Chapter One

"Go on. Get lost." I shooed impatiently at the mutt that has been lingering on my doorstep. Today, he decided to make himself right at home on my handmade rug. "Go home," I tutted with another flick of my wrist.

With a huff and yawn, the stubborn thing just laid itself on my slightly tattered rug perfectly content. Scoffing, I stepped over the damn thing to sit in my favorite rocket chair to sip on my cooling coffee. Rocking slightly, I ran my fingers along the mug's soothing, wavy pattern as I overlooked my garden. My basil and mint needed to be pruned, then rinsed and hung it to dry. The grape vines lined on the side of my cottage were due for fertilizer as well. Afterwards, I had a few orders to harvest and fulfill as the coven's witch doctor (that I personally named myself for a hoot).

I made sure to slurp loudly after catching the eye of the parasite that decided my porch was its' own personal vacation hotspot. "Oi. Quit complainin' or find someone else to keep you company." I raised my orange mug to my mouth before muttering under my breath, "maybe they'll keep ya, too." I hid the grin when the mutt raised its head and let out a particularly sarcastic huff. After one last loud slurp, I sighed as loudly as I could before raising my arms to the sky to stretch my back. Meeting the stare of the wolf, I gave a sassy finger wavy before stepping back over it and making my leave.

As soon as I shut the door, i made my way over to the bathroom to get myself ready for the day. With a sideways look to my wrinkled green tank top, I decided that it was comfortable enough to work all day in and that bras were for the socially inclined. With an awkward pat to my upper thighs, I realized my brown flare leggings had pockets, so my jammies were officially promoted to help me seize the day. The curly monstrosity on my head looked too evil to untangle so I plopped it into a claw clip on the top of my crown.

Finishing the rest of my routine, I walked to the coffee maker to get it ready for another cup since I have a single serve model (my failed attempt at self control). I listened to the obnoxiously noisy machine as I propped up my elbows to hold my head up. What should I do today? I could finish knitting that baby blanket for the pregnant newbie that I had yet to learn the name of. Seeing movement in the corner of my eye, I glanced up and noticed that annoying mutt peering into the kitchen window that was over my sink. Hmmm. I could fuck shit up and take names? Thats the one, I decided. I practically skipped my way across the room to a looming dark wood bookshelf. Giddy with excitement, I grabbed a dusty one off an upper shelf and started flipping through. I took my index finger and trailed along until I found the one I was looking for. I landed on a curse to change one animal into another. I slammed the book shut and opened my front door with a barely hidden shit eating grin. The mutt slowly lifted its head to make eye contact before briskly yanking itself into a running position- as if it knew I was up to something at its own expense. It would be right, of course.

"Come now. That's no way to be, is it? Now if you could just nicely walk in and behave we will have a splendid time." The sides of my mouth were starting to ache as that dirty mutt took off running. "I always did love when they play hard to get," I sighed. Turning around, I snapped my ring clad fingers. A low whimper broke out as my magic slung the overgrown baby of a wolf in the air and unto my living room floor in the blink of an eye. Without so much as care, I flung my arms out as I turned around to cast all the curtains closed. Slowly all the candles placed around the room flickered on one after another. Lights reflected around the room bouncing off carefully placed crystals to form a pentagram. The round rug, on which the wolf lay, began to glow an eerie shade of red  as the magic woven in the threads activated. With a delightful laugh, I crossed my legs and plopped my ass into the floor. "Let's make you a bit more pleasant. Shall we?" I said meeting the wolf's eyes. Almost as if it was offended, it rolled its eyes. "If you ain't got nothing nice to say, then don't say it, eh?" I stated offhandedly.

Slowly I closed my eyes to focus on gathering my magic. I started weaving my spell (technically slightly illegal curse) like thread in my mind's eye. I heard rustling from movement and found myself unable to resist. I opened my right eye to see the wolf standing itself up and start stretching. Almost immediately, bones were breaking and mending themselves as the wolf's limbs began growing. Twisting into new shapes. Hair receded and a brief thought crossed my mind about if there was a spell to do that on my own skin. I quickly shoved that idea aside knowing it wasn't the time.

Before long, a human man stood in the middle of my floor with crossed arms and a very sour expression. He stood tall with bottomless black eyes identical to the wolf's. Dark brownish-black hair stood up on his head- prickly like his now attitude- with the sides shaved in close. One eye still closed, I tutted to which he raised a single brow. "Damn, I wanted to turn you into a frog," I drawled sarcastically. I looked him up and down before finally opening my other eye and falling to lay on the floor with a groan. The hot ones always brought trouble.

