“But when I saw Malore, I knew the only thing that would stop him was…” He licked his lips slowly. “Me. And I wasn’t going to let anything happen toyou.”
“You hate shifting and…”
“I hate what my family and countless other packs did and the cowardly way they handled Shadowick’s threats. I despise what they stood for.” He rubbed his jaw and shook his head. “But I realized that I couldn’t be so stubborn in my beliefs that I’m responsible for destroying Stonewick. I had the power to stop this attack, and I did.”
“So, you did it for the sake of Stonewick.”
His eyes stayed locked on mine. “I did it for your sake.”
Stella whistled and clapped her hands together. “Now, we’re getting somewhere.”
I scowled at her with a chuckle and realized it would be tough to ever have a romantic moment in this town.
Not that Keegan was trying to be romantic.
I was just a piece of the puzzle.
A tool to help open up what he prized the most.
The Academy.
Yet, out of nowhere, a thought occurred to me.
Would he find Bella attractive?
She was a shifter. He was a shifter.
A little prickle of jealousy sprang through me, and I quickly chopped it back.
Ridiculous.
He was a grown man.
We weren’t together.
The snow whipped around us, and I glanced at the nearly ruined cottage. It was a brief symbol of all we’d lost. But how mightily it was being rebuilt by a little bit of magic and a whole lot of hope made me realize just how mighty this little town was.
A pang of sorrow and a fierce determination to rebuild sprouted inside me. The Academy was on the verge of opening. The Wards needed fresh minds, new energy, and seasoned beings to keep the Academy safe.
And I had my first teacher.
“Do you need a place to stay?” I dragged my gaze from the cottage. “Not that I’m sure my cottage will be ready tonight.”
“Oh, the Academy ought to provide me with shelter.” She grinned mischievously, and I half expected her tail to sprout behind. Her resemblance to a fox was startling.
I chuckled and shook my head. “Right. That makes complete sense. I guess that’s something a headmistress should know.”
“I’ll be your guinea pig.” Bella smiled and shrugged.
“Pardon?”
“You know, I’ll be there for you to experiment on, so you look extra polished when the next teacher arrives.”
“You think more are coming?”
“I know more are coming.” She grinned wryly.
I turned my attention back to the cottage as her words settled around me.
