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“You’re not damaged.” I lift up on my tiptoes and kiss him slowly. “But you are mean.”

“And you like me that way?” he asks, raising an eyebrow.

I shrug. “What can I say? You’re hot when you’re angry.”

He rolls his eyes, reaching around me to top off the last two glasses with more bubbles. “Fire pun—very witty.”

“Are you two bringing the drinks over here, or do we need to leave the room for a moment and give you some time alone?” Tanner calls.

“Patience is a virtue,” Luther tells him. “But, yeah, we’re coming. You got the cake?”

Tanner flicks his eyes toward the table. He and Sam have strung some balloons above it and Kole is fixing bunting to the ceiling. The sight of them making the cabin all pretty and colorful makes my chest swell with love and happiness.

“You might act like a bunch of big, tough boys, but at the heart you’re really just soppy little kittens.” I put down the glasses I’m carrying, then tease Sam’s hair.

“Did you just liken me to a cat?” he asks with a growl in his voice.

I shake my head and bite back a smile. “Never. You’re a big bad wolf.” I kiss him swiftly, then click my fingers at the knot Kole’s trying to tie and finish it for him.

“If you could do that, why didn’t you do it sooner?” he says, climbing down the stepladder and folding it away.

I shrug. “Don’t like to show off.”

He kisses my forehead as he passes to put the steps away under the stairs.

“When’s he due back?” I glance at the clock.

“Five-ish. Rev and Nico will be here soon too, but Sarah said she can’t make it. She’s doing another press call… seems she’s become the poster-witch for unelementals all over the country.” Luther arranges the champagne glasses in front of the cake, then stands back and folds his arms. He nods proudly and says, “That’ll do. Right?”

“Right.” I tuck my arm through his and rest my head on his shoulder.

“How old actually is the professor?” Sam is sitting on the arm of the couch. Tanner slaps his hand away from the dish of party nibbles on the coffee table.

“As old as time,” Tanner quips.

“Fifty-something,” Luther says. “He’s fifty-something. Right, Kole?”

A growl interrupts us. On his way back from the stairs, Kole opens the door and Snow ambles inside. A fetching piece of metal armor, made for him by the town’s grateful blacksmith, covers the burned patch on his shoulder; a drop of my blood healed his wounds, but apparently I can’t re-grow hair.

“Still looking like a badass,” Kole tells him, patting the giant bear on the back as if he’s one of the gang.

“Is it weird that they spend time apart now?” I ask, hooking my arms around Snow’s neck for a cuddle. As usual, a deep purr rumbles in his chest as he nuzzles me.

“Nah. You’re your own bear. Right, Snow? You’re not attached to Mack’s apron strings.” Tanner sits down on the couch and puts his feet on the coffee table, crossing them at the ankles.

Snow glares at him witheringly, as if he still just doesn’t get the way he and Mack work.

“Before Mack gets here…” Luther starts to speak but there’s a knock on the door. I hop past him to open it and throw my arms around Rev the second she steps inside.

Nico hovers next to her. When she nods at him, he offers me a brief hug too, then takes her jacket.

“Is he here?” Rev scans the cabin.

“Any second now.” I point to the clock. “We better get ready.”

As we all huddle together behind the couch, Snow tries to join us. He barges into the table, causing Luther to jump up and tell him to mind the drinks. Snow squares up to him and huffs, so I slip between them. “Snow, why don’t you wait by the door? Mack will be expecting you anyway.”

Snow meets my eyes, grumbles, then does as I say. He is only just in position when we hear feet on the steps outside. The door opens. We wait as the familiar sound of Mack’s footsteps fills the room. I expect him to turn on the light but, when he doesn’t, I nudge the others. I count to three under my breath, then we spring up and yell, “SURPRISE!”