Crypt Mansion is a smoldering wreck.Ghost residue coats the lawn like ash.Half the town is here, pitchforking ghouls back into the ground like it’s a community service project.
Esmerelda made chocolate chunk cookies.And even Delilah brought donuts.
It’s chaos.
And I love it.
The only thing missing?
Him.
Owen’s been avoiding me for two days.No calls.No psychic nudges.No “hey, remember that time I turned into a massive monster wolf and ripped through a revenant to save you?”texts.
Coward.
He’s thirty feet away, pretending to dig a drainage trench with Preacher, like I can’t see his golden eyes flick toward me every two minutes before snapping away like a guilty teenager.
I could call him out.
But instead?
I turn to his mother.
Annabeth—who is elbow-deep in sorting out cursed laundry that somehow smells like sulfur and lavender.She’s bossing people around with one hand and folding socks with the other.
I walk right up to her.
“Hi,” I say, loud enough to carry.“I just wanted to let you know you can keep coming over to Owen’s place to do your laundry twice a month.”
She raises an eyebrow, curious.“Oh?”
“Yeah,” I nod, sweet as sugar.“As long as you don’t mind adding mine to it.Since I’m moving in.”
The world stills.
Someone drops a shovel.Delilah gasps.I swear the wind stops blowing.
And from behind me—“What?”Owen’s voice rumbles low and stunned.
I don’t turn around.Not yet.
I smile at Annabeth and add, “I’ll separate delicates.Promise.”
Then I turn.
Owen is standing there, trench shovel forgotten, shirt streaked with sweat and dirt, eyes wide and glowing.
“You’re moving in?”he breathes.
“You’re my mate,” I say simply, walking toward him.“And I’m hoping, maybe also my roommate?”
His mouth opens.Closes.“You’re serious.”
“I put in for a transfer this morning.”My voice shakes just a little.“Effective immediately, I’ll be the first ever DPCA agent permanently assigned to one town.”
I stop inches from him.
“You know, after the other night I didn’t think this was a question anymore,” I say to him, hands on my hips.
