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Between party planningand prepping for the full moon ritual to remove the magic from the witchfinder broach, I didn’t have too much time to wonder about Jackson’s mate. I’d gotten a couple texts from him with updates about finding out Ashleigh was now an elementary school teacher, but that was it. No more voicemails asking me to meet for a drink, or asking to talk.
I tried to be relieved instead of disappointed. It would have lowered my opinion of him substantially if he was still hitting on me after he already found his mate. Besides werewolves were wired for monogamy. I was a distant memory once he found her.
And after this party was behind me, I wouldn’t have to see him again for a long time.
I brushed my hair up into a messy bun, then went to work on my make up. It wasn’t that I wanted to remind him what he was missing. Much. I rolled my eyes at my reflection. This was silly.
But I did look hot.
My black leather skirt fell to my mid-thigh, with boots that came up to my knees, so I could flash a little skin, but also not freeze my ass off. The white cashmere sweater was fluffy like new fallen snow with a plunging neckline, accentuating my cleavage.
I was ready to make a werewolf wish for things he shouldn’t.
Grabbing my bag, I left my place for the Howling Wolf Taqueria. We’d rented out the restaurant tonight and I’d arrived an hour early to set up.
Faith craned her neck from her perch on a ladder as I entered. “Hi Winter. Just placing the mistletoe.”
I chuckled. “Do we need it?”
“You never know.” She carefully came down the ladder even though we both knew as a werewolf she could have jumped down without a problem. “Zeke and Ruby were mates. Maybe fate chose more witches for our single wolves.”
“Couldn’t we just shake hands to find out?”
Her eyes sparkled. “Mistletoe would be a better story.”
“True.” I made a mental note to stay as far from that mistletoe as possible. The last thing I needed was to get mixed up with a werewolf again.
But being with Jackson had made me realize I was sick of being alone. I’d even found a few pictures I didn’t hate and put them up on a local dating app. By next year Jackson would be a fond memory instead of a constant ache.
As I finished lighting the final candle in the last centerpiece, the front bell jangled as the party goers arrived. Ruby came in with one baby in her arms and Zeke trailing behind with the diaper bag and another infant.
Ruby wrapped me in a tight one-armed hug. “Everything looks beautiful, Winter.” She pulled back. “Merry Christmas!”
“Thanks.” I smiled at the baby. “Merry Christmas…Carson?”
Ruby laughed. “Cade. Zeke has Carson.”
I took Cade’s tiny hand in mine. “Hopefully I’ll figure out how to tell you apart from your brother before you’re old enough to remember how Auntie Winter called you by the wrong name.”
More chimes. I looked back to see Wyatt and Wes coming into the restaurant. They were the tallest of the wolf pack members with light brown hair and dark brown eyes. A few more wolf pack members entered, but I couldn’t recall all their names.
That’s probably why Lillian and Mathias started these joint holiday parties, in hopes the wolves and witches would get to know each other. Maybe it would work better now that Zeke and Ruby were a couple, but in all the years past the holiday parties tended to be more like a junior high dance with all the wolves on one side of the room and the coven on the other.
It must’ve been something to do with being supernatural in a mundane world, but none of us seemed to be great at mingling.
All the werewolves were handsome, at least today. Tomorrow night was the full moon and they’d be a lot hairier. Not that I’d ever seen them shifted. Even with our coven performing our full moon rituals out on the pack’s farm, they ran far from where we held our ritual circle.
Jackson came through the door and my body heated. Ugh. I tried to remind myself he found his mate, but my body didn’t seem to be getting the message. It had been too recent that his head had been between my thighs while I sat on the edge of his desk.
This line of thought wasn’t helping.
I spun around before we could lock eyes and hurried back to the kitchen. Max was our staff lead for the night. He had short brown hair and dark brown eyes and he was rocking a five o’clock shadow along his jaw. He was cute. A good-looking guy I might’ve had a drink with a couple weeks ago.
But he didn’t have that undercurrent of danger like Jackson did.
He may have ruined me for all other men after one hot night. I was doomed.
“Hey, Winter.” Max grinned. “Need anything?”
