Page 31 of Enchanting the Alpha

She turned to kiss him properly, soft and sweet with the promise of more, before reluctantly pulling back.

Xabir kept one arm around her waist as she grabbed her notebook, his alpha instincts content with her close proximity. The way their magic and energy naturally harmonized still amazed him, creating a constant low hum of awareness between them.

A sudden flicker of the enchanted lanterns interrupted their planning. The magical lights dimmed momentarily before brightening again. Xabir’s protective instincts snapped to attention, his body tensing.

“That’s odd,” Romi frowned, glancing up at the lanterns as the customers followed suit. “They shouldn’t do that.”

“Could it be a power surge?” Xabir asked, though his gut told him otherwise. His arms tightened around her instinctively, his alpha energy expanding to shield her.

“No, these are powered by pure magic.” Romi stood to examine the nearest lantern, but Xabir moved with her, keeping her within the protective circle of his embrace. Their newfound intimacy had only heightened his protective instincts. “They’re completely independent of?—”

The lantern suddenly flared blindingly bright before going completely dark. Around the café, other magical items began behaving erratically. A set of self-stirring spoons clattered to the counter. The enchanted menu board scrambled its letters into nonsense.

“Something’s wrong,” one of the customers said, a worried expression on her face. Xabir moved to place himself between Romi and the malfunctioning items, his alpha energy wrapping around her like armor while trying to stabilize the fluctuating magic in the room. “This isn’t natural,” another patron said, rising from their chair.

THIRTY-TWO

Romi’s magic sparked visibly, reaching for his alpha energy with the familiarity of longtime lovers. Even in crisis, their powers sought each other, strengthening their connection. “No, it’s not. Someone’s interfering with the magical field.”

A crash from the kitchen made them both jump. Before Romi could move, Xabir caught her hand, bringing it to his lips briefly before taking the lead. “Stay close to me.”

She squeezed his fingers but didn’t argue, following close behind as they made their way to the kitchen. They found a mess of spilled potions and overturned equipment. The magical preservation spells on the ingredients had failed, causing several items to spoil instantly.

“This is deliberate sabotage,” Xabir growled, his protective instincts surging stronger as he scanned the room for threats. The thought of someone targeting Romi’s café, trying to undermine everything they’d built together, made his alpha side snarl with rage. “Someone’s trying to disrupt your preparations for game night.”

Romi pressed against his back, her magic flowing soothingly around them both. “But who would?—”

Another crash interrupted her, followed by a startled cry from the main room. They hurried back to find Mrs. Henderson sprawled on the floor. An energy-enhancement potion had spilled, causing her to become partially invisible.

“I can’t see my hands!” Mrs. Henderson’s disembodied voice wavered with panic. “What’s happening?”

“Stay calm, Mrs. Henderson.” Romi moved to help, but Xabir caught her around the waist, pressing a quick kiss to her shoulder.

“Let me check the area first,” he murmured against her skin. When she nodded, he expanded his senses, scanning for any lingering threats. Only when he was satisfied it was safe did he release her, though he stayed close as she knelt beside the partially invisible woman.

Romi’s magic flowed out to contain the spell, and Xabir’s alpha energy joined with it automatically, their powers dancing together with practiced ease. What had once amazed them now felt natural, like two pieces of a whole finally united.

“Everyone, please step back,” he ordered, his voice carrying the unmistakable authority of an alpha. The magical disturbance had drawn a crowd from passers-by seeing the flashing lights.

His gaze caught on Bastian Presley lurking near the door, watching the chaos with poorly concealed satisfaction. The young man had been vocal about his disapproval of witch-shifter cooperation, making no secret of his prejudices.

“Thane!” Xabir called out as Romi’s brother entered the café. “Help me clear the area.”

Together, they guided people away while Romi worked to stabilize Mrs. Henderson’s condition. But the damage was already spreading beyond the physical chaos. Whispers and accusations began circulating through the crowd.

“This is what happens when you trust witch magic,” a shifter muttered.

“Maybe if shifters weren’t so aggressive with their energy—” a witch shot back.

Xabir’s alpha presence filled the room. “That’s enough,” his voice carried absolute authority. “This was sabotage, not an accident. And pointing fingers only serves whoever’s trying to divide us.”

He watched proudly as Romi succeeded in reversing the invisibility spell, her power and control making his alpha side preen. After she helped Mrs. Henderson to her feet, he pulled her back against his chest, needing the contact to settle his agitated instincts.

“Thank you, dear.” Mrs. Henderson patted Romi’s hand, smiling knowingly at their obvious closeness. “Don’t let this discourage you. We need more unity in this town, not less.”

Xabir nuzzled Romi’s hair, inhaling her calming scent as his thumb traced circles on her hip. “We should check the security spells,” he suggested quietly. “See if we can trace who’s behind this.”

“Always so protective,” she teased, but her hands covered his where they rested on her waist.

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