam had asked him to be at his side for this, and damn it, he would be.

Which is why Felix had been standing outside the Havers-by-the-Sea country club for forty-five minutes, waiting for Liam to pull in with his crappy Jeep. Felix chewed his bottom lip. That had to be why he wasn’t here yet. Stupid thing had probably broken down again.

The spring breeze ruffled his curls as he scrolled through the texts he’d sent Liam—all sixteen of them—unopened.

That wasn’t like him…but this was huge, and Liam didn’t do well with, well, with depth.

Maybe he wasn’t ready to go public. Felix sighed, glad he’d never had to deal with pack politics.

Not that the coven didn’t have its own fucked up hangups, but aside from Maxwell Sheffield’s shitty prerogative, being gay wasn’t one of them.

Okay, that wasn’t totally fair. It wasn’t necessarily the inclination that weres objected to, it was dynastic implications. They had a thing for babies, and m-preg only happened in books.

Thank you, sweet baby Jesus, for that.

Felix puffed out his cheeks, having been subjected to more than his fair share of that topic lately.

His sister hadn’t even spawned whatever little hell-beast she was currently gestating, and God help all of them when she did.

Felicia wasn’t exactly mother material. She was barely tolerable human material, and pregnancy hormones had not improved her personality.

They hadn’t improved her questionable life choices either.

His phone buzzed again with another text from Jena, derailing him from that miserable train of thought.

be there in 5

and I hate u

His thumb hovered over the keypad, his stomach a mess.

Fifty-fifty chance whether it was churning at Liam bailing on him or the inevitable shit show that Jena showing up would kick off.

He hooked a flaming red curl behind the tingling edge of his ear and started texting her that he was fine. Another text popped up mid-tap.

don’t OMW

Felix smiled despite himself, envisioning his bestie’s scowl.

He was so going to owe her for this. Behind him, a whoop went up from everyone inside, followed by thunderous clapping.

Liam, on the other hand, owed Felix—big time.

Damn it, if he was going to bail, he could’ve at least had the decency to text him back.

Felix sighed, pissed, but…he really couldn’t be mad. Disappointed and hurt, yeah, but Liam was in a tough situation. Felix could relate to that on some level.

And it didn’t help that Liam only had two settings: squirrel and hyper-focused.

He was supposed to be taking meds, but it wouldn’t be the first time he’d gone off them.

If he hadn’t gotten stranded by that rust bucket he insisted on driving around in, he’d probably gotten distracted by something shiny and totally forgot where he was supposed to be.

Felix knew he really shouldn’t take it personally.

Easier said than done. He was sick to his stomach over it, but he’d be damned if he let it ruin his night.

Right, plan B. If Liam was a no-show and Jena was coming, the grand entrance Felix had envisioned probably wasn’t the wisest idea.

He glanced at the corner of the building where the ballroom’s terrace jutted out.

They could go in the side entrance and find a table.

In fact, he should probably scope that out.

The less opportunity they gave Crystal and her mean girl squad to home in on them, the better. Those bitches were relentless.

He shot a quick text off to Jena.

fine meet u on the terrace

Jena gave a thumbs up, and he headed in that direction.

The clubhouse was set above the golf course at the top of the highest of several rolling hills on the west side of town.

The spring leaves were just starting to fill in, and everything was in bloom.

In the distance, the sea sparkled beneath the last rays of the setting sun.

It was idyllic, like the rest of Havers-by-the-Sea.

Pixies zipped in and out of the soft glow of the parking lot’s lights, catching bugs and giggling in high, falsetto voices.

Around the asphalt expanse, a pair of sprites peeked from the bushes, shying back as he walked past. A gnome paused sweeping up cigarette butts to hold the gate to the grounds open for him.

Felix gave a little wave of thanks. He buzzed his lips, his loafers crunching softly on the pristine pea stone path.

Stars had just begun to break through the heavens above.

