Page 58 of Night with a Gamma
“Wren?” Harrison’s voice cuts through my reverie, pulling me back. “You okay?”
“Yeah, just… thinking,” I reply, my cheeks warming under his gaze.
“About?”
I consider how to answer. “About how lucky I am,” I finally say, and his expression softens.
“Me too,” he replies, his voice low and sincere. “We’re in this together.”
The warmth in my chest expands, and I nod, letting the affirmation wash over me. I’ve never felt a love like this before, and it fills me with hope for our future.
As the conversation shifts back to the spell, I listen intently, but a small part of me is still lost in the way Harrison’s fingers brush against mine, sending a spark through my body. I can’t wait to see where our journey leads us, to face the challenges ahead, but most importantly, to do it together.
“Okay, let’s get started on this spell,” Poppy declares, clapping her hands together as she gathers supplies from the pantry. The buzz of excitement fills the kitchen, and I feel the camaraderie of our little family strengthen around me.
“Wren, you’re going to want to focus your fire element on the spell,” Octavia advises, her tone serious yet encouraging. “Your connection to magic is going to be crucial for this.”
I nod, my heart racing at the thought. I’ve always felt a unique connection to fire, a flickering flame that dances just beneath the surface, waiting to be unleashed.
“Right, let’s do this,” I say, determination coursing through me.
As we gather around the kitchen table, a sense of purpose fills the air. The laughter and chatter from moments ago are replaced with focus and intent as we begin to weave magictogether. The energy pulses around us, a tangible force that binds us as a pack, as friends, as family.
With every word spoken and every gesture made, I can feel the bond between us growing stronger, much like the flames I wield. And amidst the chaos of the outside world, in this cozy kitchen surrounded by those I love, I know that together, we can overcome anything.
The dark witch may have cast her shadow over our lives, but we are not alone in this fight. We have each other, and that is more powerful than any dark magic she wields.
As I glance at Harrison, our eyes meet, and I see the same strength reflected back at me. He is my mate, my partner, and I know without a doubt that our love will light the way forward. True peace settles in my heart knowing that one night with my Gamma changed everything and fate's golden string brought us together.
The spell is our first step, but it won’t be the last.
EPILOGUE
TWO YEARS EARLIER…
Poppy
The sun hangslow in the sky, casting a warm pinkish hue over the rugged landscape of Canyon Village. I can hear the distant rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze, but my heart is pounding with a different kind of rhythm — one that thrums with defiance and a touch of anxiety. I’m standing at the edge of the lodge, the scent of pine and earth mingling in the air, when Tate steps into my path, blocking my escape.
“Over my dead body are you leaving here!” he growls, his voice low and menacing.
I roll my eyes, crossing my arms defiantly. “Well, lay down and go die then because I ain't gonna be told what to do, especially not by you.”
I sidestep him, the tension in the air thick like fog. As I brush past, I catch a whiff of something that makes my stomach churn — a sickly sweet perfume lingering in the air. My inner bear snarls at the thought. How disgusting is it for a man to pursue me while reeking of another woman? It’s not just rude; it’s downright offensive.
Tate, undeterred, steps in front of me again, his jaw clenched. “You don’t understand, Poppy. Bear shifters are sexual beings. What I do with other women doesn’t mean anything. You’re the one I want.”
I can’t suppress the growl that slips from my lips, a primal sound that even I don't fully understand. “That doesn’t make it any better, Tate. You think I’m just going to roll over because you’ve decided I’m the one? You’re mistaken.”
Inside my mind, my inner bear rages. She claws at the walls of my consciousness, furious at the very idea of being tied to someone like Tate — a man who thinks he can control me, who believes that his desires outweigh my own autonomy. Lucky for me, we aren’t mates. The bond of mates is supposed to be sacred, but with Tate, it feels more like a prison.
“Poppy, just give me a chance,” he insists, desperation creeping into his tone.
A chance? My inner bear huffs.“We should escape this misogynistic way of life before it’s too late,”she urges, and I can feel her energy pulsing through me, a potent reminder of the freedom I crave.
“Fine,” I say suddenly, surprising both of us. “I’ll go to dinner with you. But it’s just dinner, Tate. Don’t read anything into it.”
He blinks, clearly caught off guard. “Really?”
