Page 8 of Enchanting the Alpha

EIGHT

“Light and shadows,” Romi answered. The sprite clapped, performing an aerial somersault.

“Correct! Your prize awaits.” She gestured to a floating key that appeared behind her, hovering just out of reach. “If you can catch it.”

The key darted away as soon as they approached, zooming between trees and through tight spaces. Romi raised her wand. “I can levitate it, but we need to corner it first.”

Without warning, Xabir shifted. Where the man had stood, a massive black wolf now watched her with intelligent hazel eyes. Her breath caught - he was gorgeous in this form too, powerful and graceful as he bounded after the key.

Working together, they caught it quickly. When Xabir shifted back, fully clothed thanks to shifter magic, unfortunately, his hair was charmingly disheveled. Romi reached up without thinking, smoothing a wayward strand.

“You had some leaves,” she said softly, her hand lingering near his face. His eyes darkened, and for a moment, the air between them crackled with possibility.

Then another scavenger hunt couple crashed through the woods nearby, breaking the spell. They stepped apart, though Romi could have sworn Xabir looked as reluctant as she felt.

They returned triumphantly to the picnic area where Thane waited with knowing eyes. “First team back. Though you took your time in that meadow.”

“The illusions were tricky,” Romi said primly, ignoring her brother’s suggestive eyebrows.

Sharing Romi’s enchanted treats, they settled on a picnic blanket to watch other teams return. Conversation flowed easily between them - discussing their respective magical specialties, debating the best coffee roasting techniques, and planning potential collaborations between the café and hotel.

“You should stop by sometime,” Romi found herself saying. “I’m experimenting with some new beverage enchantments that might work well in your hotel restaurants. Plus, I’ve been told my company is moderately entertaining.”

“Moderately?” His lips twitched. “I’d rate it higher than that.”

A commotion near the edge of the park caught their attention. A group of older shifters huddled together, shooting dark looks toward where some witch families gathered. The hostility in their expressions sent a chill down Romi’s spine.

Xabir tensed beside her, clearly sensing the same undercurrent of tension. But before either of them could investigate, Petra, Xabir’s sister, swept over with fresh drinks and questions about the scavenger hunt, smoothly dispersing the moment.

As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the park, Romi packed up her basket with a strange mix of emotions. The day had been more fun than she’d expected, full of laughter and growing connection. But that glimpse of tension remained, a reminder of the challenges ahead.

“Thank you for being my partner today,” Xabir said as they prepared to leave. “Despite our families’ obvious matchmaking attempts, I genuinely enjoyed myself.”

“High praise from someone so serious.” She smiled up at him. “We’ll have to work on getting you to laugh more often.”

“Is that so?” His eyes sparkled with something that made her heart race. “I look forward to your attempts.”

He caught her hand, bringing it to his lips in an old-fashioned gesture that somehow felt more intimate than a kiss. “Until next time, Romi.”

She watched him walk away, her skin tingling where his lips had touched. Whiskers landed on her shoulder, purring contentedly.

“Oh, stop looking so smug,” she told him, but couldn’t quite suppress her smile. Her brother’s matchmaking scheme might have been obvious, but maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

The real question was how soon she could convince Xabir to visit her café again. She had some new recipes to test, and she was discovering she very much enjoyed making him smile.

NINE

“Isaw that kiss on her hand.” Petra’s voice startled Xabir from his thoughts as he watched Romi walk away. His sister’s dark eyes sparkled with mischief. “Very smooth, big brother. Old-fashioned, but smooth.”

“I was being polite.”

“Mh-mmm.” Petra linked her arm through his, steering him toward where her husband Wesley played with their son Luca near the enchanted swing set. “That’s why you couldn’t take your eyes off her all day.”

Xabir sighed, knowing resistance was futile. When Petra got that look in her eye, there was no escape.

“Unca Xabir!” Luca launched himself at Xabir’s legs, bringing a smile to the alpha’s face. He scooped up his nephew, tossing him in the air as the boy squealed with delight, tiny fingers clutching at Xabir’s shirt.

“Having fun with the new witch?” Wesley asked, his eyes twinkling as he joined them. “She seems to bring out a different side of you.”

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