On either side, tall arborvitae lined the way, then opened to a lawn and gardens that were legit straight out of a fairytale romance.

Swags of lights, a massive tinkling fountain, and an archway of balloons threaded with sheer, sparkly scarves led to the terrace. Music played softly, and specs of quartz glimmered within the patio’s wide granite flagstones, all of it just begging for a slow dance.

He stopped in the shadows, and a lump rose in his throat, suddenly very alone. Felix sighed, jamming his hands into his pockets. Man, he was stupid. Of course Liam wasn’t going to show. This is why you don’t fall for boys who want to be discreet, dummy—no matter how pretty they are.

And dear God was Liam Montgomery pretty. Muscles on top of a swimmer’s build and dark, cherry cola waves with a smile that could charm a hydra at one hundred paces. The boy’s looks were straight-up dangerous. He could have his pick of anyone, male or female.

But he’d chosen Felix. Said he wanted to be with him.

Well, discreetly. Felix ran a hand over his face. Discreet. Like everyone in Havers didn’t know everything about everybody else. It was a recipe for disaster on both their parts, but Felix couldn’t seem to take Liam off the menu. When they were together, the rest of it didn’t matter.

Felix frowned, not sure when he’d totally fallen for him, but he had. Hard.

A giggle and then a gasp came from the terrace and was followed by a groan. Sounded like someone was taking full advantage of everyone inside being occupied. His lips tipped up, wondering if it were one of Crystal’s crew. There was all that speculation about Becky Swann cheating on JC Mills…

The edges of Felix’s ears tingled, and he debated for all of point three seconds before tapping into his karma and distorting himself to blend in with his surroundings.

Might as well take in some entertainment before Jena got there.

Lord knew they’d need any ammunition they could get when she did.

He crept forward and slipped beneath the balloon arch onto the terrace.

Whoever they were, they were definitely in a compromising position, pressed into the shadows at far corner. He recognized Jenny Rhys’s swinging platinum bob first, her skirts rucked up around her waist, and—

Liam groaning, one hand slapping against the building as he spent himself inside her.

Felix gasped, his head light as he stumbled back, dropping karma.

Liam spun at the sound, quickly tucking himself into his pants. “Shit…Felix?”

Jenny giggled, straightening her skirts, and Felix gagged.

A girl. Liam had been a fucking a girl.

“T-this…this is…but said you’re not…” Felix ran a trembling hand over his lips, tasting bile and tears stinging his eyes as Liam zipped up. A sharp pain tore through Felix’s heart. “I-I thought—”

“Yeah, I know.” Liam flipped his cherry cola hair from his eyes like he hadn’t just gotten caught bending someone else over. That it’d been a female was an entirely different level of fucked up Felix couldn’t even begin to wrap his brain around. “But this is better. Jenny’s cool.”

Felix blanched, his fist in front of his lips as he gagged again. Better? How could he say that? How could he smile and say that?

She held out a hand to Felix. “I think it’ll be hot.”

“It’ll all work out this way,” Liam said, putting his arm around her. “The three of us.”

Felix recoiled. Were they serious? That wasn’t—no.

No. After everything Liam had said to him, what Felix had thought they were to each other, how was that not enough now?

And that Liam actually thought that Felix could be with—no.

He shook his head, his stomach heaving and his knees threatening to give. He choked back the sick. “I c-can’t.”

“No, you can’t,” Jena growled from behind him, swishing up the steps in a dress that made her look like the Wicked Witch. Small hairs all over Felix’s body stood at attention with the karma she was manifesting, her green eyes crackling with anger. “How dare you, Liam Montgomery!”

“What?” He looked between them totally baffled, then his face ghosted white. “Wait, I didn’t—”

“Fuck you,” Jena spat, hooking her arm through Felix’s. “We done here?”

Felix’s jaw tightened, trying to draw strength from her—at least enough to walk away. He nodded and met Liam’s gaze.

“Yeah. We’re done.”