Page 27 of Castings & Curses

“Of course not!” Jared exclaimed. “It’s ridiculous enough that we’ve got two cats in the den, we definitely don’t need a third.”

Pippa gasped. “Don’t listen to him, baby,” she crooned as she rubbed noses with Hocus Purrcus. “He doesn’t mean it. He loves you very much.”

Natalie was only peripherally aware of their bantering because her arms were suddenly full with the cat who had just leapt into them.

* * *

“I can’t believeyou just dumped the cat in the house with Hocus Purrcus,” Tivali said.

“Yeah, that wasn’t suspicious at all,” Muezza agreed.

“They’ve already bonded,” Soraya said. “I don’t see what the big deal is.”

“Really? Because the witches are already questioning how the cat got in,” Tivali said.

“Eh, Hocus Purrcus is always dragging Chester around with him. I’m sure they’ll eventually assume he pulled Gator-Baiter with him instead,” Bygul said.

“Gator-Baiter?” Muezza let out a bark of laughter.

“You can’t say it doesn’t fit,” Bygul said. “Besides, the witches will give her a better name soon enough.”

* * *

“Well, aren’t you simply beautiful?”Natalie crooned as she stroked a hand down the back of the white cat nestled in her arms, making Corwin gulp at the sudden vision of her doing the same to his wolf form.

The cat let out a loud, rumbling purr and Corwin shook off the sensation of Natalie’s hand ruffling his fur.

Damn witch.

She was clearly incapable of controlling even the tiniest bit of her magic if even he was feeling its effects.

“Where did you come from anyway?” she murmured to the cat in her arms, the sexy sound of her voice making Corwin break out into a sweat.

What the hell was happening to him?

Leaping to his feet, he muttered something about having an appointment and bolted for the door.

“We’ll see you at the ceremony tomorrow, Corwin,” Pippa called after him. “Don’t forget. We start at sunrise.”

Corwin’s step faltered for a second, then he shook his head, waved a hand in acknowledgement and hurried outside.

The damn ceremony.

He’d already attended one ceremony, hadn’t he? The entire pack had gathered to celebrate their alpha’s mating. Even the witches had attended, so why they needed a second ceremony, he had no idea.

Wait. Yes, he did.

It was so they could conduct their witchy rituals that he apparently couldn’t escape, given his status as both beta wolf and best friend to the groom.

So fine, he’d show up, act as a witness and try not to let all the witchy abracadabra nonsense get to him.

He just had to get through tomorrow.

Then he could go back to ignoring the woman who had somehow managed to burrow under his skin, where she was currently driving him mad with the itching.

CHAPTER2

“Yes!I knew it had to happen sooner or later,” Soraya said.

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