Page 126 of Sigils & Spells

Jared chuckled. “You’re not still holding a grudge against that witch, are you? What’s her name again?”

“Natalie,” Corwin muttered. “If she hadn’t spoken up, there wouldn’t have been any land for the vampiresorthe other pack to purchase because we’d have it all.”

“The territory you did manage to buy is larger than all of our ancestral lands put together, even the parts we’ve lost over the years, so I wouldn’t worry about it.”

“Except now we have to share borders with a bunch of witches, vampiresandanother pack.”

“Speaking of the other pack, do we know anything about them? I don’t think I’ve met any of them before.”

“I’m sure they mentioned the name of their pack.” Corwin paused for a moment, then shrugged. “I can’t quite remember what it was, though.”

“Well, find out, will you?” Jared led the way into the Zero Diner, his stomach rumbling at the smells permeating the space.

“No time like the present, right?” Corwin nodded toward a table at the back where some of the wolves in question were having lunch.

“Perfect,” Jared said.

A few moments later, they were seated with the wolves, laughing and chatting like they’d been friends for years.

Jared was certain they’d planned to ask the wolves something, but he’d completely forgotten whatever it was.

No matter though.

It must not have been that important.

*.*.*.*.*

Pippa was hiding out.

She’d been planning to go into town to scope out the newest residents and possibly choose her next bedmate, but then Jo had gone and ruined everything.

So instead of joining the coven as they ventured into town, Pippa had retreated here, beneath one of the weeping willows that ran along the stream at the back of their property.

Considering how she was feeling at the moment, the closer she stayed to water, the better.

The problem was she saw no end in sight to this completely unbearable situation.

All those eligible men wandering around town and Pippa couldn’t risk getting to know a single one of them.

All she’d wanted was someone to shake the sheets with. Instead, she faced the very real threat of finding her mate.

At least only Jo was idiotic enough to make that particular casting.

Maybe they’d get lucky and her magic would only manage to snag one mate—her own.

Unfortunately, Pippa had never been that lucky, not even once in her life. Instead, she seemed to specialize in bad luck.

Case in point: her hormones were in complete turmoil, demanding she take action now, while the magic in her well boiled toward the surface, closer and closer to an explosion.

Worse still was knowing she now had to avoid all the eligible men in town, meaning there was no relief in sight.

Her frustration was so high, her magic was practically sizzling across the surface of her skin.

Pippa closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.

It didn’t work.

Her fingers tingled with the need to release some magic and she glanced around frantically, wondering what she could safely set on fire.

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