Page 1 of Enchanting the Alpha

ONE

Romi Weir stood in the middle of her city apartment, surrounded by cardboard boxes and the remnants of her old life. Early morning sunlight streamed through the windows, catching dust motes that danced in the air like tiny specs of magic. She picked up a crystal vial from her potions shelf, carefully wrapping it in tissue paper before placing it in a box marked “Magical Items - Fragile.”

“One more box down, about a million to go,” she muttered, brushing a strand of light brown hair from her face. Her cat Whiskers meowed in agreement from his perch on the windowsill, his tail twitching as he watched her work.

The apartment looked different now, stripped of the personal touches that had made it home for the past five years. Gone were the enchanted wind chimes that played soft melodies when magic stirred in the air. The wall of family photos had been carefully packed away, leaving behind faint rectangles where frames once hung.

Romi paused as she reached for another vial, her fingers hovering over a small silver picture frame she hadn’t noticed before. It had fallen behind the shelf, forgotten. She pulled it out,her heart clenching at the image – her, Thane, Clover, and their grandmother.

“I miss you, Grandma,” she whispered, tracing the edge of the frame.

Her phone buzzed, Thane’s name lighting up the screen. A smile tugged at her lips as she answered. “Hey, big brother.”

“Please tell me you’re actually packing and not just staring at your stuff while contemplating the meaning of life,” Thane’s warm voice teased through the speaker.

“I’m packing! I’ve got at least three boxes done.” She glanced around at the mountain of items still waiting to be sorted. “Maybe four.”

“Only twenty-seven to go then?” He chuckled. “It’s official though, right? You’re really doing this?”

“Yes, it’s official.” Romi’s voice grew stronger, more certain. “The bungalow’s ready?”

“Everything’s set up exactly like you wanted. Though I still think you should let me enchant the kitchen cabinets to organize themselves.”

“The last time you enchanted kitchen cabinets, they developed personalities and refused to open unless you complimented them first.”

“That was unanticipated. And admit it, it made cooking more entertaining.”

Romi laughed, the sound echoing off the half-empty walls. “I’ve got enough on my plate without having to sweet-talk my cabinets. But thank you, Thane. For everything.”

“That’s what brothers are for. Mystic Hollow won’t know what hit it when you bring your magic back to town.”

“Let’s hope that’s a good thing.” She ended the call after her good-byes, her determination renewed. Time to tackle that stress-relief potion she’d been putting off.

In the kitchen, Romi laid out her ingredients: lavender for calmness, chamomile for peace, and a sprinkle of moonstone dust for clarity. She began the familiar motions of potion-making, measuring each component with practiced precision.

“Just a pinch of starlight essence,” she murmured, adding three drops of the silvery liquid. The mixture began to shimmer exactly as it should. Whiskers jumped up on the countertop to watch. Romi’s brows drew together.

“Don’t get too close, Whiskers. You don’t want to get any on you.”

Romi started the incantation, her voice soft and melodious. “Peaceful mind, gentle heart, let stress and worry now depart...”

The potion bubbled gently. Then Whiskers sneezed from the fumes, launching cat saliva into the pot. The recipe did not call for feline DNA. So not good.

Romi’s eyes widened as the liquid began to spark and fizz, magical energy crackling around the edges of the bowl.

“No, no, no...” She reached for her wand to stabilize the reaction, but it was too late. The potion exploded in a burst of rainbow-colored sparks, sending a wave of magical energy across the kitchen. Romi ducked, throwing her arms up to shield her face.

When she looked up, everything seemed normal - except for Whiskers. Where her ordinary black cat had been sitting, now perched a tiny, perfectly formed dragon, complete with shimmering scales and miniature wings. He opened his mouth and released a puff of smoke, looking as surprised as she felt.

“Whiskers?” Romi stared at her transformed pet. “Is that you?”

The dragon-cat tilted his head, flapped his new wings experimentally, then sneezed again, this time releasing a tiny flame that singed the edge of the bowl.

Romi couldn’t help it - she burst out laughing. “Well, that’s one way to liven up packing day. Don’t worry, it should wear off in a few hours. Probably.”

The magical mishap had barely been cleaned up when a knock echoed through the apartment. Clover stood in the now-open doorway, elegant as always in a flowing dress that seemed to catch non-existent breezes. Her cousin’s presence immediately filled the space with a sense of calm wisdom.

“I brought tea,” Clover announced, holding up a thermos. “And the paperwork.”

---