My throat tightened, but I stayed standing.
I laughed. “Natural needs? That’s what we’re calling cheating now?”
Because Isaac’s busy training schedule and my work shifts totally make cheating okay. So this is my fault for having a job?
Isaac reached for my hand, trying to explain.
I slapped him across the face.
“We’re done. Get the fuck out of my sight.”
I stormed out, found Manager Esther, and begged for the afternoon off.
Sitting on a mall bench, I finally let myself break down.
One fucking year wasted on that piece of shit. And the worst part? A tiny voice whispered that maybe Cybele was right. Maybe I wasn’t enough. Maybe being wolfless was my fatal flaw.
I couldn’t hold it back anymore. The tears came flooding out.
The first person I’d ever loved had thrown my heart back in my face like garbage.
Mom was right. Werewolves were trouble. Especially the muscle-heads who thought biceps counted as personality. Isaac was just another walking red flag.
But I wasn’t wrong for wanting to be loved, was I?
I pulled out my phone and called Mom.
When Mom answered, I couldn’t speak. Just these pathetic little hiccupping sounds.
“Ava? Baby, what’s wrong?”
“I-” Another sob escaped. “I broke up with Isaac.”
Silence.
Then, “Oh honey, please tell me you didn’t break up with him just because we fought. I know I was being pushy about him, and I’m sorry-“
“No, Mom.” I sniffled. “He was screwing someone else.”
Sharp intake of breath.
For a few seconds, I expected her to say “I told you so” or launch into some lecture about how I should have listened to her warnings.
Instead, she cursed. “That son of a bitch.”
The fury in her voice broke me all over again.
Not from pain, from relief. She was just pissed for me.
“Want me to brew him an impotence potion?”
Hearing this, I started laughing through my tears. “That’s actually not a terrible idea.”
“I could also hex his dick to fall off. Just saying.”
“Mom!” I was laughing now, ugly-crying and laughing.
“What? I have options.” Her voice gentled. “I’m always here when you need to come home, sweetheart.”
Home. God, I missed having a home.
I wiped my eyes. “Love you, Mom. You were right about werewolves.”
“Not all of them, sweetie. Just the assholes. And there are plenty of those.”
I ended the call, feeling lighter for the first time all day. Since I was already playing hooky, might as well do something useful.
First stop: stress shopping. I ducked into Spencer’s and grabbed a vibrator. Isaac never knew what he was doing anyway. At least this thing came with instructions.
Grandma’s birthday was coming up. Perfect excuse to hit Enchanted Elements on the third floor.
Grandma was a full witch who’d fallen for a werewolf and had Mom, then they crashed and burned. Apparently, supernatural romance was doomed to failure. Good to know I was following family tradition.
The shop sat between a candle store and jewelry boutique, crystals glinting in the window.
I found the perfect thing, a hand-carved door blessing with protective runes.
“Popular item,” the saleswoman said. “The protection spell-“
“I need to buy my mother a gift.” Some asshole in an expensive suit appeared beside us, eyes glued to his phone. He didn’t even glance at the saleswoman, just assumed she’d drop everything for him.
The Alpha energy rolling off him was unmistakable. Another self-important werewolf who thought the world revolved around him.
After the day I’d had, I was in no mood for another entitled asshole.
“In case you haven’t noticed, she’s busy,” I said coolly.
“Yeah, I noticed, but unlike you, I don’t have time to wander around malls all day, and she’s the only salesperson here,” he replied like he owned the entire fucking universe.
“Excuse me?” I couldn’t believe what I’d just heard. Any other day, I might have let it slide. But today? Today I’d watched my boyfriend cheat on me with my coworker. Today I was done being pushed around.
“Look, she can help me real quick, then get back to chatting with you,” he finally looked up from his phone to stare at me.
And damn him, he was gorgeous. Early thirties, tall and broad-shouldered, with green eyes and golden hair that was just long enough to run your fingers through. The kind of perfect lips that promised sinful things. His suit was obviously tailored, probably cost more than I made in six months.
Great. The asshole was gorgeous, which explained the weird magnetic pull. Snap out of it, Ava. Hot guys were still trouble.
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