With a gravely voice I didn't expect, the male started stalking a wide circle around me completely freed of my pentagram. "You were going to turn me into a frog?" He quietly demanded.

I flicked my right wrist, and just barely caught him flinching out of the way from the corner of my eye. "Nonsense."

He hummed. It was a low pleasant sound. "Do you go around blowing directly in all huge predators' nose to ask if your breath stinks, or was I just special?" He questioned before giving his surveying me and moving to stand directly in front of my feet. I started to clean out the dirt from under my left thumb. "Are you even ashamed?"

"That doesn't seem like a proper 'thank you' for releasing your wolf's control over you, but I'll accept it this once." Of course, I knew he had to have been a werewolf the whole time. I'm not crazy. I couldn't preform the forbidden magic until the day of a full moon. Well, it wasn't until the second day that I even realized the wolf needed help. The first day I noticed him hovering on my doorstep, I assumed he came on local pack business. When I noticed him looking so pitiful by nightfall, I immediately knew he wasn't staying in wolf form intentionally. As he continued to hover, I sent word out to confirm or deny his presence in the neighboring pack. He came back as an unknown rouge to them. To a coven of witches sitting on a thread-bare treaty between local wolves and vampires, his presence was dangerous. I sat up and raised my head as I looked up at him through my lashes to meet his eyes. "Now get out."

He stared at me frozen for a minute before coming to the realization he was working his way unto my shit list. He cleared his throat and briefly glanced away.

I brought my knees to my chest to rest my head on them, then I wrapped my arms around my legs as I waited. He didn't so much as move an inch, but he did cast his eyes around as if taking in his surroundings. I watched silent as his eyes lingered on certain things such as the dried citrus garlands I strung as curtains, the massive bookshelves taking up every wall but one, and the clusters of herbs drying precariously along the ceiling. As he inspected the room, I took time to study him. All of his features were sharp and strong. With wide shoulders and narrow hips, I was positive I'd be spending quite a lot of my alone time drooling over time.

"Although this has been, like, super fun, I must admit I'm curious to know why you haven't so much as glanced at the door, mutt?" I couldn't help but taunt as I continued to peer at him towering over me.

Now looking at me with a scowl, "I-."

The sides of my mouth quirked up. "Oh?"

"I wasn't born like this, you know. I got bitten about a month week before I wandered here." His eyebrows furrowed. "I don't know where to go. When I turned, I panicked and ran as fast as I could from my apartment with no where in mind. A monster lost in the woods." He laughed bitterly.

I clicked my tongue in thought. "I suppose there's plenty of room on my couch for a temporary guest."

With a rather displeased look to my glorified orange velvet loveseat, he leaned back as if he'd rather say no.

Full of renewed energy, I sprung up from my position on the floor and spun on my toes. I threw up my left hand with all my fingers spread. I spoke in a near whisper as if letting him in on a secret. "I'm about to get in super deep shit any second now, so I need you to collect a few things for me." I nodded as if that explained itself and started to head back to the coffee machine.  I had a steaming cup of inspiration calling my name. It was turning out to be quite the day indeed.

I hadn't realized he followed me into the kitchen until I had swirling around- mug in hands. I cast him a look from under my curls that spring loose around my face. "What's wrong? Not willing to deal with a raging psychopath?" I smiled.

His dark eyes bore down at me. His face was void of emotion, so I glanced away to avoid his intense gaze. "Don't be so grumpy. You've trampled past my protective perimeter circle, and officially made yourself my problem. If anything, I've earned my right to sass you to hell and back without remorse."

Titling my head to the side, I brought my eyes back to his demanding presence. He was standing slightly closer than I otherwise thought. "Thank you." He muttered lowly. "For taking me in...and not turning me away." He cleared his throat. "I'll make myself useful around here. "

I threw my head back in a cackle. "Good," ai said without missing a beat. "Don't suppose you'll start now? Be a darlin' and fetch me a plump blue frog, will you?" I purposely fluttered my eyelashes to tease him. "Preferably by the end of that day?"

Eyes never straying from mine, he nodded once. Hesitating only slightly, he turned to leave. Before he reached the door, his entire body stiffened and jumped back as if shocked. Panicked, he was in front of me in a flash lowering himself into a defensive position. I calmly sipped my coffee as my front door quite literally exploded open. The man snarled while I only sighed at the theatrics summoned by someone other than me.