Page 6 of Enchanting the Alpha

“Quite a show you two are putting on,” a familiar drawl cut through Xabir’s focus. Arlo, his beta, had materialized beside them with his characteristic smirk. “Never seen you volunteer for these kinds of things before, Alpha.”

Xabir straightened, forcing his expression back to its usual stoic mask. “Supporting local businesses is part of our responsibility to the community.”

“Mm-hmm,” Arlo’s knowing look said he wasn’t fooled for a second. “And the fact that Ms. Weir is a powerful witch with a smile that could light up the whole town has nothing to do with it?”

“Arlo.” The warning in Xabir’s voice would have sent most pack members scrambling for cover, but his beta just grinned wider.

“Just making an observation, Alpha. Though I have to say, you two do make quite the pair.” He nodded toward where Romi was chatting with some guests. “Been a while since I’ve seen you look at anyone that way.”

Xabir didn’t dignify that with a response, but he couldn’t stop his eyes from tracking Romi’s movements through the crowd. His wolf was restless, wanting to stay close to her, to learn everything about her, to make her smile again.

The intensity of the reaction unsettled him – he’d built his reputation on control and distance, on being the composed, authoritative,single, alpha his pack needed.

But watching Romi laugh at something Thane said, her magic leaving trails of warmth in its wake, Xabir knew his carefully ordered world had just been blown all to hell. His wolf had already made its choice. Now it was up to him to figure out how to bridge the gap between his responsibilities as alpha and this unexpected, overwhelming pull toward a witch who might just be powerful enough to breach all his defenses.

SIX

“Something needs to change,” Thane said, leaning against the café counter as Romi experimented with a new batch of enchanted coffee beans. “The tension between witches and shifters keeps getting worse.”

Romi paused her grinding, watching golden sparks dance from the beans. “I noticed. Mrs. Henderson refused to shop at the Twilight Markets just because it’s run by shifters now.”

“And the Lupo Pack, except for Xabir, won’t come near any witch-owned businesses.” Thane ran a hand through his sandy hair. “It’s ridiculous. We’re all part of Mystic Hollow.”

“Someone should take initiative,” Romi mused, her coffee cup tattoo tingling as she poured the ground beans into her enchanted filter. “Bring everyone together somehow.”

A mischievous glint appeared in Thane’s blue eyes. “Funny you should mention that. I’ve been talking with Xabir about organizing a picnic. Something casual, you know? Get both sides mingling.”

Romi’s heart skipped at Xabir’s name. Their first meeting at her café’s re-opening still burned brightly in her memory - the way his hazel eyes had locked onto hers, the quiet intensityradiating from him, the surprising gentleness in his smile when she’d made him laugh.

“Earth to Romi.” Thane waved his hand in front of her face, grinning. “Thinking about a certain alpha?”

“Shut up.” She flicked a coffee bean at him, which he caught and popped into his mouth with insufferable smugness. “I just think he could use some fun. He’s so... serious all the time.”

“Can’t imagine why. Running a hotel empire and leading a pack must besuperrelaxing.”

“You’re not helping.” But she smiled, considering the idea. “A picnic could work though. Something laid-back enough that people feel comfortable, but structured enough to encourage interaction.”

“Great!” Thane straightened, already pulling out his enchanted notepad. “I’ll start planning. We can do games, food stations, maybe even a scavenger hunt...”

“Wait.” Romi narrowed her eyes. “You already had this whole thing planned, didn’t you?”

“Would I do that?” His innocent expression fooled no one. “Besides, you’re the one who gets flustered every time Xabir walks by. Consider this my brotherly duty to help you flirt properly.”

“I do not get-” A puff of cinnamon-scented smoke interrupted her protest as Whiskers snorted from his perch above the espresso machine. “Oh, not you too!”

“I’ll this all set up and ready for tomorrow afternoon,” Thane said walking out.

Romi just shook her head and sighed.

The next morningof the picnic dawned bright and clear. Romi stood in her kitchen, carefully packing enchanted treatsinto a wicker basket while trying to ignore her reflection in the window.

She’d spent an embarrassing amount of time choosing her outfit - a flowing sundress in deep purple that brought out her eyes, paired with comfortable boots for the scavenger hunt. Her light brown hair fell in soft waves around her shoulders, and she’d even dabbed on some shimmer dust that made her skin glow subtly.

“This is ridiculous,” she told Whiskers, who watched her fuss. “I’m a grown woman with a successful business. I do not need to get nervous about seeing one admittedly gorgeous shifter at a picnic.”

Whiskers responded by creating a heart shape with his smoke rings.

“You’re fired as my familiar.”

---