Fairy lights crisscrossed the stage. The faint smell of roasted chestnuts drifted from nearby food stalls set up for the weekend market.
I could already picture the area filled with numerous stalls for the Winter Festival.
The stage itself stood tall and gleaming under spotlights, its edges draped with banners for the upcoming event.
I could already feel the energy humming in the air. It made my wolf restless, eager, and proud. It wasn’t even the real performance yet, just a dress rehearsal, but it felt like more.
Zack looked incredible under those lights. He was sitting on a stool near the edge of the stage, head bent as he tuned his guitar.
The way his brow furrowed in concentration, the small crease between his eyebrows, the way his practiced fingers moved, made something warm coil low in my chest.
He plucked a string, adjusted the peg, and listened closely. Then again. The faint metallic twang filled the air.
“Almost perfect,” he murmured to himself, testing the sound again.
I watched him, my hands shoved in my jacket pockets to keep from reaching out. He looked so serious, so completely absorbed in the task, that it made me smile.
There was something ridiculously endearing about seeing him like that. Zack looked focused, grounded, and completely unaware that he was driving me half-crazy.
My wolf stirred.Kiss him, it whispered.Just one.
Yeah, like that’d help. One kiss, and Zack would probably miss his cue, forget the song, and I’d be the reason our rehearsal went off the rails.
Not exactly the impression I wanted to make, especially when everyone in the pack was watching from the sidelines.
“Hey,” Zack said suddenly, looking up. His eyes caught mine, a quick spark of warmth flashing through them. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” I said, quickly straightening. “Just enjoying the view.”
He raised a brow, a small smirk tugging at his lips. “Smooth.”
“Oh, you know I always am,” I said, grinning despite myself.
He rolled his eyes, though I caught the faint color rising in his cheeks.
Before I could say more, the event coordinator called out from across the stage. “Zack, Mark! You’re up after Theo and his band, so be ready!”
“Got it!” Zack called back, giving her a quick wave before glancing at me. “Guess that’s us next.”
“Yeah,” I said, my smile slipping just a little. “After Theo.”
Heck, his name alone soured the air.
He was already onstage, adjusting his mic, chatting easily with his bandmates, who were three other shifters I didn’t recognize.
Lion shifters, judging from the scent that drifted across the clearing.
His golden hair gleamed under the lights, and his shirt was unbuttoned just enough to look intentional. Typical.
I could feel my wolf bristle instantly, a low growl rumbling in my chest before I could stop it. I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to look away. He wasn’t worth it.
Not when Zack and I had worked so damn hard to get here.
“Hey,” Zack said softly beside me, his voice grounding me again. “Don’t let him get to you, okay?”
I forced a smile. “Who says he is?”
Zack’s look said it all. I sighed. “Okay, maybe a little.”
