Season of the Witch (Claws Clause 2)

It was a black case featuring a shining moon. A witch’s case. The moon reflected a pale glow over a glossy purple lake. Rhinestones—mimicking diamonds—dotted the sides, making it a little tacky, yet undeniably perfect. Despite her glamour, the sales clerk had known what she was and he’d given her a case no witch could resist.

It wasn’t until after she’d left the big box store on the other end of Grayson that it hit her that he… he might’ve been flirting with her. It had been quite a surprise, and she talked herself into believing he was just being a nice guy.

No one ever flirted with Shea.

Her apothecary tended to scare most suitors off. Other witches were careful to stay away from the broken Moonshadow. Humans were wary of her, even if she wasn’t exactly a true witch.

And shifters?

They only ever gave their fated mate the time of day. Before they were mated, it was pointless to entertain a relationship; afterward, the shifter wouldn’t even notice anyone but their mate. Like wolves out in the wild were said to do, shifters mated for life.

Except, it seemed, for Colton Wolfe.

His continued rejection stung. No point in lying, especially not to herself. Right when she thought there was someone who would finally want her—whether fate had a hand to play in it or not—Shea learned she was tied to the only shifter male who could willingly give up his mate.

Just her luck.

She ran her finger along the slight etching around the full moon, purposely avoiding Colton’s pointed gaze.

He was a wolf shifter. She was a witch who revered the Goddess. Apart from the bond she couldn’t seem to understand or predict, the moon was probably the only thing the two of them had in common.

As much as it hurt, she used the case. As a reminder of who she was, what he was, and that even if Colton didn’t want her, that didn’t mean no one ever would.

Placing her hand over the back, she slid it across the counter, her fingers tightening around the edge as she wondered if she should just answer it. Her day—which had been going pretty well before Colton’s surprise visit—might be entirely ruined if Hudson had gotten himself into trouble again.

Her brother never called because he wanted to say hi. Hudson always had an ulterior motive.

She could only imagine what he needed her for this time.

The phone stopped ringing before she decided to answer it. It didn’t matter. If she knew Hudson, he would—

“So you can wipe off that grin, I know where you’ve been—”

“They’re calling back,” Colton noted.

“—all been a pack of lies—”

Shea sighed, lifting her hand from the phone.

Later. She’d deal with him later.

“It’s just Hudson. He doesn’t understand that sometimes I can’t take his call.” She shrugged. “Brothers. How’s yours doing, by the way? Still snapping his jaws at anyone getting too close to Evangeline?”

He jerked his head. A nod.

She wasn’t surprised. Snapping his jaws… that was putting it mildly. Before she met Maddox and Evangeline Wolfe, she’d never been up close and personal with a bonded shifter. He seemed to go nuts whenever Evangeline was out of his sight, only calming when he breathed in deep, wrapping himself up in her scent. He acted like she was the most important person in his world, kind and caring and considerate, while threatening to rip out the throat of anyone who crossed his lovely mate.

And then there was Colton, who acted like her very existence was an offense she couldn’t apologize for.

Her smile fell.

“I like her,” she said, struggling to maintain her shields. The fact that she was still so desperate for this man to want her was her problem. If he knew… well, his rejection hurt. Pity, though? She didn’t think she could handle his pity. “She’s nice. She’s helped me a lot lately with, well, everything.”

Colton huffed, a dark look flashing across his handsome face. “Everything, huh? Like a broken shifter with fucked up instincts, right?”

“Oh, crap. Sorry. Look, I didn’t mean that—”

Did she?