Page 15 of Bearly Bewitched

“I’m not going to pursue anything right now.” Kaine’s voice held a note of finality. “My little Daisy needs stability, not complications.”

“Or maybe,” Rook suggested carefully, “your niece needs exactly what you need – someone who understands both sides of her heritage and isn’t afraid of a challenge.”

Before Kaine could respond, his phone chimed with Daisy’s special ringtone. A text popped up:Uncle Kaine! Can we get ice creem before the open house tomorrow? Pretty please? I promise to practice my grounding xersises xtra hard!

A second message followed:P.S. - Do you think Hedmiss Vail likes ice creem? We culd invit her.

Kaine’s groan was drowned out by his friends’ laughter.

“Oh, this is priceless,” Burke wheezed. “Even Daisy’s playing matchmaker now.”

“I’m doomed,” Kaine muttered into his whiskey.

“Thoroughly,” Ren agreed, his usually stoic expression cracking into a small smile. “But at least it will be entertaining for the rest of us.”

THIRTEEN

The next evening, twilight painted the academy grounds in shades of purple and gold. Enchanted lanterns bobbed through the air like oversized fireflies casting warm light over displays of magical artifacts and student projects. The scent of caramelized sugar and spiced cider drifted from refreshment tables, mingling with the sharp tang of active spellwork.

Kaine watched Daisy bounce excitedly between magical displays, her earlier nervousness forgotten in the face of so many wonders. After firmly shutting down her three separate attempts to “accidentally” run into Headmistress Vail, she’d switched to Plan B – which apparently involved loudly discussing his cabinet-making skills within earshot of anyone who’d listen.

“My Uncle Kaine made that!” She pointed out the cabinet to a group of young witches. “He’s really talented. And single. Did you know he can cook too? Headmistress Vail was really impressed with his work. She said the craftship was exceptional.”

“Subtle, kid,” Sabine smirked, appearing beside him. Her tiger form shimmered just beneath her skin, lending her movements a predatory grace. “Though you might want to stopher before she starts handing out your business card and listing your favorite movies.”

“I don’t know,” Romi chimed in from his other side. “It’s kind of adorable. Plus, Vail’s actually blushing over there.”

Kaine’s gaze snapped to where Vail stood near the refreshment table, indeed looking a bit pink as she pretended not to hear Daisy’s enthusiastic endorsement. The sight of her hit him like a physical blow - she’d loosened her hair from its usual professional style, dark waves tumbling past her shoulders in a way that made his fingers itch to touch. Her fitted dress showcased curves his bear very much appreciated, while still maintaining the elegance befitting a headmistress.

Their eyes met across the courtyard, and the instant connection sent a jolt of awareness through him. His bear surged forward, wanting to cross the space between them, to catch another hint of her intoxicating scent. The golden sparks of her fire magic called to something primal in him, making his skin feel too tight, too human.

She held his gaze for a heated moment before turning away, but not before he caught her small smile and the way her magic flared in response to his attention. The air around her shimmered with extra warmth, her fire responding to his interest whether she consciously acknowledged it or not.

“Oh, this is painful to watch,” Clover muttered, appearing beside Sabine. “Should we start a pool on how long before one of them snaps and jumps the other?”

“Already done,” Romi grinned. “I’ve got good money on next week’s full moon. All that extra magical energy has to go somewhere.”

“You’re all terrible,” Kaine mumbled.

“Just terribly right,” Sabine countered. “Even my tiger can sense the mate-bond forming. It’s like watching two magnets pretend they’re not being pulled together.”

Professor Felicity Hawthorne’s voice cut through the festivities, sharp as winter frost. “The traditional ward configurations have served this academy for centuries. Modifying them for shifter compatibility risks everything.” Felicity stood rigidly before them, her usual icy demeanor cranked up to arctic levels.

“Then perhaps it’s time for new traditions,” a bear shifter mother growled back, her anger vibrating through the atmosphere. “Or do our children’s safety matter less than your precious protocols?”

“That’s not what I—“ Felicity began, but another parent cut her off.

“My daughter is half witch, half wolf shifter,” the woman said. “Are you suggesting she doesn’t belong here? That she should somehow choose one heritage over the other?”

“Of course not, but?—“

“The academy has always been a sanctuary for witchcraft,” an elderly witch interrupted. “While inclusion is admirable, we must consider the dilution of our magical legacy. These hybrid programs could weaken centuries of carefully preserved knowledge.”

The tension ratcheted higher as more parents joined the argument. Kaine’s bear stirred restlessly, sensing the potential for things to turn ugly. Before he could move to intervene, Vail appeared in the center of the group, her presence somehow both authoritative and welcoming.

“You all raise valid concerns,” she said, her voice carrying clearly without being raised. “Change can be frightening, especially when it involves institutions we hold dear. But consider this – the most powerful magic often comes from unseen sources.”

She gestured at Kaine’s cabinet, which hummed softly with merged witch and shifter energy. “Traditional ward work isindeed precious, but it can be enhanced rather than diluted by new perspectives. Just as a sword becomes stronger in the forging, magic grows more resilient when we challenge it to adapt.”

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